Pastor's Corner: It is finished

On Sunday, July 18, I preached a message titled "It is finished." Here are my notes from that sermon: In John 19:30, Jesus declared: "It is finished." This was a declaration of a mighty, mighty victory. From that day forward, these final words from the cross would serve to change history. First of all, a mission was accomplished.

In John 17:4, Jesus states to God, His Father, that He was "finishing the work that you gave me to do." Obviously, there was much more to Jesus' time on earth than what meets the eye. The statement "It is finished" means that Jesus accomplished His mission! Everything that had to be done has been done! So, what was this grand accomplishment? In 1 John 3:8 , the Apostle John states that Jesus came "to destroy the works of the devil." On the cross of Calvary, the works of the devil were destroyed by Jesus - the devil's devices were demolished, his plot was aborted, and his power was stripped away!

So, How was the Mission Accomplished? In Genesis 1:31, after God had created everything, he stated that "it was very good." In Genesis 1:28 God gave humans the authority over "every living thing that moves." John 14:30 reveals that the devil devised a plan to steal authority from humankind to become the god of earth himself. Adam and Eve handed over control to the devil. Death, sickness and disease began to reign.

In Romans 5:12 we find that God could no longer be in intimate relationship with the people He loved so much. To finally rescue His creation and His people, God had a greater plan in store than the system of sacrifices in the Old Testament. Jesus is the personification of God's ultimate plan. Jesus focused His time here on overthrowing the devil's reign in order to restore creation to the way it was before the devil wrecked it. Everything about Jesus' life, death, and resurrection accomplished this mission.

How: Health and Authority Restored - In Acts 10:38, the writer Luke states about Jesus, that "He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil." Jesus' healings demonstrated that divine health had returned! His exorcisms demonstrated the return of authority. In Mark 16:17-18 Jesus gave His power and authority to people. These verses state that "By using my name they will cast out demons... they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover."

How: The Mind Restored - in Genesis 3:7 Adam's and Eve's eyes were opened to evil. Then, in Genesis 3:22 God says "The man has become like one of us, knowing good and evil." Jesus' teaching ministry was strategically aimed at defeating the knowledge of evil. Romans 12:2 reveals that because of Jesus' teaching ministry, we have His Word, The Bible, to renew our minds with the knowledge of good and be transformed into the mind of Christ.

How: Relationship and Righteousness Restored - the prophet Isaiah states in Isaiah 53:3 that Jesus would be "despised and rejected by others; a man of suffering." And then in Isaiah 53:12 he states "Yet he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgessors." Through Jesus' sacrifice, humanity would be rescued and redeemed. The writer of Hebrews states in Hebrews 9:26 that (Jesus) "He ... put away sin by the sacrifice of himself." As a sacrifice, Jesus paid the penalty of death that humankind deserves because of their sin. The Apostle Paul establishes in 2 Corinthians 5:21 that through His sacrifice, Jesus took our identity of sin and gave us His identity of righteousness. Jesus overcame our separation from God. Now covered in the holiness of Christ, we are restored into relationship with God and may boldly enter His presence.

Mark writes in Mark 10:45 that Jesus gave His life as "a ransom for many." Because of Jesus' sacrifice we are freed from bondage to sin and the devil's rule. Do you see everything that Jesus' sacrifice accomplished? We are purified, made righteous, restored to relationship with God, cleansed from sin, and empowered to overcome the devil. These are all the astonishing results of Christ's victory over the works of the devil - and they all were accomplished on the cross.

How: Eternal Life Restored - Jesus' declaration, "It is finished," was also prophetic. On the cross Jesus had yet to complete the validation of His mission, which was to rise from the dead. Resurrection was absolutely paramount to prove everything else He accomplished. Without rising from the dead, all His work before would have been for nothing. When Jesus declared "It is finished," He alerted the devil that nothing could keep Him down - a resurrection was coming. Romans 1:4 states that Jesus "was declared to be the son of god with power according to the spirit of holiness by resurrection from the dead." Through Jesus' life, death, and resurrection, He triumphed over every force that opposed Him and conquered the final work of the devil, which is death. The Apostle Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 15:54 that "death has been swallowed up in victory." Jesus, therefore, restored God's perfect will for His people to enjoy eternal life in His presence. The devil didn't see any of this coming. When Jesus said in Matthew 27:46, "My god, my god, why have you forsaken me?" the devil thought he had won the victory. But then moments later, Jesus declared, "It is finished!"

In 1 Peter 1:20 we see that the cross was never something that unfortunately happened to Jesus. The cross was always the plan of the Father and the Son from before creation. Jesus went to the cross voluntarily! All the while, Jesus was leading the devil into a trap through which He accomplished His mission to destroy the works of the devil. The cross was the ultimate "gotcha!" "It is finished" uncovered the most brilliant strategy in history.

1 Corinthians 2:8  reveals that if the devil and his forces would have truly understood the plan of the cross, "they would not have crucified the lord of glory."

Whatever it is ... it is finished - John 19:30. The power of the cross is to be imparted to you and me. The power of the cross is always sure to bring a freedom and victory that many have never experienced. Jesus made His declaration "It is finished" during the toughest part of his life. So can you! You can still make a declaration of victory. In fact, during these moments of toughest life, it is crucial that we declare Christ's victory. Declaring "It is finished" over your life or situation alerts the devil that you are standing firm on God's Word about who you are and what you have in Christ. Something good is about to happen. A resurrection is on the way! Over whatever situation you are in, activate the power of God's Word: "It is finished!" So, why not make this declaration with me right now?

"The life, death, and resurrection of Jesus have completely destroyed the works of the devil in my life. Guilt and shame are finished; sickness is finished; fear and insecurity are finished. I am no longer in bondage to sin, and the victory of Jesus' finished work has freed me to enjoy a new life in the glory of God's presence - forever."

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The Rev. Edroy "Curt" Curtis; president of the Greater Havre Area Ministerial Association; Northern Montana Care Center chaplain, and lead pastor of Havre Assembly of God Church