Good Friday 2025
Notes
Transcript
The Victory Cry of the Cross
28 After this, when Jesus knew that everything was now finished that the Scripture might be fulfilled, he said, “I’m thirsty.” 29 A jar full of sour wine was sitting there; so they fixed a sponge full of sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it up to his mouth. 30 When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished.” Then bowing his head, he gave up his spirit.
The cross was a cruel expression of human justice. The cross was considered a punishment fit for the worst of sinners. And yet the cross, symbolising what was cruel, became for us the greatest of acts and symbols of love.
This is the central event of the Gospel – it is not simply the life of Christ, but His death, as cruel and gruesome as it is, because here we seen Christ’s work and God’s love most clearly.
Here Jesus, having just endured the agony of the garden, the beatings of the Sanhedrin, the mocking of the Roman soldiers and the agony of being nailed to a cruel Roman cross and struggling to breath, cries out, “it is finished” and then gives up his spirit.
At this time the there is darkness over the land, and upon this cry the curtain in the temple is torn in 2 from top to bottom, the earth shakes and the rocks split, and the bodies of some saints come back to life. The centurion in charge is suddenly aware of what is taking place and sees God’s hand in this and says, “Truly this was the Son of God.”
These are important words because they highlight the accomplishment of the cross for us. They weren’t spoken as if He had to say something, but these three words, “It is finished,” are packed with significance.
1. He had accomplished what he had come to do
1. He had accomplished what he had come to do
The word used here is the word ‘tetelestai’ which meant “to complete or accomplish.”
This was not simply the acknowledgement of the end of life. This is not the acknowledgement of the successful completion of man’s plot to kill him (“it is finished – I don’t have to fight them any more!”). It is in the perfect tense meaning it is finished and will be finished forever. In other words, there was nothing more that needed or could be done. This was not a matter of accomplishing all that could be done as if there were more to be done, but all that needed to be done.
Don’t forget, from the time of His birth he had been on mission.
At his birth it was announced, “His name will be called Jesus for He will save His people from their sins.”
At the start of his ministry we find John the Baptist, a wild man by any account, but he is preaching repentance and baptising people. When he sees Jesus coming towards him he says, “Behold, the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.”
In His ministry He had said, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (John 10:11).
In the Garden as He faced the reality of what awaited Him He cried to His Father, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” (Luke 22:42).
2. He had accomplished what we needed Him to do
2. He had accomplished what we needed Him to do
This was a cry of love. It was as the cry was this, “I have loved them to the end – fully, completely. I have done all that is need to provide full salvation!”
For the joy that lay before him, he endured the cross, despising the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
He went all the way for the joy that was set before Him. The joy of knowing the Father’s pleasure, the joy of the Father’s joy, the joy of securing our salvation – a people for Himself!
He did what He did so that you can have life, so that you can have a relationship with the Father, so thaty our sins could be forgiven. Is He your Saviour?
2.1. He died to rescue us from our sins
2.1. He died to rescue us from our sins
21 He made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
He took our place.
How bad our sins must be when there is no other way!
How greatly He has loved me!
Not by good works. We are justified freely by His grace. There is nothing that we can do but to rest in His grace.
2.2. He bore the full penalty of our sins
2.2. He bore the full penalty of our sins
This is the beauty of what Isaiah pointed out in Isaiah 53:4-5. Sin is deserving of the wrath and judgement of God. The wages of sin is death. He took upon Himself what our sins deserved. This is remarkable. “While we were sinners, Christ died for us!” He became a curse for us. He took our place.
2.3. He bore the wrath of the Father on our behalf
2.3. He bore the wrath of the Father on our behalf
The Bible is clear in this regard, that Christ was put forward as a propitiation for our sins. That is not a word that we use today, but it is a Biblical. It means that He appeased the wrath of God. The wrath of God the Father was satisfied because Christ, in his righteousness, stood in our place and took the full weight of the judgement of God. God is no longer angry because of our sin. We have one who stands before the Father on our behalf. What grace!
2.4. He made it possible for us to be reconciled to himself
2.4. He made it possible for us to be reconciled to himself
The Bible speaks about atonement and reconciliation. How can one be reconciled when there is a mountain of sin in the way? That is what Jesus dealt with. The reconciliation is not that of friend to friend, but this involved our adoption as sons.
2.5. He brought about Satan’s Destruction
2.5. He brought about Satan’s Destruction
Satan is just waiting for the final sentence where he will be cast into the lake of fire where he and his angels will burn forever.
The point here – there was no more to be done! We have got to learn to be cross-centered people!
3. He fulfilled what came for
3. He fulfilled what came for
It was prophecied about Him. It was fulfilled by Him.
This about this then, being in Christ is the safest place to be.
This words are so significant in this day of functional saviours. People are putting their trust in other things, other sources of hope, but there is no replacement for Jesus. People look for avenues for something to deliver them. That is why this world is a mess because those saviours are in all the wrong places.
Nikolaus Von Zinzendorf wrotes this song...
The blood and righteousness of Christ,
My beautiful, my glorious dress-
Beyond this world, in these arrayed,
I shall, with joy, lift up my head.
This spotless robe the same appears
When ruined nature sinks in years;
No age can change its glorious hue,
The robe of Christ is ever new.
When from the dust of earth I rise
To take my mansion in the skies,
His work alone shall be my plea:
"My Jesus lived and died for me."
I need not fear the Judgment Day-
No charge against me shall remain
For Jesus' blood removes my blame
From sin's tremendous curse and shame.
Lord, help my wand'ring heart believe
Your blood is on the mercy seat
Forever pleading innocence
For those who hide in its defense
Then join the saints, in Christ adorned,
Proclaiming now with one accord:
"The Lamb of God has ransomed us
By His own blood and righteousness."
This is what these words mean, “It is finished!” I don’t fear the wrath and judgement of God. I don’t fear the future because I have one who has stood in my place! No one has loved me like God has.
