You are listening to a message from Southwood Presbyterian Church in Huntsville, Alabama.
! Our passion is to experience and express grace. Join us. Amen. Can we pray together?
! Jesus, we thank you for the cross. We're gathered here because of your
cross. And we're grateful that you're here with us and so ask that you would help us,
that our lives would be different, that our relationship with you would be
different because of your finished work on the cross on our behalf. By your word,
would you do that, Holy Spirit, in our hearts today? And we ask it in Jesus' name.
Amen.
We arrived this morning and are lingering at the cross of Jesus at his final breath.
He's been betrayed, arrested, beaten, unjustly tried, proclaimed innocent, mocked, handed over to be
crucified. He's cared for those around him. He's endured darkness in the middle of the day for three
hours. He suffered the torments of hell for our sins to the point of saying, I thirst.
The soldiers extend some sour wine to him and we continue our reading at verse 30 of John 19.
John 19. One verse, but one powerful, history-changing, eternity-impacting verse.
John 19. John 19.
John 19. At verse 30.
When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, it is finished. And he bowed his head
and gave up his spirit. Thus far, God's holy word. Here, Jesus, about to lay down his life,
willingly again, right? We see this highlighted. He's handing his spirit to his father in unimaginable
agony, yet in total control. Jesus says, it is finished. It's one word in Greek, tetelestai.
It's been life-changing for me. It is the good news of Jesus in one word. So if you don't know Jesus,
if you don't have a relationship with him or understand what his offer to you is, then I hope
you'll listen with us this morning because he's going to explain it to us really in this one word.
I want to unpack that word together this morning, but I want you to know it could take a while.
British preacher Charles Spurgeon once said, you would need all the other words that ever were spoken
or ever can be spoken to explain this one word. I won't use them all this morning.
It's not actually complicated, but it's glorious. It's gloriously impactful and far-reaching.
That's why it takes so long. Let me just start by giving us a couple of pictures.
Financial expert Dave Ramsey hates debt. He loves helping people get out of debt. And when they have
paid and they've saved and they've paid some more and they've finally gotten all of it taken care of,
they can call into his show and scream, I'm debt free.
It's a scream of celebration, of freedom, of finish. That's part of Tetelestai.
Or picture a champion marathon runner leaning towards the finish line. After running 26 miles,
navigating hills and heat, enduring aches and pains and thirst, holding off others seeking to defeat him.
And he gasps with a little bit of air he has left, finished! Or probably more like, yes!
It's a cry of victory, of triumph, of finish. Keep that in mind too.
I mean, just thinking of where we are in John's story, all the way over the last couple years even,
and in God's story, all the way through the Bible, when Jesus is on the cross,
there is a long, long list of things of which we could say, it is finished!
Think with me. God's eternal plan of redemption.
The reconciliation of the world to God.
Jesus' defeat of the devil.
The mission of the Messiah.
The prophecies about Jesus.
Jesus' revelation of his Father.
All his sacrificial, substitutionary suffering.
Jesus' perfect life of obedience.
His work to rescue those that his Father gave to him.
All of that.
We could keep going, but we would run out of words before we reach the end of the impact
of what Jesus accomplishes on the cross.
I want, for the sake of our focus this morning,
to group some of those big concepts into two groups
to understand what Jesus saying it is finished means.
And then I want to ask, what does it mean for us?
Tetelestai was a term from the world of accounting.
This is what you would stamp on a debt once it was paid back fully.
To say paid in full.
Jesus paid it all, right?
Are we saying that?
That's what he's saying here.
He fully paid for all my sins with his precious blood.
He took the wages due to my sin.
Death.
The full punishment that I earned.
The wrath of God due to me in hell.
In my place.
He took all of that.
It is done.
It is finished.
No more debt I owe.
No.
The verb tense here means finished with ongoing effect.
It stays finished.
Not just finished for a second, but like finished forever.
No more to pay.
Jesus is not a halfway savior.
Now let's make sure we get this part straight too.
This is no small debt that Jesus pays at all.
It's bigger than any dollar amount that any of us have ever faced.
When Christy and I got married, we had some student loan debt.
And we desperately wanted to be rid of it.
So we sold one of our single most valuable possessions.
A car.
Went from two cars to one.
And took all that money and put it towards the debt.
And we weren't even halfway there.
We felt like we would never pay it off.
Month after month.
Year after year.
Finally we did.
But imagine the weight of this debt.
Nothing you pay towards it even touches it.
Month after month.
Year after year.
It's the same.
You could never pay it off.
It's an infinite debt.
And maybe you think, oh, preacher's exaggerating.
Maybe you don't think of your sin as that big.
You know, there's a lot of other bigger sinners out there.
Kids, I talk with some of you sometimes about your sin.
And you give me good examples like when you're mean to your brother or sister.
Okay?
Can you think about that one?
Have you ever been mean to your brother or sister?
It doesn't sound real big, does it?
But think with me.
You were mean even though you knew that God wanted you to be kind and patient with them.
You actually thought, I know that, but I want to do what I want to do rather than what God wants me to do.
In other words, you thought in that moment that you were smarter than God.
In that one little unkind word, it came from a heart that was saying, I would be a better God than God.
I thought, big sin, huh?
You wouldn't want to say that.
Also, did you know adults, including pastors, we commit big sins too.
Sometimes we forget that.
Adults, when was the last time you looked at someone else's house?
Or another woman?
Or a different job?
And thought, I wish I had that.
I mean, you didn't do anything about it, so you told yourself it didn't really hurt anyone.
It's not really that big of a deal, right?
But actually, you were saying in your heart that you knew better than God what would be best for you.
In fact, you felt that he couldn't be really fully trusted to give you exactly what you need,
so you needed to trust yourself.
Your heart was saying in that one little envious moment,
I would be a better God than God.
That's big sin.
And those are just some of the sins I'd point out that look better than others.
We do some things that look a lot worse on the surface.
Our debt towards God is huge.
An infinite amount because it's against an infinite God.
In fact, it is so massively beyond our ability ever to pay back
that our debt requires Jesus to suffer and die in our place.
It requires the death of the Lord of life.
Our sin requires the sacrifice of the Lamb of God to take away our sins.
Wow.
That's a big debt.
And that's the debt that Jesus takes,
and he stamps paid in full over all of it on the cross.
Picture Bunyan's pilgrim Christian overwhelmed by the burden of sin on his back
until he comes to the cross and immediately it rolls off and away forever.
Right?
It's why we sing that great stanza,
my sin,
oh, the bliss of this glorious thought.
My sin,
not in part,
but the whole,
is nailed to the cross
and I bear it no more.
Praise the Lord.
Oh, my soul.
Not just part of it, right?
Not just the action.
Not just the thought.
Not just the motive behind it.
Not just the sin nature underneath it.
All of it nailed to the cross.
Paid in full by Jesus.
Tetelestai.
Finished.
In case you think I'm exaggerating,
Hebrews 10 is a theological reflection on this idea.
It starts by telling us that all of the animal sacrifices for hundreds and hundreds of years
could not pay for the debt of sin.
That that was impossible.
So, Jesus came in flesh and blood to offer the true, worthy sacrifice that God required.
See, every priest had been offering sacrifices over and over and over.
But, verse 12,
Jesus offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins
and sat down.
Finished.
Because now,
he has perfected.
This is what Derek read to us earlier after we confessed our sins.
Finished.
It's from the same word.
For all time.
Those of us who are still in progress.
Who are,
by the way,
still sinning.
Ah, there's the catch.
So, maybe when we mess up again tomorrow,
the debt is going to go up.
And this time,
we're going to have to pay.
Right?
Nope.
Verse 17 of Hebrews 10.
I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.
Where there is forgiveness of these sins,
lawless deeds,
there is no longer any offering for sin.
Finished.
Forgiven.
Free.
See, our sin racked up an enormous debt, didn't it?
But the triune God,
from all eternity,
set out to cover the debt for us.
Jesus said,
I'll pay it all.
So, Romans 3 explains,
what God did was he passed over
the full punishment for these sins.
Until Jesus came.
He didn't pour it all out.
He saved it up.
And then he gave justice
to past, present, and future sins
on Jesus.
So that God could remain just.
Sin gets what it deserves.
Death.
And at the same time,
God could be the justifier.
Could bring us,
undeserving sinners,
back into relationship
with him forever.
What amazing love.
Right?
That is the plan of redemption
that Jesus started
in eternity past
and finished on the cross.
As C.S. Lewis said,
that when a willing victim
who has committed no treachery
was killed in a traitor's stead,
the table would crack
and death itself
would start working backwards.
You wouldn't have to pay
the penalty of death
and
you'd be given
eternal life.
the opposite of what you deserved.
Jesus says,
Father,
I want these
that you have given me
to be with you and me
sharing glory with us.
So let me pay the price
to bring them home
into our family.
Jesus cries out in victory.
Not so much for himself
but for you and me.
Finished!
And so we
we can scream
I'm debt free!
That's not even all
that's in this word.
If you get all your debts paid
you
you still don't have any money
to live on, do you?
I mean,
getting back to zero,
who's excited about that?
We owe God
not only
avoidance of sin
and we messed that up
but also
a perfect life.
He made us
to reflect his image
in his world
in every way.
We have to run
the race
as it were
all the way
faithfully
to the finish.
It's our job.
This is why
Jesus doesn't
die
why the cross
doesn't come
just shortly
after being born
to pay for sins.
First,
Jesus has to live
and fulfill
all of God's
righteous law
to embody
all the Old Testament
prophecies
as John has been
highlighting to us
he has to reveal
the Father
to us
so we know
what he's like.
Show us what God's
like in the flesh.
And Jesus
has done this
to the very
last breath
as he now
crosses the finish line.
He's finished
the race
the mission
that his Father
gave him to do
so there is
full credit
earned
for us.
See in religious
contexts
the idea
of tetelestai
was that you
had
carried out
a task
you'd
finished
a mission.
In fact
Jesus uses
a form
of this
same word
a couple times
only 24 hours
before the cross.
He's praying
to his Father
and it says
having accomplished
it's this word
finishing
the work
God gave him
to do
earlier Thursday
night
showing them
his love
to the end
to its
finish
to its
completion
so we
understand
what's on
his heart
that's part
of what is
finished
now
on the cross
the will
of the Father
the mission
of the Son
by the power
of the Spirit
we've seen
Psalm 22
referenced
every step
of the way
to the cross
every single
sermon
so far
here's where
it ends
the last
verse
of Psalm
22
they shall
come and
proclaim
his righteousness
to a people
yet unborn
that he
has
done it
he's done it
it is
finished
it's about
his righteousness
that's been
finished
there's nothing
else to be
added
to what
Jesus
has
done
he's not
only paid
what you owe
to bring
your account
to zero
to no debt
but he's also
granted you
a full
credit
of righteousness
as you trust
in him
I told you
he's no
halfway savior
right
this is the
part of the
good news
highlighted in
2nd Corinthians
chapter 5
for our
sake
God made
him to be
sin
who knew
no sin
so what
would happen
to us
so that in
him
we might
become
back to
ground zero
no
the
righteousness
of God
to tell us
die
Jesus has
lived
perfectly
he's
he's trusted
his father
when the
agony was
overwhelming
he spoke
in truth
even when it
cost him
he's cared
for the poor
and the needy
he quoted
scripture
when he was
tempted
to care
for himself
or to
pursue power
he honored
his parents
he kept
the sabbath
he loved
his neighbor
even to the
point of laying
down his own
life for his
sheep
so that we
might be
righteous
so that we
get all
that credit
in our
account
indeed as
John promised
us all along
he has
made
God
known
to us
the perfect
image of
God
his righteous
character
shining in
his law
now seen
on brilliant
display
in the word
made
flesh
he has
done
all that
the scripture
requires
and after
one final
reminder of
that
in saying
I thirst
he declares
it is
finished
full
credit
earned
race
finished
victoriously
nothing
left to do
to earn
God's
favor
grace
flows
abundant
tetelestai
that's what
it means
so it is
finished
means
Jesus
paid all
my debt
and earned
all my
credit
cool
how's that
changed me
what's that
mean for me
I'll tell you
how it impacted
me
as it sunk
in
as I grew
up
this takes
a while
for most
of us
see I knew
from an early
age that
Jesus loved
me
I grew up
in a church
like this
when I
heard
these types
of things
and I thought
Jesus loves
me
that's
awesome
I want
to do
everything
that I
can
to be
worthy
of that
love
now that's
not a bad
instinct
if you felt
that way
but it
will wear
you out
why
because
there's
no end
of what
you would
need to
do to
earn
that kind
of love
because
you have
to pretend
when you
don't
and fake
it
anytime
you
fail
because
it's
not
love
you
can
earn
that's
not
the
nature
of it
that's
what's
so
amazing
about it
it's
grace
Jesus
doesn't
need me
to finish
what he
already
has
that's
hard for
me to
take
in
that's
why
as he
breathed
his last
Jesus said
it is
finished
buddha
said
keep
on
striving
that's
religious
advice
try
harder
when
I try
to
finish
what
Jesus
already
has
it's
like
telling
him
that
the
cross
was
not
enough
that's
nice
but
there's
some
more
I'm
going
to
add
listen
if
we
could
earn
God's
love
on
our
own
Jesus
died
for
no
reason
but
he
really
finished
it
all
and
that
started
to sink
in
and
now
I
was
free
from
performing
to earn
love
all the
time
I
could
breathe
let me
ask you
a couple
questions
how does
God feel
about you
right now
can you
answer
that
are
you
unsure
carry
the
one
maybe
he's
waiting
to see
how you
do
today
sounds
right
or
when
through
grace
in
Christ
our
trust
is
justice
smiles
and
asks
no
more
he's
smiling
delighted
in
you
because
of
Jesus
question
two
do
you
live
like
it's
finished
or
like
there's
constantly
pressure
to do
more
in
other
words
do
you
feel
more
rush
or
peace
in
your
life
more
anxiety
or
joy
more
envy
or
gratitude
the
more
the
finished
work
of
Jesus
on
the
cross
sinks
in
the
more
you
actually
believe
in
your
heart
that
could
possibly
be
true
the
more
those
realities
will
flood
your
life
changes
you
when I
was a
young
boy
I
read
in
our
local
newspaper
about
another
young
boy
whose
name
was
Larry
Don
Larry
Don
wanted
to
play
on
the
football
team
so
he
had
to
get
one
of
those
physicals
you
know
the
problem
was
the
physical
showed
a
problem
with
his
heart
a
virus
had
attacked
his
heart
and
pretty
soon
he
would
need
a
transplant
so
you
can
imagine
the
number
of
times
after
scan
x-ray
after
x-ray
and
they
were
monitoring
him
and
one
day
went
back
for
his
x-ray
and
the
nurse
came
out
and
said
we're
going to
have
to
take
you
back
again
his
parents
were
concerned
what
happened
what's
wrong
she
said
oh
don't
be
alarmed
it's
just
inconclusive
I
said
that
doesn't
sound
good
either
he
said
oh
no
he
forgot
to
take
his
cross
off
again
see
Larry
Don
had
met
Jesus
along
the
way
and
he
was
wearing
as
he
always
did
his
cross
necklace
that his
mom
gave him
in celebration
of that
moment
they took
him back
for another
x-ray
and he
said
hey
can I
keep
that
first
x-ray
that's
the story
of my
life
the cross
of Jesus
covering
my
sin
sick
heart
do you
live
like the
cross
is always
covering
your
heart
it
changed
my
life
because
it
is
finished
the cross
of Jesus
means a
new
freedom
right
no longer
enslaved
to sin
no longer
enslaved
to performance
to
earn my
parents
love
or the
love of
my
friends
or the
love of
myself
or even
the love
of God
free
from that
it
is
finished
means
unending
gratitude
because of
what Jesus
has done
that I
could never
repay
I'm just
grateful
it is
finished
means
aggressive
forgiveness
in your
life
because no
one has
as big
a debt
to me
as I
did to
God
you know
that's
true
so looking
for debts
to forgive
is one
of the
best ways
to reflect
the image
of our
gracious
father
to share
with others
in a
performance
oriented
get what
you earn
culture
the joy
of the
cross
forgive
aggressively
so many
ways
this cross
over our
hearts
changes
our lives
but I want
to focus
on one
this morning
that I
believe the
Bible says
is where
all the
change
starts
let's
think about
our big
debt
again
I
think you
know this
but I
want to
try to
help you
think
about it
if you've
ever owed
anybody
anything
you've
experienced
this
like
if you
were a
kid
and it
was five
bucks
right
maybe you
owed somebody
an apology
and you
knew it
whatever it
was that
you owed
somebody
what starts
happening
in your
relationship
with them
that debt
disrupts the
relationship
doesn't it
you know that
feeling of
avoiding them
you know
ducking in
the other
doorway
keeping your
distance whenever
you can
until you
can repay
that debt
I mean
they might
ask
they might
call
don't answer
that number
they might
run out of
patience
I had a
great third
grade teacher
and I really
wanted him to
think that I
was a great
third grade
student
it's a big
deal to me
so I
worked really
hard
I tried to
follow all
the rules
I always
did my
homework
until one
day when I
forgot to
do my
homework
and all of
the sudden
he was about
to check
I was
terrified
I owed
him a
finished
worksheet
and mine
was blank
I
thought
quickly
I
stood
up
I
asked
to
use
the
restroom
and I
took my
blank
worksheet
with me
with a
pencil
down the
hallway
to the
bathroom
locked
myself
in a
bathroom
stall
and
furiously
got to
work
on the
homework
work
he was
going to
be so
disappointed
what a
failure
I felt
like
I
could
not
let him
see me
without
a
perfectly
finished
paper
and then
two boys
from my
class
came into
the
restroom
hey
Will
you
okay
in
there
Mr.
Andrag
said to
check
on you
because
you
didn't
look
like
you
were
feeling
good
oh yeah
I'm
fine
has he
taken up
that
homework
yet
no
actually
he
didn't
take
it
up
he
said
he
was
going
to
give
all
of
us
a
100
today
oh
cool
yeah
I'll
be right
there
to this
day I
don't know
for sure
how much
Mr.
A
understood
of what
was going
on
but
third grade
teachers
are pretty
sharp
what I
do
know
is that
I
didn't
have to
stay
locked
in that
bathroom
stall
any
longer
my
debt
was
paid
full
credit
earned
by
someone
else
and I
could
quit
hiding
and I
could
come
back
and be
with
my
teacher
again
are
any
of you
hiding
out
from
God
are
you
are
you
working
furiously
working
hard
to make
it up
to be
able to
face
him
again
can I
urge you
to stop
and come
to him
right now
after
Hebrews
chapter 10
talks about
Jesus's
once for
all
finished
sacrifice
it tells
us
what
difference
should
happen
in our
lives
it has
a few
things
but the
very first
thing
it says
is draw
near
to God
let us
draw near
to God
over
and over
draw near
over
and over
it means
just as I
am
without
one plea
but that
thy blood
was shed
for me
and that
thou
bidst
me
come
to thee
oh
Lamb
of God
I
come
I
come
don't
keep
your
distance
don't
stay
locked
in the
stall
draw
near
your
life
will
never
be
the
same
the
freedom
the
gratitude
the
forgiveness
and much
more
they'll
flow
out
of
you
see
the
payment
of
debt
restores
relationship
that's
what
he's
doing
for
you
it's
what
Jesus
has
done
for
you
we
sang
earlier
love
so
amazing
so
divine
demands
my
soul
my
life
my
all
I
love
that
line
but
if
we're
not
careful
and
if
we're
not
near
God
that
will
put
religious
people
like
me
back
on
an
exhausting
treadmill
but
draw
near
to
God
is
not
a
wagging
finger
demanding
come
to
church
more
read
your
Bible
more
stop
coveting
!
No
draw
near
to
God
because
it
is
finished
is
an
arms
wide
open
welcome
of
love
saying
come
find
life
and
joy
in
me
come
here
let
my
word
direct
your
path
you
can
trust
me
cast
your
burdens
on
me
and
trust
that
I
will
give
you
whatever
you
need
see
you'll
do
many
of
the
same
things
with
so
much
more
rest
and
peace
and
joy
because
it
is
finished
in
fact
the
cross
of
Jesus
says
draw
near
to
God
because
he
has
already
drawn
near
to
you
paid
all
your
debts
earned
all
the
credit
that
you
need
sent
his
very
son
down
to
your
locked
bathroom
stall
where
you
were
hiding
out
and
working
hard
to
make
yourself
presentable
to
him
and
he
stamped
on
your
paper
tetelestai
it
is
finished
come
home
draw
near
that's
what he
wants you
to
taste
as you
gather
around
this
table
this
morning
on this
very
night
that he
was
betrayed
Jesus
took
bread
and he
broke
it
and gave
it to
his
disciples
as I
ministering
in his
name
give
this
bread
to
you
he
said
take
and eat
this
is
my
body
given
for
you
do
this
in
remembrance
of
me
in
the
same
way
after
supper
he
took
the
cup
and
said
this
cup
is
the
new
covenant
in
my
blood
shed
for
many
for
the
forgiveness
of
sins
drink
from
it
all
of
you
for
as
often
as
you
eat
this
bread
and
drink
this
cup
you
proclaim
the
Lord's
death
until
he
comes
you
proclaim
it's
finished
and
there's
nothing
else
for
you
to
do
and
you
can
come
and
sit
and
eat
with
God
because
of
what
Jesus
has
done
brothers
and
sisters
from
any
other
church
doesn't
have
to
be
this
one
if
that's
your
hope
and
trust
come
and
eat
with
him
and
celebrate
his
finished
work
and
ongoing
love
for
you
friends
who
are
weary
perhaps
like
me
maybe
hurting
maybe
wondering
I don't
know what
I think
about
all of
this
I'm
not
sure
about
Jesus
I would
invite
you
to come
not
to
these
elements
this
morning
to
take
the
bread
and
the
wine
but
we
do
invite
you
to
come
forward
to
these
tables
and
watch
a
picture
of
what
Jesus
is
offering
you
but
you
don't
have
to
come
up
here
you
can
you
can
stay
where
you
are
way
more
important
than
coming
to
bread
and
wine
would
be
considering
Jesus
himself
and
his
offer
to
say
you
don't
have
to
do
anything
else
there's
not
a
long
list
you
don't
have
to
keep
being
better
and
trying
harder
you
can
come
and
throw
yourself
on
me
and
I'll
take
care
of
it
for
you
in
fact
I've
already
done
it
you
just
trust
me
in
his
name
we
invite
you
to
salvation
in
Jesus
Christ
alone
by
grace
through
faith
in
him
let's
pray
and
we'll
come
and
celebrate
together
Jesus
we thank
you again
for the
cross
we
marvel
that
you
could
pay
it
all
we
marvel
more
that
you
would
want
to
for
people
like
us
and
so
we
marvel
at
your
love
and
ask
that
it
would
change
our
hearts
even
as
we
taste
this
reminder
and
as
your
spirit
uses
common
elements
for
very
unusual
purpose
in our
hearts
that
we'd
be
strengthened
to
trust
you
more
would
we
taste
your
grace
would
we
remember
the
merit
that
we
have
before
the
father
that's
not
from
us
but
from
one
who's
so
good
and
so
gracious
we
thank
you
in
your
name
amen
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