Resurrection Sunday 2025: The Accomplishment of Christ

John 19:28–30 ESV

28 After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), “I thirst.” 29 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. 30 When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

Prayer

Gracious God, Risen Lord, On this glorious Easter morning, we come before You with hearts full of thanksgiving. We praise You for the victory of the resurrection—the empty tomb, the triumph over sin, death, and the grave. We thank You that in Christ's resurrection, we are made new, that the old has gone, and the new has come.

We thank You for the cross, where Christ bore our sins, and for the resurrection, where He overcame our greatest enemy. You have defeated death, and You have given us life eternal. We stand in awe of Your power, Your grace, and Your love.

We lift up to You Finley Church, thanking You for the fellowship we share in Christ. May this community be a reflection of Your risen life— alive in faith, abundant in grace, and bold in love. We pray that as a church, we would walk in the power of the resurrection, proclaiming the hope of the gospel to those around us and living in light of Your Kingdom come. Strengthen and equip us to be faithful witnesses to the risen Christ.

Lord, we also lift up our brothers and sisters who face persecution around the world, especially China this morning. We grieve the recent ban on missionaries and the establishment of mission centers, but we know that the work of the gospel will not be hindered. We ask You to protect those who are being persecuted, and we pray for open doors for the gospel to advance, even in the face of such opposition. Raise up faithful workers from within the nation, and give them courage to carry the message of resurrection hope.

As we turn now to Your Word, we ask that You would speak to us. Open our hearts to the truth of Christ's victory, that we might live in the joy and power of His resurrection. Help us to see the mended wood of the cross, and through it, understand the fullness of what You have accomplished. May we be transformed by the gospel today.

In the name of Jesus, the Risen One, we pray. Amen.

Intro

If you know one thing about me you know that I place a high value on good books. They can be biblical, historical, fictional, whatever you like. They can be for any age level or educational level. I love good books that communicate the reality of life and teach us something beautiful.

But more than any other kind of book, so long as it is written well, I find fantasy remains my favorite genre. There is something about truth being communicated in a fantastical world that helps the truth hit more clearly. This is true in books for children, like the Chronicles of Narnia, and books for adults like the Lord of the Rings.

And one such book, a much more recent book, is called The Green Ember.

Now, for a book about talking rabbits it is shockingly insightful. It is a book about belonging and inviting others to belong. It’s a book about standing against evil, no matter the cost, and finding joy in the darkest of situations. It is a book about grief and longing for a time when all sad things will come untrue.

And in the midst of grief, these rabbits have a beautiful line they tell one another to cling to hope: “It will not be so in the mended wood.”

That phrase has stuck with me. Because that’s what we long for, isn’t it? A world where the broken is healed, the evil is undone, and every sorrow gives way to joy.

That’s the hope we cling to as well. The hope of a mended world. The hope that one day everything sad will come untrue.

But here’s the beauty of the gospel: That hope isn’t a fantasy. It’s rooted in something real. Something already accomplished.Something that was finished.

You see, Jesus didn’t just die to give us a future in heaven. He accomplished something—something massive, eternal, personal—through His life, His death, His resurrection, and His ascension.

So this morning, I want us to look closely at what Jesus meant when He said in John 19:30, “It is finished.” What did He finish? What has already been accomplished?

This morning we will look at five accomplishments Jesus finished on the cross, and flesh them out in 11 ways that Christ finished His work:

The Fulfillment of the Law

The Defeat of Our Enemies

THe Restoration of our Relationship

The Institution of the New Covenant

and The Cosmic Renewal of All Things

Sermon

I. The Fulfillment of the Law (Legal Accomplishments)

When Jesus cried out, “It is finished,” He wasn’t saying, “I’m finished.” He wasn’t giving up. He was declaring that His work was complete. And the first thing we need to understand is this: through the cross, Jesus accomplished the fulfillment of the Law

Our deepest need is not just to feel better about ourselves. Our greatest problem is not our circumstances. It’s our sin. The Law teaches us that we stand guilty before a holy and just God, and we can’t fix that on our own. But here’s the good news: Jesus did not come to give us a to-do list. He came to take our place.

1. Jesus Took Our Place (Substitution)

The prophet Isaiah said it like this:

“He was pierced for our transgressions; He was crushed for our iniquities; upon Him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with His wounds we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:5)

And again, “The Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” (Isaiah 53:6)

On the cross, Jesus bore the weight of your sin and mine. Every lie, every failure, every angry word, every bitter thought—He took it. He stood condemned in our place.

Peter says it this way:

“He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree.” (1 Peter 2:24)

This is the heart of the gospel: Jesus stood where we should have stood.

There is a children’s story called The Priest with Dirty Clothes by R.C. Sproul, one of the greatest pastors and teachers of the past 50 years.

In the story, a young priest gets his robes dirty and can't appear before the king unless he’s clean. He tries various ways to clean himself, but nothing works. Eventually, he goes to the Son of the King, the Prince himself, who gives him his own spotless robe so he can appear before the King.

The Prince then takes the dirty robes of the priest and wears them Himself.

That’s what Jesus did at the cross. He became your substitute, bearing the punishment of your guilt Himself.

2. Jesus Satisfied God’s Wrath (Propitiation)

But it wasn’t just that our sins needed to be forgiven. God’s justice demanded that sin be punished. And so Jesus not only took our place—He absorbed the wrath of God.

This is a doctrine called “propitiation.” Theologians did not make that word up. Bibles that use more formal English like the King James and the English Standard have that word all throughout.

All it means is that Jesus was the sacrifice that bore the wrath of God, but it’s important to understand these words so we aren’t confused by the Bible.

Romans 3:25 says,

“God put [Christ] forward as a propitiation by His blood, to be received by faith.”

There’s no more wrath left for those who are in Christ. None. Not a drop. The cup of God’s judgment and wrath against your sinful rebellion has been poured out—entirely—on Jesus.

You don’t have to wonder if God is still mad at you. If you are in Christ, the wrath has already been spent.

3. Jesus Gives Us His Righteousness (Justification)

So what does that mean for you?

It means you are not just forgiven—you are declared righteous. 2 Corinthians 5:21 says,

“For our sake He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.”

This is the doctrine of justification. God doesn’t just wipe your slate clean—He fills it with Christ’s perfect record. You are clothed in His obedience. You don’t have to measure up anymore, because Jesus already has.

This is why Paul says in Romans 5:1,

“Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Application: If you’re here this morning and you’re not a Christian, this is the offer: Jesus has already paid the price. You don’t need to fix yourself. You don’t need to earn anything.

You do need to come to Him in faith and receive what He has finished for you.

And if you are a Christian, I want to ask: are you living like it’s finished? Or are you still trying to earn what Jesus already accomplished? You are not on probation with God. You are fully accepted, fully forgiven, fully righteous in Christ. Let your heart rest in that today.

II. The Defeat of Our Enemies (Liberating Accomplishments)

But the gospel doesn’t just deal with our guilt—it deals with our bondage.

See, sin isn’t just something we’ve done. It’s something that held us captive. Apart from Christ, we’re not just guilty—we’re enslaved. Enslaved to our desires. Enslaved to fear. Enslaved to the curse of sin and death.

But Jesus came to break our chains.

4. Jesus Conquered Sin (He set us free from the curse) (Redemption)

Galatians 3:13 says,

“Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree.’”

That word redeemed is a word from the slave market. It means to buy someone’s freedom with a price. And what was the price? Christ’s own blood.

He didn’t just remove our guilt—He paid to set us free from sin’s power. We are no longer slaves.

Jesus said in John 8:36:

“If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”

Jesus Redeems Us

Redemption language is especially tied to the Exodus—the great rescue where God brought His people out of slavery in Egypt. We just celebrated this together with a Passover meal on Thursday.

And at the center of that rescue was blood. A lamb had to die. Its blood had to cover the doorposts. And only then would judgment pass over the people of Israel.

The New Testament is unmistakably clear: Jesus is our Passover Lamb. (1 Cor. 5:7) He shed His blood so that judgment would pass over us. Not because we’re more moral. Not because we had stronger faith. But because the Lamb died in our place.

And this is where I want to bring in a picture—one that drives this home better than I could on my own. It’s an illustration from D.A. Carson:

“Picture two Jews, by the name of Smith and Brown. Remarkably Jewish names.

The day before the first Passover they’re having a little discussion in the land of Goshen, and Smith says to Brown, ‘Boy, are you a little nervous about what’s going to happen tonight?’

Brown says, ‘Well, God told us what to do through His servant Moses. You don’t have to be nervous. Haven’t you slaughtered the lamb and put blood on the door posts? You’re all ready and packed to go? You’re going to eat your whole Passover meal with your family?”

Smith replies, ‘Of course I’ve done that. I’m not stupid. But… it’s still pretty scary when you think of all the things that have happened recently. You know, flies and river turning to blood. It’s pretty awful. And now there’s a threat of the first-born being killed, you know. It’s all right for you. You’ve got three sons. I’ve only got one. And I love my Charlie, and the Angel of Death is passing through tonight. I know what God says; I put the blood there. But it’s pretty scary, I’ll be glad when this night is over.

And the other one responds, “Bring it on. I trust the promises of God.”

That night, the angel of death swept through the land. Which one lost his son?

And the answer of course is: neither.

Because death doesn’t pass over them on the ground of the intensity, or the clarity, of the faith exercised. But on the ground of the blood of the lamb.

That’s what silences the accuser. The blood silences the accuser of the brothers as he accuses us before God.

He silences our consciences when he accuses us directly. How many times do we writhe in agony asking if God can ever love us enough, if God can ever care for us enough after we have done such stupid, sinful, rebellious things after being Christians for 40 years?

What are you going to say, “Oh, God, I tried hard, you know. I did my best. It was a bad moment”?

No, no, no.

I have no other argument! I need no other plea! It is enough that Jesus died, and that he died for me!

We overcome him by the blood of the lamb. There is the ground of all human assurance before God. There is the ground of our faith.

It’s not the intensity of our faith but the object of our faith that saves. They overcome him on the ground of the blood of the lamb.

Some of you come in here today like Mr. Smith. You believe, but you’re nervous. You’re aware of your sin. You wonder if you’re doing enough. You’re afraid your faith is too weak.

Hear me clearly: You are not saved because your faith is perfect. You are saved because Jesus is. Your weak faith in a strong Savior is enough—because He is enough.

And when Satan accuses—when your own conscience heaps shame on you—don’t plead your performance. Plead the blood.

“I have no other argument; I need no other plea. It is enough that Jesus died, And that He died for me.”

This is our freedom. This is our peace. This is our assurance:

“We overcome by the blood of the Lamb.” (Revelation 12:11)

5. Jesus Conquered Satan (the Accuser)

And not only did Jesus set us free from the curse—He disarmed our enemy.

Colossians 2:15 says,

“He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in Him.”

At the cross, Satan’s accusations lost their power. He can no longer say, “You’re guilty!” because the verdict has already been given: righteous in Christ.

Hebrews 2:14 puts it beautifully:

“[Jesus] partook of flesh and blood… that through death He might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil.”

6. Jesus Conquered Death

And the final enemy? Death itself.

Paul declares in 1 Corinthians 15:

“Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting? … Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Christian, Jesus didn’t just sneak out of the tomb—He stormed out in triumph. Death is no longer your master. If you are in Christ, death is now a doorway to eternal joy. It’s the path to the mended wood.

Application to the Church: We don’t have to live in fear anymore. Not of condemnation. Not of sin. Not of Satan. Not even of death.

Whatever binds you today—whether it’s addiction, shame, despair, fear—Jesus has the power to free you from it. He wants to free you from it.

Through the power of what Jesus did on the cross you can be free. Walk in Christ so that you may walk in freedom.

III. The Restoration of Our Relationship

The cross doesn’t just deal with our guilt—it brings us near. The Father draws us near, as His sons and daughters because of what His Son has done.

He brings us in.

7. Jesus Reconciles Us to God

Romans 5:10–11; Colossians 1:20–22 Sin didn’t just make us guilty—it made us enemies of God. It drove a wedge in the relationship we were literally created for. But through the cross, Jesus brings us back.

Paul says in Colossians 1:21–22:

“And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, He has now reconciled in His body of flesh by His death.”

Reconciliation means the relationship has been restored. Not distant. Not cold. Not business-like. But personal. Intimate. Loving. God is no longer your Judge only—He is your Father.

Jesus died not only to forgive you but to bring you close to him.

8. Jesus Brings Us into God’s Family (Adoption)

Galatians 4:4–7; John 1:12 This isn’t just a repaired relationship—it’s a brand new one. You aren’t merely tolerated; you are welcomed and wanted.

Galatians 4:4–5 says,

“But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son… to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.”

Think about that. Through the cross, you have been adopted into the family of God. You are no longer a stranger—you are a child.

Jesus said to Mary Magdalene after His resurrection,

“I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.” (John 20:17)

His Father is now your Father. His home is your home. The Son who cried “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” on the cross did so, so that you could forever hear, “You are my beloved child.”

Application: Friend, if you have trusted Christ, God is not holding you at arm’s length. He isn’t disappointed in you. You’re not trying to earn His affection—you already have it. You are His child. You are home.

And if you’re not yet a Christian, this is the invitation: come home. Jesus didn’t just die to get you out of trouble. He died to bring you into His heart.

IV. The Institution of the New Covenant

But there's even more. Jesus didn’t just bring us into God’s family—He bound us to God in an eternal covenant. The cross is not just a moment of rescue; it's a guarantee of God’s unbreakable promises.

9. Jesus Secures the New Covenant

Luke 22:20; Hebrews 9:15 In Luke 22:20, at the Last Supper, Jesus held up the cup and said,

“This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood.”

In the Old Testament, covenants were sealed with blood to show their seriousness. But those were shadows. Jesus came to establish the true and better covenant—sealed not with the blood of bulls and goats, but with His own.

What does that covenant promise?

Forgiveness of sins (Jeremiah 31)

A new heart

God’s law written within us

A relationship where He is our God and we are His people

The cross is the seal. It is God's unshakable “yes” to His people. His promise to you is not based on your performance—it’s based on Christ’s finished work.

10. Jesus Opens the Way to God

Hebrews 10:19–22; Matthew 27:51 But even now, Jesus continues to keep you. He didn’t just finish His work and leave—He lives to intercede for you.

Hebrews 7:25 says,

“He is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.”

The One who died for you is praying for you. Right now. He is your Advocate. Your High Priest. Your forever Intercessor. Your grip on God may be weak—but His grip on you is unbreakable.

Application: Don’t trust your feelings—trust His promise. Don’t measure your security by your track record—measure it by the blood of the covenant. If God gave His Son for you, He will never let you go. Never.

V. The Cosmic Renewal of All Things

And now we come full circle—back to the mended wood.

You see, the cross is not just about you and your personal salvation. It is that, gloriously so. But it is also far more. It is the moment in history when God began to make all things new.

11. Jesus Begins the Restoration of Creation

Colossians 1:19–20; Revelation 21:5 At the cross, Jesus bore the curse of sin—not just for individuals, but for creation itself.

Romans 8 tells us that creation is groaning, waiting for its redemption. And that redemption began at Calvary. When the King died, the curse began to unravel. When He rose, new creation burst into the tomb.

Colossians 1:20 says,

“[Through the cross] God was pleased… to reconcile to Himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of His cross.”

The cross guarantees not only your salvation but the restoration of the whole world. A new heavens and a new earth. No more tears. No more war. No more cancer. No more betrayal. No more death.

He promises it in Revelation 21:1-7.

Revelation 21:1–10 ESV

1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” 5 And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” 6 And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. 7 The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son.

So friends, as we look and see the suffering that goes on around us, make we look one another in the eyes and say with conviction and faith:

“It will not be so in the mended wood.”

And that’s not a fantasy. That’s our future. Jesus didn’t just secure your entrance into heaven—He secured the coming of heaven to earth.

Application: Christian, lift up your eyes. Your future is not uncertain—it is sealed by the blood of the Lamb. We’re headed for the mended wood. Let that give you endurance now, even in grief. Let that stir your joy now, even in sorrow. The cross guarantees it.

Conclusion

When Jesus said, “It is finished,” He wasn’t defeated. He was declaring victory. The work of redemption was complete—nothing left for you to earn, nothing left for you to prove.

Jesus accomplished everything that was set out before him. The work was finished.

But the resurrection, the ascension, and His reign today also assures us that His work continues. He intercedes for us. He leads His church. He prepares a place for us. And one day, He will return—not to suffer again, but to make all things new.

And if you ever need to know that Christ is working, look to your fellow church members and see what Christ has done in their lives. See how we come together to be the body of Christ.

So when life feels heavy, when the headlines grow dark, when your heart is weary, remember this: It will not be so in the mended wood. The mending has already begun. The cross secured it. The tomb confirmed it. And the risen, reigning Christ will bring it to completion.

In Him, the Law is Fulfilled. Our enemies are defeated. Our adoption is secure. We are no longer on the outside—we belong.

So trust Him. Worship Him. And walk forward with hope.

Because Jesus has accomplished our salvation, and He continues to accomplish His will in all the earth.

Confession

Merciful Father, Even on this Resurrection Day, we confess our forgetfulness of the cross and our slowness to believe the empty tomb. We have lived as though death still reigns. We have feared as though hope is buried. We have trusted in our own strength rather than in the power that raised Jesus from the grave.

Forgive us, Lord. Remind us again that the Lamb has overcome. Lift our eyes to the risen Christ. Cleanse us from sin, renew our minds, and raise us to walk in newness of life.

By Your Spirit, make us resurrection people— quick to repent, quick to forgive, and quick to proclaim that Jesus is alive.

In His name we pray. Amen.

Scriptural Assurance – Romans 5:8-10

“But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.”

“Church, if you are in Christ, your sins are forgiven. His blood has reconciled you. His life now holds you. Let’s sing of the power of His cross.”

Benediction

He is risen! He is risen indeed!

Now, may the God who raised Jesus from the dead fill you with resurrection hope, anchor you in the peace of the cross, and empower you to live by the Spirit as citizens of the kingdom that cannot be shaken.

Go now in the joy of the risen Lord— resting in His finished work, walking in His liberating grace, and looking to that Day when it will not be so in the mended wood.

Amen.