IT IS FINISHED

Apr 2

We trust today’s message encouraged and guided you in your journey of following Jesus. These notes are meant to help you remember and reflect on the message, help you go deeper into study on the subject, or be used for a sermon group discussion.

Sermon Title: IT IS FINISHED

Main Scripture: JOHN 19:16-37; COLOSSIANS 2:14; COLOSSIANS 1:19-22

If you’re going through this discussion with a community group this week consider taking the time to read the provided scripture to catch everyone up!

Summary:

Why did Jesus have to die on the cross? What did Jesus accomplish for us on the cross? Next Sunday, we celebrate the reality that Jesus is alive. This week we focus on the cross. We know the story well but that’s also the reason to look back and be reminded so we don’t get desensitized to what it means. What Jesus accomplished for us is something that we should be careful to never take for granted or lose its significance in our hearts. Today could be a refresher or it could be something brand new to you. We pray this message will draw you to salvation or into deeper gratitude for those who live a new life because of the cross of Christ!

Notes:

By Faith…It Is Finished

John 19:16-37 NLT

“It is finished.” What did Jesus finish, what work did Jesus accomplish by His death on the cross and how does it impact our lives today?

“It Is Finished”

What does Jesus mean by that phrase?
Tetelestai is the Greek word used for “finished” and it means “complete, fulfilled, it’s accomplished.”
“It was a Conqueror’s cry; it was uttered with a loud voice. There is nothing of anguish about it, there is no wailing in it. It is the cry of One who has completed a tremendous labor.” Spurgeon
Jesus obeyed and fulfilled the work His Father had given Him. Jesus was obedient and glorified His Father on earth. Jesus fulfilled old testament prophecies (over 300) and foreshadowings in scripture about His life.
Jesus came to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10)
Jesus provided atonement for the sin of the world (1 John 2:2; Romans 3:23-25)
Jesus reconciled us back to God (Colossians 1:20; 2 Corinthians 5:19)
Jesus kept and trained the ones God gave him for finishing the task (John 17)
The work of Jesus for salvation is finished but the results are ongoing.

“It Is Finished”

The Provision for Our Debt

Different forms of the word Tetelestai were used in accounting in the 1st and 2nd centuries to say debt is paid and finished. Jesus’ statement could be interpreted as, “paid in full.”
Papyri receipts for taxes have been recovered with the word tetelestai written across them, meaning “paid in full.” Blum, E. A. (1985). John. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p. 340). Victor Books.
2 Corinthians 5:21 For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.
1 John 3:18 Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but he died for sinners to bring you safely home to God.
Colossians 2:14 NLT He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. NIV: having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross.
Our inability to fully obey God’s law left us indebted to the law. Jesus obeyed God’s law perfectly, fulfilled its requirements for us, and even paid the price for that debt for us (Romans 8:3). Jesus wasn’t paying his debt, because he never sinned. Jesus became the sin offering needed to satisfy our debt. The debt of our sin has been paid in full!
Our debt is paid and we are forgiven.

Peace with God

Colossians 1:19-22 NLT

Jesus’ blood on the cross brings us back into restored fellowship with God. We were once far away (Eph. 2:13) and we were once enemies, separated from him by our evil thoughts and actions, but by the means of Christ’s blood on the cross we have been our sin has been atoned for. By putting our faith in this work of Christ on the cross, our fellowship with God is restored.

Atonement, or “At-one-ment” (implying to be at peace and in fellowship with one another) is to reconcile brokenness between two parties through a proper payment or offering that covers for the sin or offense. Being that we are the sinners, it should be us that gives the payment or offering for atonement, but no matter how much we tried, we couldn’t keep the law perfectly, the law was unable to make us righteous and our sacrifices in the OT only appeased for a time. This was all a foreshadowing and setup for who could fulfill everything, the Son of God. Jesus lived a sinless life, fulfilled the law, and was the perfect lamb or atonement offering capable of covering the sin of the whole world. The amazing act of love and grace is, God was the offended party, yet He provided the atonement offering for us. Wow!
The finished work of Christ on the cross also brings peace because I can rest in His work and not my works. I couldn’t fulfill the law perfectly, I couldn’t obey every command in thought and action perfectly. The striving to do everything so that I could be holy and accepted is not the way to be saved or accepted by God, this only comes by putting our faith and trust that Jesus accomplished it for us! This is why Jesus said, “come to me all who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
Romans 5:1 Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us.
What does it feel like to be at peace with God? I’m not afraid of how God feels about me. I’m not afraid to die. I’m not paranoid that God is disappointed with me. I’m not anxiously counting if I’ve done enough good deeds today, more than bad deeds or thoughts. I’m focused on living free from the power of sin and the doom of death.

Accomplished by Christ, Received by Faith

In Hebrews 11 we previously learned that because of Abraham’s faith in God, he was credited righteous. He was considered righteous because Abraham believed God and demonstrated that belief through obedience. In the same, we must trust God at His Word. We must trust Christ at His word. That our sin was paid for and finished by His sacrifice on the cross. We demonstrate this faith by living saved, living free, and living in fellowship with God.
“When you believe,” “by faith,” or “through faith” are key words in the NT.
Ephesians 2:8-9 God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.
Romans 3:23 For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. 24 Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. 25 For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood.
Grace is always available but it must be received and applied by putting our faith in Christ’s work!
When we put our faith in Christ’s sacrifice to save us we are accepting that He was a sufficient offering, a perfect offering capable of forgiving our sins. Do you believe and accept the offering of God’s only Son to be enough for your sin? If so, your debt is finished, your sin is forgiven, you are saved, and you are in a relationship with God!

1 Corinthians 1:18 NIV:

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

To believers and unbelievers whose hearts are still open to the message of Christ on the cross, it is good news, it is powerful, it is beautiful. To those who have denied or turned from God, His Word, and following their own reasoning, it is foolishness. This is why some can hear the gospel of Christ, the message of the cross, and be transformed, meanwhile, many won't.
This breaks my heart. Praying for many hearts to be softened this Easter season!
Let's pray because the blood of Christ is still reaching and saving!

Salvation is the first step of faith. The rest of your life is walking it out with God, keeping your faith in Him, and learning how to love and follow His ways. Be encouraged: Philippians 1:6 And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.

Discussion:

What did God use in this sermon to speak directly to you?
What did we learn about God in this story?
What does peace with God feel like?
How does knowing our sinful debt has been completely paid in full bring us comfort and peace?
Why is it important to believe and accept that our sinful debt has been fully paid by Jesus?
Take a moment to read and share what is powerful about these scriptures: 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 3:18; Colossians 2:14; Romans 5:1…
What other notes did you write down that you would like to share?

The most important decision you will ever make!

Are you ready to experience salvation and be transformed? We encourage you to process this decision with a strong believer and when you’re ready say a simple prayer like this from your heart: Dear God, I acknowledge and admit I have sinned. I see my need for Jesus Christ. I believe in Jesus as my Lord and Savior. I believe I am forgiven and cleansed of my sin by His death. I also believe I have eternal life because of His resurrection from the dead. I repent, I turn away from my old ways and I choose to live my life to worship you and follow Jesus, amen!

We would love to know if you made the decision to accept this wonderful gift from God. Let us know here.

Pray Together

We hoped you found this AFTER THE SERMON discussion helpful for your walk with Jesus. We pray you can find ways to apply it this week!

Ryan Coon