Untitled Sermon (13)

Jawaan Wilson / General

Power of the Resurrection / Lk 23:26–43; Lk 23:44–49; John 19:30

Observations:

Jesus and the Jerusalem Women (Luke 23:27–31)

Luke 23:27–31ESV

27 And there followed him a great multitude of the people and of women who were mourning and lamenting for him. 28 But turning to them Jesus said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. 29 For behold, the days are coming when they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren and the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’ 30 Then they will begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us,’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us.’ 31 For if they do these things when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?”

• In this crowd was a group of women who openly wept and lamented as they sympathized with Jesus and contemplated the terrible spiritual condition of their nation. It has been pointed out that, as far as the Gospel records are concerned, no woman was ever an enemy of Jesus. Nor was Jesus ever the enemy of womankind. His example, His teachings, and His redemption have done much to dignify and elevate women. The news of His birth was shared with a Jewish maiden, Grieving women witnessed his death, and the good news of His resurrection was announced first to a woman who had been demon-possessed.

• The nation of Israel was like a “green tree” during the years when Jesus was on earth. It was a time of blessing and opportunity, and it should have been a time of fruitfulness. But the nation rejected Him and became like a “dry tree,” fit only for the fire. Jesus often would have gathered His people together, but they would not. In condemning Him, they only condemned themselves.

• We might paraphrase His words: "If the Roman authorities do this to innocent One, what will they do to you who are guilty? Can there be any escape for you?"

Jesus and two thieves (Luke 23:32–43)

Luke 23:32–43ESV

32 Two others, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. 33 And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. 34 And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments. 35And the people stood by, watching, but the rulers scoffed at him, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God, his Chosen One!” 36 The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine 37 and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” 38 There was also an inscription over him, “This is the King of the Jews.” 39 One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” 40 But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” 43And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

• It had been prophesied that the Suffering Servant would be “numbered with the transgressors” (Isa. 53:12; Luke 22:37), and two criminals were crucified with Jesus, men who were robbers (Matt. 27:38). These two men may have been guilty of an armed robbery involving murder.

Luke 22:37ESV

37 For I tell you that this Scripture must be fulfilled in me: ‘And he was numbered with the transgressors.’ For what is written about me has its fulfillment.”

Isaiah 53:12ESV

12 Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.

Our Lord was crucified about 9 a.m. and remained on the cross until 3 p.m.; from noon to 3 p.m., darkness was over all the land (Mark 15:25, 33). Jesus spoke seven times during those six terrible hours:

1. “Father, forgive them” (Luke 23:34).

2. “Today shalt thou be with Me in paradise” (Luke 23:43).

3. “Woman, behold thy son” (John 19:25–27).

[Three hours of darkness; Jesus is silent]

4. “Why hast Thou forsaken Me?” (Matt. 27:46)

5. “I thirst” (John 19:28).

6. “It is finished!” (John 19:30)

7. “Father, into Thy hands” (Luke 23:46).

Luke recorded only three of these seven statements, the first, the second, and the last. Our Lord’s prayer for His enemies, and His ministry to a repentant thief, fit in well with Luke’s purpose to show Jesus Christ as the sympathetic Son of man who cared for the needy.

While they were nailing Him to the cross, He repeatedly prayed, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). Not only was He practicing what He taught (Luke 6:27–28), but He was fulfilling prophecy and making “intercession for the transgressors” (Isa. 53:12).

• It was providential that Jesus was crucified between the two thieves, for this gave both of them equal access to the Saviour. Both could read Pilate's superscription, "This is Jesus of Nazareth the King of the Jews," and both could watch Him as He graciously gave His life for the world's sins.

• The one thief imitated the mockery of the religious leaders and asked Jesus to rescue him from the cross, but the other thief had different ideas. It took courage for this thief to defy his friend's influence and the crowd's mockery, and it took faith for him to trust a dying King! When you consider all that he had to overcome, the faith of this thief is astounding.

• Contrast of the two thieves

The man was saved by grace; it was the gift of God (Eph. 2:8–9). He did not deserve it, and he could not earn it. His salvation was personal and secure, guaranteed by the Word of Jesus Christ. The man hoped for some help in the future, but Jesus gave him forgiveness that very day, and he died and went with Jesus to paradise (2 Cor. 12:1–4).

What transpired on the cross?

Explanation

Just One Word. If you weren't paying attention, you missed it in all the confusion. Then he breathed out another sentence. Then he was dead.

What was that shout? In Greek it is only one Word… Tetelestai … “It is finished.”

Was, Is And Always Will Be

Tetelestai comes from the verb teleo, which means "to bring to an end, to complete, to accomplish." It's a crucial word because it signifies the successful end to a particular course of action. It's the Word you would use when you climb to the peak of Mt. Everest; it's the Word you would use when you turn in the final copy of your dissertation; it's the Word you would use when you make the final payment on your new car; it's the Word you use when you cross the finish line of your first 10K run. The Word means more than just "I survived." It means "I did exactly what I set out to do."

But there’s more here than the verb itself. Tetelestai is in the perfect tense in Greek. That's significant because the perfect tense speaks of an action which has been completed in the past with results continuing into the present. It's different from the past tense, which looks back to an event and says, "This happened." The perfect tense adds the idea that "This happened, and it is still in effect today."

When Jesus cried out, "It is finished," he meant "It was finished in the past, it is still finished in the present and it will remain finished in the future."

Note one other fact. He did not say, “I am finished,” for that would imply that he died defeated and exhausted. Rather, he cried out “It is finished,” meaning “I successfully completed the work I came to do.”

Tetelestai, then, is the Savior’s final cry of victory. When he died, he left no unfinished business behind. When he said, “It is finished,” he was speaking the truth.

What Was Finished?

When you read these words of Jesus, only one question grips the mind—What was finished? As you survey the commentators, you find that each writer has his idea of the answer to that question. In fact, the answers are as varied as the writers themselves.

As I prepared for this message this week, I pulled my commentary from Matthew Henry, who lived and wrote over 300 years ago. Although many have surpassed him in details of exegesis, his work endures as one of the most significant devotional commentaries ever written. In his remarks on this saying of Jesus (volume 5, p. 1201), he lists eight things that were finished or completed when Jesus cried out "It is finished."

1. The malice of his enemies was finished. By nailing him to the cross, they had done their worst. There was nothing more they could do to the Son of God.

2. The sufferings ordained by God were finished. Many times during his ministry, Jesus spoke of "the work" he was sent to do and of the "hour" of trouble that was coming. He once said of a "baptism" of suffering he must undergo. God ordained all those things. None of them happened by chance. Even the evil plans of the Jews fit somehow into God's more excellent plan to save the world through the death of his Son (Acts 2:23). But those sufferings were now at an end.

3. All the Old Testament types and prophecies were fulfilled. Matthew Henry lists a number of examples—He had been given vinegar to drink (Psalm 69:21), he had been sold for 30 pieces of silver (Zechariah 11:12), his hands and feet had been pierced (Psalm 22:16), his garments had been divided (Psalm 22:18), and his side was pierced (Zechariah 12:10). There are many other prophesies surrounding his death. All those had been or very soon would be fulfilled.

4. The ceremonial law was abolished. As Romans 10:4puts it, Christ is “the end of the law.” It finds its completion and fulfillment in him. Therefore, all the Old Testament rules concerning animal sacrifices are set aside. And the rules and regulations concerning the priesthood are out of date since the Greater Priest has now laid down his life for his people. Those laws pointed to the cross. But once Jesus died, they were no longer needed. “The Mosaic economy is dissolved, to make way for a better hope.”

5. The price of sin was paid in full. Do you remember the words of John the Baptist when he saw Jesus? He called him “The lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” (John 1:29) That “taking away” of sin was accomplishment by the death of our Lord.

6. His physical sufferings were at an end. “The storm is over, the worst is past; all his pains and agonies are at an end, and he is just going to paradise, entering upon the joy set before him.”

7. His life was now finished. When Jesus cried out “It is finished,” he had only a few seconds to live. All that he had come to do had been fully accomplished. His life and his mission came to an end at exactly the same moment.

8. The work of redemption was now complete. This is undoubtedly the major meaning. Matthew Henry expands on what Christ's death accomplished in four statements, each one beginning with the letter F.

• A. Full satisfaction for sin

• B. Fatal blow to Satan

• C. Fountain of grace opened that will flow forever

• D. Foundation of peace laid that will last forever

Paid In Full

But there is more to the meaning of tetelestai. It means all of the above, but it especially applies to the price paid for the world's sins. Merrill Tenney (Expositor’s Bible Commentary, IX, 185) notes that the verb

was used in the first and second centuries in the sense of “fulfilling” or “paying” a debt and often appeared in receipts. “It is finished” (Tetelestai) could be interpreted as “Paid in full.”

“Paid in full” means that once a thing is paid for, you never have to pay for it again. In fact, “paid in full” means that once a thing is paid for, it is foolish to try to pay for it again.

Name Your Sin

What sin is keeping you from God today? Is it anger? Is it lust? Is it a hard heart of unbelief? Is it alcohol abuse? Is it an uncontrollable temper? Is it cheating? Is it stealing? Is it adultery? Is it abortion? Is it pride? Is it greed?

Let me tell you the best news you’ve ever heard. It doesn’t matter what “your” sin is. It doesn’t matter how many sins you’ve piled up in your life. It doesn’t matter how guilty you think you are. It doesn’t matter what you’ve been doing this week. It doesn’t matter how bad you’ve been. It doesn’t matter how many skeletons rattle around in your closet.

All of your sins have been stamped by God with one Word—Tetelestai—Paid in full.

Anger … Tetelestai … Paid in Full

Uncontrolled ambition … Tetelestai … Paid in Full

Gossip … Tetelestai … Paid in Full

Drunkenness … Tetelestai … Paid in Full

Fornication … Tetelestai … Paid in Full

Embezzlement … Tetelestai … Paid in Full

Lying … Tetelestai … Paid in Full

Disobedience … Tetelestai … Paid in Full

Slothfulness … Tetelestai … Paid in Full

Pride … Tetelestai … Paid in Full

Murder … Tetelestai … Paid in Full

Bribery … Tetelestai … Paid in Full

Those are just examples. Just fill in the blank with whatever sins plague your life. Then write over those sins the Word Tetelestai because through the blood of Jesus Christ the price for “your” sins has been Paid in Full.

Three Abiding Principles

1. Since Jesus Christ paid in full, the work of salvation is now complete. That is what “It is finished” means. The debt was paid, the work was accomplished, the sacrifice was completed. And since the verb is in the perfect tense, it means that when Jesus died, he died once for all time. The sacrifice was suffi-cient to pay for the sins of every person who has ever lived—past, present or future. (Cover Cults and address Hebrew Israelites here)

2. Since Jesus Christ paid in full, all efforts to add anything to what Christ did on the cross are doomed to failure. the Doctrinal Statement of Dallas Theological Seminary. In Article VII, "Salvation Only Through Christ,"

We believe that, owing to universal death through sin, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless born again; and that no degree of reformation however great, no attainments in morality however high, no culture however attractive, no baptism or other ordinance however admini-stered can help the sinner take even one step toward heaven; but a new nature imparted from above, a new life implanted by the Holy Spirit through the Word is essential to salvation, and only those thus saved are the sons of God.

We believe, also, that our redemption has been accomplished solely by the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, who was made to be sin and was made a curse for us, dying in our place and stead; and that no repentance, no feeling, no faith, no good resolutions, no sincere efforts, no submission to the rules and regulations of any church, nor all the churches that have existed since the days of the Apostles can add in the very slightest degree to the value of the blood, or to the merit of the finished work of Jesus Christ. (italics added)

It says it all. You can’t add anything to the value of what Jesus did on the cross. You are doomed to failure if you try.

Let me put it very simply. If Jesus paid it all, you don't have to. If you try to pay for your salvation, you don't think he paid it all. There is no middle ground between those two propositions.

God is not trying to sell you salvation. He’s not offering salvation at half-price. He’s not offering to go “Dutch Treat” with you. He’s not offering salvation on an installment plan.

God is offering you salvation free of charge. That’s what Tetelestai means. Jesus paid in full so you wouldn’t have to pay anything.

3. Since Jesus Christ paid in full, the only thing you can do is accept it or reject it.

Illustration Simon of Cyrene

Simon may have come into the city to attend the 9 a.m. prayer meeting in the temple, but the soldiers rearranged his schedule for him. What looked to Simon like a catastrophe turned out to be a fantastic opportunity, for it brought him in contact with Jesus Christ. (By the way, where was the other Simon—Simon Peter—who had promised Jesus to go with Him to prison and to death?)

We have good reason to believe that Simon was converted because of this encounter with Jesus. Mark identified him as "the father of Alexander and Rufus" (Mark 15:21), two men that Mark assumed his Roman readers would know. Paul greeted a Christian named Rufus in Romans 16:13, and it is possible that he was the Son of Simon of Cyrene. Apparently Simon and his two sons became well-known Christians who were held in honor in the church.

Before Simon met Jesus, he had religion and devotion; but after he met Jesus, he had reality and salvation. He did both a physical and spiritual "about-face" that morning, and it transformed his life. God can still use unexpected and challenging situations, even humiliating situations, to bring people to the Saviour.