[0:00] Well, please turn with me to John's Gospels. You've seen the screen. John chapter 19. And we're going to read from verse 16 to 30.
[0:21] We'll read from the middle of verse 16, in fact. So they took Jesus and he went out bearing his own cross to a place called the place of a skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha.
[0:38] There they crucified him and with him two others, one on either side and Jesus between them. Pilate also wrote an inscription and put it on the cross.
[0:49] It read, Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews. Many of the Jews read this inscription for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city and it was written in Aramaic, in Latin and in Greek.
[1:07] So the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, Do not write the King of the Jews, but rather this man said, I am the King of the Jews. Pilate answered, What I have written, I have written.
[1:20] When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his garments and divided them into four parts, one part for each soldier, also his tunic.
[1:33] But the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom. So they said to one another, Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it shall be.
[1:44] This was to fulfill the scripture which says, They divided my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots. So the soldiers did these things.
[1:56] But standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, Woman, behold your son.
[2:14] Then he said to his disciple, Behold your mother. And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home. After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said to fulfill the scripture, I thirst.
[2:32] A jar full of sour wine stood there, so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it to his mouth. When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, It is finished.
[2:47] And he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. And may God add his blessing to that reading from his holy word as we take a little time just to consider from God's word in relation to what we'll be doing shortly, the communion.
[3:07] Considering what Jesus cried out on the cross, that cry of victory. Jesus cried out, It is finished. And to look more closely, why Jesus uttered these words?
[3:19] Why, as we can understand from scripture, the purpose of Jesus crying out, It is finished. One word in the original language, three words in our own language, but a word that really conveys three things really that Jesus looks back, as it were, in triumph.
[3:37] We read, I think, twice in the passage to fulfill scripture, to fulfill what scripture had said, prophesied of Jesus. And then Jesus crying, It is finished, looking forward in anticipation, anticipating not just his own resurrection, but anticipating the gathering in of all whom Jesus gave his life for.
[4:00] And then, finally, as we hear again the cry of Jesus, that we look with faith to Jesus, Jesus who accomplished all that his Father had sent him to accomplish, to do.
[4:16] So let's turn again to see and to consider the death of Jesus. because, you know, just try and cast your mind's eye back to that scene at Calvary, Golgotha.
[4:30] Because if there was ever more a place, a more incongruous, a more sort of place that seems so apart from what was happening on the cross, the triumph of Jesus, if there was ever a place that looked more unconnected or disconnected from that place of victory, it was there on the cross.
[4:52] Just see Jesus there. He's hanging on that cross. His hands are dripping with blood because of the nails that are piercing his hands. His feet are pierced as well.
[5:04] He's got thorn marks on his head. He's suffering. He's suffering. It looks as if even the fact he's on the cross, the Romans have put him there. It looks as if the Romans have gained the victory.
[5:17] The Jewish authorities have gained the victory passing Jesus on to the Roman authorities to put Jesus to death. Jewish authorities didn't have that power to put anyone to death.
[5:27] So it seems as if the Jewish authorities have won, the Roman authorities have won. It seems as if Jesus is defeated simply by looking at him. But of course, Jesus wasn't defeated.
[5:40] Jesus wasn't finished. But yes, he cries out, it's finished. That's a real cry. It's what Jesus actually uttered with that loud voice when he spoke of something that was so important.
[5:54] He spoke of, well, he spoke of completing, completing the work that his father had given him to do. But that cry wasn't a cry of defeat. It was a cry of victory.
[6:08] And as we're going to remember the Lord's death today, Jesus has commanded the Lord's people, you who love the Lord, to remember his death. Well, we're going to hear in our, not just in our ears, but in our hearts, that cry of Jesus.
[6:23] It is finished. And remember, it's that cry of victory. And rejoice when you hear that cry. And as you hear it from the word, and even as the word is accompanied by the sacrament, the bread and the wine, together, word and sacrament.
[6:42] Rejoice, what God has given to each one of us who loves the Lord, each one of you, to remember his death. And remember that death was a death in victory.
[6:56] Jesus, well, what was that victory? Well, Jesus had won a victory, the victory, over sin and over Satan. And it was a victory that, well, as we said, anticipated his resurrection three days later.
[7:10] Jesus had offered himself up on the cross. It was that priest, the priest, offering himself for the sake of sinners. He'd obeyed his father perfectly throughout life.
[7:24] His perfect life of obedience to the law of God showed that he was the right sacrifice for sin, the only sacrifice for sin. And so when Jesus is there on that cross, he knows what his death will mean for his people because by Jesus' death, those for whom he died won't face the wrath and curse of God that Jesus was facing on our behalf as our substitute.
[7:53] So, Jesus is crying out with that loud cry. It is finished. And where are we going to hear that cry? We're going to hear it at the foot of the cross.
[8:05] So look and listen and hear again these words of Jesus. We said that these words look back and triumph. Well, of course, we have to look at what Scripture tells us that informs us that these are words looking back and triumph.
[8:25] We read there in the passage that immediately before Jesus cries out, it's finished. Yet there's another cry, I'm thirsty. I'm thirsty. Again, one word in the original language but that may well be but a word so packed with meaning and purpose.
[8:42] Jesus has announced, I am thirsty. Yes, physically he's drained. In his human nature, what's happening on the cross is draining him. He's absolutely thirsty.
[8:54] But surely it's more than just a physical cry of thirst. Surely it's that thirst for his father's or the knowledge of his father. It was just before that he'd cried out when he was bearing the sins of his people.
[9:08] He cried out, my God, my God, why have you forsaken me? He couldn't even cry out my father. He cries out, my God. But now, Jesus has paid the price for sin and his forsakenness is over.
[9:26] It's sin-bearing. He's borne the sins of his people. He's drunk from the cup of God's wrath. He's done all that was required of him to do.
[9:38] And he's thirsting for that fellowship with his father again. But what about more than that? What's he saying? It's finished.
[9:49] Well, as we say, the word that means it's finished, really, the closer meaning, I suppose, is it's accomplished or it's fulfilled. It's fulfilled. Something has happened that's been fulfilled utterly and completely.
[10:04] And we need to appreciate what Jesus did that was accomplished, that was fulfilled. We have to look back. We have to look back at what was said of Jesus in the Old Testament.
[10:16] In other words, prophecy being fulfilled. Prophecy fulfilled. fulfilled. Right back, almost, we might say, to the beginning in the Garden of Eden.
[10:27] Remember when Adam were represented of Adam's sin. And by Adam's sin, the whole human race inherited sin, original sin.
[10:39] Satan attempted Adam to sin. Adam had sinned. But God, in his mercy, God promised that there'd be a descendant of Adam's wife, of Eve. That descendant who would crush Satan's head.
[10:53] And who was that descendant? It was Jesus. Jesus, who on the cross crushed Satan in that victory. Victory over sin and victory over Satan.
[11:06] So that was accomplished. The fulfillment of that prophecy that God had made all these years before. And again, when you go through the Old Testament, you see prophecy after prophecy telling of the one to come who'd be victorious over sin and over Satan.
[11:24] The great chapter, for example, Isaiah 53, that great chapter that tells of the suffering servant to come, the one who'd bear the sins of many. That was fulfilled.
[11:37] The words, he was pierced for our transgressions. That was fulfilled. He was crushed for our iniquities. That was fulfilled. The punishment that brought us peace was upon him.
[11:49] By his wounds we're healed. All these words of prophecy many, many years before Jesus came, fulfilled. Jesus crying out, it's accomplished.
[12:01] Then think of what Jesus is suffering there on the cross, even in that shame and humiliation. We'll go back to what the psalm writers wrote of Jesus, even again, many, many years before.
[12:14] Psalms such as Psalm 22, Psalm 69. Jesus has fulfilled all that these psalms spoke of, even what we read there in John chapter 19, quoting from one of the psalms.
[12:30] They divided my garments among them and for my clothing cast lots. Jesus, when he's crying out, it's finished, he's saying, I fulfilled all that. I've suffered as the word of God foretold.
[12:46] I've carried the sins of my people and myself. That's fulfilled. I've made it possible for sinners to be saved. I'm going to be that sacrifice, the once for all sacrifice, all the sacrifices that happened in the Old Testament pointing to Jesus as the once for all sacrifice.
[13:06] So what was promised in the Old Testament fulfilled in the New Testament in Jesus, in Jesus. What was promised, he fulfilled.
[13:19] And remember, he fulfilled all for you. All. Think of his humiliation. Think of his agony. Think of his suffering.
[13:30] Think of his sin bearing. All for you. All for you. That victory on your behalf. Now, we have to look back and see what Jesus fulfilled.
[13:45] We have to look back into the Old Testament. Jesus did that himself on the cross. It is finished. It's all happened. It's all been fulfilled. But of course, he responded to these prophecies of himself.
[14:01] But what about you? What's your response to when you hear of what Jesus has fulfilled for you in his suffering and in his giving of himself? He's been the one who came to crush Satan's head.
[14:15] What's your response to that truth that Jesus accomplished all for your sake? Well, surely there has to be worship. Worship of God.
[14:27] Surely there has to be praise and thanksgiving in your hearts as you call to mind what Jesus did for you. Surely there has to be that deep adoration in your heart for the Lord our Savior.
[14:42] But at the same time as there has to be that appreciation, that thanksgiving in your heart, there has to be testimony. There has to be testifying to the truth that Jesus fulfilled all that his Father had sent him to do.
[14:56] And you who know the Lord Jesus as your Savior, you know that he accomplished all by his life of sinless obedience.
[15:09] He did it for you. He came as a servant from the perfection of heaven to the sin-stained earth for you. He gave his life so that you might have life everlasting.
[15:24] He lived for you. He died for you. He was your substitute that you might not face the wrath and curse of God. So show that gratitude in your heart and thanksgiving even in a short time when you remember the Lord's death by the sacrament, by the signs, the blood of Jesus represented in the cup of wine.
[15:50] And show that yes, Jesus truly did die for you. His body broken for you when you take the bread. testify in this public act of remembrance.
[16:02] I know that there's been a long time since we've celebrated the Lord's Supper. The absence, yes, I think the absence of the Lord's Supper has been, in one sense, damaging.
[16:14] But it's not been destructive. And I pray that, you know, when you do, the Lord's people do take once more the bread and wine, that you'll give thanks for the privilege that's yours, that is one of the marks of a church, that we do remember the Lord's death till he comes.
[16:31] And that you'll rejoice when you take that bread and wine, that you'll rejoice in the privilege that God has given you to remember the Lord's day. And you'll be testifying to what Jesus did for you.
[16:44] And pray then that this first communion that's happened for probably a year and a half, maybe, that this again will afford the more you to give thanks in your heart and that you'll rejoice one with another in what God has given in this special occasion to remember the Lord's death till he comes.
[17:08] Well, not just looking back in triumph, as a looking forward in anticipation. As an anticipation, in other words, a looking forward. What's, of course, yet to happen to Jesus and what's for the Lord's people.
[17:26] Jesus knows that when he's crying out it's finished, he knows that he's about to die. He knows that he's about to taste death. And this is the author of life. He's about to taste death.
[17:39] I mean, he couldn't have died unless he'd offered himself up as that sacrifice for sins. But he must die. He must be that atoning sacrifice for sins.
[17:53] He must give up his life. Now he knows that the worst of his suffering's over. He knows he's accomplished what God had given him to do. And when he's crying out it's finished, he's showing confidence, confidence in his father that his father would help him, enable him to do what still remained.
[18:13] Because Jesus still had to die and he still had to rise again from the dead. He still had to taste death and he still had to rise from the dead. He still had to be resurrected to give that truth, that guarantee of the resurrection of the Lord's people into eternal life.
[18:31] So, his death is indicating that atonement's been made. God has covered your sin with Christ's righteousness.
[18:42] Jesus has paid the penalty for your sin. He's the sacrificial lamb that's been offered to take away the sin of the world.
[18:55] No one else could do what Jesus did. And so Jesus is facing that, we might say, that ultimate price for our sins with confidence. Confidence that he'd accomplished the work that his father had given him to do and confident that his father would be with him and remain with him and that he'd rise again from the dead.
[19:19] That anticipation of his, yes, his soul being reunited with his body, rising again and giving you that eternal hope, that resurrection hope of eternal life.
[19:32] And so Jesus is crying out, it's finished, his mission's been accomplished. But as we said, there's that looking forward, looking ahead to what his death will mean for his people.
[19:47] Giving you that hope, that sure salvation, but that hope of salvation. And you who love the Lord Jesus, you who trust in the Savior for your salvation, remember that his death brought you life because of Jesus' perfect obedience, because of his death on the cross.
[20:11] So look forward, yes, with resurrection hope. But you who are not yet his, you who have not yet given your life to Jesus, think in what the confidence that Jesus' death brings to the Lord's people.
[20:29] But what of you? Where can your confidence be? It can't be in yourself. It can only be confidence in the Lord Jesus, who alone has secured for his people's salvation.
[20:45] And so look to Jesus, look to Jesus, who accomplished all. Again, listen to his cry, that loud cry, it's finished, it's completed, it's accomplished. And as you listen to these words again, take them to heart and bring to mind what you're hearing, because what you're hearing is amazing truth.
[21:04] Because what you're hearing of Jesus saying, it's finished, it's telling you that you can do and you can't do anything to earn your salvation because Jesus has done it all for you.
[21:18] I know that you've heard this many, many, many times before and it's going to be uttered again and again from every gospel center pulpit, that there is nothing that you do to earn salvation.
[21:30] But it's got to be said again and again. It's got to be emphasized that Jesus has done it all for you. He's done everything for your salvation.
[21:41] There's nothing that you can add to Jesus' finished work. All you have to do, yes, except by gifted faith, except that Jesus died for you, that he carried your sins, and that you can have forgiveness for your sins because of what Jesus did on the cross.
[22:01] You see, if God was satisfied with Jesus' finished work, then God is utterly satisfied. It's a complete satisfaction because Jesus fulfilled everything, utterly, fully, completely.
[22:16] One man, one Savior, one Lord. He accomplished all. The law demanded that a sacrifice was given to take away sins.
[22:29] Jesus satisfied all that. That requirement of a spotless sacrifice, Jesus fulfilled that, finding the Lord Jesus, because he did what no one else could do.
[22:43] He bore the wrath of God against sin. He paid for your salvation. And because Jesus paid it all, you pay nothing. You pay nothing. Just accept that Jesus died for you.
[22:57] Maybe that's been a sticking point for some of you, maybe even for many a year. Maybe you've been afraid that somehow you feel you've not been good enough for Jesus to die for you.
[23:08] Well, none of us have been good enough. None of us, only the Lord Jesus was good enough to pay the price for sin. So don't use that as an excuse that you're not good enough.
[23:20] Believe that Jesus suffer for you on the cross and you'll be saved. Because every single Christian has had his or her sins forgiven because it is finished.
[23:34] I mean, who's anybody to question God's grace and God's mercy when Jesus paid the ultimate price, when he completed it all?
[23:47] And, well, the evidence, there is evidence, isn't there, that Jesus completed the work that his father had given him to do? And, well, we look at other parts of Scripture to verify that Jesus, yes, accomplished all.
[24:04] And it might seem strange to our modern ears when you see the evidence and read of the evidence. But, you know, soon after, immediately after, Jesus breathed his last, we're told elsewhere in Scripture that the curtain of the temple was torn from top to bottom, that curtain that shielded people from the most holy place in the temple, and how that curtain was torn and it showed that the way was now open to God through the Lord Jesus.
[24:35] There's that evidence that it's finished, it's accomplished. But then, as we said, and keep emphasizing this, Jesus rose from the dead three days later. In other words, God the Father accepted the sacrifice of Jesus, and Jesus raised from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit.
[24:57] But then, there's another piece of evidence that yes, it is finished. At Pentecost, after Jesus ascended into heaven, the Holy Spirit comes upon believers, the Holy Spirit enabling believers to believe in the Lord Jesus.
[25:16] And you who know the Lord Jesus as your Savior, you believe through the drawing power of the Holy Spirit. Or else, go through history, go through the evidence of history, and go right even to the present day, and you'll see testimony upon testimony of those who have been transformed in their lives because of what Jesus did on the cross, because it is finished.
[25:42] The grace that you know is only possible because Jesus cried out, it is finished. He'd accomplished all that his Father had given him to do. And that evidence is there in your hearts, my heart, in the heart of every single person in the Lord Jesus Christ whom God has touched by grace.
[26:04] But if you're not a believer, not a believer in the Lord Jesus, if you've got no faith in the Savior, well, I suppose these words, it's finished, mean nothing to you, or nothing to you yet.
[26:17] Well, let's draw you to God's Word again from the perspective of God's Word. Because we're told in God's Word that all who refuse to accept the Lord Jesus as Savior, all who will not hear of Jesus saying it's finished, well, God's Word tells us will be condemned to an unfinished lost eternity.
[26:43] Because there'll never be a moment when an unbelieving soul, an unbelieving person will know the finish of God's wrath.
[26:55] Eternal agony will remain unfinished. You see, Jesus did his work on the cross in completion.
[27:05] but for the one who will not turn to the Lord Jesus. If you don't turn to him, you won't know victory in your life. You won't know the fullness of Christ's work for you.
[27:19] Turn, come to the Lord Jesus. And so I cry out unto you, know him, give your life to him. And if you can say that yes, the Lord Jesus is my Savior, well, rejoice, rejoice when you've heard these words, it's finished.
[27:39] Or might I say this, does the Lord Jesus have unfinished business with you? So I pray for all of you here this day, whether if you're not a believer, turn to him, turn to the Lord Jesus.
[27:52] If you are and are about to receive the Lord's support, then hear what Jesus has said with fresh understanding. And as you do so, the more you'll know that victory in your life, victory over sin, victory over Satan, victory over the world.
[28:12] And as you prepare even now in your hearts, even in this moment of quiet, as you profess the Lord Jesus are about to do so, remember he died for sinful, pitiable you, sinful, pitiable me.
[28:30] and yes, acknowledge that yes, he died, he died in agony, he'd done no wrong, he was crucified for you.
[28:43] And so give him the praise, give him the thanks, and give him the glory, because he cried out, it is finished. Amen. Let us pray.
[28:53] Lord, our God, our loving Heavenly Father, you who sent your one and only Son to die for sinners such as ourselves, we give you thanks that you did what you did for our sake, that whosoever believes in Jesus will not perish, but have everlasting life.
[29:18] Lord, hear us as we now turn to this particular part of the service, even now as we prepare our hearts to receive the bread and the wine. May you bless your people, even as they prepare to participate in that act of remembrance.
[29:36] Hear us, Lord, as we cry out unto you for mercy. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.