Verse of the Day 5/29

Through the Bible - 1 Chronicles 27-29, John 12:1-19   Greetings,   Mike has given me the opportunity to share the VOTD for 5/29 in his absence of which I am very humbled and grateful to accept…Thank you Mike!   "It is Finished!".  How many times have you either silently or right out loud proclaimed these three words? You have just shoveled 8 inches of wet snow from the driveway, you have completed a major project at work, you're done with _______ (you fill in the blank). All of us, young and old, can identify with the relief or joy with being able to say, "It is finished".   Our VOTD is found in the gospel of John 19:30, "When Jesus therefore had received the sour wine, He said, "It is finished!"  And He bowed His head, and gave up His spirit." NASB   I recently did a study of the seven last words of Christ on the cross; this cry was number 6. What did Jesus mean when He loudly cried these words?  What is Christ saying is "finished"? In the Greek this statement is translated from one word, tetelestai, which comes from the verb, teleo, which means, "to bring to an end, to complete; it signifies a successful end to a course of action. Charles Spurgeon said that this one word,"would need all the other words that were ever spoken, or ever can be spoken, to explain it…It is altogether immeasurable. It is high; I cannot attain to it. I cannot fathom it." Whoa Charles, aren't you being a little dramatic or are we missing something?   Getting right to the heart of the matter, Jesus did not say these words essentially to himself; he said those words to His Father and for us. Erwin Lutzer says, "In shouting tetelestai! Jesus gave the most triumphant cry in all of human history….he had successfully completed a great and mighty work." This was a victory cry of the largest magnitude ever heard or will be heard on planet earth. What was finished Lutzer askes? His Suffering The Sacrifice The defeat of Satan Our assurance into heaven The entire message of the gospel, Jesus' reason for being sent to earth by His father has now been completed. In other words, Jesus has announced that the price for salvation for all mankind has been accepted, our sins  paid in full by God the Father and all one has to do is truly believe.  John MacArthur says, "Christ's completion of the work of redemption means nothing needs to be nor can be added to it."    Now I understand why Spurgeon was blown away by this cry of Christ; it is unfathomable for our human minds to grasp. Lutzer asks us to write "paid in full" on our ledger of sins: An abortion: Paid in Full Fornication: Paid in Full Cheating: Paid in Full Greed: Paid in Full Selfishness: Paid in Full Write your list and at the end of it write in bold letters "IT IS FINISHED!" We have been unchained and freed by what this victory cry truly means.  There is nothing (no sin) that can't be paid in full. Maybe you're holding on to a sin or know someone who is; let them know whatever it is can be healed because "It Is Finished!"   Next time you complete a task and say, "it's finished" let this statement bring you to the Cross of Christ so you can, with tears of joy, thank Him for finishing His mission for you. Hallelujah and Amen!              LPR (I recommend Cries from the Cross by Erwin Lutzer as a resource if you want to study the 7 last words of Christ on the Cross)