It is Finished!

Let's turn, please, to the Gospel of John. John, in chapter 19, please. We'll read at verse number 28.

After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith I thirst. Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar, and they filled a sponge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth. When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished, and bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.

Verse 30 is our text for tonight. When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished, and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost. And Lord have blessed to us the reading of his precious word.

There's something about the gospel and its simplicity that is absolutely thrilling. And when the gospel is preached, it's never intended to be complicated. It's never intended to be with the wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.

And just on my heart this afternoon for this gospel meeting are these simple words, It is finished. I'd like to look at them in four ways with you tonight. I'd like to look at them and unquestionable in their clarity.

And that just means that these three words, there's no question about what they mean. There's no question in the hardness of the definitions of the words, for Christ said, It is finished. Now, we're going to look and see what was finished.

But these words are simple, no matter what age you are tonight. Whatever project you've worked on, whether homework you have done, you've come to the conclusion. You've come to the end of it, and you said there as you folded the book, It is finished.

It is done. There's no more to do. It is done.

I'm done with this project. I'm done with this, but we're going to look at what was finished. We're going to look at these words as irrefutable.

Now, that's a that's a word that just simply means that they cannot be denied or disproved. They're irrefutable in their accuracy. When Christ said, It is finished, it is absolutely true.

It is absolutely sure. And they cannot be denied. And although in this world of religion, and these words are so often denied.

This world of religion where it is do, do, do. But Christ has already said, It is finished. They're irrefutable in their accuracy.

They're incomparable in their power. Oh, when we think of any part of the Word of God, we think of the words of Christ. We think of what has been written by the inspiration of God.

The Word of God has power. There's power in the Word. I'm thankful that power is not in men tonight.

Although some men might preach loud, and some men might preach soft, the power has never been in the voice of a man. It never will be in the voice of the man. But all the power stands upon the Word of God, because it is just that.

Words from heaven, tonight for your soul. It is finished. And finally, I'd like to end tonight at their undeniable in their satisfaction.

There's something satisfying about a work that is accomplished. But it's even more satisfying when it answers questions that we might have. And these three little words will answer the questions that are in your soul tonight.

Some of you here are wondering, can I know for sure that I can be in heaven? Absolutely you can. Why? Because Christ said it is finished. Comforting to the religious and to the self-righteous.

Because you're trying to answer the question tonight, how much is enough? Christ has answered it in power. It is finished. And so they're comforting words for those who are searching tonight.

So, unquestionable, in their clarity. When we think of it tonight, it is finished. What exactly was the Lord Jesus referring to? Well, generally, specifically put, he was referring to the work that he was sent on this earth to do.

And you do realize tonight that the Lord Jesus Christ was sent from heaven for a specific purpose. And as he left the heights of glory, and he humbled himself, and he took upon himself flesh, and we've already been heard, have heard already this afternoon, truly God and truly human, truly divine, truly human. And he come now into this world for a purpose.

And that purpose was to reveal God to mankind. For Hebrews tells us that in these last days, he has spoken to us through son. And God has spoken to us through the person and work and the life of our Lord Jesus Christ.

And as we go through the scriptures from the very beginning in Genesis, all the way to the Revelation, we're reminded again and again of the person of Christ. And God determined before the creation, the foundation of this world, that Christ would come, and he would be delivered into the wicked hands of men, and be crucified, and be slain. So now we come to John, chapter 19, verse 30.

He's been born into this world by the Virgin Mary, which was prophesied back in the book of Isaiah. And the prophecies concerning the suffering Messiah are now come to an end. And Psalm 22, and Psalm 69, and Isaiah 53, and all those that give us the details of the suffering of Christ, and his crucifixion.

Before crucifixion was even invented in the Psalms. Perfected by the Romans, yes. But before the nails, and the hands, and the feet were ever placed into a man, God recorded it in the prophecy for you, friend, that you might know that when Christ came, and he was pierced through his hands and his feet, that God was indeed accurate and clear throughout the scriptures.

We don't wonder who the psalmist is writing about. We do not wonder who the prophet Isaiah is writing about. We know that he's speaking of the Lord Jesus Christ.

And so when we think of the clarity of these words, the work that he was sent to do has been accomplished. It has been fulfilled. It has been finished.

It was a redemptive work. It was a sacrifice. Absolutely.

There was the sufferings of Christ, and all the things that the cross entailed were finished. When Christ said, it is finished. You know, when you come to the prayers of the Lord Jesus, or the sayings of the Lord Jesus, every single one of them that's recorded in Holy Scripture are recorded so that you and I can learn something.

Whether it's when the Lord Jesus prayed his first prayer from the cross, when he said, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. It's for us to stop and to think, why would he pray, Father, forgive them? Well, we would have to learn that he prayed that, that we might know that God wants to forgive. That it's in the mind of the suffering one that God would forgive those that are sinning against him.

That we might understand that Christ is there upon the cross of Calvary to deal with the sin question, to satisfy God's righteousness, that you and I could be forgiven. This cry here from the cross is no different. What is it that Christ finished? What is it that was so important to God that these words must be declared in all their clarity? It is finished! The work to save your soul tonight, friend, is finished, and the work to satisfy God's throne is finished, and there is absolutely nothing left for the sinner to do than to take Christ at his word tonight.

And what was required for your salvation? What was required for your forgiveness? What was required for your cleansing of your sin? Was finished at the cross of Calvary. Absolutely unquestionable in their clarity. Irrefutable in their accuracy.

We live in a day and age where everything is gray. Nothing is black and white. You could take two different views on about anything that is presented to us.

It's hard for us to understand and to find the reality of what is the truth. We're bombarded with the news, and we're bombarded with the other side of the view, and so on, and you know how it is. What do you trust? What do you believe? Well, these words, it is finished.

They're absolutely undeniable in their accuracy. They cannot be changed. They cannot be altered.

They can never fail. Why? Because of who said them. The impeccable Lord Jesus Christ.

The one who could never sin. The one who could never tell a lie. Remember what Titus says, in hope or expectation of eternal life, which God that cannot lie promised before the world began.

Those are tremendous words. I remember a man named Richard out in Montana many years ago. And he came into the tent meeting after the meeting was over.

And he drove this big long Lincoln town car, big white boat of a car. And he come in after the meeting, and he said, boys, can you chat? We said, yes, sir. What's on your mind? He said, well, boys, I've come after this meeting tonight because I've driven by the tent every night for three weeks.

And I've been scared to come in. But he said, I had to come in tonight because I have stage four cancer. Tomorrow, I'm going to the doctor.

And it may be that they don't let me out tomorrow. Well, what brings you in? Why do you need to know? What's on your mind? He said, boys, is there a way? This was his first question. Is there a way that a man can have peace on earth with God before he dies? Never sat in a gospel meeting.

He said, I've tried every church in town. It was a town of 50,000 people. He said, I've tried every radio preacher, every TV preacher, and I cannot find peace with God.

Tell me, is there a way? Friend, do you know the way? There's a way tonight. To know peace with God. You can have peace with God through these three words.

It is finished. And so we said, Richard, why do you need peace? You know, when you're dealing with people in the gospel, you've got to get to the problem. And so we asked him, Richard, why is it that you need peace? He said, boys, he said, it's because of my sin.

Never heard the clear gospel in his life. Well, Richard, what about your sin? He said, boys, I've been busted. I know I'm guilty.

My sin has taken me to hell. That's what he said. Never heard the gospel in his life.

So we sat down there in those little green chairs, and we put the Bible in his lap, and we had him looking through the scriptures, and we were taking him to the good old gospel verses, Romans 5 and 6. For a while, we were yet without strength, and due time, Christ died for the ungodly. And you know them all. One after another.

And finally, he said out of the middle of nowhere, he said, boys, is there a verse that says that God can't lie? Yes, sir. That's Titus. Well, we looked at it.

Titus 1 and 2. And hope of eternal life, which God that cannot lie promised before the world began. He said, write that verse down. So we wrote it down.

And we talked a little about it, and we went to other verses again. We went to Isaiah 53, 5 and 6. But he was wounded for our transgressions. He was crushed for our iniquities.

The chastisement for our peace was upon him, and with his stripe we are healed. He says, write it down. Verse 6. All we like sheep have gone astray.

We have turned every one to his own way, and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. He says, write it down. Every verse we went to, he said, write it down.

I couldn't take it anymore. I said, Richard, why are we writing these verses down? He said, with a big smile on his face. He said, boys, they're all saying the same thing.

Well, that doesn't tell you anything. Richard, what are they telling you? He said, they're all telling me that Christ died for my sins. And that man with stage 4 cancer had a smile from ear to ear.

And that's etched in my mind. I hope I never forget it. You see, when it comes to the accuracy of the scriptures, when it comes to the clarity of the scriptures, absolutely undeniable, absolutely simple in their understanding.

But then we come to the power. The power. Uncomparable in their power.

When I think of the power of the word of God, we always go back to creation. And we think that with the spoken word, all things that we see, God created. And I understand that he formed Adam from the dust of the ground, and he took the rib out of Adam, and he made Eve.

But when it comes to power, there's nothing to be compared to the power of the word of God. Because of who speaks it. There's none to be compared to the Almighty.

To the living and the true God, the one who is uncomparable. There's none like him. There's none equal with him.

And when God speaks, there's power. Remember what the Lord Jesus did? And through the word of his power, he would heal those with the diverse diseases. He would say to those that were dead, he would say to Lazarus, Lazarus come forth, and Lazarus would come.

And the power that is in the word is tremendous. But then you come to Luke chapter 5. And in Luke chapter 5, you have the story there of the palsied man. And you'll remember there that as the narrative starts, it talks about who was in the house.

And you've got the scribes and the doctors of the law, and they came from every city in Galilee. They came from three different areas, and they all came, and they filled the house. Teachers of the law.

Read it. It's interesting. Here are these ultra-religious men.

And they're all gathered there to hear the Lord Jesus teach. And there's a phrase there. It says the power of the Lord was present to heal them.

To heal them. Drop down in that same chapter to verse 31 and 32, and what you read is this. They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick.

And the only one that was healed in that house that day was that palsied man who came, born of four, carried by four men, and they let him down. And all those people there, all those scribes, all those religious men had no need. But the power was there to heal him.

But the only one with a need that day was a dear palsied man. I wonder, is there a need in this meeting tonight? A genuine soul felt need of the forgiveness of sin. You see, that was that man's issue.

I don't believe they brought him for his palsy. Sorry, I don't. Because what was the first thing the Lord Jesus did for him? He saved his soul.

And God doesn't save men until they see their need. That's why there was the urgency that day. I need to get to Christ, and I need to get to him now.

Why? Because of my sin. And as they let him down in front of the Lord Jesus, the Lord Jesus said, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee. And the man by the power of the word of God was saved.

These words have power. It is finished. Power in those words.

Are you trying to argue with those words tonight? Are you trying to take up an argument with the word of God? Are you trying to twist those words to mean something that may be greater in your mind than the reality that Christ said it is finished? You see, these words can actually give life tonight. Everlasting life. He that heareth my word and believeth on him that sent me hath everlasting life.

There's power in these words. Power. If you were saved by these words, you understand what I'm talking about.

You were there in all of your sin and all of your darkness, and then all of a sudden, as if without even trying to believe, the light shone in. And these words were absolutely obvious. I remember the night that I was saved.

I believed without even thinking about it. It was there on the page. Not by works of righteousness, which we have done.

And that was my thinking. If I could only do more. If I could only understand more.

But it wasn't by those things. Not by works of righteousness, which we have done. And I could see that.

But according to his mercy. Oh, I knew that God would have to have mercy on me. Titus 3 and 5. He saved us.

And I thought, how could that word be in the past tense? I know I'm not saved. And the question coming to my mind, what could he have ever done to save me? Just that quick. That's why Christ died.

It was plain. It was obvious. It was glaringly obvious.

No question to it. No doubt about it. There was power in the word.

Power that gave me life. And life everlasting. But they're undeniable in their satisfaction.

If you're in your sins here tonight. I don't like to use that word unsaved. I like the words in your sins.

You've got questions. At least you should have questions. If you care at all about eternity.

If you care at all about your soul. If you care at all about being in heaven at the end of life. You ought to have questions.

Those that were interested, they had questions. What must I do to be saved? Was a question. And to that answer, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.

Was the answer. But if you've been trying to be saved. And likely in an audience like this, there's many of you that have tried perhaps for years to be saved.

And you've wrestled and you've grappled with this idea of salvation. You can find satisfaction in these words. Undeniable in their satisfaction.

You see, you might be wondering tonight. How do I know? The only assurance that any one of us have tonight is the Word of God. We have no assurance in our feelings.

The only assurance that a sinner can have is the Word of God. And what it says about the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. What does our text say? Finished.

Finished. It is finished. You are wondering tonight if you're a religious person.

Have I said the right prayers? Have I said them the right way? Have I done enough works? Have I give enough money? Have I attended enough church? And you'll never answer that question. And the reason you can never have assurance in that is because. You could always have given a little more.

You could have always done a little better. But Christ answers the question tonight. How much is enough? He said it is finished.

And you see, friend, it isn't about you. It's about Him. It's about what He has done.

How He has satisfied God. It's about His blood that was shed. For it is the blood of Jesus Christ.

His Son cleanses us from all sin. It is finished. You can never do enough.

You can't even do enough to hold on to it. It's a free gift from God. You see, there is satisfaction here.

Some of you are wondering tonight. Have I believed right? Have I done this right? And uh-oh. And the mess goes on, doesn't it? And the hamster wheel goes around in your mind.

And you can't escape it. And you never know when you're doubting. And then you feel better one day.

And you're still going. You see, these words bring satisfaction. These words bring that hamster wheel to a screeching halt.

Christ said it is finished. It is finished. That is absolutely, thrills my soul.

That's according to the words of the Lord Jesus Christ. Everything needed for me to be in heaven. Everything needed and required for my sin to be put away.

Everything that God's justice demanded has been taken care of. At a place called the cross. And the Lord Jesus Christ, the sinless one, lifted up between heaven and earth.

And upon that cross there, the whole cross. Not just the dark hours. But everything that transpired on that cross was necessary.

And when that time came, that it was done. That it was finished to the satisfaction of God. The Savior said, it is finished.

What more do you need, friend? What more do you need tonight than these three words? That come from the lips of the Savior. The Son of God. The one who God raised again from the dead.

You see, without the resurrection, you might have good reason to doubt. The resurrection is an important part of the gospel. Because we're talking here about a man who died upon a cross.

How do we know he was the right man? We know it by the resurrection from the dead. You see, Romans tells us that God proved him, declared him to be the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead. And so faith tonight is not based on the words of a man who has long since turned to dust in the grave.

But faith tonight is based upon the words of a man who died. And a man who rose again from the dead. He had power to lay down his life.

He had power to take it again. Peter tells us he was quickened by the Spirit. Romans tells us God raised him from the dead.

And this living man in heaven today has said it is finished. There's no reason, friend, tonight for you to die in your sin. Not one.

The only reason will be this is your own unbelief and your own pride. Take him at his word tonight. And know the reality of a finished work for your own soul.

We'll pray.