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IT IS FINISHED

 

John 19: This chapter tells of the horrible and humiliating events in the life of our Lord and Savior. Scourging, hitting, a crown of four inch long thorns cast upon His head and finally casting lots for His garments. He voluntarily offered Himself as the sacrifice because of love; a love that we cannot understand, a love so profound that no human being could possess an unconditional love such as this. Personally it saddens me deeply to imagine that I am part of a people who so callously and with such a twisted determination, ignoring opportunity to stop it, insisted He be crucified. The words I'll never forget; 'crucify Him,' 'crucify Him.'

 

From the ashes of hatred cast upon our Savior comes a sweet victory; salvation. In spite of what man did to Him, He still provides us the opportunity of salvation. When He breathed His last words in verse 30, "It is finished," and that is exactly what He meant. I don't know how to define the word, finished, other then what it means; the end, it's over, no need to go further. We must fully understand just what He meant with those words; otherwise His death would have been in vain. Please allow me to state it another way: John14:6 says Jesus is the way and the truth and the life and no one comes to the Father except through him." No need for any other intermediary; only Jesus. The Bible states that the wage of sin is death (physical separation from Him for eternity). Romans 6:23: "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord." However His victory was finalized when, as He Himself predicted, arose from the dead on the third day as witnessed by over 500 people. And He says if you believe that as a sinner you are separated from Him, and you believe that He died on the cross to pay the sin debt and accept Him as your Savior, then you have eternal life; again John 3:16.There is nothing more to do, He did it all. All we have to do is believe it.

 

When Jesus died, He fulfilled, or better said, replaced the law with Grace. We are no longer under the law; we are under Grace, God's grace. Jesus left us with two and only two commands: 1^st is to love the Lord our God with all our heart, and 2^nd is to love our neighbor. Matthew 22: 37-40: Jesus replied, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and the greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." Why man has complicated God's wishes I'll never understand other than to believe it was done out of ignorance or for selfish motives.

 

When you sit back and contemplate the New Testament and all it contains, a logical conclusion is that there isn't a need for any kind of religion. Does this mean that some or all religions are wrong? According to what Jesus said on the cross when He gave up His Spirit, ("it is finished") I would have to say Jesus paved the way for believers and I would prefer to follow His doctrine over the doctrine of man. It certainly is easier. What was said thousands of years ago stands today, i.e., no change in His Word.

 

There are many, many Old Testament prophecies fulfilled in this chapter.

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THE BEGINNING OF THE END

 

John 18: Jesus and His disciples went to the garden where Judas would appear with the Roman cohort to betrayed Him. Jesus asked, "Whom do you seek?" And they replied that they were looking for Jesus the Nazarene and when He admitted that it was Him, they drew back and fell to the ground. Jesus said, "I told you that I am he. If you are looking for me, then let these men go." This was a fulfillment of prophecy; none of His would be lost.

 

They bound Him and took Him to Annas first and then to Caiaphas the high priest. He questioned Him and Jesus told him that he should really be asking the people to whom Jesus preached, for they would know the truth of what He was saying. In the meantime Peter had been questioned and placed in a position of having to deny being with Jesus three times and a cock crowed as Jesus prophesized to Peter earlier.

 

They finally took Him to Pilate who questioned Jesus about the reason he was there. Pilate became frustrated with Him because he couldn't understand the whole scene. He requested that the Jews take Jesus themselves and take care of their own problems. The Jews answered and said no, they wanted Pilate to take the responsibility, to try Him and have Him crucified. Pilate persisted and tried to get out of the situation by offering to let Jesus go free, as was their custom in that time, (one prisoner was allowed to go free), but they insisted that he free Barabbas (a robber) instead.

 

This chapter is another testimony of the love that God has for those that believe in Him. It is His willingness to see His only Son humiliated and suffer. Suffer for the sins of the world so that those who believe why Jesus came on this earth would be spared an eternity of suffering and enjoy an eternity of happiness in being with the Lord. Romans 6:23 states: "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Please remember that death in this context is eternal separation from God. Please consider your future for it is yours and yours alone.

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THE INTERCESSOR

 

John 17: Jesus looked toward Heaven and began to pray: Verse 1-3: "Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. For you granted him authority over all people thst he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent."

 

Jesus continues praying to the Father throughout this entire chapter. Verse 6, 7: "I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you." Verse 9: "I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me for they are yours. Verse 15: "My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one." Verse 18: "As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world."

 

Verse 20, 21: "My prayer is not for them alone. I also pray for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you…"

 

This is a beautiful prayer and I would suggest you read the entire chapter; it will certainly humble you.

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PEACE AND TRIBULATION

 

John 16: The time of the crucifixion is drawing close and Jesus begins to inform the disciples of things to come and things they need to know. Jesus explains the reason He had not told them all these things before because He was with them from the beginning of His ministry. He wants them to be prepared because a time was soon to come when the Jews would think they would be doing a service for God by killing the Disciples. The fact was that they did not know the true God: Jesus said in verse 3, "They will do such things because they have not known the Father or me." Jesus wanted them to remember these things so that when certain events happened they will remember He told them in advance. The Holy Spirit will come to teach them and help them to remember all things, and He will convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment. The greatest sin is not believing in Jesus which, obviously, has serious consequences.

 

In verse 16 Jesus says "In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me." They could not understand what He was saying and He finally told them that He would soon speak more plainly to them, (referring to the time following His resurrection).He explains that they will be able to ask anything of the Father in His name and it will be granted to them. Jesus then tells them that He came from the Father and is soon to return to Him. The disciples understood this and believed in Him. Jesus told them that they would desert Him soon; however He would not be alone because the Father would be with Him, (referring to the time preceding the crucifixion}. The last verse in this chapter is a most comforting and heartwarming message from Jesus. He says, "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." Verse 33.

 

There shouldn't be any doubt in anyone's mind, as Jesus said, that there is tribulation in the world. The question is, can we have real peace while living in this world? In John 16:33 Jesus said you may 'have peace'. How? Jesus died on the cross to pay the sin debt of everyone and all that is required of anyone who wants the assurance of this peace is to believe it. Yes, believe that Jesus died on the cross for all those who welcome Him into their heart. Then, and only then, will we have the peace that Jesus promised us.