Finished!

The events of the first Good Friday and Easter are central for the entire Christian faith. We believe the One True and Living God accomplished something cosmic and glorious in the death and resurrection of a single human being named Jesus. While thousands died on cruel Roman crosses in the ancient world, Jesus’ death is unique as it was predicted hundreds of years before the events of that holy weekend some 2000 years ago. Furthermore, the story ends unlike no other, with the executed man walking out of His grave a few days later. But, you may ask, what does this have to do with me in 2026? Jesus’ final word on the cross gives us the beautiful and life changing answer. One of Jesus’ closest friends, a man named John, wrote an amazing book explaining Jesus’ life, identity, death, and resurrection. John tells us that the Roman soldiers gave Jesus a quick drink of sour wine, and after getting some liquid in His mouth, Jesus pushed up on the nails in His feet one last time and cried out, “It is finished!” At first glance, it may seem like a statement of defeat and hopelessness. Actually though, this statement, which is a single word in the original Greek text, is an unbelievable declaration of victory; providing hope for every human being and meeting our deepest needs and longings. Today we will look at this single word and share the implications of Jesus’ final word from the cross for you and me.