John Ch19v28-42 - It Is Finished

In the church Bibles.

1-0-8-8.

John chapter 19.

John 19 · chapter mention

And I'll be starting in verse 28.

Later, knowing that everything had now been finished,

and so that scripture would be fulfilled,

Jesus said, I am thirsty.

A jar of wine vinegar was there,

so they soaked a sponge in it,

put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant,

and lifted it to Jesus' lips.

When he had received the drink,

Jesus said, it is finished.

With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

Now, it was the day of preparation,

and the next day was to be a special Sabbath.

Because the Jewish leaders did not want the bodies left on the crosses during the Sabbath,

they asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies taken down.

The soldiers, therefore,

came and broke the legs of the first man who had been crucified with Jesus,

and then those of the other.

But when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead,

they did not break his legs.

Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus' side with a spear,

bringing a sudden flow of blood and water.

The man who saw it has given testimony,

and his testimony is true.

He knows that he tells the truth,

and he testifies so that you also may believe.

These things happened so that the scripture would be fulfilled.

Not one of his bones will be broken.

And, as another scripture says,

they will look on the one they have pierced.

Amen.

Good morning, everyone.

Nice to see you today.

I'm just going to adjust some things here.

Bear with me.

Well, let's have our Bibles open at John's Gospel,

Chapter 19, the text we just read.

We're going to look at together,

so let's pray first.

Father, would you reveal to us

the wonder of your word.

Would you show us Jesus

in all his greatness and glory.

And we pray, Spirit of God,

that you would give us a fresh understanding

a new experience

of what Jesus has done for us.

May it change us.

May it comfort us.

And may it challenge us.

Please help us now, we pray.

Amen.

Well, today is the beginning of Easter week

when we particularly think about

the death of Jesus.

But what has Jesus' death,

which happened more than 2,000 years ago,

got to do with you and I today?

Well, we're going to see how it changes

and transforms lives.

We're going to look at two things

from the text that was read to us.

Jesus' death was planned

and Jesus' death has purpose.

So planned and purpose.

First, Jesus' death is planned.

It's extraordinary.

Although Jesus has been arrested

by the chief priests,

put on trial by Pilate,

crucified by the soldiers,

Jesus has been in control of his death.

In other words,

the events that are unfolding

around his death

are not by chance.

They are a fulfillment of God's plan.

So look at what Jesus says in verse 28.

Later, knowing that everything

had now been finished,

that is, the arrest, the trial,

the mocking, him being crucified

on the cross.

And so that scripture would be fulfilled,

Jesus said,

I am thirsty.

Now this isn't just the random request

from a dying man.

Jesus is fulfilling

what scripture said would happen.

Go back with me, please,

to Psalm 69.

Psalm 69.

As we think about what Jesus has just said,

I thirst.

Psalm 69 is a psalm of King David

who is facing

into a death-like experience.

And it's these very words

that Jesus takes

and applies to himself

and to his own death

on the cross.

So, verse 1 of Psalm 69,

we can think of the sufferings of Christ.

Save me, O God,

for the waters have come up to my neck.

I sink in the miry depths

where there is no foothold.

I have come into deep waters.

The floods engulf me.

I am worn out calling for help.

My throat is parched.

Go to verse 20.

Scorn has broken my heart

and has left me helpless.

I looked for sympathy,

but there was none.

For comforters,

but I found none.

They put gall in my food

and gave me vinegar

for my thirst.

Now let's go back

to John's Gospel.

We pick it up again

in verse 28.

In verse 28.

And so that Scripture

would be fulfilled,

Jesus said,

I am thirsty.

A jar of wine vinegar

was there,

so they soaked a sponge in it,

put the sponge on the stalk

of the hyssop plant

and lifted it to Jesus' lips

and he drank.

You see,

Jesus is fulfilling

what has been planned

and what has been spoken of

in Scripture

decades,

centuries before.

Now you might think

this is all a coincidence.

But look at the events

leading up to his death.

Jesus foretold

what would happen.

Go to chapter 18.

Jesus is about to be arrested.

Chapter 18, verse 4.

Jesus,

knowing all that was going

to happen to him,

that is,

in reference to his death

and crucifixion,

went out and asked them,

Who is it that you want?

Down to verse 8,

the middle of verse 8.

Jesus said,

If you are looking for me,

then let these men go.

This happened

so that the words

he had spoken

would be fulfilled.

I have not lost

one of these

you gave me.

And then during his trial,

after the arrest,

Jesus has been sentenced

to be executed

by way of crucifixion.

And look what we read

in verse 32.

This took place

to fulfill

what Jesus had said

about the kind of death

he was going to die.

And now look at the events

after Jesus has died.

Chapter 19,

verse 33.

33.

You see,

the common practice

to speed up

the death

of someone

who was being crucified

was to break

their legs

because they would

lift themselves

up on their legs

to be able to breathe.

Break your legs

and you would suffocate.

So if they had not died,

the Roman soldiers

would come along

and break people's legs.

We pick it up

in verse 33.

But when they came

to Jesus

and found

that he was already dead,

they did not

break his legs.

Instead,

one of the soldiers

pierced Jesus' side

with a spear,

bringing a sudden

flow of blood

and water.

Verse 36.

These things happened

so that the scripture

would be fulfilled.

Not one of his bones

will be broken.

That comes from the Psalms.

And as another scripture says,

which comes from

the prophet Zechariah,

they will look

on the one

they have pierced.

You see,

all these events

that are happening

around the death

of Christ,

John,

the author of this gospel,

is telling us

that everything

down to the single detail

has been designed

and orchestrated

by God,

spoken of

centuries

beforehand.

Jesus' death

is not

a random

event.

It has been

planned

and purposed

by God.

So what does all

this mean for us,

the fact that it is

planned?

Well,

first,

that these events

are true.

We only know

what happened

around Jesus' death

because of those

who were eyewitnesses

at the time,

like John,

the author of the gospel.

He refers to himself

in verse 35.

The man who saw it,

that is,

John himself,

has given testimony

and his testimony

is true.

He knows

that he tells

the truth

and he testifies

so that you also

may believe.

How could anybody

make this up?

Scripture written

hundreds of years

before,

yet providing

intricate details

of what would happen

just as Jesus said,

just as the scriptures

in the past

had said.

And John records

all that has happened

for us

so that we can know

that this is true.

This is not made up.

And if it is true,

then it means

that these events

provide hope

for us.

You see,

if God has planned

and designed

what would happen

to Jesus,

then he has also

planned and designed

what will happen

in our life.

Our life

is not random.

None of us

are here

by accident.

The events

of our life

are known

from God

from beginning

to end

and are in the hands

of God.

He's in control.

He rules

over every situation.

Therefore,

you and I

can trust

in this Jesus.

We don't need

to fear

what will happen.

We don't need

to worry

about what will happen.

Everything

about our life

is designed

and planned

by God.

As the writer

of Psalm 139

says,

all the days

ordained for me

were written

in your book

before one of them

came to be.

Our being

here today

is planned

by God.

Where you are

tomorrow

is planned

by God.

I can say

that my life

and my death

are all

in God's

safe

and sovereign

hands.

these events

are true

and therefore

provide hope

for us.

But what kind

of hope

do we have

from the death

of Jesus?

Well,

this brings us

to the second

main thing

and we'll spend

a bit more time

on this.

Jesus' death

has purpose.

Look at verse 30

with me.

When he had

received a drink

Jesus said,

it is

finished.

And with that

he bowed

his head

and gave up

his spirit.

He died.

You see,

the religious

leaders

wanted

Jesus dead.

And the Roman

soldiers

made sure

that Jesus

was dead.

But this

cry,

it is

finished,

is not

a cry

of defeat,

I'm going

to die,

but this

is a cry

of victory.

You see,

Jesus' death

brings something

to its end.

It

is

finished.

Literally,

it's completed,

it's done,

it's over,

there's no more

work to be done.

The goal

has now

been

achieved.

achieved.

So,

what is

finished?

What has

the death

of Jesus

completed

for you

and for

me?

Well,

the clue

comes for

us in

verse 31.

Now,

it was

the next

day,

or now

it was

the day

of preparation,

and the

next day

was to be

a special

Sabbath.

Sabbath.

That special

Sabbath

was the

Passover.

So,

here they

were

preparing

for

the

Passover.

Passover

was the

big

highlight

in the

Jewish

year,

a national

holiday to

remember and

celebrate

their rescue

and redemption

from Egypt.

So,

on Friday,

the day

that Jesus

died,

the people

were spent

preparing

for this

special

Passover

meal.

Now,

if we're to

understand

the context

here,

and why

Jesus

Christ

it is

finished,

and what

it's got

to do

with

Passover,

we need

to understand

the whole

Passover

event.

So,

go with

me,

please,

back to

Exodus

Exodus 11 · chapter mention

chapter 11.

We're going

to read

and find

out about

what happened

during the

Passover.

Exodus

11.

So,

the story

so far

is that

God's

people were

slaves in

Egypt for

400 years

under the

cruel regime

of Pharaoh.

God had

heard their

cry and

had come

to their

rescue.

And to

force

Pharaoh's

hand,

God had

sent a

series of

nine

plagues,

all of

those

plagues

on the

Egyptian

people.

But Pharaoh

still wouldn't

let them

go.

So,

God warned

and said,

I'm going

to bring

a tenth

and final

plague.

We pick

it up in

chapter 11

verse 1.

Now,

the Lord

said to

Moses,

I will

bring one

more plague

on Pharaoh

and on

Egypt.

After that,

he will let

you go from

here.

And when he

does, he

will drive

you out

completely.

Verse 4.

So,

Moses said,

this is what

the Lord

says.

About

midnight,

I will

go throughout

Egypt.

And every

firstborn

son in

Egypt

will die.

This

plague

of

judgment

that was

going to

fall,

the tenth

and final

plague,

would fall

not just

on Pharaoh's

people,

but also

on God's

people.

Do you see

what it says

in verse 4?

I will go

throughout

Egypt.

You see,

no one

was going

to be

immune

from God's

judgment.

There was

no one

who was

truly

innocent,

not even

amongst

God's

people.

However,

God

showed

grace

and mercy

to his

people.

He provided

a way

of redeeming

them so

that they

could be

set free.

So,

chapter 12,

verse 1.

The Lord

said to

Moses and

Aaron in

Egypt,

this month

is to be

for you

the first

month,

the first

month of

your year.

Tell the

whole community

of Israel

that on the

tenth day

of this

month,

each man

is to

take a

lamb

for his

family,

one for

each

household.

Verse 5.

The

animals

you

choose

must be

year-old

males

without

defect,

without

blemish,

and you

may take

them from

the sheep

or the

goats.

Take care

of them

until the

fourteenth

day of

the month

when all

the members

of the

community

of Israel

must

slaughter

them at

twilight.

Then

they are

to take

some of

the blood

and put

it on

the sides

and tops

of the

door frames

of the

houses

where they

eat

the

lambs.

Verse 12.

On that

same night

I will

pass through

Egypt

and strike

down every

firstborn of

both people

and animals

and I will

bring judgment

on all the

gods of

Egypt.

I am

the

Lord.

The

blood

will be

a sign

for you

on the

houses

where you

live

and when

I see

the blood

I will

pass

over you.

No

destructive

plague

will touch

you

when I

strike

Egypt.

So that

very night

the angel

of God

came

and passed

over all

those who

were living

in Egypt

any home

with blood

on the

door

they were

kept safe

but any

home without

blood on

the door

the firstborn

would die.

Now this

may seem

strange and

odd to us

and we can

ask why

do they

have to

kill

a lamb?

Why do

they have

to put

blood

on the

door?

Well through

this whole

sacrifice

system

God was

saying

the

judgment

for sin

is death

but if

you take

a perfect

lamb

and slaughter

it

I will

accept

that death

as a

symbolic

substitute

for you.

Either you

are going

to die

or the

lamb

is going

to die.

either

the

lamb

gets

slaughtered

and its

blood

is

spilt

or your

blood

will be

spilt.

So in

the act

of killing

the lamb

and putting

the blood

on the

sides

of the

door

was an

act

of

obedient

faith.

Those

who

obeyed

were

trusting

in what

God

said.

It

was an

acknowledgement

that yes

we deserve

death

but God

in his

mercy

will

rescue

me

from

the

judgment

to

come.

He

will

pass

over

me.

Now

it's

this

Passover

that

was to

be

remembered

by the

people.

So

chapter

12

verse

26

and

when

your

children

ask

you

what

does

this

ceremony

mean

when

you

slaughter

the

lamb

and

you

put

blood

on

the

doors

verse

27

tell

them

it

is

the

Passover

sacrifice

to

the

Lord

who

passed

over

the

houses

of the

Israelites

in

Egypt

and

spared

our

homes

when

he

struck

down

the

Egyptians

then

the

people

bowed

down

and

worshipped

That's

the

Passover

and

this

is

the

Passover

that

everyone

was

preparing

for

as

Jesus

died

on

the

cross

as

they

were

getting

ready

to

slaughter

the

lamb

for

their

celebratory

meal

and

to

remember

all

that

had

happened

in

their

history

was

the

same

time

that

Jesus

was

dying

on

the

cross

the

same

time

that

the

lambs

were

being

slaughtered

now

go

back

with

me

please

to

John's

gospel

but

chapter

one

John's

gospel

chapter

one

here

John

the

Baptist

has

been

preparing

and

announcing

that

Jesus

is

going

to

come

John

chapter

one

verse

twenty

nine

the

next

day

John

saw

Jesus

coming

towards

him

and

said

look

the

lamb

of

God

who

takes

away

the

sin

of

the

world

John

identifies

Jesus

as

the

fulfillment

of the

Passover

you see

the

slaughtered

lamb

was

only

symbolic

it

could

never

deal

with

the

sin

of

the

people

and

God's

judgment

fully

and

finally

in fact

as soon

as

God's

people

got

out

of

Egypt

they

rebelled

against

God

and

judgment

fell

again

and

this

pattern

continued

year

after

year

sin

judgment

!

death!

Sin

judgment

death!

death!

So the

question

always

was

how

could

this

cycle

ever

end?

How

could

it

ever

finish?

Well we

only needed

to look

at the

cross

and hear

Jesus

cry

it

is

finished!

You see

it's on

the cross

that the

true

and

ultimate

lamb

came to

die

for the

sins

of the

whole

world

and

for

you

and

for

me

you

see

the

reality

is

all

sin

deserves

God's

judgment

look at

the state

of the

world

today

what we

see on

the TV

nations

at war

leaders

planning

destruction

innocent

lives

being

wiped

out

the

world

deserves

judgment

look at

the

violent

crimes

in our

own

country

vulnerable

women

attacked

and

murdered

children

harmed

and

abused

our

country

deserves

judgment

but

look at

my

life

look at

your

life

broken

relationships

angry

words

grudges

kept

selfish

actions

hateful

thoughts

but most

of all

our

rejection

of

Jesus

and

our

desire

to

love

ourselves

above

him

I

deserve

judgment

and

who can

bring

all of

this

to an

end

who

can

bring

it

to

completion

who

can

finish

the

judgment

that we

deserve

multiple

times a

day

but we

too need

to look at

the cross

afresh and

hear the

cry of

Jesus

it is

finished

you see

the death

of Jesus

completes

for us

an eternal

salvation

that remains

forever

here's

what the

death

achieves

for us

the curse

of death

is broken

and life

is given

death

is the

penalty

for sin

that was

true for

the people

of Egypt

way back

then

and it

is true

for all

people of

all time

and for

us today

but the

problem

with the

curse

of death

is

we can't

defeat

it

it's

going

to come

but as

Jesus

died

he was

taking

the penalty

of my

sin

and your

sin

the death

that I

deserve

for my

wrongdoing

is taken

fully

and completely

and finally

by Christ

yes

a day

will come

when I

will die

but that

will only

be a

doorway

into

eternal

life

to be

in God's

presence

with God's

people

forever

Jesus

is the

true

lamb

who breaks

the curse

of death

and gives

us life

it is

Jesus

who said

come to

me

and you

will have

life

in all

its

fullness

he cried

it

is

finished

the second

thing that

the cross

achieves

is that

the fear

of judgment

is removed

and peace

is received

when God

passed over

the homes

in Egypt

it was a

terrifying

thing

well one

day the

Bible tells

us that

God is

going to

bring a

final

universal

judgment

upon all

nations

upon all

people

and God

will pass

over

everyone

that will

be terrifying

but the

good news

is we do

not need

to fear

you see

as Jesus

dies on

the cross

he absorbs

God's

just and

right judgment

for me

the wrath

of God

falls on

Christ

instead of

me

he dies

for me

his blood

is spilt

for me

so when

that final

judgment

comes

he will

pass

over

me

Jesus

is the

true

lamb

who

removes

the

fear

of

judgment

and

peace

is

received

peace

with

God

for all

eternity

Jesus

cried

it

is

finished

and the

third thing

that the

cross

achieves

for us

is that

striving for

acceptance

is over

and assurance

is guaranteed

when the

family

slaughtered

the lamb

they would

put the

blood on

the door

frame

as an

act of

obedient

faith

they were

trusting

in God's

provision

of a

substitute

sacrifice

they were

saying that

this

innocent

slaughtered

lamb

is God's

perfect

provision

for

salvation

now

imagine

for one

moment

that one

family

said

well I'm

not going

to bother

with the

lamb

I forget

about

slaughtering

the lamb

and putting

blood on

the door

frames

I'm

going to

be just

fine

I'm

going to

trust

in me

well what

would

happen

they would

die

judgment

would

fall

because

they were

trusting

in their

own

performance

you see

the only

performance

that matters

is the

perfect

innocent

lamb

Jesus

Christ

without

blemish

without

sin

who lived

the perfect

full and

final life

for you

and for

me

and the

only

sacrifice

that truly

counts

is the

slaughtered

lamb of

God

Jesus

who dies

for me

and the

right

response

is to

trust

that

Jesus

sacrifice

is

sufficient

Jesus

cried

it

is

finished

imagine

that a

friend of

yours

goes into

your bank

and pays

off in

one lump

sum

your

mortgage

all of

it

paid

and you

go to

your bank

and or you

check out

your accounts

and you

realize that

money isn't

going out

anymore

and you go

I've come

to sort

out the

mortgage

there's a

problem

and they

say no

it's all

been paid

for

there's

no more

to give

the debt

has been

cancelled

the house

is yours

you can

live in

it and

enjoy it

no one

is going

to take

it from

you

or think

of it

like this

you go to

someone's

house and

they've got

dinner ready

for you

and you

say how

can I

help

is there

something

I can

do

no

it's all

been done

the meal's

ready

but what

can I

do for

it

no

just sit

down

eat your

meal

and enjoy

it

well that

is what

Christ has

done for

us

he has

paid it

all

he has

completed

the work

on our

behalf

our

striving

for

acceptance

is over

and our

assurance

is

guaranteed

not because

of who

we are

or what

we have

done

but because

of what

he has

done

for us

Jesus

is the

true

lamb

who cries

out

it

is

finished

he breaks

the curse

of death

he removes

the fear

of judgment

he overcomes

our striving

for acceptance

his death

secures

our salvation

forever

forever

forever

he cried

it

is

finished

let's just

take a moment

together

to reflect

as we

think of

what

Jesus

has

done

that he

has broken

the curse

of death

and gives

us life

in all

its fullness

he removes

our fear

of judgment

and we

receive

peace

he

overcomes

our

striving

and

guarantees

our

assurance

Lord

Jesus

thank you

for completing

that work

on our

behalf

for setting

us free

for giving

us life

and hope

we praise

you that

it is

done

there is

no more

but to

trust you

and enjoy

you

forever

help us

father to

go into

the work

into this

week

with these

words ringing

in our

minds

it is

finished

thank you

Jesus

for what

you have

done for

us

in

Jesus

name

amen

we're

going to

sing

together

man of

sorrows

the

first there

at the

bottom

says

lifted up

was he

to die

it is

finished

was his

cry

now in

heaven

exalted

high

hallelujah

what a

savior

we'll stand

together

as we

sing

a