Jesus’ Word to You: It is Finished!

There are quite a number of people today who are looking for a word from God. A word which gives them hope, direction and encouragement regarding their situation. I spoke with someone once who was convinced that they needed a word from God before their situation would change, and they were right… they did need a word from God before their situation would change, however they were failing to recognize that the word had already been given – and many people are in the same situation and making the same mistake.

Wouldn’t it be nice to have God tell you that your situation will be okay? To have Him say that everything is taken care of? Most people are searching for this and desperately seeking exactly these things, and I’m here to tell you today that He has already said these things to you. This is what we will be studying today.

Let’s begin today with John 19:30:

“When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up His spirit.”

I want us to consider the totality of this statement made by Jesus. There are some who believe that this was simply Jesus’ way of giving up, like saying “well, its over!” and just dying… but that is not what’s happening here at all. Jesus is making a statement, that when properly understood will change your entire outlook, as well as your very life! Keep in mind that Jesus does not waste words… if He were about to die, there was no need to announce it! Especially while enduring unimaginable pain and suffering on the cross, it would be extremely difficult to speak at all, much less to waste precious strength to say something obvious.

What He said here, was stated for our benefit. So that we would know something important. The words of Jesus here are to let us know of the change that was taking place. Jesus said It is finished, which in Greek is tetelestai. This word comes from the verb teleo, which is from telos; (telos means “an achieved goal, an obtained result”)

Tetelestai is a very interesting phrase. Often written on receipts in those days, it was used to show that the debt of the receipt had been fully paid, completed or done. This therefore is a very telling statement by Jesus, that the onlookers and witnesses to His crucifixion would have understood. By making this proclamation, He is declaring that the debt which was owed has now been fully paid, completed and done! Nothing more is owed, nothing more is left unpaid, it is all paid; it is all finished!

The word Tetelestai is in the Greek Perfect Tense, which basically means that it was an action done in the past that continues now with present results continuously. This means that the effects of Jesus’ death on the cross are ongoing and permanent.

Now just what are these effects? What do they mean for us? It’s rather amazing that most believers don’t even know what Jesus has done for them, but the Bible does not leave us guessing about what precisely Jesus has finished. Here are some references:

– He accomplished complete redemption as an atoning sacrifice for us (Hebrews 9:10-14, Hebrews 10:12, Romans 3:24)

– He remitted our sins completely (Romans 3:25)

– He is the end of the Law for righteousness (Romans 3:21, Romans 10:4),

– He made complete reconciliation to the Father on our behalf as a merciful and faithful, eternal High Priest (Heb 2:17, Hebrews 10:11-12)

– He completely fulfilled the Old Covenant Law and made peace between us and God (Colossians 2:14, Ephesians 2:15, Hebrews 10:9)

– Having fulfilled the Old Covenant, He then Established us into a New and Better Covenant with Better Promises, based on His Work (Hebrews 8:6-7, Hebrews 10:9)

– He sanctified us completely (Hebrews 10:10, 1^st Corinthians 1:30, Acts 26:18, 1^st John 3:3)

– God’s Holy Wrath and Reproach against sin has been completely satisfied (Isaiah 54:9, Colossians 1:22)

– He carried your sicknesses and diseases in His own body (Isaiah 53:4-5, Matthew 8:17, 1^st Peter 2:24)

– The enemy has been defeated and his power and bondage broken (Hebrews 2:14-15, 1^st John 3:8, Colossians 2:15)

Did I leave some things out? Of-course because otherwise I would have to cite the entire Bible! However, suffice it to take a look at the previous two verses, of our text in John 19:28 and 29:

“After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, said, I thirst.

Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a sponge with vinegar, and put it on hyssop, and put it to his mouth.”

Verse 28 says that Jesus knowing now that all things were accomplished, so what then did He finish? All things! Some people try to put limits where God does not put limits. Some people say that Jesus only finished some things, some laws, some payments – but no, He finished all things – this was His very reason for coming down to earth as a man, so that He could take the full punishment for sin upon Himself, and satisfy every single condition, pay every debt, and break every chain and yoke of bondage. At the end of verse 28 He declares that He thirsts, and so in verse 29 they take a sponge and soak it with vinegar (sour wine) put it on a hyssop branch and lift it up to Him. This is a fulfillment of Psalm 69:21, but it is also a reference to Jeremiah 31:29-34:

“In those days they shall say no more, The fathers have eaten a sour grape, and the children’s teeth are set on edge.

But every one shall die for his own iniquity: every man that eats the sour grape, his teeth shall be set on edge.

Behold, the days come, said the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:

Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they broke, although I was an husband to them, said the LORD:

But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, said the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.

And they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, said the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”

Verse 29 here was a common saying… Oh the fathers ate sour grapes, so the childrens’ teeth are on edge. It is a picture of generational cursing. The fathers messed-up and the children suffer for it. There are a lot of believers today who live in fear of generational curses, or worse they think that they are under one themselves! However take a good look at verses 29 and 30… the LORD says that In those days, they will not say this saying anymore. God says that in those days every one will suffer for his own iniquity. Yet this would still be pretty bad for us if it wasn’t for the next part, he that eats the sour grape, his teeth will be set on edge. This my friend, is exactly what Jesus did for us. He drank your sour grapes, His teeth were set on edge in your place. He broke the curse of sin! Not only that, but He thirsted to take your sins from you! He thirsted to set you free! It is actually a wonderful picture of His love and His heart for you.

When you think about it, the entire curse of sin is actually one big generational curse from the first man Adam, all the way down the line; and Jesus broke it all! Then in verses 31 through 34, we see the new covenant of Grace in Christ that Jesus ushers in. This new covenant is not according to the old one. It is not a merit-based system of laws, rules and punishments, but one of forgiveness, mercy and peace. Jeremiah was looking forward to this day, and today in Christ we have it, because all things were accomplished by Him, and Hebrews 8:6-13 confirms this fact.

Today, we do not need to look for a word from God because we already have the ultimate word. We think of words as growing weaker and older with time. We say that we need a new word, or a fresh word from God or a “now word”, but what we fail to consider is that God has given us a perpetual now word, in 2^nd Corinthians 6:2:

“(For he said, I have heard you in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succored you: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)”

Now is the day of salvation. Salvation here is the Greek word “soteria”, which is an all-encompassing word that includes health, safety and deliverance.

We often think that God is waiting to give us our salvation from whatever we are experiencing at the moment.. we think that if we just persevere a little longer, pray a little harder or believe a little bit stronger, then we will impress God with our fervency and move Him to act on our behalf. However in thinking that way, we are in-fact disqualifying ourselves from receiving because we fail to consider the finished work of Christ God’s mindset here is clear… Now is the day of health, Now is the day of safety, Now is the day of deliverance. Stop waiting! Repent – which means change your mind; agree with the truth of Jesus Christ and receive your salvation now. Receive your health now. Receive your provision now. Receive your deliverance now.

All things have been paid for. Jesus wrote Tetelestai on the receipt of your entire life. Your debt has been paid in full. When Jesus said that it was finished, you can put whatever you are currently facing in that spot. Your sickness is finished. Your lack is finished. Your worry and fear is finished. Your sin (noun) and everything that entails, is finished. The curse is broken in your life, you need not fear it any longer!

This is Jesus’ word for you… and it is always a now word. It is finished! You have peace with God. Now relax, rejoice and receive.