The Last Words of Jesus: A Lenten DevotionalSample

Reflection 6: The Last Words

Read: John 19:28-30

There are a lot of famous last words spoken by prominent people. But Jesus’ last words on the cross are the most important, life-altering ones.

Shortly before the Last Supper, Jesus prayed, “I brought glory to you here on earth by completing the work you gave me to do. Now, Father, bring me into the glory we shared before the world began” (Jn. 17:4-5, NLT). Jesus knew that His work would be complete on the cross and that the time had come to leave His earthly ministry behind. And when He hung on the cross in His final moments, His words echoed His previous prayer: “He said, ‘It is finished!’” (Jn. 19:30, NLT)

Jesus had performed miracles and ministered to people cast out by society. He had shared the gospel and established a following of believers who were called to “go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone” (Mk. 16:15b, NLT). As Jesus gave up His spirit, His work was finished, His suffering was over and the debt of humanity’s sin was paid.

Jesus’ words also marked the completion of the Old Testament prophecies about Himself as the saving Messiah. He was crucified with criminals (Isa. 53:12), ridiculed and mocked (Ps. 22:7-8), and sacrificed for our sins (Isa. 53:5-9). From Genesis to Malachi, Jesus fulfilled over 300 prophecies about His lineage, birth, ministry, death, and glorious resurrection.

On the cross, Jesus reminded us that He paid it all so that we could be saved. The blameless Lamb of God was sacrificed so that we could have eternal life. Those simple words, “it is finished,” convey the depth and weight of our sin and the priceless gift of salvation. As Romans 5:8 reminds us: “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (NIV).

As Lent comes to an end and you look toward Easter, rejoice that death isn’t the end of the story. The spiritual journey of Lent concludes on Sunday with the promise of God’s healing and a wondrous sense of peace and hope: Jesus’ victory over sin and death.

Jesus completed his task and because of His sacrifice, we can rest in the knowledge that when we put our trust in the finished work of Jesus, our eternal salvation is secure.

Questions for Reflection:

• What did Jesus come to earth to accomplish?
• What is significant about the way Jesus died? Is His spirit taken from him, or does He freely give it?
• What does the phrase “it is finished” mean to you?

We hope this plan encouraged you! As you prepare for Easter and turn your eyes toward the cross, you can share the Good News of Jesus with others. Learn about Bible translation and how it’s bringing hope to language communities around the world.