You're listening to Mountain View Church Audio, Christ-centered teaching from the Wilderness City, Whitehorse, UConn. Here's this week's message. How deep the Father's love for us, how vast beyond all measure, that he should give his only Son to make a wretch his treasure. How great the pain of searing loss, the Father turns his face away.
As wounds which mar the chosen one bring many sons to glory. Behold the man upon the cross, my sin upon his shoulders. Ashamed I hear my mocking voice call out among the scoffers. It was my sin that held him there until it was accomplished.
His dying breath has brought me life. I know that it is finished. I will not boast in anything. No gifts, no power, no wisdom. But I will boast in Jesus Christ. His death and resurrection. Why should I gain from His reward? I cannot give an answer.
But this I know with all my heart, His wounds have paid my ransom.
If you have children, I encourage you to bring your children to our Base Camp Children program, either 9.30 or 11 a.m. every Sunday. Or you can download the lessons online at mountainview.church.basecamp. We have also a program for your teenagers, the Mountain View Youth Group, every Sunday, this evening from 6 to 8 p.m. For more info, visit mountainview.church.youth. If you have Filipino friends and relatives, please invite them to come every Sunday at 3 p.m. for Tagalog worship service.
Now, as we go with our message, I would like to invite everyone. If you have Bible apps in your mobile phones, you can download it. Or you can visit Bible.com. Or if you need a Bible, text Bible to 867-322-8001. And if you are in-house, there's a Bible under your seat. You can grab it. And it's for free. Now, as we continue with our Holy Week series, Drown to Him, we see...
how people were drawn to Jesus. Some came praising Him, some came with questions, and some even came with opposition. Each moment invites us to reflect about His love, His sacrifice, and victory over death. Today we'll be talking about Jesus' second to last words on the cross before He gave His last breath. It is finished. We will now read our passage for today after this short video. My name is Jeremy and I will be reading John 19.
28 to 30. After this, knowing that all was now finished, said to fulfill the scripture, I thirst. A jar full of sour wine stood there. So they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it to his mouth. When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, it is finished. And he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. When Jesus has received the sour wine, he said, it is finished. And he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
So the Lord's message for us today is entitled, It is finished. Jesus paid in full. Good Friday. Do you ever wonder why it is called good? What's good in a day where an innocent man was hung on the cross, suffered the most unimaginable suffering of all time? What good is it for the loved ones, followers, and friends who witnessed their beloved one flog, muck, spit upon, crowned with thorns, pierced hands and feet with nails, and side with spear?
What good is it, my friend, for them who witnessed that time and don't understand? It's tragedy. It's defeat. But the goodness, in fact, the great thing that happened during that ordinary Friday was hidden behind all those unimaginable physical suffering. As what the famous pastor and theologian said, Timothy Keller, the cross is not simply a lovely example of sacrificial love.
Throwing your life away needlessly is not admirable. It is wrong. Jesus' death was only a good example if it was more than an example. If it was something absolutely necessary to rescue us. And it was. Why did Jesus have to die in order to forgive us? There was a debt to be paid. God Himself paid it. There was a penalty to be borne and God Himself bore it. Forgiveness is always a form of costly suffering by Timothy Keller.
Imagine you are witnessing a runner in the Olympics. He runs, he runs, he runs, and he's so exhausted that in his exhaustion, he just crawled, crawled, but he's determined. He is determined to reach the finish line. As he crossed the finish line, he stood up and raised his hands in victory. The race is over. The goal is achieved. That's the image behind Jesus' last words on the cross. It is finished. It is finished. Did he say that because finally his suffering will end? No.
It was not just the end of suffering. It was the completion of God's greatest work. And for me, it's not only a good Friday. It is the greatest Friday in human history. He shouted before his last breath, it is finished. And the Greek word tetelestai means paid in full, accomplished, completed. You know, this Greek word tetelestai was commonly used in three ways during that time. By the servants.
It is used when a task was fully completed. By merchants, when a debt was paid in full, they will stamp it and say, by priests, when a perfect sacrifice was made. So my friend, when Jesus cried out, it is finished. He declared victory, not defeat. The phrase, it is finished, speaks of the completion of Jesus' mission on earth. It is a cry of victory, not defeat, because it marks the moment when the purpose for which He came was fulfilled. The payment for sin was made in full. These are the words of Frederick Fabie Bruce, a biblical scholar. But what exactly had been finished and completed on the cross? What has been finished and completed? Let us look at what were finished at the cross.
And I will give you only three things that were finished at the cross. Number one, the work of redemption is finished. As it says in Hebrews 9 verse 12, He entered the most holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. So you see, my friend, in the Old Testament, priests repeatedly offered animal sacrifices for sin. They keep repeating it over and over for the entire year. But Jesus, as the perfect Lamb of God,
made one final perfect sacrifice that fully paid for our sins. And you know what happened? During the time when Jesus gave His last breath, there was an earthquake. Then the veil in the temple was torn in two. In Matthew 27 verse 51, it was mentioned there. And what does it symbolize? It symbolize that through Jesus, we now have direct access to God. Isn't it great? We have now direct access to the source with no middleman, no more animal sacrifices.
And my friend, salvation is fully accomplished through Christ. Everyone has free access to God's salvation. Everyone has free access to God's redemption. That is what has been finished. The work of that redemption in the cross. Imagine, you have a very huge debt that you could never repay. Shall we say, in your entire life, you will never repay this debt that you have. Then someone comes and pays it in full on your behalf. What will you feel?
Great, right? That's what Jesus did on the cross. He paid the full price for your sin and my sin. You don't need to work for your salvation. It is a free gift. But the question is, have you fully accepted the free gift of salvation? That's what it is said in Ephesians 2, 8-9. For by grace, you have been saved through faith, not by your own doing. This is a gift of God, not as a result of your work so that no one will boast. So my friend,
If in your life, you will accept Jesus' offer of salvation, then that will be great because you will be free. You will be redeemed. And the second thing that was finished at the cross was the power of sin and death is defeated. In Romans 6, verse 10 to 11, for the death, he died. He died to sin once for all. But the life he lives, he lives to God. You see, before Jesus' sacrifice,
Sin enslave us all. All humanity and death was the ultimate enemy. But Jesus broke sin's power and conquered death, as it says in 1 Corinthians 15, verse 55 to 57. But you see, the devil also thought he had won. But Jesus' greatest suffering became his greatest victory, as it says in Colossians 2, verse 15. My friend, Jesus' resurrection proved that death is not the end. Eternal life is now available to all who believe. Now imagine.
Imagine you are in a prison full of captives and you are one of the captives there, one of the prisoners. And you don't know that when are you going to come out of that prison and you've been in prison there for a very long time and you've been thinking that you will die there in the prison and suddenly a man comes with a key, opens the prison door and declares, you are free. Will you not live for joy? That's what Jesus did. He freed us from sin and death. And it's a good news. You are no longer a slave to sin.
In Galatians 5.1, we are instructed by Apostle Paul to walk in the freedom Christ has given us. We should walk as free because Jesus freed us from the slave of sin. So sin has no power in us. So at the time when temptation comes, we have the power to say no to temptation because Jesus gave us that power. And the third thing that happened or was finished at the cross, the prophecies and promises of God are fulfilled.
There's one prophecy in Isaiah, chapter 53, verse 5 to 7. It says, You see, everything God had planned for humanity's salvation, for humanity's redemption, was fulfilled in Jesus. And did you know that over 300 plus Old Testament prophecies about the Messiah were completed at the cross?
This proves that God is faithful and always keeps His promises. Imagine this, an architect designing a great building. Every detail of the blueprint is followed. Every one part of that blueprint was followed until the structure is complete. Isn't it amazing? The cross was God's completed blueprint for salvation. If God fulfilled His greatest promise in Jesus, He will also fulfill His promises in your life.
But you have to trust Him. Trust God that He will do something good in you. In Jeremiah 29, 11, this is a famous verse. It says, For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. Plan to prosper you, not to harm you. Plan to give you hope and a future. That's what God is intended for each one of us if we believe in Him. Now, what shall we do then? How should we respond? First, believe in Jesus.
Accept His finished work on the cross. He already paid the price for your sins. You just need to receive it. In John 3, 16, it says, So that whoever believes in Him will not perish, but have everlasting life. So Jesus is waiting for you. You must believe in Him. And once you have believed and accepted Jesus,
As your Lord and Savior, you accepted Him in your life. You surrendered to Him. Then number two, live in that victory. You are no longer bound by sin or fear. Jesus has won the victory for you. In 2 Corinthians 5.17, you are now a new creation. The oldest was God and the new has come. If you accepted Jesus, you surrender your life to Jesus. And number three, share the good news. Share the gospel. If Jesus completed the work of salvation and you experienced that salvation,
Our mission now is to tell others. That's the great commission that Jesus left His disciples unto us in Matthew 28, 19-20. Go ye therefore, make disciples in all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teach them all the things that I have commanded you. And lo, I will be with you in the light of things. So when Jesus said, it is finished, He declared that the price was paid, the battle was won, and eternal life was secured. As I will close this message, there was a story in the
During the Summer Olympics in Mexico City in 1968, a runner from Tanzania named John Stephen Aquari finished the marathon hours after everyone else. Because he got cramps, he was hit by other runners, and he dislocated his knee. But he still continued. He still continued to run, even if it is one hour over. Everyone has gone to the finish line, but he still continued. He never quit.
So when he arrived at the finish line, the people asked him why he didn't quit. Then this is what he said. My country did not send me about 5,000 miles to start the race. They sent me to finish it. My friend, Jesus finished the race for us. Now the question is, are you living in the victory of his finished work? Are you living in victory? Or are you living in defeat? Only you can answer that, my friend.
Only you and God knows your answer. And today as we're celebrating the God Friday, we also celebrate one of the two ordinances that Jesus left to his disciples and to us. It is the Lord's Supper or commonly called communion. So I would invite everyone, if you understand what we've been doing, I would invite you to join us, to join me in this communion with the Lord. But if you don't understand what we'll be doing, it's okay if you don't participate.
You're welcome. Even though we are in different places, we are united in Christ. And let's prepare our hearts as we remember the sacrifice. And let's pray, Lord, thank you for your sacrifice. Cleanse our hearts and help us take this in remembrance of you. Amen. In 1 Corinthians 11, verse 23 to 26, it is said, For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus in the night when he was betrayed took bread.
And when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me. Let's eat this bread, remembering his body, broke it for us. In the same way, also he took the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this as often as you drink it.
Let's drink, remembering His blood shed for us. Let us all pray. May we carry our cross daily and follow you with all our hearts.
In Jesus' name. Now, my friend, my brother, or my sister, as we have heard the message right now, it's time for us to contemplate. It is finished. So we have to ask this question, what does it is finished mean for my hope and peace today? What is my response? And for your prayer, pray for peace and ability to rest.
in the sufficiency of Christ's work on the cross. Ask God to help you stop striving or trying to earn your salvation, recognizing that it is already finished. Thank you and God bless.