All right, you can open your
Bibles to John 19 if you want to follow along in the scriptures. John 19. Let's ask for the Lord's blessing.
Father, bless us now with your spirit that he may show us the
son. We thank you for your son who
loved us and gave himself for us. And we pray that our thoughts
at this time and then throughout the coming week would be fixed
upon Christ Jesus. In his name we pray, amen. Now
in our last lesson we began studying the method of grace. We're looking
at the fundamentals of the doctrine of grace, and we're now at this
question, the method of grace. And we define the method of grace
as substitution. That is, that Jesus Christ took
the place of sinners, bearing their sins and the punishment
that was due to those sins. Now, nearly all of professed
Christianity would agree to that. But there's a great difference
of opinion on the significance of our Lord's substitutionary
work. Him taking the place of sinners.
There's a wide divergence of opinion on just what was accomplished
by the substitutionary death of Christ. For you see, the gospel
is not simply that he died. the Gospels about what was accomplished
by his death. Lots of people have died and
it meant nothing. And unfortunately, when you listen
to the preaching of many who claim to be Christian preachers,
by the time they're done describing what they think of the death
of Christ, it pretty much accomplished nothing. Now there can hardly be a more
powerful statement than what our Lord said very near the end
of his natural life. Beginning at John chapter 19
verse 28, we'll read three or four verses. Later, knowing that all was now
completed, And so that the scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said,
I am thirsty. A jar of wine vinegar was there,
so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on the stalk of
the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus' lips. When he had
received the drink, Jesus said, it is finished. With that, he
bowed his head and gave up his spirit. Now, the same Greek root
word is used three times in those three verses. It carries several
shades of meaning, but all of them have in common the idea
of reaching a goal, attaining something. And this word appears
in the English language. as a prefix. We use it as a prefix. Words like telephone, television,
teleport, telegram, telepathy. All of those begin, the prefixes
of those words, come from this Greek word. And it's easy to
see that in every case where it pops up in the English language,
it's talking about something reaching its destination or goal. Telephone, phone for voice and
I speak here and it reaches its goal on the other end you know
whoever's holding the other end you know telegram for the word
for writing and so the writing reaches its goal goes where it's
supposed to go so that's what the word means excuse me now
in this passage we just read here are the three words that
are translations of that same Greek root word. Later, knowing that all was now
completed. Completed. I think the King James
just used the word finished there, but completed. And so that the
scripture would be fulfilled. So we've got completed, fulfilled,
and then down in verse 30, the Lord said, it is finished. In fact, in the Greek language,
that three-word phrase, it is finished, is all one word. Finished. Finished. Another common translation
of this word in the Bible is the word perfect. And that means
perfect in its old-fashioned sense of complete. So the question then is, what
was accomplished, completed, finished, fulfilled when the
Lord Jesus Christ died as the substitute for sinners? Well,
the first thing that we'll notice is that all things were accomplished. Verse 28, where we were just
looking, John chapter 19, verse 28, later, knowing that all was
now completed. Now, whenever we encounter the
word all in the scriptures, We know that often that does not
mean in an absolute sense. In fact, we rarely use the word
all in an absolute sense. Its limits are determined by
the context. And so when it says all was now
completed, it means all pertaining to what he was doing. I mean, you know, there have
been 2,000 years of things that have happened since then. They
weren't all accomplished on that day. But everything pertaining
to redemption, atonement, everything
that is involved with Christ burying our sins in his body
on the tree, it was accomplished, completed then. Now this points to the fact that
there is nothing lacking in the work of Christ. He did not leave
any part of it undone. Now the work that he was given
to do involved quite a few works. They were all completed. You know, we make to-do lists.
And it's not very often we get to the end of the day and can
write all done. Usually there's some that carry
forward to the next day. That's just the nature of things.
But our Lord Jesus Christ left nothing undone pertaining to
the work that he engaged there on the cross. One step missed,
not one point glossed over, given as, I don't know if it's a phrase
around here, but I've heard a lot as a kid, none of this, give
it a hit and a miss, you know? For example, this morning, I
came in and needed to do a little cleaning on the building. Well,
believe me, it did not get cleaned like it normally does. It was
a hit and a miss, you know, get the worst of it cleaned up. Our
Lord did nothing like that. Every point was done and every
point was done perfectly. Our works are never perfect.
There's always something lacking in what we do. Most of religion
is based on the works of human beings, our works. They say that
the way to eternal blessing is to perform certain tasks. But we are always deficient. We miss some of the required
tasks altogether, and we don't do any of them perfectly. Therefore,
any blessedness based on man's works is doomed to failure, for
man's works always have failure attached to them. If there's any title that would
be appropriate for human beings, it would be failure. Here is
Failure Joe, Failure Bob, all of us. I realize we think that in normal
things we succeed, and I suppose on a human standard we do, but
in spiritual things, never, never. The Lord Jesus accomplished every
task task and accomplished every task without flaw. There's not
even a hint of deficiency in anything that he did. And what
he did was sufficient to bring about its desired result. Now that's two very important
points about the work of our Lord Jesus Christ. there was
nothing deficient in what he did and what he did was sufficient
to bring about the desired result. Now next week we're going to
be looking at the results. We're looking at the work, the
character of the work today. But everything Christ intended
in his death, everything the father intended in the death
of Christ was truly and really accomplished. So the first thing
is that all things were accomplished, all things pertaining to the
task at hand. Second, the scriptures were fulfilled,
perfected, completed. You know, At this point, all
there was is what we call the Old Testament. And so that's
the scripture being referred to. But our Lord, here in verse
28 again of John 19, he said, knowing that all was
now completed, and so that the scripture would be fulfilled,
he said, I am thirsty. Now it's true that John 19, 28
is referring to the fulfillment of a single scripture because
it's talking about just one thing the Lord did while on the cross.
Psalm 22 verse 15 says this, my mouth is dried up like a potsherd
and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth. You lay me in the
dust of death. So in order that that scripture
might be fulfilled, he said, I thirst. And another verse may
be also implied. It says in Psalm 69, verse 15,
they put gall in my food and gave me vinegar for my thirst. So here in John 19, 28, it's
talking about a couple of particular scriptures that were fulfilled
by those small details of our Lord's suffering. But we may
extend this idea of fulfilling Scripture to the whole of Old
Testament Scripture. Our Lord Himself said that the
Scriptures testified concerning Him. Remember that? He said to
the Pharisees, you search the Scriptures for in them you think
you have eternal life. These are the Scriptures that
testify about me. The whole of scripture points
to Christ and Him crucified. It points to this work. Every
prophecy, every promise and picture or illustration found in the
Old Testament finds its fulfillment in this event. The death of our Lord Jesus Christ
is our substitute. This is a particularly important
point in our day when there's an emphasis on some as of yet
unfulfilled promises to the nation of Israel. Now, if you pay much
attention to churches outside of sovereign grace Baptist churches
like us or the reformed churches, Most of the rest of them were
given over to what is called dispensationalism. And dispensationalism
is what has put forward the idea that there are promises that
God made to Israel that haven't yet been fulfilled. So sometime
in the future, the Lord is going to restore the nation of Israel
in its old covenant status and fulfill all of those promises
made to them that haven't been fulfilled yet. Now this doctrine
is not so much damning to the soul as it is distracting. There
are many honest and sincere believers who follow this method of interpreting
Old Testament scriptures. But I believe it to be a devilish
scheme to distract the hearts and minds of people from the
Lord Jesus Christ. Now, I was raised in this. Bonnie
was raised in it. I don't know, you know, that
was, we haven't been involved with that, it's almost been 45
years now. And there's been some changes
made, I'm sure. But I know that I was constantly
hearing about Israel, and they were always looking in the newspaper
and reading about what's going on over there in Israel, and
say, oh, here's another prophecy fulfilled, you know, and all
of this, and they think that this is a, a bellwether, an indication that
the Lord is going to return to rapture the church just any second
now. Well, I would not be so bold
as to say that's untrue were it not that the scriptures plainly
say that there are no unfulfilled promises to Israel. In Acts chapter
13, verse 32, and you know, Made this connection only a year
or two ago. Can't believe it was just, I
mean, to see a scripture so plainly say this. And yet people go on as though
it were never written and it never occurred to me to apply
it here. But I believe it's Paul that's preaching and he says
this. We tell you the good news. What God promised our fathers,
he has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up Jesus. See, they misunderstood the promise.
Now, Abraham understood the promise. The Lord said, you look at everything
you can see, I'll give it to you. But the book of Hebrews
tells us that Abraham sought a city whose builder and maker
was God. He sought a better country. He
knew that the promise of God was really not about a patch
of real estate. It was about an eternal habitation. And so did believing Jews throughout
time. Paul says the same thing in 2
Corinthians 1, beginning at verse 18. But as surely as God is faithful,
our message to you is not yes and no. For the Son of God, Jesus
Christ, who was preached among you by me and Silas and Timothy,
was not yes and no, but in him it has always been yes. For no
matter how many promises God has made, they are yes in Christ. And so through him, the amen
is spoken by us to the glory of God. There are no unfulfilled promises. Jesus Christ in his death, burial,
and resurrection fulfilled every promise ever made to anybody
really. But specifically those promises
made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and their descendants. and us. For the book of Galatians teaches
us that we who believe are the true seed children of Abraham. Those promises never were for
a national people. That nation came and it went. It served its purpose. The holy
nation is not the Jewish nation. It's God's elect. So secondly, he has fulfilled,
accomplished all the promises of God in the scriptures. Third,
we're answering a question. Jesus Christ said it is finished.
Well, what was finished? What was accomplished? The Lord,
or he finished the work his father had given him to do. The Lord
Jesus did not come with his own agenda. He came with a task given
to him. In John chapter 17, verse four,
we read, I have brought you glory on earth by completing, same
word, completing the work you gave me to do. Now, he prayed
this shortly before the crucifixion. He said, well, wait, it wasn't
completed yet. He completed everything he's supposed to do up to that
point. And he would go on to complete the rest, but the point
is still the same. He's saying, I'm completing the
work you gave me to do. I shall complete it. I have completed
it. It's done. There is no failure with Christ.
There is no lack of power on his part to carry out what he
was given to do. No lack of willingness. Our Lord Jesus has many virtues,
but chief among His virtues was His passion to do the work His
Father gave Him. In John chapter four, verse 34,
the Lord Jesus said, my food is to do the will of Him who
sent me and to finish, same word, His work. You see, there is no such thing
in the scriptures as an unsuccessful Christ. There is no such thing
in the scriptures of Jesus trying to do anything. It is a testimony
of the Lord Jesus Christ doing what he was sent to do, doing
it flawlessly, fully, bringing it to its full accomplishment. Now the fourth one's kind of
surprising. He says it is finished, it is
perfected. What? He was perfected. Now that sounds strange. Well,
we wouldn't say it if the scriptures didn't. In Luke it says I forgot to write
the chapter, but I think it's chapter 23, but don't quote me
on that. But at verse 31, it says, on
that very day, some Pharisees came saying to him, get out and
depart from here for Herod wants to kill you. And he said to them,
go tell that fox. Behold, I cast out demons and
perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I shall be
perfected. Nevertheless, I must journey
today, tomorrow, and the day following, for it cannot be that
a prophet should perish outside of Jerusalem. How was he going
to be perfected? By dying. Now that, when we talk about
our Lord Jesus Christ being perfected, and this is using that same Greek
word, it'll sound strange to us because we think the word
perfected means flawless. And our Lord's always been flawless.
How then would he be spoken of as being perfected if he's already
perfect? Well, we find the explanation
in the book of Hebrews. Turn over to Hebrews chapter
two, verse 10. Hebrews 2 verse 10, in bringing
many sons to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through
whom everything exists, should make the author of their salvation
perfect through suffering. Okay, hold that in your mind. Hebrews chapter 5 verse 8, Although he was a son, he learned
obedience from what he suffered and once made perfect, he became
the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him. And then
in Hebrews chapter 7 verse 28, For the law appoints as high
priests men who are weak, but the oath which came after the
law appointed the son who has been made perfect forever. You say, how was the Lord made
perfect? Well, he wasn't made perfect
as a person. He already was that. What it's
referring to here is he was made perfect as a Savior. He made the author of their salvation
perfect through suffering. Jesus Christ came into the world
and it said, remember the angel said, unto you is born this day
a Savior who is Christ the Lord. Okay, good, he's a Savior, but
he's a baby. What's he gonna do? His title is Savior, but
he hasn't saved anything yet. And he grows up through his entire
life, and he lives flawlessly. Good. He is a perfect person,
but he's not a Savior yet, because he hasn't saved anybody. But
then he suffered. Then He took upon Himself our
sins, God laid those sins on Him, and God caused Him to suffer
for those sins. He has suffered once for all,
the just for the unjust. And through that suffering, He
was perfected as a Savior. There is nothing missing in the
person and work of Christ as to making Him a perfect and
suitable Savior for sinners. He is whole and complete as a
Savior, and that was accomplished, that was perfected when He died. And then the last one, what was
accomplished, what was made perfect? Look at Hebrews chapter 10 verse
14. And actually what's written here
is what is going to occupy next Sunday's lesson. Well, we'll start in verse 13
of Hebrews chapter 10. Since that time, his ascension,
well, the offering of himself. Since that time, he waits for
his enemies to be made his footstool Because by one sacrifice, he
has made perfect forever those who are sanctified. Those who are set apart, set
apart by divine grace from the rest of the world, set apart
by God's electing grace. And so we were already sanctified
or set apart before the world began, but we weren't perfect. Sin was still on us. We were
not whole. We were not complete. But Jesus
Christ, the perfect Savior, perfected his work. And when he perfected
his work, he perfected us. You say, I don't feel perfect.
Well, what he accomplished has not yet found its full application
in your experience. But so certain is it, and in
fact, it's already real and true in the sight of God in heaven.
So certain is it, it's already declared to have been perfected. You say, I see so much lacking
in me. I see awfulness in me. Yes, you
do. But you are perfect, flawless and complete. in the
sight of God. So indeed, when our Lord said
it is finished, what was finished, what was perfected, what was
accomplished? A lot more than most people think. And what we'll
learn next week was it was an accomplishment, it was not merely
something that made accomplishment possible. It actually accomplished
things for us. All right, you are dismissed.