John 19:28-37 THE GREATEST THING JESUS EVER SAID
Intro: Some people have a way with words. They just have such a grasp of
language and an eloquence of speech that they are always saying things
that are deeply profound. Jesus was a Person like that. All through the
years of His recorded ministry, one thing about Him kept the people
spellbound, and that thing was His ability to say things in a manner in which
they had never been said before.
Just a brief glimpse into the Gospels proves this beyond question. In
Matthew 7:28-29, the Bible says that the people were astonished at His
doctrine, because He had taught with power and authority. In Luke 4:22, the
people who heard Him speak here were again amazed at the power of His
spoken word. Even His enemies were astounded at the word which fell
from the golden tongue of the Son of Man, John 7:46. Then, when we take
a few minutes to consider some of the things Jesus said, we can see why
the people were astonished. Jesus made some truly great statements! For
example:
"Before Abraham was I am...", John 8:58.
"I and my father are one.", John 10:30.
"...he that hath see me hath seen the father...", John 14:9.
"...I will come again, and receive you unto myself...", John 14:1-3.
"Surely I come quickly...", Rev. 22:20.
"Verily, Verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath ever
lasting life.", John 6:47.
Ever single one of those statement is a goldmine of theological truth and
is absolutely necessary in our understanding of just who Jesus Christ really
is. However, in the passage we have read today, there is a statement that
is made by the Lord Jesus that may just be the single greatest thing He ever
uttered. In know that is a big statement, but everything else He said and did
either stands or falls on the truth of the statement that He made in verse 30.
As Jesus was preparing to give His life a ransom for Sin, the Bible tells
us that He made this simple statement. "It is finished!" I believe that these
are the greatest words Jesus Christ ever spoke and I would like to tell you
why this morning.
For years, liberals and unbelievers have declared that this cry of Jesus
from the cross is a cry of defeat. They say that it is the word of a man who
has lost everything. However, they are a million miles from the truth of the
matter. This English phrase is from a word that is very expressive and filled
with meaning. In fact, it is a word that was used in many areas of society.
Some of which were:
1. A Servant's Word - Used when a task had been completed.
2. A Priest's Word - Used when a sacrificial animal was found to be
worthy.
3. A Farmer's Word - Used when a perfect specimen had been born
into the flock.
4. An Artist's Word - Used when the final touches had been applied
to a masterpiece.
5. A Merchant's Word - Used when a deal had been struck and all the
haggling had ended. Its usage meant that both parties were
satisfied.
Therefore, it is plain to see that this word is not the cry of a defeated
man, but it is instead, the shout of a victor! This is the exultant cry of one
who has just won a great victory. We need to understand that when Jesus
Christ said these three little words, He was telling the world that something
great had been accomplished. In fact, there were three great matters that
were forever settled the day Jesus died on the cross. As we have the time
this morning. let's look together at The Greatest Thing Jesus Ever Said and
see for ourselves just was got finished there at Calvary.
I. V. 28 THE PAIN OF REDEMPTION WAS FINISHED
A. The death Christ died on the cross was one of absolute torture. Youand I cannot even begin to imagine all the pain that Jesus was forced
to endure for our sakes. Allow me to refresh your mind this morning
about the terrible price Jesus paid for you as He suffered for sin that
day.
1. Scourged - Matt. 27:26
2. Beaten - Luke 22:63-64
3. Spit upon - Matt. 27:30
4. Mocked - Matt. 27:26-29
5. Nailed to the Cross - Matt. 27:38; John 20:25
6. Stripped Naked - Matt. 27:35
7. Beard Plucked from His Face - Isa. 50:6
8. These truths don't even begin to scratch the surface of Jesus
suffered for you and me, Isa. 52:14. His was a bitter cup, but one
that He drank of willingly so that we might be saved, Luke 22:41-42.
B. Not only was there pain which the Savior endured for you and me, but
there was also shame, Heb. 12:2. Think of it, the Son of God was
stripped naked before the world and nailed to the cross. He endured
the most shameful death that anyone could ever know, Gal. 3:13. In
fact the crucifixion was one of the primary reasons the Jews refused
to believe on Jesus Christ, 1 Cor. 1:24.
C. There was severe pain, cruel shame, but perhaps the greatest agony
Jesus suffered while on the cross was the judgement that came from
His Father, Matt. 27:46. When Jesus was on that cross, He literally
became the sins of the world, 2 Cor. 5:21. Then, the Father. unable
to tolerate sin in His presence, judged the Lord Jesus as if He were
every sinner that ever lived! This was greatest agony that Jesus was
forced to endure, because while He was on that cross, for the first time
ever, there was a gulf between Him and the Father. Jesus literally
experienced every man's death and every man's Hell while on the
cross, 2 Thes. 1:8-9.
D. Why did He suffer these things? Why did the Lamb of God willingly
offer up His life as an atonement for our sins? 2 profound reasons: 1.)
Because He loved us, Jer. 33:3; 1 John 4:19. 2.) Because He
wanted to prove His love for us, Rom. 5:8.
I. The Pain Of Redemption Was Finished
II. V. 28 THE PLAN OF REDEMPTION WAS FINISHED
A. When Jesus reached the end of His ministry on the cross, He was
finishing a work that had begun before the world was ever formed,
Rev. 13:8. From the beginning of time, God had always planned to
send His Son to die for sinners. This was His promise to Adam -
Gen. 3:15. This was portrayed in the offerings and sacrifices of the
Tabernacle and Temple. Everything God did pointed to this day when
Jesus would lay down His life on the cross.
B. Since the dawn of time, when man sinned in the Garden of Eden and
God killed an animal to cover their nakedness, Gen. 3:2, death,
suffering and bloodshed were always a part of mankind's coming to
the Lord. We see it in Gen. 4, when Abel brought a lamb to be
offered. We find it in Gen. 8, when Noah offered a sacrifice after the
flood. We see it in Ex. 12 when the children of Israel killed the
Passover lamb on the eve of the Exodus. We see it on the Day of
Atonement when the lambs were killed to make atonement for the
people. We see it in the blood that was shed for thousands of years,
that would run like a vast river if it were collected and allowed to flow
together. However, all this bloodshed, and all this death and suffering
saved no one, Heb. 10:11! All that blood and all that death did one
thing. It merely rolled the sins of one offering the sacrifice ahead for
a period of time. It withheld the judgment of God because the
person offering the sacrifice did so in the knowledge that a more
complete sacrifice was coming on day. Those Old Testament
believers were saved by faith just like men are saved today! They
were saved by looking forward to a promised Messiah who would die
for sins, while we are saved by looking back to the promised Messiah
who did die for sins!
C. While the Old Testament sacrifices did nothing to remove the sins of
the people, the death of Jesus on the cross did everything to deal with
the sin issue forever! Notice these powerful verses from the book of
Hebrews, Heb. 10:10-14; Heb. 9:12-14. This great plan that was
formulated in the ivory palaces of glory before the mud seals of this
old world were ever formed, was perfectly, completely and forever
finished when the Lamb of God died on the cross!
D. Now, everything God requires to make men righteous and to take
away their sins is found in the Blood of Jesus Christ! There is just
one means of salvation, and regardless of who you are you must be
washed in the Blood of Jesus if you expect to see Heaven, Rev. 1:5;
1 Pet. 1:18-19. (Ill. "What can wash away my sins? Nothing but
the blood of Jesus!, etc.")
I. The Pain Of Redemption Was Finished
II. The Plan Of Redemption Was Finished
III. V. 30 THE PAYMENT OF REDEMPTION WAS FINISHED
A. As I mentioned in the introduction, this phrase that Jesus uttered was
a business term. It was used when a deal had been reached between
two parties and both were satisfied. When Jesus said, "It is finished",
it meant that God the Father in Heaven was satisfied with what Jesus
the Son had done on the cross. God accepted the Son's death and
shed blood as the perfect payment for our sins, Isa. 53:11.
(Ill. This is why the Bible can tell us that Jesus is the "Propitiation" for
our sins, Rom. 3:25; 1 John 2:2; 1 John 4:10. The word "propitiation"
carries the idea of "Appeasing". It literally refers to the covering of the
Ark of the Covenant, or the place where the blood was applied on the
Day of Atonement. Literally, Jesus is that which satisfies and
appeases God!)
B. That is good news for people like you and me! After all, we could
never be good enough to get to God. The Bible plainly tells us that
the best we can do is like filthy rags in the sight of the Lord, Isa. 64:6.
The Bible goes so far as to remind us that in ourselves, we are "no
good", Rom. 3:12. At our best we are only sinners. However, since
Jesus has satisfied the Father, then I do not have too! If I am in Him,
then the Father accepts Christ's appeasing, atoning death for me
also. What does this mean?
1. It means that we do not have to work for our salvation, Eph. 2:8-9.
Even if we tried, we could never please the Lord, because we will
never be more than sinners. However, He is already pleased with
Jesus! If I can be found in Him, then I will be accepted by God
because of my relationship with Jesus Christ, Phil. 3:9.
2. It means that we do not have to try to be good, Titus 2:5.
3. It means that our salvation comes to us on the basis of pure,
simple faith, Acts 16:31.
4. It means that while God would never accept me as I really am, He
will receive me in His Son.
C. Now, my friends, because in Jesus it is truly finished, God aks no
more of you than for you to place your faith in the work that Jesus
finished on the cross. If you can accept the truth that He died on the
cross, that He rose from the dead the third day and that Hid shed
blood will wash away your sins, then you can be saved, Rom. 10:9-10!
Conc: Now do you see why I said this is the greatest thing Jesus ever said?
Because "it is finished", you and I can enjoy salvation through the blood of
Jesus without having to fear that our works aren't good enough. We can
enjoy fellowship with the Lord knowing that He will accept us because we
have accepted His Son. All that remains to be asked this morning is,"Do
you know Jesus?" If you were to die right now, are you 100% certain that
your sins have been washed away in the blood of the Lamb? Are you
trusting the Lord Jesus Christ plus nothing else in this world to save your
soul? You need to be sure of this one thing, and if there is any doubt, then
I would like to invite you to come to the Lord and get it settled today. Are
you saved? If not you can be, if you will come to the Lord and receive Jesus
as your Savior! As far as God, Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost are
concerned, it is finished! What about in your heart and life? Is it finished for
you? Do you know for sure that you will miss the fires of Hell were you to
die right now? If you need the Lord, please come to Him and let Him have
His way in your heart and life. Will you do that right now?
