Such personal failures of character torment me to this very moment. And, when a cold moon is just right in the sky, God sometimes comes to my side to remind me of all my painful shortcomings. Many’s the night I’ve hit bony knees, bowed my head in supplication, only to find that the words necessary for forgiveness just won’t come. Such is the curse I carry wrapped around the heart of a tortured soul.”
–J. Lee Butts (Written in Blood)
“Who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness–by whose stripes you were healed.”
–1 Peter 2:24 (NKJV)
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I will not spend much of your time this morning as I want you to be pondering, meditating, and contemplating the events and meaning of Easter. There are so many things to say, and so many sermons have been preached, but the question remains–What does it mean to you?
The crucifixion–the death of Jesus Christ. We can throw all the words: atonement, propitiation, redemption, reconciliation, sacrifice, substitution, justification and contemplate each of them today. For they all took place on the cross.
A week before He was hailed as a king when He rode into Jerusalem. When He saw and heard the throng of people cheering and praising His eyes were not necessarily on them. His mind was not really on the physical pain He would soon feel. But He was thinking of what would happen to Him. There would be darkness. The light of the world would face darkness. His Father would turn His back on Him. He would be forsaken by the Father. He would hang alone, even though there were two criminals hanging on either side of Him. Alone, forsaken, the darkness creeping in.
Jesus never doubted that He would rise from the grave. That never entered His mind for He knew His power, the Father’s power, and that of the Holy Spirit. No grave could ever hold Him. That never crossed His mind. In fact several times He mentioned the fact that He would rise again.
“And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.”
–Mark 8:31 (NKJV)
“Jesus answered and said to them, ‘Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.'”
–John 2:19 (NKJV)
The leaders, those who had Him crucified, remembered His words, “After three days I will rise.” (Matthew 27:63). No, there was no doubt or concern that He would rise again.
It is important that we realize that all of the work was completed on the cross. The resurrection was the demonstration that He had not died in vain (Stott) and that He is victorious in His purpose and forevermore. Jesus accomplished what He came into the world to do. The second phrase Jesus cried in a loud voice, “It is finished!” In Greek it is but one word, “tetelestai.” It means, “it has been and will for ever remain finished.” The penalty of sin was paid, the justice of God was satisfied. (Stott)
After that there was one final phrase uttered. One full of confidence and knowing the final outcome, “And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, ‘Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.’ Having said this, He breathed His last.” (Luke 23:46, NKJV) For you, for me, for humankind–It is finished. Despite the pain, physical and spiritual, we are told that, “who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross…” (Hebrews 12:2, NKJV) He knew that the cross was the finish of His and His Father’s work of salvation. The hope of millions rest on that cross if only . . . if only they would look to the salvation brought on the cross and realize that the work of Jesus was finished.