Seven Sayings -- A Cry of Accomplishment
"IT IS FINISHED" -- John 19:30

Sermon Outline From The Morning Service - 16 April 2000

I. Linguistic helps to understand the meaning

A. How the Greek word is translated in other places in Scripture

1. And it came to pass, when Jesus had made an end of commanding his twelve disciples, he
departed..... (Matthew 11:1).
2. And it came to pass, that when Jesus had finished these parables, he departed .... (Matthew 13:53)
3. And when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned into
Galilee.... (Luke 2:39).
4. Then he took unto him the twelve, and said...and all things that are written...concerning the Son of
man shall be accomplished. (Lk 18:31)
5. For this cause pay ye tribute also; for they are God's ministers (Rom. 13:6)

B. What the tense of the verb means

1. It is the perfect tense, describing an action which is viewed as having been completed in the past, once and for all, not needing to be repeated.
2. What Jesus claimed to have done, was done forever and nothing needed to be added to it.

C. Examples of how it was / might be used:

1. A servant completes the work
2. A merchant would stamp an invoice "paid in full"
3. A writer would at the end of his book would write finis.

II. The meaning of the word

A. The primary meaning -- His great sacrificial work as a substitute

1. He plainly taught His disciples that in His death He would "give His life a ransom for many" (Mk.
10:45; Mt. 20:28). Dan. 9:24.
2. This was also taught this in other forms: 1) the Lamb of God... (Jn. 1:19); 2) destroy this temple & in 3 days... (Jn 2:19); 3) even as Moses lifted up the serpent.... (Jn. 3:14); 4) the Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep (Jn. 10:15); 5) except a grain of wheat... (Jn. 12:34). It is in His death that He does His greatest work.
3. had made an end -- of our sins (guilt & punishment). had finished -- atonement. had performed --
the exact requirement of the Law. accomplished -- the Father's will to provide salvation. pay -- the
price of redemption.
4. This one act is the focal point of history & the basis of eternity!

B. Other applications of His word

1. The predicted sufferings of Christ (by context, v. 28)
2. Prophecies and types relating to His life and work
3. All God had promised in His eternal counsels
4. The end of the sacrificial system (Heb. 10:5-10)
5. The end of the whole Law (Rom. 6:1; 10:4)
6. The matchless beauty of a perfect life
7. All enemies were conquered (John 12:31; 1 Cor. 15:54-55)
8. What was needed to reach down to man in His degradation and save him.
9. Making provision for every spiritual blessing for believers (Eph. 1:3ff)

III. Christ fully completed His work

A. "But what about.....?" (He wasn't dead yet; prophecies about His burial, the resurrection, etc.)

1. This is a reference to what was required of Jesus in this plan, not all that God was going to do.
2. Acts 13:29--all that needed to be fulfilled on the cross was complete

B. Proofs that "it WAS finished"

1. The veil was torn in two -- access to the Father was immediately opened up
2. Christ was resurrected -- "by the power of God" (2 Cor 13:4; Eph. 1:19-20).
3. Christ ascended to heaven and is exalted there. Phil 2:9
4. The Holy Spirit was sent -- He proceeds from the Father (Jn 15:26)

C. The rich fool (Lk. 12) illustrates 2 problems of men and their work.

1. He didn't finish his work (tear down old & build bigger);
2. He didn't give himself to a work that would last (laid up treasure for himself and not rich toward God).
3. We should work so that we can say, with the Apostle Paul, I have finished my course, I have kept
the faith (2 Tim 4:7).

The Cross speaks of the greatest tragedy of human history (the killing of the Creator). But it is also the greatest triumph -- salvation was accomplished.