FRIDAY April 15, 2022

It Is Finished!

So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.
John 19:30

The Gospels proclaim the message of salvation. The Gospel of John declares the deity of Christ and records Jesus’ final words on the Cross: “It is finished!”

What was finished? Jesus had completed the redemption of mankind. He fulfilled all the Father had called Him to do. Jesus came to earth to give His life a ransom: “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). Jesus paid the ultimate “liberty-price.” He purchased us by His blood and freed us from the slavery to sin.

Christ satisfied God's justice by dying for all to pay for the sins of those who accept Him by faith. It is finished; our salvation is sure. Jesus on the Cross proclaimed the finished work of our salvation––it is completed. This brings a message of hope. Salvation becomes available to all.

When Christ died on the Cross, it was the beginning of the end for death. Isaiah the prophet wrote about Jesus when he said: He will swallow up death forever… (Isaiah 25:8). Hosea 13:14 says: “I [God] will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death….” Jesus on the Cross shouted, “It is finished,” because He fulfilled the promises in the Old Testament. He had gone to the Cross to defeat death and the grave.

Jesus told the thief on the Cross, once he died, he would be in paradise (Luke 23:43). Why? The thief recognized the deity of Christ; he acknowledged the King on the Cross: “...we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom” (Luke 23:41-42).

Do you recognize the King on the Cross? You only need to repent of your sin and accept Him as your Lord to enter paradise.

In the Cross, sin is cursed and cancelled. In the Cross, grace is victorious and available.
~G. Campbell Morgan~

For more from Raul Ries, please visit SomebodyLovesYou.com!