Cross Words, 7of9

~ Words of Triumph & Completion—The True Purpose Driven Life! ~

Jesus Christ made seven gripping last statements while He was dying for our sins on the Cross of Calvary.  This is part of a Sunday series looking at the last words of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

The Passage (phrase 6)  ~  “Now a vessel full of sour wine was sitting there; and they filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on hyssop, and put it to His mouth.  So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, ‘It is finished!’  And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit” (John 19:29-30). 

Comments  ~  The moment we are born we have begun the dying process.  Someone put it this way, “You and I were born with an expiration date.”  Will we finish what God wants us to do?  Jesus Christ, the Savior, completed His work on earth.  When He said “It is finished!” He made the most triumphant cry in all of history.  He died knowing that He had accomplished all that He intended to do.  He had completed God’s will for His life.  Remember that God the Father and the Son acted together on your behalf.  Jesus said, “Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again.  No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself.  I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again.  This command I have received from My Father” (John 10:17-18). 

Don’t Miss This  ~  (1) Jesus Christ finished His work with suffering and trauma.  (2) Jesus Christ came to serve and to suffer.  He came to live a perfect life so that He might present Himself as the “lamb [of God] without spot or blemish.”  (3) He suffered the emotional pains of rejection and mocking by those He came to save!  He suffered the physical pains of the cruelties of an unjust execution.  He suffered the spiritual pain of separation from the fellowship of God His Father.  (4) Because of Christ’s suffering your sin is conditionally paid in full.  (5) Payment for your sin is on deposit but can only be withdrawn by deliberately accepting Jesus Christ as your personal Savior.  (6) You will still have sin within you—but the penalty for all your sin will be “Paid in Full.”  God, the Father and Judge of all will see you as clothed in the righteousness of His Son.  You will have a clear record on the books in heaven.  (7) Your forgiveness for all your sin (past, present, future) is forever—otherwise God would not call it “eternal” life.  (8) You will never be worthy of forgiveness but you must be willing to accept His payment on your behalf. 

the key question: “Who do you say that I am?” (Matthew 16:15). This is the most important question you will ever answer. If you do not answer it, or answer it incorrectly, you have made the biggest mistake anyone can make!

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

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