Grace World Outreach Church
Pastor Daniel K Norris
It Is Finished
The Most Powerful Words Ever Spoken
"After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), “I thirst.” 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,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit”
In the Greek text, "It Is Finished" is tetelestai; and it means, “It is finished, it stands finished, and it always will be finished!”
What was finished?
1. IT IS FINISHED MEANS “MISSION ACCOMPLISHED”
A servant is given a task, A soldier is given a mission, A son is given a charge… at the end, a good servant, a good soldier, a good son comes to his master, his commander, or his father to say, “I’m finished, I’ve done what you asked”
John 17:4 (ESV) I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do.
What was the mission?
- Lk 19:10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost
- Jn 10:10 I came that they may have life and have it abundantly
- 1 Ti 1:1 Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners
2. IT IS FINISHED MEANS “A PERFECT SACRIFICE”
When a priest examined an animal sacrifice he was looking for faults and blemishes… when the animal was deemed satisfactory, tetelestai would apply.
Rev 13:8 called Jesus, “the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.”
Lk 23:4 Pilate examines Jesus… then said to the chief priests and the crowds, “I find no guilt in this man.”
Jn 18:14 Caiaphas who had advised the Jews that it would be expedient that one man should die for the people
3. IT IS FINISHED MEANS “A MASTERPIECE”
When an artist completed a picture, or a writer a manuscript, he or she might say, “It is finished!”
The cross of Christ “finishes the picture” that God had been painting from the beginning of time.
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself (2 Co 5:17–18).
"A new creation" means a new human … something never seen before
4. IT IS FINISHED … MEANS “PAID IN FULL”
Tetelestai was also used by the merchants when a debt was paid in full.
When He gave Himself on the cross, He paid our debt in full. None of the Old Testament sacrifices could take away sins; their blood only covered sin. But the Lamb of God shed His blood, and that blood can take away the sins of the world (John 1:29; Heb. 9:24–28).
No more SIN
- Heb 10:12 when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God
No more Shame
- Romans 10:11 (ESV) For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.”
No more Suffering
- Rev 21:4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.
What does that mean for me?
Because it is finished...
His Victory is My Victory
His Authority is My Authority
His Life is My Life