Finished

Intro

What does the world need right now?

Need for the Cross

Christianity is a religion about a cross.

Leon Morris

No man understands the Scriptures, unless he be acquainted with the cross.

Martin Luther

Setup

Matthew 27:39–45 NLT

The people passing by shouted abuse, shaking their heads in mockery. “Look at you now!” they yelled at him. “You said you were going to destroy the Temple and rebuild it in three days. Well then, if you are the Son of God, save yourself and come down from the cross!” The leading priests, the teachers of religious law, and the elders also mocked Jesus. “He saved others,” they scoffed, “but he can’t save himself! So he is the King of Israel, is he? Let him come down from the cross right now, and we will believe in him! He trusted God, so let God rescue him now if he wants him! For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’ ” Even the revolutionaries who were crucified with him ridiculed him in the same way. At noon, darkness fell across the whole land until three o’clock.

Pray

The story begins at the 1992 Summer Olympic Games in Barcelona. Derek Redmond was a sprinter for Great Britain, seeking to overcome the injuries that had plagued him — he'd had five surgeries, including one on his Achilles tendon with less than four months before the Games. His Olympic dreams had been dashed four years earlier at the 1988 Games in Seoul when he tore his Achilles an hour before the race.

Redmond's pursuit of a medal in Barcelona in the 400 meters started off well, as he notched the fastest time in the prelims and won his quarterfinal heat.

Derek Redmond 1992 Race Backstory and First Half of Video

What’s Next?

What do I do when I feel alone?

Layout

Main Text

Significance of the Cross

Three hours of silence.

It is in those three hours that he bore in His body our sins. It is in those three hours that He was made sin for us. It is in those three hours that He took the curse.

These three hours changed everything.

Matthew 27:46 NLT

At about three o’clock, Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which means “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”

This is not an expression of doubt, but evidence that Jesus died as he lived, with God’s word on His lips.

New Living Translation Psalm 22

1 My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?

Why are you so far away when I groan for help?

Jesus was filled with loneliness, yet his faith in God was affirmed in the cry of His loneliness.

2 Corinthians 5:21 NLT

For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.

Galatians 3:13 NLT

But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When he was hung on the cross, he took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing. For it is written in the Scriptures, “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.”

New Living Translation Chapter 27

35 After they had nailed him to the cross, the soldiers gambled for his clothes by throwing dice.*

Psalm 22:16–18 NLT

My enemies surround me like a pack of dogs; an evil gang closes in on me. They have pierced my hands and feet. I can count all my bones. My enemies stare at me and gloat. They divide my garments among themselves and throw dice for my clothing.

Crucifixion was the most shameful and painful way to execute a criminal.

Jesus did not simply die; he was humiliated.

Philippians 2:8 NLT

he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.

New Living Translation Chapter 27

39 The people passing by shouted abuse, shaking their heads in mockery. 40 “Look at you now!” they yelled at him. “You said you were going to destroy the Temple and rebuild it in three days. Well then, if you are the Son of God, save yourself and come down from the cross!”

41 The leading priests, the teachers of religious law, and the elders also mocked Jesus. 42 “He saved others,” they scoffed, “but he can’t save himself! So he is the King of Israel, is he? Let him come down from the cross right now, and we will believe in him! 43 He trusted God, so let God rescue him now if he wants him! For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’ ” 44 Even the revolutionaries who were crucified with him ridiculed him in the same way.

New Living Translation Psalm 22

7 Everyone who sees me mocks me.

They sneer and shake their heads, saying,

8 “Is this the one who relies on the LORD?

Then let the LORD save him!

If the LORD loves him so much,

let the LORD rescue him!”

New Living Translation Psalm 22

22 I will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters.*

I will praise you among your assembled people.

New Living Translation Chapter 2

11 So now Jesus and the ones he makes holy have the same Father. That is why Jesus is not ashamed to call them his brothers and sisters.* 12 For he said to God,

“I will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters.

I will praise you among your assembled people.”*

Christ is no longer on the cross; He is in the midst of His church declaring the glory of God.

New Living Translation Psalm 22

27 The whole earth will acknowledge the LORD and return to him.

All the families of the nations will bow down before him.

28 For royal power belongs to the LORD.

He rules all the nations.

29 Let the rich of the earth feast and worship.

Bow before him, all who are mortal,

all whose lives will end as dust.

30 Our children will also serve him.

Future generations will hear about the wonders of the Lord.

31 His righteous acts will be told to those not yet born.

They will hear about everything he has done

Victory of the Cross

There was no defeat at the cross, only victory.

New Living Translation Chapter 19

28 Jesus knew that his mission was now finished, and to fulfill Scripture he said, “I am thirsty.”* 29 A jar of sour wine was sitting there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put it on a hyssop branch, and held it up to his lips. 30 When Jesus had tasted it, he said, “It is finished!” Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

It is finished was not an exhale of defeat, but a shout of victory!

We do not fight for victory, but from victory.

Because of Christ’s work on the cross, salvation has been accomplished and all who come to Him by faith will be saved.

Closing

After Derek Redmond’s dreams were crushed, he had a decision to make..

This was his decision.

Derek Redmond 1992 Second Half of Video

When Jesus’ body was crushed, He had a decision to make...

New Living Translation Chapter 28

5 Then the angel spoke to the women. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen. Come, see where his body was lying. 7 And now, go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead

What does this world need?

The world needs a church that will come and see and go and tell.

Victory is not made be Internalized.

New Living Translation Chapter 12

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. 2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.* Because of the joy* awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne

What He starts, He finishes; He can see you through to victory.