Deliver Us from the Evil One/It is Finished

John 19:28–37 “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. 31 Since it was the day of Preparation, and so that the bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken and that they might be taken away. 32 So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first, and of the other who had been crucified with him. 33 But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. 34 But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water. 35 He who saw it has borne witness—his testimony is true, and he knows that he is telling the truth—that you also may believe. 36 For these things took place that the Scripture might be fulfilled: “Not one of his bones will be broken.” 37 And again another Scripture says, “They will look on him whom they have pierced.””

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

IT IS FINISHED.

Jesus, in one of His 7 last words from the Cross, boldly declares “It is finished!”

But what is “it”? What is finished?

The Scripture would be “finished” and “fulfilled” (Ps. 69)

He thirsted

He gave up his Spirit

None of his bones broken (like the Passover Lamb)

Pierced for our transgressions

Isaiah 53:5 “5 But 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.”

His Father’s plan

2. The War with Evil

The Evil One

Genesis 3:15 “15 I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.””

Colossians 2:13–15 “13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses …, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. 15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.”

Hebrews 2:14 “14 Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil,”

3. The Payment “It is Paid In Full” (full atonement)

Reconciliation:

Colossians 1:20 “20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.”

THE SEVENTH PETITION

But deliver us from evil.

What does this mean?

We pray in this petition, in summary, that our heavenly Father would deliver us from all manner of evil, whether it affect body or soul, property or reputation, and at last, when the hour of death shall come, grant us a blessed end and graciously take us from this world of sorrow to Himself in heaven.

Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions The Seventh and Last Petition

113 In the Greek text this petition reads, “Deliver or preserve us from the evil one,” or “the hateful one.” It looks like Jesus was speaking about the devil, like He would summarize every petition in one. So the entire substance of all our prayer is directed against our chief enemy. For it is he who hinders among us everything that we pray for: God’s name or honor, God’s kingdom and will, our daily bread, a cheerful good conscience, and so forth.

114 Therefore, we finally sum it all up and say, “Dear Father, grant that we be rid of all these disasters.” 115 But there is also included in this petition whatever evil may happen to us under the devil’s kingdom: poverty, shame, death, and, in short, all the agonizing misery and heartache of which there is such an unnumbered multitude on the earth. Since the devil is not only a liar, but also a murderer [

Jesus said, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.

I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”

John 10:10

Jesus warns us about “the thief.” Thieves usually come in an unexpected way or at a time when you are vulnerable and unprepared. Jesus wants us to be protected from the coming of the thief, to recognize his truly wicked character and how dangerous he is, and what his true intent is for you.

The thief is none other than the Devil, the Evil One, Satan. Yet he would try to fool you into thinking that you are safe, that you can sleep soundly while he robs your home. He even wants you to think that he has gifts to give you, while in reality, it is all a scam, selling you counterfeits, fool’s gold, costume jewelry, and cheap imitations. His tempting destinations are merely mirages, meant to lead you away from true blessings, true abundant life, into a desert of suffering and destruction. His tasty treats are simply bait in a trap that leads to eternal death and bondage.

On the other hand we have Jesus showing us that He comes not to steal, but to give, not to take your life, but to give you His.

The Holy Scriptures tell us where good things truly come from. We hear in James 1:17, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights.” He is the one and only source of good and perfect gifts. Don’t believe the marketing scams for a Temu savior, or buy into the time-share to paradise. There is only one source of blessings, and it isn’t the thief, that murderous swindler.

Think of all the ways he rips us off. He tries to convince us to trade a real woman for a video of a woman on a screen. Instead of a loving wife, he suggests a fling or a show with some other woman, maybe someone else’s wife, someone who doesn’t really love you or you her. He baits us with the buzz or comfort of much wine or strong drink in place of the enlivening and comforting presence of the Holy Spirit. He tells us that we’d be beautiful if we only had this surgery or that outfit, instead of seeing the masterful artwork of the Heavenly Potter. If only you chop off this part of your body, he lies, you will be who you really are. You can be really free to live life, if you just snuff out that clump of cells in your womb, says the Murderer. How brave you would be if you came out of the closet, and rejected natural relations for the opposite sex and embraced unnatural desires for the same sex. He would have us trade sunshine, trees, singing birds, and sunsets for a fantasy world on a screen in a dark basement. He would convince us that we will be less lonely and more connected if we give up real friends and faces for online strangers, chat rooms, and “social media.” He promises community, love, identity, wholeness, satisfaction, peace, joy, but he gives none of it. All that he gives is destruction, brokenness, loneliness, and despair. Ultimately the end of his way is death.

Dear friends, this thief can’t create anything, doesn’t have any real gifts or blessings, and doesn’t have your best interest at heart. He can only distort, twist, and pervert what the Creator has made. His wish is to take what belongs to the Lord. He doesn’t care about you, he wants to slaughter you.

But there is one who promises you good things and will deliver on every word of it. His gifts are the real thing. His intentions are true and kind. He doesn’t take, He gives. He doesn’t want to slaughter you, but has allowed himself to be slaughtered for you. In the next verse of John 10(:11) Jesus says, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”

Jesus demonstrates the truth of His words by delivering the goods, the genuine article, as the Name brand brand Savior. He came in the flesh, and allowed it to be broken for you. He gave His precious blood for you. He laid down His life to protect you from the Thief.

This was God’s plan from the beginning. He knew the Evil One, that thief, would lure Adam and Eve into a trap of sin and death. He knew that he would seek to destroy all people made in the image of God and try to lead them away from paradise and into the pit of death. He even knew that this Thief would try to steal, slaughter, and destroy God’s Son when He was sent to save us. He even told that Thief, the Serpent, as much in Genesis 3:15, “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” The Devil tried to sell all his wares to Jesus, but Jesus didn’t buy any of them. And eventually that Serpent struck Jesus on the Cross, hoping to kill the Savior and destroy our hope of abundant life, once and for all. But as Jesus willingly died there on that Cross, He crushed the head of that Serpent, paying for your sins, and dying the death that you deserved, the death that the Thief wanted for you. And there at the Cross, Jesus gives to you His life, life abundant, eternal, and full.

Hebrews 2:14 “Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil,”

Beware of the schemes of the Thief, who wants nothing but to steal and kill and destroy you, and believe in Jesus, the One who has given you all good and perfect gifts, especially the gift of His very life. Amen.