Introduction:
The entire focus of the life and ministry of our Lord was to set us free and connect us forever with his Father. In this passage, we are brought face to face with both the human suffering of Jesus and the eternal triumph of Jesus. No, he did not die and early death. Why? He completely fulfilled his mission right on time.
I. A Suffering Savior
The entire Old Testament system of sacrifice would point to that one day when God’s Son would die for the sins of the world on a rugged cross. No former sacrifice would settle our sin problem with God forever. It took the great sacrifice of the Lamb of God to take away our sins. Our Lord had such compassion that he kept pressing on toward that horible day at Calvary which turned out to be the most victorious event that the world has ever known.
No longer would the slaughtering of animals be needed to meet a Holy God’s requirement for the payment of sin. Jesus Christ became the final and ultimate sacrifice for sin forever!! I said forever!! Wow!! That really grips my heart and brings it home to where I live! He did that for me! I will gladly live for him. What about you?
With the death of Jesus, the complex sacrificial system ended once and for all because Jesus Christ all of the world’s sin, past, present and future, upon himself. Now we can freely approach God! The Old Testament saint did not have such a privilege. What a wonderful joy is now ours to come directly into the presence of Almighty God through his Son, Jesus Christ!
If Jesus was ever to redeem mankind, he had to become a man. He had to become what we are in order to make us what he is! When John described for us the words Jesus spoke, "I thirst," we sense the real pain and agony that Jesus bore on the Cross for us all.
II. A Triumphal Savior
Jesus died with a shout of triumph on his lips! He did not say, "It is finished," in weary defeat. No! Never! He said, "It is finished," as One who shouts for joy because the victory is won!
It was the shout of a conqueror, who has fought through a long and terrible day, but greets victory as the evening closes in on the day. All of the pain, all of the shame, all of the mocking, all of the beatings, now brought forth their culmination in those words of supreme victoty, "IT IS FINISHED!!" Wow! What a Savior we have! The long line of sacrificial rights was now ended. Not another drop of blood need ever be shed again.
There was absolutely nothing which the Father had asked Jesus that had not been given. And it was freely given with ALL of his heart. That is real love! Jesus Christ had finished the work that the Father had given him to do.
Clearly and decisevely, Jesus had fulfilled his mission.
Life Application:
As Jesus gave all of himself completely to the will of the Father for us, is it too much to give back our lives unto him? How? Through surrendering to his will, through worship and adoration, and through joyful service to the One who set us free! Forever!!
