It Is Finished – Last Words of Jesus (3)
On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!”
20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.
21 Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.”
22 And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.
23 If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”
– John 20:19-23
Monday, April 10, 2023
Happy Easter once again. A celebration of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the only leader ever to have achieved such a feat. All acclaimed religious leaders came and died with known graves that their followers honor but not so for Jesus Christ. He came, He died and He rose again… He reigns forever.
We conclude our look at Jesus Christ on the cross as He carried the sin of the world and became the lamb that was slain so that we might be reconciled for if there was no shedding of blood, there will be no remission of sin. Hallelujah!
The sixth word
“It is finished.” Matthew 27:46 & Mark 15:34
This is the declaration of a finisher, Jesus completed the task. Thanks to Jesus Christ for fulfilling His purpose. Thanks to Jesus for being that holy sacrifice for humanity. What love!
Jesus started His assignment and completed same. The lamb of God was tempted in every way but came out untainted. He took the shame, the guilt, the mockery, the injustice, the afflictions, the diseases, the curse, and the corruption and pinned them down to the cross. No sin escaped his hold, Sin is defeated absolutely and completely, it is finished. It is done and dusted. Drop Mic!
The Seventh Word
“Father, into thy hands I commit my spirit.” Luke 23:46
Through It All, Jesus never ascribed the glory to Himself. He understood His role, and His place in the assignment and never tried to manipulate the process. After all the trials, Jesus did not deny His Father.
During the process, Jesus felt forsaken, He was thirsty and drained, and He even did all that was asked of him still in the end, he put His trust in God.
In the journey of purpose, maybe you’ve done all that is expected of you, you ticked every line item on the checklist, but still commit it to the Father. Yes, God is Father, the source. He is the only one that never sleeps or slumbers. The sovereign one that holds the final and ultimate ace.
Jesus surely did not see equality as a thing to be grasped, rather he humbled himself and submitted to the will of the Father. Jesus knew that a minor deviation will create an irreversible loophole so he took nothing for granted. He stayed prayerful and humble even when he felt lonely and needy.
The moments on the cross and Jesus’ last words point us to God as Father to be trusted absolutely. The character of God is absolutely Holy, eternal, and guaranteed.
By His last words on the cross, the lamb of God reassures us of the integrity of His sacrifice and the guarantee of a future of eternal joy. He reveals the heart of love and the definitiveness of judgment. He also showed respect for the human will and the consequences of our actions or inaction.
Having received such great salvation, the best response is to tell others and share the good news with our ‘full chest’ no more no less.
Congratulations on receiving the gift of salvation, sin has been dealt the final blow! Beloved, go forth in the liberty of Christ, shine your light, rule your world, and show others the way to the cross that they too might be set free.
It is finished…Father is accessible and with you now and forevermore. Amen.
LET US PRAY:
Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for the sacrifice that saved a sinner like me. Thank you for conquering death and setting man free from the hold of sin. I pray that the knowledge of this great salvation will fill the earth through me. Help me to be a witness indeed. May my life shine forth God’s glory for the world to see. In Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen
