John chapter 19, look at verse
30. I'm taking the title for the
message from verse 30. When Jesus, that is God our Savior,
the Lord Jesus Christ, when He had received the vinegar, He
said, He's not saying here, it's over
for me. He's not saying here, I'm finished. He's saying, it is finished. And he bowed his head. And he
gave up his spirit. It is finished. What a most blessed declaration
the Lord Jesus Christ declares unto us concerning all that he
came to do for us. That which he starts He will
finish. He'll never leave a work undone. He has finished the work the
Father gave Him to do, and that is the work of redemption, putting
away our sin, the work of reconciliation, reconciling us unto God, the
work of righteousness established, the ground of salvation secured,
mission Completed. Mission accomplished. Mission
well done. This is not a cry of defeat.
It is finished, but rather a cry of victory. All that God purposed
for the Lord Jesus Christ to do for us is done, well done,
complete, finished. Now, according to the divine
record of Holy Scripture, the Lord uttered seven sayings from
the cross. And in these seven sayings, they
reveal unto us the person and work of our blessed Redeemer. We find three of them here given
in John 19, and then the other four are given to us throughout
the gospel narratives of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. I want us this
morning to Look briefly at all seven statements found in the
Word of God, not trying to put them in any particular order
when they were said. So put a marker here in John
19. We'll come back here and let's turn back to Luke 23. Our
Lord declares in verse 34, Then the Lord said to blessed Redeemer
Jesus, which means Savior, Father, Father, God my Father, forgive
them for they don't know what's going on. And they parted his
raiment, and did cast lots." Now, in this statement here,
Father forgive them, what is revealed unto us about our God
and Savior? What can we know from this statement,
Father forgive them? What can we glean? What can we
learn? What can we understand? Well,
The Lord Jesus Christ is the only Mediator. Father forgive
them. Now forever for whom He is praying,
Father forgive them, they're forgiven. Now, for whoever he's
praying for, and he's praying for his covenant people who were
among this crowd, Father, forgive them. They don't know what they're
doing. They do not understand. And in
this statement, we see that we need a mediator, and we need
a mediator, the one that's provided of God. Do you have a mediator? Do you have someone that represents
you before God? You say, well no, I think I'll
just represent myself. You know, that's not even a wise
thing to do among the courts of men. You better have a mediator. You better have a lawyer, an
advocate. You don't want to go before the judge and try to be
your own attorney, your self-appointed attorney. That usually ends in
a disaster. But what about before the throne
of Almighty God? Do you dare rush into the presence
of God Almighty without a designated, appointed, accepted mediator,
one that's recognized by the court of heaven? There's no other
mediator for a sinner to lay hold of but the one that's provided
of God. And that one mediator is the
Lord Jesus Christ. Forgiveness is based upon His
performance, not ours. There is one God and one mediator
between God and men, and that is the God-man, the Lord Jesus
Christ. Only that which God provides. You remember his name, Jehovah
Jireh, the Lord will provide? Only that which the Lord provides
will he accept. The Lord Jesus Christ alone represents
us as our great high priest before God. Seeing that we have a great
high priest that represents us, a mediator, he said, let us come
boldly now unto the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy,
find grace to help in time of need. We have an advocate. We
have an advocate with the Father. Who is it? Jesus Christ the Righteous. Do you need an advocate? Do you
need an intercessor? Do you need a mediator? Yes,
I do. Thank God I have the one that's
given of God, appointed of God, and he's none other than the
Lord Jesus Christ. If he prays for me and intercedes
for me, salvation is certain and sure. because everything
he prays for he gets he receives here's a second statement Luke
23 Luke 23 verse 39 through 44 here's the second saying there
were two thieves nailed to the either side of the Lord Jesus
and the Lord Jesus in the middle one of the thieves which was
crucified with him, saying, If, if, if, you're the Christ, save
us, save yourself and us. But the other thief, answering,
rebuked his friend, saying, Don't you fear God? seeing that we're
in the same condemnation, we're dying in this place, and we indeed,
we're getting what we deserve. This man knew something, didn't
he? I believe the Lord opened his eyes. We received the due
reward of our deed, but this man, referring to the Lord Jesus
Christ, he has no wrongdoing. He's done nothing wrong. And
he said unto the master, the Lord Jesus, Lord, remember me
when you come into your kingdom. Look at verse 43. What's the
Lord Jesus Christ gonna say? He's the only one that has power
to save. He's the only one that has power
to forgive. Verily, truly, I say unto thee,
today, right now, very soon, you're gonna be with me in glory. You're going to be with me in
paradise. What do we learn about the Lord
Jesus Christ here? We learn that He is the Sovereign
King, that He is the Sovereign Savior, that He is able to save
to the uttermost all that come to God by Him. We see in this
statement, today you'll be with me in glory. that the Lord Jesus
Christ is king in salvation. He is king of kings and he is
Lord of lords to the glory of God the Father. We also see in
this statement that he will have mercy as the king in salvation. He will have mercy on whom he
will have mercy. He passed by one thief justly
left him to his own demise and death and judgment while on the
other he had mercy. Remember the scripture in Romans
9, God said, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and
I'll harden whom I will harden. You see, he's sovereign in salvation. He's the only mediator, we learned
that. He is the only king in salvation. Thirdly, in Luke 23 verse 46, Now, I'm not taking these in
any particular order, but just as we find them here in Luke
23, verse 46. And when Jesus had cried with
a loud voice, you see, He still had strength. Even after all
that He had been through and the hours that He hung upon the
cross, when Jesus cried with a loud voice, He said, Father,
into thy hands I commend my spirit and having said thus he gave
up his life for us." Father into thy hands I commend my spirit. What do we learn here about the
Lord Jesus Christ and about his death? Well I see this, he's
in complete control. in complete, absolute control. You remember in John 19, or rather
John chapter 10, verse 18, where the Lord said, I'm the good shepherd,
I lay down my life for the sheep. He said, no man takes my life
from me. I have power to lay it down.
I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received
of my Father. Here we see the Lord Jesus Christ
in complete control in His life, and in his ministry and even
in his death. Here we see the Lord Jesus Christ
leaving this world as we know it, dismissing his soul from
his body and leaving in complete Total, absolute victory. He leaves not as a defeated man,
he leaves this world as a victorious man. You remember that verse
that I often quote in Revelation 6 where it says, he went forth,
he went forth conquering and to conquer. He's never lost a
battle. He spoiled principalities and
power. He triumphed over all things,
even death, sin, hell, and Satan himself. Thanks be unto God who
has given us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. He leaves
not as a defeated man, he leaves as a victorious man, having completed
all the Father gave him to do. Now, Fourthly, I want you to
turn to Mark 15. Here is the fourth statement,
Mark chapter 15, verse 34. Mark 15, this is also given to
us in Matthew 27, 46. Mark 15, look at verse 34. At
the ninth hour, the Lord cried with a loud voice saying, Ila
lama sabachthani, which is being interpreted, my God, my God,
why hast thou forsaken me? Now here we see the Lord Jesus
Christ as our sin offering, as our substitute, as our sin offering. This is God's Lamb dying in our
place. As John pointed out, behold the
Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world. And that
world there has to have reference to God's elect. Why was he forsaken
of God? Let's see if we can see what
the Scriptures teach us about this. Turn to Psalm 22. Why did
the father turn away from his well-beloved son at this particular
time, at this particular hour? Psalm 22, look at verse 1. My
God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Why was he forsaken? God is too holy to look upon
sin with favor. And that's exactly what's going
on at Calvary as God lays on him the iniquity of God's people
becoming guilty for sin. Look what it says here. Psalm
22 verse 1, my God, my God. Why hast thou forsaken me? Why
art thou so far from helping me from the words of my roaring? O my God, I cry in the daytime,
but thou hearest not, and in the night season I am not silent,
but thou art holy. There's the answer. Thou art
holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel. Our fathers
trusted in thee, they trusted, and thou didst deliver them.
They cried unto thee, and were delivered. They trusted in thee,
and were not confounded. But I am a worm. Now this is
the Savior speaking this. I am a worm, and no man. A reproach of men, and despise
of the people. All they that see me laugh me
to scorn. They shoot out the lip. They
shake their head. Now turn back to Luke 23. Why
hast thou forsaken me? Well, at Calvary's tree we see
the Lord Jesus Christ being made the object of God's wrath because
our sin was made to meet upon Him. You remember from Isaiah
53 where it said the Lord laid on Him the iniquity of us all? And that's scripture that we
often, so often quote. And I wish that we could really,
really lay hold of it and enter into it and understand it, God
made him sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made
the righteousness of God in him. Peter put it this way, who himself
bear our sin in his own body on the tree. Now I make no attempt
to explain that. How can the Lord Jesus Christ
as God, the God-man mediator, be made sin for me? I can't understand
that. But I believe it and declare
it to be so. I make no attempt to explain
it, for no man can. How He was made sin for us, bearing
our sin, our guilt, being found guilty before God
with our sin charged to him bearing the wrath of God. Luther said
this, old Martin Luther, when he read that statement, how can
God forsake God? How can, and that's what's happening
here, how can God forsake God? And Luther said this, threw up
his hands and said, no man can understand that. No man can understand
that, but my friend, that's exactly what happened at the cross. Let
us make no attempt to diminish it or make light of it. He was
actually made sin. The guilt of God's people were
charged to him and he stands guilty. before God. Psalm 40 verse 12 says, and this
is a Messianic Psalm, the Lord said, mine iniquities have taken
hold upon me. Our sin became, actually became
His. bearing our sin in His own body
on the tree. And when sin was finished, it
brought death. He was delivered for our offenses,
raised again for our justification. Now, let's turn back to the 19th
chapter of John, and here we see the fifth statement given
to us. In John 19, look at verse 25. Now there stood by the cross
of our blessed Savior, His mother, His mother. Her name was Mary,
and His mother's sister, Mary, the wife of Cleophas, and Mary
Magdalene. When Jesus therefore saw His
mother and the disciples standing by whom He loved, and He loves
His own with an everlasting love, He saith unto His mother, Woman, Behold thy son." Then the Lord
said to the disciple, that is to John, behold thy mother and
from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home. Here we see the Lord Jesus Christ
providing for his family. providing for his family. We
see the Lord Jesus Christ was a real man, born of a woman.
You remember in John 19 verse 5 when Pilate tried the Lord
and he brought the Lord Jesus Christ before back and presented
him to the Jews in verse 5, Pilate said unto them, Behold the man! Behold the man! You see the Lord
Jesus Christ was a real man. bone of our bone, flesh of our
flesh. In the fullness of time God sent
forth His Son made of a woman. made under the law to redeem
them that were under the law. Without controversy, great is
the mystery of godliness. God was manifest in the flesh. The Word was made flesh and dwelt
among us. Here we see the Lord Jesus Christ
as He dying for our sin. Here we see the Lord Jesus Christ
as a real man honoring the very law of God for us, taking care
of His mother. He didn't come to destroy the
law, but he came to honor the law of God. He was the obedient
son in every aspect, in every aspect. He was the obedient son
even under death, making provision for John to take care of Mary,
who most think at this time was a widow woman. We see both his
true humanity, providing for his earthly family, And we see His deity as He's
providing for His spiritual family as well. He takes care of us. Our God is able to supply our
need according to His riches in glory through Christ Jesus. He loved the church and gave
Himself for us as He provides for Mary. You know Mary's hope
of salvation? You know what she says in Luke
chapter 2? She says, My soul does rejoice
in God my Savior. Mary's hope of salvation was
the Lord Jesus Christ. And He is the Savior that provides
for His own according to His riches in glory through the Lord
Jesus Christ. He loved the church and gave
Himself for His people. Now, Get this all the way down
to verse 28. John 19. And here's the last
one that I want to camp on for a few minutes. Verse 28. After
this, the Lord Jesus knowing, well this is the sixth one rather,
we'll get to the seventh one in a minute. After this, knowing
that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled,
saith, I thirst. I thirst. And now there was said
a vessel of vinegar, and they filled sponge with vinegar and
put it on a piece of hyssop, a type of a sponge, and put it
unto his mouth. He says, I thirst. Here we see the Lord Jesus Christ
fulfilling all scripture as it says there, now accomplished
all things were now accomplished that the scripture might be fulfilled. that the Scripture might be fulfilled. Everything and all the events
around that day and leading up to that day and after were all
according to the decree of God. Him being delivered by the determinate
counsel and foreknowledge of God, you have taken and by wicked
hands have crucified the Lord of glory." Now think about this. He dies for our sin according
to Scripture. And he cries out from the cross,
I thirst. Why did he thirst? What made
him thirst? I'll tell you what it was. The
heat of God's wrath, holy wrath, stirred against sin, poured out
upon the lovely Son of God. It pleased God to bruise him
in our room and in our stead. He suffers the heat of God's
wrath. Peter describes it this way,
the Lord Jesus Christ suffers the just for the unjust that
he might bring us unto God. He suffers the wrath of God,
drinks the cup of damnation dry that we might freely drink of
the water of life forever. He thirsts that we might never
thirst. He said, there'll be a well of
water in you, springing up into everlasting life. You remember
in John 7, he says, if any man thirsts, let him come unto me
and drink. He's the well, the water of life. Now here's the
last one. In verse 30. John 19, verse 30. When the Lord Jesus Christ had
received the vinegar, He said, it is finished. He bowed His head. and gave up His Spirit. It is
finished. What a glorious declaration. Redemption is finished. The work is completed. Do we need to add anything? Do
we need to bring anything? Done. Nothing needs to be added. In Him dwells all the fullness
of the Godhead bodily and in Christ we stand complete. Now
remember in Luke 2.49, His first recorded words When he was in the temple as
a young boy, you remember he said, I must be about my father's
business. He started his ministry saying,
I must be about my father's business. And he ended the ministry saying,
it is finished. The father's business is done. Now the work of the father gave
him to do. We've seen this. Turn back to
John chapter 4. This is mentioned several times
in John chapter 4. John 4 verse 34, often he refers
to the work. You know, salvation is a work
that he completed. It's not a work that we do. It's
a work that he has done. And because he's completed a
work, that makes salvation to us by grace and grace alone. In John 4, 34, the Lord said, My meat is to do the will of
Him that sent me in to finish His work." The work the Father
gave Him to do. Turn to another reference here
in John 5 verse 36. But I have greater witness than
that of John, for the works which the Father hath given me to finish
The same works that I do, and they bear witness of me that
the Father sent me. Now I turn to another reference
here in John 17. John 17, his priestly prayer for us. John
17, verse 2, Thou hast given him power over all flesh. Glorify
thy Son that the Son may glorify thee. Thou has given him power
over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many
as the Father had given him. And this is life eternal, that
they might know thee the only true God, Jesus Christ, whom
thou hast sent. I have glorified thee on the
earth. I have finished the work you
gave me to do." You know that's a glorious statement, isn't it?
He's finished the work. Father gave him to do. Now it's
most interesting to study this word here, this phrase, it is
finished. Those three words. In the original
it's one word. It's one word. T-E-L-E-O. T-E-L-E-O. It's one word. But it's interesting
if you have those Bible computer programs, you punch on that phrase
and it gives it where it's used in the Scripture and how it's
rendered in other places. And it's interesting how this
word is used in the original language because it's a very
comprehensive statement. Let me just give you four of
them. In Matthew 11 verse 1, we find the same phrase that's
given this way. It came to pass when Jesus had
made an end. Made an end. Finished. Same word. He made an end of commanding
His twelve disciples. He departed thence to teach and
to preach in their cities. Certainly describes what took
place on the cross, doesn't it? He made an end of our sin. He appeared once in the end of
the age to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. He made
full atonement, not a partial down payment now. He made an
end of sin. So much so that God said their
sin and their iniquity will I remember no more. The second word is this,
found in Luke 2.39, when he had performed all things. Performed all things. The same
word. Performed all things. It is finished. Performed all things according
to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee to their
own city, Nazareth. Certainly describes what the
Lord Jesus Christ accomplished for us. Performed all things. Now that reminds me of Psalm
57 verse 2, where it says, He hath performed all things for
us. Salvation is based upon His performance,
not mine. That's good news, isn't it? Based
upon His performance, which is perfection. God speaks from heaven,
said, this is my beloved Son in whom I'm well pleased. He's
performed all things for us. Here's the third word, found
in Luke 12, 50. He said, but I have a baptism
to be baptized with, and how am I straight until it be, and
here's the word, accomplished. Same word. Same word. So if we
put these words together, he's made an end of sin, he's performed
all things, and it's accomplished. It's accomplished. Certainly
describes his mission, doesn't it? His mission of mercy. Mission
not attempted. It's certainly not mission aborted,
for failure was never an option. It describes his mission accomplished,
complete, to the satisfaction of God. Failure was never never
an option because the scripture says of him and Isaiah 42 he
cannot fail Cannot fail now. Here's the fourth word how it's
used in Acts 13 it says and verse 3rd verse 29 acts 13 29 when
he had fulfilled All that was written of him. They took him
down from a tree and laid him in the sepulcher the word fulfilled
and Same word, it is finished. Same phrase, it is finished.
It is finished. He's fulfilled all things for
us. Fulfilled all righteousness,
fulfilled all Scripture, fulfilled the will of God, the purpose
of God. All things are fulfilled. Now in this statement and declaration,
it is finished. What a glorious thing to think
about. And we have in this word or in this phrase a word of glory,
a word of comfort, a word of joy, and a word of victory, don't
we? It is finished. Now, I want to
close by looking at those four things. I won't keep you much
longer. A word of glory. It is finished. Complete. What is finished? Redemption? Complete. Salvation? Complete. Righteousness? He brought in
an everlasting righteousness by his life and by his death.
Well done. It's a word of glory, isn't it?
Turn to the book of Hebrews. Hebrews chapter 1. It's a word
of glory. Rejoicing, boasting, God forbid
I should rejoice, glory, except in the cross of the Lord Jesus
Christ. You see, it's the word of rejoicing.
It's the word of boasting. It's the word of glory. He completed
salvation for us. Hebrews chapter 1, look at verse
3. who being the brightness of his
glory, the express image of his person, upholding all things
by the word of his power, when he by himself purged our sin,
he sat down on the right hand of the majesty on high." You
know we're seated with him in the heavenlies right now in Christ
Jesus. It's the word of glory. Turn
to Hebrews 9 verse 12. Hebrews 9 verse 12, seeing that
we have a great high priest that is passed into the heavens, verse
12, neither by the blood of goats and of calves, but by his own
blood, he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained
eternal redemption for us. Now stay right there in the book
of Hebrews for a minute, and let me turn over here to Revelation
chapter 1 and read this to you. It is finished. It's a word of
rejoicing. It's a word of glory. Listen
to this, "...unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins
in his own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God
and his Father, to him be glory." Dominion, power, both now and
forever. It is finished. It's a word of
glory, isn't it? Now turn to Hebrews 10 verse
11. It's also a word of comfort.
A word of comfort, isn't it? If He put away my sin, and He
did, if He came to represent me and to put away my sin, to
take my sin and His own body on the tree and put it away,
make an end of it, If he paid my debt, then I don't owe it.
You know what that is for me, this sinner? It's a word of comfort.
If he paid my debt in full, and he did, then I don't owe a penny. Who can lay anything to the charge
of God to let? It's a word of comfort. Look
at Hebrews 10. Verse 10, by the witch will we
are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once,
one time, one offering for all, and that's all of his people,
all for whom he represents, every priest, standard daily, Old Testament
priest, ministering, offering, oftentimes the same sacrifice
of which can never take away sin, but this man, after he offered
one sacrifice for sin forever sat down on the right hand of
God, from henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his
footstool, for by one offering he hath perfected forever them
that are sanctified." One offering. Wherefore the Holy Ghost also
is a witness unto us, for that He had said before, this is a
covenant that I'll make with them after those days. Sayeth
the Lord, I'll put my laws, gospel principles into their hearts,
and in their minds will I write them, and their sins and their
iniquities will I remember no more. Now if that doesn't comfort
your heart, I don't know what will. If that doesn't comfort
your heart, you don't know you're a sinner. My sin, oh my sin,
not in part, but the whole is nailed to the cross and I bear
it no more. It is gone, separated from me
as far as the east is from the west. It's also a word of joy. Hebrews, again, chapter 12 this
time. It's a word of joy. It's a word
of rejoicing, a word of joy. to the believer. The death of
the Lord Jesus Christ? Absolutely. It is finished? Declaration of joy! Victory! Hebrews 12 verse 2, "...looking
unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy
that was set before Him, He endured the cross, despising the shame,
and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God." Word
of joy it is finished. I want you to turn and read this
one with me turn to Romans chapter 5 Romans chapter 5 Word of joy
a word of glory a word of comfort Romans 5 look at verse 6 Romans
5 verse 6, For when we were yet without strength, in due time
Christ died for the ungodly, for scarcely for righteous men
will one die, yet for adventure for good men some would even
dare to die. But God commended his love toward us, in that while
we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being
now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through
him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by
the death of his Son, much more being reconciled, we shall be
saved by his life. Not only so, but we also joy. in our God, in God, through our
Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received reconciliation,
atonement for our sin. Now here's the third, or the
fourth word, rather. It's a word of glory, it's a
word of comfort, it's a word of joy, it is finished, and certainly
it's a word of victory, isn't it? A victory. Never think of
Jesus Christ crucified as a Failure or as a defeat, never. It's victory. And His victory is our victory. It's a victory over death. He
said, I am He that liveth and was dead. Behold, I am alive
forevermore. It's a victory over Satan. The woman's seed has crushed
his dominion, crushed his power, destroyed him and delivered us. It's a victory over the law of
God, which is against us, which was contrary to us. Cursed is
everyone that continues not in all things which are written
in the book of the law to do them. But he says in Galatians
3, he redeemed us from the curse of that law being made a curse
for us. It's a word of glory, a word
of comfort, a word of joy. were to victory. Thanks be to
God who has given us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Now let me give you this in closing. What is the proof of all that
Christ accomplished for us was accepted of the Father? What
is the proof that it was accepted of the Father that his work,
what he did, was enough to save his people from their sin? His
work is the Father's work. Christ satisfied the Father for
us. His work satisfied the Father
for us. His resurrection from the dead
is proof. He said, I'm he that liveth and
was dead behold I'm alive forevermore. But not only that, it goes a
little bit higher than that. After 40 days The resurrected
body of the Lord Jesus Christ ascended to the throne. And we
read it a moment ago. He's seated at the right hand
of God. It says in Hebrews 6 that our
forerunner has entered into the holy place and he sat down for
us. The right hand of God. The right
hand of God is a place of honor. The right hand of God is a place
of love. The right hand of God is a place of power. The right
hand of God is a place of acceptance. were accepted in the Beloved. Now, turn to Ephesians chapter
2. What is the proof? That what
the Lord Jesus Christ has done for us was accepted of the Father?
He's seated at the right hand of God. And you know what? I want you to read this with
me. Ephesians chapter 2, look at
verse 4. You know who else is seated in the heavenlies? In
the Lord Jesus Christ, right now at the throne, at the right
hand of God, on the throne of God. Ephesians 2 verse 4, But
God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved
us, wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sin, hath
quickened us together with Christ. By grace are you saved, raised
us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places
in Christ Jesus. that in the ages to come He might
show the exceeding riches of His grace and His kindness toward
us through Jesus Christ. Seated together in the heavenlies
right now. It is finished! He came to seek
and to save the lost. It is finished. He came to put
away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. It is finished. He came
to establish righteousness and bring in an everlasting righteousness
for us. It is finished. He came to reconcile
us unto God. It is finished. And now He sets
the right hand of the throne of God enforcing, ruling, reigning,
sovereignly over all things to make sure that everything He
accomplished comes to pass exactly as He has purposed from all eternity.