It is Finished

It is Finished

 A.   Illustrations to emphasize man’s tendency to forget.

      1.   What is your response when you hear the date  Aug. 24, 1814 ?

         a.   Do you have any response ?

         b.   Few today place any significance on that date.   

      2.   What is your reaction to the date  Dec. 7, 1941 ?

         a.   Most of us know what happened on that date, but don’t react to it with emotion.  

         b.   Those above 75 remember where they were on that day and … 

      3. Now, what is your reaction to the date  Sept. 11,  2001 ?

         a.   All of us remember where we were  on  9-11.

         b.   The mere mention of    9-11   invokes strong emotions within us.  

      4. Both  Aug. 24, 1814 &  Dec. 7, 1941  were significant days in our history.  

         a.   On  Aug. 24, 1814,  during the war of 1812, British troops came down from 

              Canada supported by ships from Bermuda captured Washington, D.C.  They

              burned the government buildings, including the White House.  

         b.   On  Dec. 7,  1941, the Japanese attacked our base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.      

               They sunk most of our Pacific fleet while it was still in the harbor killing 2400 

                people and wounding 1300 others.  

         c.   Why is it that these dates do not invoke the same emotional reaction as 9-11 ?

               Because they are in the more distant past.  

 

   B.   By nature, people have the tendency to forget. 

      1. Some forgetfulness is a defense mechanism.  

         a.   We need to get past the emotion of some very painful experiences. 

         b.   We must all learn to deal with them and move on. ( dwell on the positive )

         c.   Failure to deal with negative experiences leads to emotional trauma. 

      2.   We make an effort to remember the happy times in life.  

         a.   Scrap books 

         b.   Photographs

         c.   It’s boring to get trapped watching the home movies of others,

               but we treasure our own.

 

C.   Aware of people’s forgetfulness, God has always provided reminders for man.   

      1.   The patriarchs erected "pillars” ( etc. ) as reminders.  Gen. 28:18ff ,  31: 13 

      2.   The Passover reminded Israel of God’s deliverance.   Ex. 12: 1-13:10,    Lev. 23

      3. Jesus commanded His followers to partake of the communion to remind us

            of our deliverance from the bondage of sin.       

         a.   Luke 22: 17-20    And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He said, 

                                                 "Take this and share it among yourselves; 18 for I say to 

you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine from now on until the kingdom of God comes.” 19 And when He had taken  some bread and given thanks, He broke it and gave it to  them, saying, "This is My body which is given for you; do  this in remembrance of Me.” 20 And in the same way He took the cup after they had eaten, saying, "This cup which  is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood. 

         b.   I Cor. 11: 2326     For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to 

                                                you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which He was 

 betrayed took bread;  24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, "This is My body, which is for you; do this remembrance of Me.” 25 In the same way He took the cup also after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in  My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes. (Cf. Vs-20 )

      4.   Peter felt responsible to keep reminding brethren of the teachings.  II Pet. 1: 12-15

  

Therefore, I also feel it appropriate for us to be reminded of what Jesus has

done for us.   

I.   Jesus brought to fruition the eternal purpose of God.

   A.   God had a plan for saving man even before He created the world.  

      1. Eph. 3:11-  This was in accordance with the eternal purpose which 

                                    He carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord,   ( Cf. Act 2: 23 )

      2.   Matt. 25:34-  Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who 

                                       are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you 

                                       from the foundation of the world.

   B.   God’s plan involved reversing the condemnation Satan had brought on man.

      1. John 12: 31- Now judgment is upon this world; now the ruler of 

                                       this world will be cast out.

      2.   I John 3: 8b- The Son of God appeared for this purpose, 

                                       to destroy the works of the devil.

  

C.   From the time God announced His plan, Satan has tried to prevent it.  

      1. God told Satan that a child of man would destroy him.  …  Gen. 3 

      2.   Satan corrupted all but one man, Noah.  … Gen. 6

      3. As man multiplied God narrowed the scope to one man, Abraham.  ...  Gen 12

      4. The seed of Abraham was widened into a nation, Israel.  …  Exod. 19 

      5.  From that nation God chose one man,  David.  …  I Chron. 17 

      6.  Using wicked Athaliah, Satan came close to destroying that nation. .. II Chron. 22

         a.   She killed all of the seed royal except baby Joash.   ( II Sam. 7: 16, Isa. 11: 1f )  

         b.   The Messiah had to come via the seed of David.  Joash was the last of his lineage.  

         c.   If Athaliah had killed Joash, Jesus couldn’t have been born.  (no Savior )

     7. When the time was right, God sent Jesus into the world to save mankind. .. Gal. 4: 4-5.

 

II.   In spite of Satan’s best efforts to prevent it, the promised Savior was born.  .

   A.   Satan tried his best to prevent Jesus from accomplishing His work. 

      1. He tried to use Herod to Jesus kill Jesus as an infant.  …  Matt. 1 

      2. Satan used temptations attempting to cause the Savior to sin.  …  Matt. 4 

      3.   He used the Jewish leaders to oppose and instigate many against the Savior. .. Mrk 8 

      4. When all else failed, Satan’s disciples used the Romans to kill Jesus.  … Act 2: 23

      5. Fortunately for us, Satan did not know the plan of God. 

         a.   The prophets didn’t even know His plan.

                I Pet. 1: 10-12     As to this salvation, the prophets who prophesied of the grace 

that would come to you made careful searches and inquiries,  11 seeking to know what person or time the Spirit of Christ  within them was indicating as He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow. 12 It was revealed to them that  they were not serving themselves, but you, in these things which now have been announced to you through those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things into which angels long to look. ( cf – Eph 3:9 )

b.      If Satan had known God’s plan, he would have protected Jesus.

B.   Satan thought he had defeated God’s plan to save man, but he facilitated it.  

      1. Jesus came for the purpose of giving His life to ransom mankind.  …  Mark 10: 45  

      2.   Jesus freely offered His life as a sacrifice for the sins of mankind.  

         a.   Jesus was not murdered.   John 10: 1118 

         b.   His death was voluntary.    Rom. 5: 611   ,   I John 3: 16

   C.   Imagine the joy of Satan when the Spirit of God left the body of Jesus !

      1. After thousands of years of struggle, Satan thought he had finally prevailed.  

      2.   When Satan heard the words "It is finished.” he must have taken it as surrender.

  

   D.   BUT, oh how Satan must have mourned when Jesus stepped out of the tomb.  

      1. The power struggle between God and Satan was over. 

      2.   The resurrection disarmed Satan.   Death was defeated.

         a.   Spiritual death was defeated by the sacrifice of Jesus.  

         b.   Physical death was defeated by the resurrection of Jesus. 

   E.   When Jesus said, "It is finished.”  He was proclaiming the completion His work.  

      1. John 17: 4- I glorified You on the earth, having accomplished the work 

                                    which You have given Me to do.

      2.   He took upon Himself the form of a man ( Phil 2 ) to : 

         a.   To enable Himself to die, 

         b.   To enable Himself to perfectly empathize with man.  ( mediate ) ( Heb 2: 14-18 ) 

         c.   And to enable pay man’s penalty for sin.  ( man’s sin required man’s blood)

III.    When Jesus said,  "It is finished.”  He proclaimed man’s debt paid.     .      

   A.   "It is finished.”  Translates the original word "tel·eh·o.”

      1. Teleo was an accounting term which meant "Paid in full.”  ( or completed )

      2.   It was written across a bill that had been paid or a contract which was fulfilled.  

      3. Roman tax receipts have been found with  "Teleo” written across the top. 

   B.   "It is finished.”  proclaimed man’s sin penalty to be paid in full.  

      1. Read  …  Rom. 3:  2126   

      2.   I John 2: 1-2    He is the propitiation for our sin.  

      3. Heb. 9: 13-14  , Heb. 10:4 ,  10-14

  C.   Jesus paid the debt for man’s sin, because man could not pay it for himself.  

      1. Rom. 5: 6- For while we were still helpless, at the right time 

                                  Christ died for the ungodly.  

      2.   If a man keeps every single command perfectly, he has done only the minimum.  

         a.   Luke 17: 10- So you too, when you do all the things which are commanded you,   say, "We are unworthy slaves; we have done only that which we 

 ought to have done.”   ( Jesus commanded, "Be perfect…” Matt. 5:48 )

         b.   This leaves absolutely no room for error.  ( If one falls short, he can’t make it up. ) 

         c.   Sadly,  everyone sins and falls short of God’s standard.   Rom. 3: 23,  6:23  

      3. Remember, all who are outside of Christ are under "the law of sin and death.”

         a.   Rom. 8: 1-4

         b. "The law of sin and death”  is a law under which the penalty for any sin is 

               the death penalty