Leading up to Easter we began a series at Watoto Church that we called ‘Jesus’ Last Words,’ studying some of the phrases that Jesus made while He hung on the cross at Calvary.
Hidden in those phrases is great incredible biblical truth. If you and I can begin to live by the truth that is in those words, our lives will not be the same. Notably, the lives of those around us will be transformed as well.
The first week we looked at the statement that Jesus made when He looked at those who captured him, and those who hung him on the cross. He said to his father; forgive them for they do not know what they are doing.
The next week we looked at the conversation that Jesus had with the thieves on the cross. To the left and to the right, Jesus had two thieves crucified besides Him. One of them reached out to Him and said; hey, you are the Messiah save yourself and save us. He mocked Jesus.
The other thief turned to Jesus, and said; Jesus remember me when you get into your kingdom. And Jesus said to him; truly I tell you this day, you will be with me in paradise.
Last week, we talked about the anguish of separation that Jesus experienced when the Father had to turn His face away from him for a moment. Jesus who was not sinful in any way, became sin for us and had to be separated from the Father who was holy. In the pain and agony that he felt in that moment, Jesus cried out to his father; my God, my God, why have you forsaken me.
Today we want to continue on with our series. We want to focus on a phrase that I believe is the greatest one-line statement that you will ever hear in your life.
When you watch movies, there is always a star who makes a certain statement that becomes the rock of his character.
…Jesus makes what I believe is one of the greatest one-liners in history. He doesn’t make this statement at his finest moment.
Actually when you look at that moment, you could think that it is his weakest moment, because he’s hanging on a cross between two thieves, and those that loved him and followed him are distraught.
They’re looking at this guy who healed the sick and performed miracles. He’s being mocked and abused. He’s been battered and bruised, and now he hangs there in what looks like his weakest moment as a man.
This is how John records this most glorious moment. John Chapter 19: 28-30, the Bible tells us Jesus knew that his mission was now finished and to fulfill scripture, he said I’m thirsty. A jar of sour wine was sitting there, so they socked a sponge in it. Put it on a hyssop branch and held it up to his lips.
When Jesus had tasted it, he said; It is Finished. Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
“It is Finished”.
Today, we want to just focus on what those words mean .
You know Jesus could have said; I am finished. Because his enemies had him where they wanted him.
In fact, his chief enemy Satan had him where he wanted him, on the cross. Satan thought; now I have got where I want you. But Jesus understood something that Satan did not understand.
Jesus knew that this was all part of God’s plan.
Jesus knew that this was part of a bigger plan. That’s why in John 19:28, scripture tells us Jesus knew. Jesus understood. Jesus recognized that his mission was now finished. That is why with an attitude of finality and certainty, with the audacity left in him at that moment, in his final breath, Jesus was able to say; it is finished.
Now, you may ask, what was finished?
Jesus’ mission has always been to reconcile God to man. God has always wanted a relationship with you my friend, and Jesus came to restore that broken relationship. In that moment when Jesus hung on the cross, he recognized that his mission to reconcile man back to God was finished.
…God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in Jesus, and through him, to reconcile to Himself all things in Christ… including you! Whether things on earth, or in heaven, Jesus made peace through his blood shed on the cross. Remember Scripture tells us that without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sin.
For Jesus to bring peace and remove enmity between God and man, he had to shed his blood. In that moment just before his death, he left us these words: It is finished. The walk of reconciling man to God was finished. And listen friends, Jesus did not do 90 percent of the work. Jesus did not do 99 percent of the work. He did 100 percent of the work. He paid that debt in full.
Listen friends, we owed a debt we could not pay. The wages of sin is death, we couldn’t pay. Jesus died in our place. The Bible says he was sinless. He was spotless. He did not sin. He didn’t have a debt with God. It is you and I that had a debt with God, and yet Jesus died in our place.
Will you give him glory and thanks.
…Nothing comes close to what Jesus did for you and for me. Jesus paid that debt that we couldn’t pay. Jesus died in our place so that you and I can be reconciled to God, the Father.
The old is gone
The old system of making things right with God is gone.
You no longer have to offer a sacrifice, you no longer have to work out of your own effort to try and earn God’s favor for salvation. You don’t have to.
Jesus paid the perfect price. There is no need for another sacrifice. You don’t have to sacrifice anything my friend.
That system has been dealt a way with. Coming to church is good friends, but this is not going to earn you any favor with God. The Bible tells us we must do it because we shouldn’t give up the habit of meeting one with another. You need me, I need you, that’s why we come together, but it is not to earn favor with God.
Giving and offering friends is not going to earn you favor. Your sins will not be forgiven because you gave in your offering. Your sins will not be forgiven because you came to church, or you went to cell. Your sins are not going to be forgiven because you’ve reached out to a vulnerable woman and their children. You are not going to do that because you’re trying to earn favor from God, but because you love God so much.
The Bible tells us we’ve been set free from the old way of doing things. For your salvation and for the forgiveness of sins, Jesus shed His blood and gave his life. All you have to do isn’t to bring another sacrifice, but turn to the one who gave the greatest sacrifice, and say; Jesus forgive me of my sin, wash me in your blood, cleanse me from my sin.
The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 5:17 that this means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone. A new life has begun.
The old ways are done friends, stop observing those feasts and those moons and those things. You don’t need it for your salvation. Some people think for you to truly be born again, you have to celebrate the Passover. You don’t have to.. for you to be truly born again, you ask Jesus to wash away your sin.
A new covenant
Not only is the old gone. The new here.
There is a new way of relating with our God. It is not through offering another bull or another goat or another sacrifice.
The new way is here. The Bible calls it is a New Covenant. A better covenant that speaks of better things. A covenant for which Jesus paid. He is the author of this new covenant because He paid our debt in full.
He’s brought a new way to the father. Jesus said in John 14:6; I am the way, I am the truth, I am the life. No one comes to the father except by me.
In this new system, it is not by offering a bull… It is by faith in Jesus Christ.
The New Covenant is by the grace of God through His Son Jesus.
When you put your faith in Him, the Bible says in that one moment, you’ll become the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus, because Jesus imputes his righteousness on you.
And I love what the Bible says in Galatians 5; Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get entangled up again in slavery to the law. What we do every day, must be a response to what Jesus did on that day.
Freedom: Not a licence to sin
Galatians 5:13 to 14 says;… for you have been called to live in freedom… my brothers and sisters, but do not use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead use your freedom to serve one another in love, for the whole law can be summed up in this one command; Love your neighbor as yourself.
As a husband, I love my wife. Because I love my wife, I do what pleases her. I’m not trying to earn my wife’s love. I know she loves me, so I respond to her love by doing good. It’s the same with us church.
We’re not trying to earn God’s love. God already loves you. Yes, You’ve messed up. Listen. God loves you.
He hates the sin, he loves you. Don’t try to earn his love brother. Because he loves you, do what is right before him. Let your life be a ‘thank you’ to Jesus.
Do you know why you need to walk away from pornography, masturbation, telling lies, gossiping, slander, being lazy at work and ‘chopping’ your lectures? Do you know why you need to walk away from that lifestyle?
You walk away from it because you recognize it cost Jesus his life. So, to truly say thank you to Jesus, hey, live a life that is holy before God.
Do good to your neighbors because the greatest way you can serve God is by serving those around you. Galatians 6:2 tells us when we carry each other’s burdens, we are full-filling the love of Christ which is the law of love. Do good to your neighbor. That’s why it becomes critical for you to bring a friend to church.
Hey, stop coming to church alone. There are so many people in your life that do not know Jesus. Bring them to church so they can hear about a Savior who loves them. So they can hear about a Savior who wants to change their lives forever, Jesus.
Listen to the full Sermon Here
