I'm going to get theological
this morning. I bet you didn't know you had
a theologian in your midst. Kind of surprises me too. But I'm going to have to use
some big words to do this. And I want you to hear those
words. Try to keep up. It. Are you still with me? is finished. What profound doctrine. It is finished. That is some
of the most profound doctrine that you will hear anywhere when
given in this context. And if you would, turn with me
to John 19. John 19. John 19, and I'll just read verses
29 and 30. John 19, 29. Now there was set
a vessel full of vinegar, and they filled a sponge with vinegar,
and put it upon Hyssop, and put it to his mouth. When Jesus therefore
had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished. and he bowed his head and gave
up the ghost. This passage to me is like John
6 is to Joe. This passage is one that God
Almighty brought to me when he opened my eyes. These words will
never be known without the power of God, Joe. I was always consumed
with doing, doing, doing. I thought it was within my power
to do something to gain favor from God. Something I could or
would do that God would then look on me graciously. I may
have not thought about it exactly in that way, but I thought I
had to do works to gain his favor in some way. God began to show
me that I could do nothing but evil. The harder I tried to do
right, the worse the sin became. It seemed everything I would
put my hand to ended up in total iniquity before Him, and it was. Again, I did not think in things
in terms like iniquity before God. I had very little knowledge
of what the scripture actually said, and I still have very little
knowledge of what the scripture says. But I do know more than
when I first began by his grace and mercy. There came a time
when these words came to me by his spirit and the weight that
was lifted off of me was one that brought and still to this
day brings me great joy. I was all by myself at that time
in the car, but God was showing me his son and what his son did
for me. So I want to go through these
words as my outline, just to get a brief look at the depth
of what they say, if God wills. Now these three words are only
one word in the Greek. It is finished, is one Greek
word. I just want to mention that. But we're gonna go through
these English words that we have translated for us. It, number
one, is, number two, finished, number three. It, such a small word, but the
vastness of what it covers is great. What was done here, as
we have read in John 19, was done before any of the New Testament
passages were even created. When our Lord referred to scripture,
He was referring to the Old Testament. So what is actually covered in
this word, it, is covered in all of the Old Testament scriptures.
We obviously cannot cover all of the Old Testament scriptures
because I don't have the ability, nor do we have the time for such
an endeavor. So I want to just point out some of these things
that are mentioned in the New Testament accounts of Christ
and go look at some of the scriptures that talk about these things.
And I'm talking about things that happen throughout Jesus
Christ's life on this earth. We see in Isaiah 7.14, it says,
therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign. Behold, a virgin
shall conceive and bear a son and shall call his name Emmanuel. We have seen this before and
we know here. And if you don't, we read in
the New Testament that Jesus Christ was born of a virgin.
See Matthew 1.23 for that. This one who was born of a virgin
is that one spoken of in Genesis 49, 10, where it says, the scepter
shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his
feet until Shiloh come, and unto him shall the gathering of the
people be. This one born who was given to
us, and it is he that these passages spoke of that would do these
things, and not only do these things, but be who the scripture
says he would be. Isaiah 9, 6. For unto us a child
is born, unto us a son is given, Joe, and the government shall
be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful,
Counselor, the mighty God, the everlasting father, the prince
of peace. This one who was born began to
preach the gospel of peace to those on this earth. God himself
proclaimed the word of God to people. 1815 says, the Lord thy God will raise
up unto thee a prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren,
like unto me, unto him ye will hearken. This all being confirmed
in the New Testament, but I'm trying to show you that everything
in the Old Testament pointed to Jesus Christ, that one who
said these words. It is finished. There are other
things that happened during his time here on this earth that
was spoken of in the Old Testament. Zechariah 9.9 says, Rejoice greatly,
O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, thy king cometh unto
thee. He is just and having salvation. Lowly and riding upon an ass,
and upon a colt, the foal of an ass. We read this very thing
in the New Testament, John 12, 15 says, fear not, daughter of
Zion, behold, thy king sitting on an ass's coat. This almighty
sovereign God who was spoken of in scripture in the Old Testament
is that one who has now come, that one who came into Jerusalem
riding on the ass's coat, and this same one now ascended. He is this one who spoke these
words that we have read. It is finished. But then we have
in several different places where this same account is found. That
is the crucifixion of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We also
read of some other things that were fulfilled. You know, this
is in Matthew, Mark, and Luke as well. There's one in Genesis
we read, Genesis 3.15, and I will put in between thee and the woman,
and between thy seed and her seed, it shall bruise thy head,
and thou shalt bruise his heel. This seed of the woman, this
seed always spoken of in singular form is referring to that one
who was born of this virgin. Mary is what her name was called.
A fallen sinful woman bore the child Jesus Christ, God. But this seed is the one who
was to come and now has come, who would bruise, or that is,
to gape, and this gape being a deadly gape, one where the
head of this enemy is cut off. Zechariah 11, 12, and 13 says,
and I said unto them, if ye think good, give me my price. And if
not, forbear. So they weighed for my price
30 pieces of silver. And the Lord said unto me, cast
it into the potter, a goodly price that I was priced at of
man. And I took the 30 pieces of silver
and cast them to the potter in the house of the Lord. This we
read in Matthew's account of this, Matthew 27 9. Then was
fulfilled that was spoken of by Jeremy the prophet saying,
and they took the 30 pieces of silver, the price of him that
was valued, whom they of the children of Israel did value. My point to all this is Jesus
Christ is fulfilling everything spoken of by God in the Old Testament
of what he would do. At this time when Christ was
betrayed, then some of these other things began to happen.
They beat him to where you could not even recognize who he was,
Isaiah 52, 14. As many were astonished at thee,
his visage was so marred more than any man and his form more
than the sons of men. They made fun of our Lord as
he was doing the will of the Father and was put to shame for
us. Psalm 109.25 says, I became also
a reproach unto them. When they looked upon me, they
shaped their heads. Like this. What a joke. They were even making
fun of our Lord and His garments, Matthew 27, 35. And they crucified
Him and parted His garments, casting lots, that it might be
fulfilled which is spoken of by the prophet. They parted my
garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots. But then we get to the point
where it is the pinnacle, if you will, of what He came to
take some people's place for. Psalm 22.1, it says, my God,
my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Why art thou so far from
helping me and from the words of my roaring? But we read this
also in Matthew, Matthew 27, 46. And about the ninth hour,
Jesus cried with a loud voice saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani. That is to say, my God, my God,
why hast thou forsaken me? Forsaken of God. That's what
I deserve. That's what you deserve. But
we read right here that Jesus Christ, who if, by grace took
your place, is crying this in our stead, my God, my God, why
hast thou forsaken me? There's much more that we could
go through to show from scripture Jesus Christ fulfilling the will
of the Father in all these things. We read especially as it concerns
his crucifixion. But if you will turn with me
now to Psalm 69, Psalm 69. Psalm 69, and I'm just going
to read the first five verses. I'd like to read the whole thing,
but it's kind of lengthy, so I'm going to read the first five. Save me, O God, for the waters
are come in unto my soul. I sink in deep mire where there
is no standing. I am come into deep waters where
the floods overflow me. I am weary of my crying. My throat
is dried. Mine eyes fail while I wait for
my God. They that hate me without a cause
are more than the hairs of mine head. They that would destroy
me, being my enemies wrongfully, are mighty. Then I restored that
which I took not away. O God, thou knowest my foolishness,
and my sins are not hid from thee. Who is speaking this psalm? This is Jesus Christ, and this
is him on that tree. just as we have read in Psalm
22. This is Jesus Christ speaking.
And I will have a little bit more on that a little later.
But this is Jesus Christ speaking. I want to show with all this
that what the it is that is spoken of here in this account in John
19 is the salvation of sinners. Everything that is needed for
salvation, that is the it. that Jesus Christ came to accomplish. So in short, it is salvation. So I said accomplish. What else
do we have here that will let us know of accomplishment? Is,
number two. We know this word is denotes
existence or state of being. We have in the English here,
as I said, three words which are translated this way. That
is, the one Greek word is translated into three English words from
one Greek word. That word is tetelestai. This
word is in the perfect tense in Greek. The perfect tense speaks
of an action which has been completed in the past with results continuing
into the present. It's not just past tense as something
that just happened back then. This word denotes that it was
something that took place back then, and the effects of it are
still here today, and in fact will be there forevermore. We
read in scripture the word shall in a lot of places. He shall
save his people from their sin. With God, his shalls are as good
as this word is. It is something that will happen,
and what will happen will be forever, even in God's shalls.
God does not change, therefore what he purposed from before
the foundation of the world is as good as if it was already
done. But God in his wise design decreed
that God had to become a man. He had to be of mankind. Meaning specifically this, Jesus
Christ was a male and he meant to be and had to be according
to his words. He had to accomplish this not
just in his mind, not just in eternity, but he had to come
down into time of which God is not a creature of time. He is
God eternal. Yet he came down and performed
that for which he willed to accomplish. And because of this, we have
this word is used in this sentence. God who is eternal came down
into time. Everything that he willed to
accomplish here is. That means whatever was done
was done then, and it is still done today. It is such a small
word, but the impact of a doctrine this small word speaks is absolutely
profound. Isaiah 63 9 says, in all their
affliction, he was afflicted. and the angel of his presence
saved them. In his love and in his pity,
he redeemed them and he bared them and carried them all the
days of old. Jesus Christ is, that meaning
he has always been, he is now and he shall forever be. Him
being the Christ and he has always been the lamb slain from the
foundation of the world. He is the Lamb slain from the
foundation of the world and He will always be the Lamb slain
from the foundation of the world. Yet there are some who speak
of wanting to do something for God. What does this eternal God
need? What are you going to do for
an eternal, holy, wise God with your finite, sinful, totally
corrupt self? Nothing. We are told all we are
to do is to believe him. But we have one more word, and
we have to take these three words all together, since they are
one word in the Greek. This word finished, as we have
said, is the word tetelestai. The word means paid in full. What is paid in full? Sin and
sin. Jesus Christ has totally and
completely paid in full that for which I owe to God. That
for which you owe to God if you are in Him. This brings about
some things being union together. We read in Psalm 85 10, it says,
mercy and truth are met together. Righteousness and peace have
kissed each other. This is one of those things that
have been finished. At this time, what Christ was
doing is that time where we read in Zechariah 13, 7, where it
says, Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the
man that is my fellow. Sayeth the Lord of hosts, smite
the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered, and I will turn
mine hand upon the little ones. That time where Walter spoke
of here recently, where in wrath, God remembers mercy, Habakkuk
3, 2. This Jesus Christ did for those
he loved from before the foundation of the world. Those who at one
time were spitting in the face of God just like some of these
did. He went through all of this for them. Zechariah 13, six says,
and one shall say to him, what are these wounds in thy hands?
Then he shall answer, those with which I was wounded in the house
of my friends. Although we are not seeking God's
face, Jesus Christ calls us friends even when we were yet enemies
of God. Christ died for the ungodly.
So what was finished here? Redemption. Galatians 3.13 says,
Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made
a curse for us, for it is written, cursed is everyone that hangeth
on a tree. He has bought us back. That is,
He paid the price in full. That price set here is being
made a curse for us. So God the Father just causes
Jesus Christ to be a curse? God Almighty Himself just makes
Himself a curse even though He was perfect in everything He
did and everything He thought? But God does not have unjust
weights. He does not condemn anyone who
is not actually guilty. Second Corinthians 521 says,
for he hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin. He did this for this one reason,
that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. We are confirmed
this in other scriptures. Mark 1528 says, and the scripture
was fulfilled, which saith, and he was numbered with the transgressors. What Jesus Christ did was to
save his people from their sin. Everything spoken of in the Old
Testament pointed to Jesus Christ and the work he would accomplish.
He did not come to try to accomplish something. He did not come to
partially do something. He came to completely fulfill
what was needed for the salvation of sinners. He came to pay in
full. What else is left to pay if it's
paid in full? I don't know anyone who pays
their car off and still wants to keep making payments to it
after it's done. If there's anyone that wants
to do that, I have a couple of cars if you want to buy them.
When Christ was sent forth to do the will of the Father, it
was for the complete and utter salvation of sinners. There's
nothing left to do for salvation. When he says it is finished,
Then it is. Isaiah 62, 11 says, behold, the
Lord hath proclaimed unto the end of the world, say ye to the
daughter of Zion, behold, thy salvation cometh. Behold, his
reward is with him and his work before him. Jesus Christ is our
salvation. It is said here in Isaiah that
thy salvation cometh. He has come. But it also says
his reward is with him and in his work before him. Jesus Christ
knew what was ahead of him, if you will, when he came to this
earth. He came expressly for the intent
to die on that tree for the salvation of many, not all, but many. This he accomplished. What was the price that had to
be paid? Blood or death. But it's not just any blood.
It had to be the blood of God, for no other blood would do.
There would be no other sweet-smelling savor in the nostrils of God
but God himself. In this account, we see the counsel
of men were accomplished. What men willed to do was accomplished
in these accounts. And the counsel of God was accomplished. They said crucify him even though
he was innocent of everything they said about him. But what
they wanted was accomplished. But this only because it was
the counsel of God, the will of God that this was to be done.
In Acts 4, 26 through 28, we read, the kings of the earth
stood up and the rulers were gathered together against the
Lord and against his Christ for of a truth against this holy
child Jesus whom thou hast anointed both Herod and Pontius Pilate
with the Gentiles and the people of Israel were gathered together
for to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before
to be done. Had this not been the will of
God, it would have not happened. But it was His will, and although
men meant it for evil, they meant to murder Jesus Christ. But God
meant it for good, to the salvation of sinners. They hated Christ
just like I hated Christ before He forced me to Himself. I said
forced me to Himself. I was saying the same things
these Jews and Gentiles were saying. If that is who God is,
I don't want a God like that. I was, in effect, saying, I will
not have this man reign over me. But I thank God that me staying
there in that place of hatred to God was not his will. So he overruled my will to do
his will. And when he did, I began to see
the graciousness of God Almighty in this. It is finished. Oh, what grace and mercy. I did
the same thing that everyone else here did in this passage.
I did this in my heart. I hated the Lord of glory who
went through all of this for me, and he did it willingly. Now I want to go back just a
minute to mention a passage that I covered, Psalm 69. We read it as Jesus Christ speaking
these things, and that is true. But this is also me saying this. It is also all those for whom
he died saying these things. And if you would, turn with me
to Galatians 2. Galatians 2. Galatians 2 and verse 20. I am crucified with Christ. Nevertheless, I live, yet not
I, but Christ liveth in me, and the life which I now live in
the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved
me and gave himself for me. I was not in the hall of Pilate.
I was not getting lashing on my body. I was not nailed in
my hands and in my feet, nailing me to the tree until I died.
Yet this scripture says, I was. Can we at all understand this? I cannot, but by his grace may
he enable me to believe it with all my heart. It is finished
is a profound doctrine, a profound theology, a profound soteriology,
whatever you want to call it. But the profoundness I am not
told to understand because there is no way I can enter into that
fully and completely because I see it through a glass darkly.
What I am enabled to do is believe the record God gave of his son
and what he accomplished. The gospel is simple, 2 Corinthians
11.3 we read, but I fear less by any means as the serpent beguiled
Eve through his subtlety, so your mind should be corrupted
from the simplicity that is in Christ. This word simplicity
does not mean that everything Jesus Christ did was simple,
or unimpressive, or not complicated. We read in God's word that his
ways are high above our ways, and his thoughts are high above
our thoughts. This word simplicity, as I have
said before, means singleness. This word is derived from a word
that means folded together. And that word is derived from
a word that means to twine or braid. We can get a whole lot
out of that. So the simplicity that is in
Jesus Christ is that Christ is coming to the flesh, coming and
made flesh. God and man braided together,
they are folded together, meaning they are in one person. This
one person being the single, the only one who could do what
was needed to allow those who are guilty to go free. Him and
him alone, singleness. Just as they released Barabbas
and Christ took his place, we see this is how Christ has done
for those who he chose from before the foundation of the world.
He let some prisoners go free by his work. So we have it, that
is the whole of salvation, everything God intended to do for the salvation
of those chosen in Christ. is that which was as good as
done and because it was already in the mind of God, if I can
even say it that way, but that which he proclaimed was to be
done and is what is now accomplished. That is never to be done again
and it will and cannot be done again. Finished. Completed. paid in full, the ransom for
which was due those who sinned against God, those for whom he
loved. He came to do this on their behalf
and he said with his own lips, it is finished. There is simplicity, singleness
in believing this. Jesus Christ paid it all, all
to him I owe. Sin had left a crimson stain,
he washed it white as snow. Amen.