Most of you will be aware that
as we were able to go to Guildford on Friday morning and hear the
Gospel preached by James, he preached from the 30th verse
in this same chapter, chapter 19. of the Gospel of John. This subject has been on my spirit
for the week and I don't really feel I should move away from
it. So it's my intention to preach
from this text this morning. It's just three words really. It is finished and if the Lord
will, tonight we'll preach from just three words. the Lord is
risen. And really in those two short
texts is the whole of the gospel and the wonderful foundation
truths. So let's turn to the 19th chapter of John and verse
30, which reads, when Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he
said, it is finished. and he bowed his head and gave
up the ghost. Well, perhaps these are the most
glorious words really in the Word of God, because here was
the completion of the glorious work of the Saviour. That glorious
work which had been prophesied, as you probably know, some 4,000
or so years ago, in the Garden of Eden when the Lord said that
the serpent's head would be broken or squashed and we're thankful
that all through the years this was no doubt a very precious
text in Genesis 3.15 for the people to refer to and yet they
had to wait and now this has come to pass after all these
years. What a wonderful blessing it
is to know that what God speaks does come to pass. The words
of prophecy which he spoke in the Word of God regarding the
Saviour have come to pass. Others are still to come to pass. But what a wonderful blessing
it is to realise that we have a statement like that. It is
finished. Well, what was finished? It was the work that his father
gave him to do. And what was that work? It was
the wonderful work of redemption. And that means the work that
was required in order to save his people from their sins, to
free them from the curse, the soul that sinneth, it shall die. And there we all were under that
curse. And if it had not been for the
finished work of the Saviour, we would still be there. But
what a wonderful blessing it is to know that the plan which
God the Father gave to His Son to carry out on this earth, He
completed. He did not fail. And I'm sure
if we're familiar at all with the Word of God, we realize that
He was on the earth for those 33 years. And they weren't easy
years. He suffered. He was mocked, he
was ridiculed, and yet he continued wonderfully and gloriously. And then of course, finally,
he suffered in the, as we think of, the time when he instituted
the Lord's Supper. What a wonderful token of love. There was the Passover, which
had been carried on since It was instituted in the wilderness
by Moses, carried on, well, sorry, in Egypt before the wilderness,
in Egypt, and it had been carried on for all those years. But the
blessing was, it looked forward, and it signified the Lord Jesus
Christ in that Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world. So every year, the Jewish nation
would have been reminded that there was to be not only that
temporal freedom, deliverance from Egypt, but also deliverance
from the power of sin through the shed blood of the Saviour,
the Lamb of God. That's why, again, the Apostle
John, we read in the first chapter of this Gospel, he tells us,
behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world. And so, for those 33 years, the
Lord Jesus lived on this earth with continued opposition. And it's good just to realise
that he was Almighty God, the second person in the Trinity,
God the Son, the Son of God the Father. And he suffered And he
came into this world for the divine purpose to save his church,
redeem them from all their sins. And he therefore left his throne
in glory, that place of perfect bliss which he had ever been
and was willing to come at his father's bidding into this earth. and to suffer and to bleed and
to die on the behalf of all his people. And what a wonderful
blessing it is if you and I today have the wonderful evidence in
our heart that Jesus, the eternal son of God, has died for us. has shed his precious blood for
us, so that we might be eternally freed from the condemnation of
our sin. And so the Saviour, he didn't
flinch from that which was before him. And when you read, which
we can in the Gospels, of the time when he instituted the Lord's
Supper, which was to supersede the Passover and take its place
no more was a Passover needed because we have the glorious
scene, the glorious picture of the Lord Jesus Christ suffering
and we have this memorial service that we're able to do in remembrance
of the Saviour And in that memorial service, what do we remember?
His broken body, which we read of in this 19th chapter, and
his shed blood. And that, the glorious symbols
that we have to remember the cost of our salvation. Because he instituted the Lord's
Supper. And you may well remember He
went out with his disciples across the brook Kidron and into the
garden of Gethsemane and there he went and prayed to his father. He knew what was before him and
he prayed to his father in humble, humble words, if it be possible
let this cup passed from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but
thine be done. And we know the will of the Father
was that his only beloved Son should indeed bear the cost of
our sin. And that cost was so great. It wasn't just in Gethsemane. It had been through his life. And then after Gethsemane, when
he was arrested, having been betrayed by Judas Iscariot, he
was taken into the judgment hall and cross-examined and mocked,
and we need to just realize he was not just a man, but the Son
of God, willing to suffer on our behalf, to bear the punishment
instead. And so he went through that time
in the judgment hall of mockery, when, as you know, they placed
a crown of thorns on his head, gave him a purple gown to put
on, brought him out as the King of the Jews. And of course, we
know that Pilate said, as he brought him out, take him and
crucify him, for I find no fault in him. There was no fault. And yet, you see, they weren't
willing that he should be freed. And we know that he could not
be freed. And he could not be freed because
he had to bear the punishment that was due to us in order to
set us free and so we see the Lord Jesus
willingly not my will but thine be done willingly going through
that mockery in the judgment hall and then going to Calvary
and there at Calvary crucified upon the cross. Because even
in that time of immense agony, which it must have been, it's
hard for us to really appreciate what the Saviour had to endure. And it wasn't only a physical
agony, because we read He had to endure those three hours when the father withdrew his
presence from him. What a time of intense suffering
that was. He really endured hell on our
behalf for those three hours. And then as we know, there were
those two thieves, one on either side, and he gloriously spoke
to one and promised him in answer to that great question, Lord
remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom this day shalt
thou be with me in paradise. We see there really then his
work was complete. The work that his father had
given him to do and that's why then he was able to Utter those
glorious words. It is finished. He bowed his head and gave up
the ghost. He gave up his life. Yes, he
gave it up. He'd suffered all incarnate God
could bear with strength enough and none to spare. to ponder and realise the great
truth that we have in the Word of God to encourage us. And when that occurred, when
the Lord Jesus said, it is finished, something very remarkable occurred. And that was That very heavy,
thick and dense curtain, which was referred to as the veil in
the temple, was torn in two from the top to the bottom. It separated
the holy place from the most holy place. And into the most
holy place, the high priest was only allowed to enter in once
a year, not without blood. Blood for himself, blood for
the people. The symbol was a slain lamb. The blood was taken and therefore
every year this had been carried out. And now you see it had come
to the time when the Lord Jesus Christ as the eternal Lamb of
God. He shed his blood. There was
now no need for the high priest to go into the Holy of Holies.
Why? Because every born again sinner
can enter in to the holy place by faith. The holy place, of
course, being glory through the merits of our Saviour, the Lord
Jesus Christ. He shed His blood. He shed His
blood on this one occasion, and there was no need ever again
for such a death to occur. and there was no need ever again
for lamb to be slain and the blood taken and go into the holy
place because the Lord Jesus Christ had brought about access
for his people into that holy place and that's why it is our
wonderful privilege as we come to God in prayer and never forget
this when you and I come to God in prayer, are able to come and
say, for Jesus Christ's sake. That gives us access unto the
Father. People often seem to not realise
the significance of that wonderful privilege. But it is, but it's
only through the shed blood of the Saviour. Because we are sinners. And God the Father cannot look
upon sin, but He sees us through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. And we therefore come through
Him. And therefore, how wonderful
it was. And again, what a comfort and what an assurance It is to
realize that when the Lord Jesus did die, did give up the ghost,
did say, it is finished. There was no need anymore for
that veil across the temple. There was no need anymore for
the sacrifices of shed lambs. And you may remember that there
had always been a sacrifice as well, a morning and an evening
sacrifice. No need now for that, because
the way of access to our Father is through the shed blood, which
was shed at Calvary's Cross by our glorious Saviour. to take
away our sin. Well, if we are condemned, all
of us, because of our sin, it's a blessing when we feel condemned because of our sin, and then
to be redirected to the glorious Redeemer, the Lord Jesus Christ,
and to enter in and have some appreciation of the cost of our
freedom, the cost of our salvation. It's wonderful to realize the
hymn writer has a line in the hymn. It's this, invaluable blood. It is, you and I cannot put a
value on the shed blood of the Saviour because it paid the price
to take away our sins. Nothing of any fiscal nature
could do that. It was utterly insufficient. The only thing that could remove
our sins was that great and glorious sacrifice of the Saviour's life
and that was so gloriously epitomized in the shedding of His most precious
blood. See the value of it and to realize
that by nature we are enemies to God. We were born enemies
enemies to God. We can read of it in the fifth
chapter Romans 4. If when we were enemies, we were
reconciled to God through the faith of his son, through the
death of his son, Jesus Christ. Let's think of that. Reconciled
means to be restored. restored to that union restored with that communion
with our God through what the Lord Jesus Christ has done being
reconciled what a mercy to be reconciled to God how humbling
how amazing to think that we as utterly unworthy. Sinners of
the earth can be reconciled to a holy God. The only way was
through the shed blood of the Saviour. And therefore, much
more being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. His death. What a glorious Saviour
we have. Well, it's a wonderful thing,
isn't it? That we are able to remember, perhaps in a specific
way, on the Resurrection Day which we commemorate. We don't
know, of course, exactly when it was. But nonetheless, it's
good to set aside a day in a specific way to be able to concentrate
on what the Saviour endured to redeem our souls. The cost was so great. How often
we underestimate the cost of our salvation. If we recognised the truth more
and more, it would make us more concerned not to sin, not to
do those things against the will of God. We've already said, the
blessed Saviour said, not my will, but thine be done. It would be good, wouldn't it,
when you and I are faced with temptation, to be able to face
the devil and say, nevertheless not my will, but thine be done. Yes, to obey the great and glorious
will of our God. Because what does that do? That
brings honour and glory to Him. And when God gives us grace and
strength to do his will, there is indeed a wonderful rejoicing
to realize that the Holy Spirit has enabled us to resist the
devil, that he may flee from us and to follow a despised and
crucified man. you know this glorious truth
the Apostle brings out well the Apostle brings out so often but
just one perhaps text in the Colossians when he tells us who
hath finished work who hath delivered us from the power of darkness
that's we were born into we're in darkness Gross darkness, but
wonderful favour when God hath changed us. The word of God uses
the word translated us into the kingdom of his dear son. And what is that? That is a kingdom
of light. It's a kingdom of blessed light
because we see there through Christ the hope of our eternal
life to receive that glorious gift which we could never earn. Anything and everything that
we can do would never earn us eternal life. but the gracious
and glorious God gives the gift of eternal life. He delivers
us from the wrath to come, that which was due to us. And again, it's a blessing when
the Holy Spirit convinces us that we are guilty. We deserve
the wrath of God. But then to think that we are
delivered. How? Only through the shed blood
of the Saviour. To realise the wonderful words
that we read in an earlier chapter, the 14th chapter of John. It's
a beautiful chapter. And we read these words in the
sixth verse, Jesus said to them, I am the way, neither way. I am the way, the truth, and
the life. No man cometh unto me, unto the
Father, but by me. And you may remember that was
the answer to a question that Thomas asked. And Thomas asked
this question. Lord, we know not whither thou
goest. And how can we know the way?
Jesus tells him very succinctly and very simply and very gloriously. I am the way, the truth and the
life. No man cometh unto the Father
but by me. Well, we've already touched upon
this, haven't we? And it's good to remember that
you and I can come to our Father in Heaven sometimes people seem
to not realise that we have a Father in Heaven but we can't approach
unto that Father in Heaven directly ourselves but we can come to
Him through the merits through the finished work of the Saviour,
the Lord Jesus Christ. And that's why we have this great
and glorious truth, no man cometh unto the Father but by me. And so today, don't we have real
cause and reason to come and to praise God for our Saviour,
the Lord Jesus Christ. You know it must have been a
tremendously solemn occasion when the Lord spoke those words.
We read them don't we? It is finished. Tremendous occasion
because we're told not only did the Vaila temple was rent from
the top to the bottom and you realize of course I hope that
couldn't have been done by man because it was done from the
top imagine no one was up the top of the veil and it was rent. God himself rent that veil but
at the same time the earth did quake and the rocks rent. Why it was a an amazing time. Many people surely must have
trembled when they realised the situation which had occurred
when the Lord Jesus spoke these words, it is finished and gave
up the ghost. Well it's great reason surely
today to rejoice in such words I know perhaps we might say,
well that of course was on Good Friday, well in theory, well
in truth it was. But nonetheless we can still
rejoice in it. We can still rejoice today in
such glorious words. Because if the Lord Jesus had
not finished that work that his Father gave him to do, there
would be no hope for you and me. There would be no way of
salvation. And so we come today and surely
can praise God. I hope we can. It should be a
time, a day to rejoice. A time to bow down and worship
the ever-living God for what he's done. Indeed for the great
plan of salvation and we see surely involved in it The Father,
the Son, and the Holy Spirit. How glorious is such a truth. How wonderful is the doctrine
and the truth of the Trinity. And all are involved. Yes, all
are involved. They're all equal. They're co-equal. What a wonderful truth it is,
you know. Our little minds can't absorb
it. Either minds can't really fully
understand it. But what a blessing if God gives
you and me faith, living faith, to believe such a great and glorious
truth, which will, of course, be revealed to us when, by his
grace, we arrive home in glory. It's a wonderful prospect, isn't
it, to think That means great and enduring truths of the everlasting
Gospel, which to us we're not able to really fathom. Here we
see through a glass darkly, and very dark very often, but then,
face to face, then it will be clear, then it will be all revealed,
and we shall be able, through eternity, to praise and honour
and glorify our God. So this morning, as we come to
God as an undone, lost and ruined sinner, to realise that our hope
resides in the glorious finished work of the Saviour. Yes, it
wasn't left unfinished. Everything that was needful to
be carried out All his sufferings were necessary. It was all planned
in eternity past and fulfilled on that day of Calvary so many
years ago. It's good, as you know I often
say, it's a wonderful thing to be able to go by faith and stand
at the cross at Calvary and view by faith the Saviour suffering
in our place, paying the price to take away our sins so that
we're able to come and glorify God and know that we're clean,
we're washed in the blood of the Lamb. Well, my friends, They
are most glorious words. It is finished. And I hope you
understand their most glorious words. And I hope you can rejoice
in them. And bless God for them. And have
the wonderful realization and application that these words
were spoken on our behalf. Yes, to think that Jesus Christ
was so willing to suffer for such unworthy sinners. Great cause surely to praise
and honour and glorify God. Well, my friends, it's not a
long text to remember this morning, is it? It is finished and I hope we
can often rejoice in it and often be found thinking upon
it because here is life. Amen.