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John 19:28-37
©Copyright October 31, 2021, by Rev. Bruce Goettsche
If you have ever watched a Biblical movie on the life of Christ (like The Passion of the Christ or the Jesus Movie) you know that a good portion of the film is devoted to the events surrounding the crucifixion of Christ.
Some movies work hard to make sure we feel some of the agony that Jesus went through.
Others focus on the people who surrounded the cross.
This morning we will look once again at the significance of the cross.
Why spend so much time on this subject?
This one event fulfills Biblical prophecy and is the foundation on which we build our faith.
As always, it is good to compare the various gospel writers.
Let’s review what are called by some, the seven last words of Christ on the cross.
1. Father Forgive Them for they do not know what they are doing (Luke 23:34)
2. Today, you will be with me in paradise (Luke 23:42)
3. “Dear woman, here is your son.” 27 And he said to this disciple, “Here is your mother.”
4. My God, My God, why have you forsaken me? (Matthew 27:46)
5.
I thirst
6.
It is Finished
7. Into your hands, I commend my spirit (Luke 23:46)
Three of these are recorded in the gospel of John.
The first was Jesus’ request that John takes care of his mom for Him.
Rick talked about this encounter last week.
The second phrase recorded by John was “I Thirst.”
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.
We are going to look today at why these events are significant.
His Death Established the Authority of Scripture
The plea, I thirst, is significant for a couple of reasons.
First, it fulfilled Scripture.
Psalm 22, written several hundred years before Jesus came to earth, appears to describe the death of Jesus with eerie detail.
1 My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?
Why are you so far away when I groan for help?
(1)
15 My strength has dried up like sunbaked clay.
My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth.
(15)
18 They divide my garments among themselves
and throw dice for my clothing.
(18)
Our text also says, 36 These things happened in fulfillment of the Scriptures that say, “Not one of his bones will be broken,” 37 and “They will look on the one they pierced.”
This was again pointing to Exodus 24:6; Psalm 22:17; Psalm 34:20; Zechariah 12:10)
Why is this significant?
It is essential because it shows the crucifixion God foresaw and was part of His plan to save the world.
The Bible tells us the plan of redemption (or God’s rescue plan) was decided on before creating the world.
As Rick pointed out last week, Jesus chose to die as a payment for our sin.
Things were never once “out of control.”
One author writes,
All [prophetic fulfillment] combine to prove the same thing.
They prove that the death of our Lord Jesus Christ at Golgotha was a thing foreseen and predetermined by God.
Hundreds of years before the crucifixion, every part of the solemn transaction was arranged in the Divine counsels, and the minutest particulars were revealed to the Prophets.
From first to last it was a thing foreknown, and every portion of it was in accordance with the settled plan and design.
(J.
C. Ryle Expository Thoughts 314-315)
The fulfilled prophecies point us to the inspiration of the Word of God.
How else do you explain the prophetic vision of the crucifixion?
We can rely on the words of the Bible because Jesus did and because prophecy proves its accuracy.
Jesus was given the “sour wine” or “wine vinegar,” as the NIV has.
His thirst is a reminder that this is a real man hanging on the cross here.
Jesus, the Son of God, did not leave the body before the crucifixion, and HE did not exempt Himself from the pain.
God the Son endured all the agonies of the trial, beatings, and the cross.
He was Triumphant
This next verse is one of the most potent and magnificent verses in the Bible,
30 When Jesus had tasted it, he said, “It is finished!”
Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
The Greek word for “it is finished” is the word tetelestai.
The term is used twice in today’s text, first in verse 28 when his work was finished and then here in verse 30.
This word is far more significant than we might think on the surface.
The Greek word indicates an action that has been completed, and it comes from a word that means “end” or “goal.”
The word was also sometimes used in the Greek commercial world.
It would be stamped on a purchase or written on a receipt to show that something had been “paid in full.”
By this declaration, Jesus is saying He has paid for our salvation in full; God’s plan is finally fulfilled; The debt has been paid!
Please hear this!
The cross was not Jesus making the down payment for our salvation (waiting for us to pay the rest.
Like a parent who says they will match whatever their child comes up with for the payment on the car.
Instead, Jesus says the price is paid in full!
There is no payment left!
To stick with our illustration, you wake up in the morning, and the new car is in the driveway without you having to pay anything!
Salvation is not merely started – it is finished.
Those who turn Christ as Savior and Lord find their debt is already paid.
The mortgage of our salvation is not re-negotiated.
It is paid in full!
To make the analogy more accurate, the mortgage and all future taxes are paid.
This is not how most people view salvation.
They believe the death of Jesus is necessary for salvation, but there is some part of their salvation they must pay themselves.
Some people believe Jesus just made the down payment, and now they have to pay the rest of the loan by living a “good enough” life.
Still, others believe Jesus died to make up the difference in what we could pay ourselves.
In other words, some people get closer to earning salvation than others.
This gives room for a certain measure of smugness if you believe you “earned” more of your salvation than someone else did.
These people misunderstand the finished nature of Christ’s work.
Paul asks in Romans 3,
27 Can we boast, then, that we have done anything to be accepted by God? No, because our acquittal is not based on obeying the law.
It is based on faith.
(27)
In Ephesians 2:9 we read,
9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.
Stop for a minute and think about what it would be like if you never had to fret about whether you had done enough to warrant God’s grace?
What if you never had to be afraid your stained past might keep you out of Heaven?
What if you really believed that Jesus finished the work of redemption on the cross?
Would you get lazy?
Perhaps some people would.
I think most people would be set free to honor and serve the Lord.
You could rejoice in your salvation rather than be tentative because you just didn’t know if you had “made it.”
The other thing that would happen is you would fall before the Lord with humility because you had received a gift you did not deserve and could not earn.
You would cease all boasting and instead of pointing to yourself you would be pointing to Jesus.
Instead of trying to “look devout” in worship you would truly worship as a way of honoring and thanking the One who made it possible for you to be free.
This is a gamechanger!
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