It Is Finished

Temple Baptist Church - 4-8-2020

John 19:28-37

Introduction:

A.  Almost 2,000 years, Jesus Christ, God’s only begotten Son, died on an old rugged cross for the sins of the world.  Tonight, we celebrate the death of Christ!

B.  Resurrection Sunday does not always occur on the same day of our month of April but, 2,000 years ago, the Passover was always on the same day of the month. 

C.  In our day, we hear the phrase “Good Friday.”  Biblically uninformed people celebrate the death of Christ on that day.  This is in direct opposition to the Scriptures.

D.  Nisan, or our April, was the first month of the Jewish year and Passover was always on the 14th day of the month.  There were many “high days” in the Jewish year that marked “holy convocations,” or holy days.  These days were also called Sabbaths.

E.  Therefore, there were multiple weeks in Israel that had 2 “Sabbaths” in them.  The normal Sabbath which was the seventh day of the week, or our Saturday.  But there would be another day of the week, which was a Jewish holy day or Sabbath, which the Bible refers to as “AN HIGH DAY.”

F.  When Christ Jesus died, the Bible declares that it was the “preparation” for a High Day or ceremonial Jewish Sabbath.

John 19:31  The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away.

John 19:41-42  Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid.  (42)  There laid they Jesus therefore because of the Jews' preparation day; for the sepulchre was nigh at hand.

G.  The Bible declares that Christ Jesus arose from the grave very early on the first day of the week, which is our Sunday.

John 20:1  The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre.

H.  Biblical Timeline:

1.  Jesus Christ died at 6:00 PM on Wednesday, which was the preparation day for the High Day.  No work could be done!

2.  Thursday was the day of the Passover, or High Day.  No work could be done!

3.  Friday was the preparation day for the normal Sabbath or seventh day of the week.  No work could be done!

4.  Saturday was the normal Sabbath.  No work could be done!

I.  The Jewish day began at 6:00 PM, not our 12:00 PM.  Jesus Christ arose from the grave sometime between 6:00 PM Saturday evening and the time Mary Magdalene came to the tomb in the dark on the first day of the week.

J.  The Bible is clear that Christ Jesus remained “three days and three nights” or 72 hours in the grave before the Resurrection. 

Matthew 12:40  For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

K.  No matter how you calculate it, you cannot get 72 hours into the time span from Friday evening at 6:00 Pm to early AM on the first day of the week, or Sunday!

L.  “It is finished” says it all:

1.  In “It Is Finished,” We Find The Word Of God Verified – Genesis 3:15  And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

John 19:28  After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst.  (There were hundreds of prophecies written concerning Jesus Christ and He fulfilled every prophecy, every promise, every “jot and tittle” perfectly and completely!  God’s Word can be depended upon not only in the performance of this life but also the expectation of the life to come.  Jesus Christ left nothing undone!)

2.  In “It Is Finished,” We Find The Work Of Propitiation Finished – John 4:34  Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. 

John 1:29  The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.  (At Calvary, we find the finishing of 4,000 years of sacrifices!  Millions and millions of lambs had died while awaiting the death of THE Lamb of God who would take away the sins of the world.  Mankind had long awaited Messiah’s coming and we look back to His coming in wonder and amazement.  When Jesus said, “It is finished,” He was saying that the substitutionary work on the cross for us had been accomplished.)

Peter said, in I Peter 3:18, “For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit.”  (Jesus Christ became the “scapegoat” for you and me.  Thank You, Lord Jesus, for taking my place and dying for my sins!)

3.  In “It Is Finished,” We Find The Way Of Salvation Established – John 14:6  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Proverbs 16:25  There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

1 Corinthians 1:17-18  For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.  (18)  For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.  (Man can teach and preach anything that he chooses but it does not change the fact that salvation is through Jesus Christ and Him alone!  Not a church, not a denomination, not a movement, not a baptism, not a sacrament, not a dogma, and not an individual theology—but the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  Man can go his own way but he will not go to heaven until he comes God’s way!)

4.  In “It Is Finished,” We Find The Wages Paid In Full – Romans 6:23  For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Ezekiel 18:20a  The soul that sinneth, it shall die. (Jesus Christ became the “Sinner’s Substitute.”  Our sin separated us from a holy God and Jesus Christ, our Propitiation, reconciled us back to Him through the finished work of Calvary.)

2 Corinthians 5:21  For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

Hebrews 9:26  For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.  (The cross upon which Jesus died was an “altar” and He was the “sacrifice.”)

5.  In “It Is Finished,” We Find The Lost World Condemned – John 3:16-18  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.  (17)  For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.  (18)   He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

1 John 5:10  He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.

John 3:19  And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.  (As Christ suffered for us as no man ever suffered, so the sinner who rejects Christ will one day suffer for all of eternity!)

6.  In “It Is Finished,” We Find The Works Of The Devil Destroyed – 1 John 3:8  He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.

Revelation 20:10  And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.  (God will destroy Satan’s position, his purpose, his power, his people, and ultimately his person.  Because of Calvary, one day there will be no more Satan!)

7.  In “It Is Finished,” We Find The Wealth Of Eternity Secured – Revelation 5:9  And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;  (Because of the finished work of Christ on Calvary, one day we that are saved will be “finally home!)