7 Sayings of Christ on the Cross – PART 6

7 Sayings of Christ on the Cross – PART 6

This is PART 6 of the 7 PART Series titled “7 Sayings of Christ on the Cross”.
​
PART 6 - Christ’s 6TH Saying (John 19:30)
It is finished:

John 19:30, When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, He said, It is finished: and He bowed His head and gave up the ghost.

From the beginning, Satan opposed the work of redemption. Beginning with Abel’s death, he attempted to hinder the coming of the Messiah. Pharoah, in Egypt, attempted to keep the Hebrews in bondage and to have all male babies drowned in the Nile River in order to prevent the coming of the Messiah. God foiled Satan’s strategy delivering the Jews. Wicked Haman attempted genocide for the complete and utter destruction of all the Jewish people. Herod attempted to destroy all male Jewish boys to prevent the Messiah from taking the throne. Satan had tried numerous times to stop Calvary's plan. But he failed and Christ conquered victoriously. The Lord Jesus was not ignorant of Satan’s devices (II Corinthians 2:11). Through His life and ministry, He fought the enemy with the Word (Matthew 4:1-11). But in His death, glory be to God, the Seed of the woman crushed the head of him “…that had the power of death, that is, the devil” (Hebrews 2:14). Praise the LORD, Jesus said “It is finished and not, I quit!” It is finished speaks of Christ’s success over Satan. Satan had opposed Christ going to the cross and dying in the way heaven had planned.

The word ‘finished’ occurs 3 times:
a) Genesis 2:1. At the completion of God’s physical creation.
b) John 19:30. When salvation was completed on the cross.
c) Revelation 16:17. “It is done” at the 7th vial judgment.

Here our Lord Jesus used the Greek word “Tetelestai” meaning, “It is finished, and as a result it is forever done.” The very words of the Lord Jesus, “It is finished,” make it clear that He did win! When Jesus cried, “It is finished,” the redemptive work He came to accomplish was done. Nothing else needed to be added to it.

The word “Tetelestai” speaks of accomplishment, satisfaction, and victory! Examples of this are:

1. A servant, reporting to his master, would say, “I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.” (John 17:4)

2. A farmer would use this term when there was born into his herd an animal so well-rounded, beautiful, and healthy that it seemed to be without defects and fault.

3. An artist or sculptor who finished a great masterpiece would stand back and say “Tetelestai. Tetelestai,” meaning that the painting is so perfect that nothing can be added to it. It needed no corrections nor any improvements.

4. A merchant would say this when “The debt is paid in full”. As our Kinsman Redeemer, the Lord Jesus paid the exacted payment to set us free from the bondage of sin.

5. A priest would use this word when examining a perfect animal sacrifice when the devout worshipper brought a lamb without blemish, a male of the first year (according to God's instructions in Exodus 12:5), to be offered as a sacrifice.

6. The greatest and example is when Christ said it to describe His payment for our sins on the cross. When our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, offered Himself as the Lamb of God on the altar at Calvary being such a full, complete and perfect payment that nothing could he added to it. Jesus fully met the righteous demands of a holy law. He paid our sin debt in full. The Lamb of God shed His blood to take away the sins of the world (John 1:29; Hebrews 9:24-28). His Sacrifice for sins which was perfect, pure, powerful, once for all, eternal, finished, and done forever. Amen and amen!!!!

The Creator (John 1:1-3) was sacrificed for His creation. Everything Christ did was according to the Scriptures. While on the cross, Christ spoke of finishing the work of salvation. Calvary was the sacrifice that finished all sacrifices for sin which made salvation possible. Christ had completed perfectly the work assigned to Him. Jesus paid the perfect price for sin and bridged the gap between a holy God and sinful people. Jesus had proclaimed He laid His life down, in John 10:18, “No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.” The truth of this claim was verified in John 19:30, “When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.” Jesus was not robbed of His life; He voluntarily laid it down in John 15:13, “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” When Jesus declared, “It is finished”, His work of atonement for sin was done. The demands of the law had been met. The debt for sin had been paid in full. Nothing can be, or needs to be, added to Christ’s finished work on the cross. Jesus endured the punishment for our sins against God, He opened the way for people to have a relationship with Him. Paul said, “I have finished my course.” II Timothy 4:6-8. Will you finish your life’s work that God has given you to do?

PRAYER: Father in Heaven, thank You for sending Jesus to shed His blood, to die, and pay the price for my sins. Thank You for giving Him the strength to finish the word He did at Calvary. He did it all He finished the work You sent Him to do. In Jesus name, Amen.

Thank you for reading PART 6 of the 7 PART Series titled “7 Sayings of Christ on the Cross”. Please visit this website tomorrow for Part 7.

If this post in any way, has blessed you,
please share this website and its articles with others:
www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com