"Christ is A Finisher"

John 19: 28-30

28 After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst. 29 Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a spunge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth. 30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost

Introduction: As we celebrate Easter, its important that we don’t commercialize this sacred day. Easter is the Super Bowl of the saints. It sits as the foundation of our faith. If Christ be not risen for the grave then our faith is useless. But because he lives, I can face tomorrow, because he lives, all of my fears are gone. Because I know who holds my future. Now life is worth living just because he lives.

To those of us who may have grown up in church, it’s easy for us to hear the Ressurrection story and get excited about it: without having a real appreciation for what it means for our every day life. This is what Paul says about Jesus Ressurection: If this same power be in you that raises Jesus from the grave, it should also quicken your mortal bodies. One translations say It should also make you alive. The same power that raised Jesus from the grave has been transferred to you. This power empowers us to live fruitful and victorious lives on behalf of Christ and his kingdom.

In John 19: 30, Jesus utters the phrase, “it is finished.” This one phrase helps us understand something about God’s character and that is - He’s a finisher. There’s nothing worse than giving someone an assignment and the entire day you think they’re working on it, only to get to the end of the day and realize that they’ve checked out on you and dropped the ball. But this scripture lets us know that God is a finisher. In fact, when he got ready to describe himself, he said, I’m alpha ; but I’m also omega. I’m beginning, but I’m also the end. I’m the author of your faith - but I’m also the finisher of your faith. This lets us know that whatever God started in your life, it doesn’t matter what happens in the middle. You may go through some storms, you may lose some friends, you may change jobs, but at the end God is going to complete everything he said he would do in your life.

+ This also help you understand that God doesn’t wait until the enemy throws his first blow at you, but before the problem ever present itself, God has already created a solution for it. The second thing Christ finished at the Cross is . . .

Jesus’ death didn’t just give us access to salvation, but it also gave us access to God father through prayer. Go to Ephesians 2: 11-18

11 Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; 12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: 13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. 14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; 15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; 16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: 17 And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. 18 For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.

Here, Paul tells the church in ephesians that Christ has broken down the partition between you and God. You have to be careful because

+religion tends to put barriers between God and people.

+ religious folks will make you think that if you don’t worship like they worship, shout like they shout, and dance like they dance that you don’t have a real relationship with God.

+ That type of social pressure in the church, creates an atmosphere where we birth copycats. In a need to fit in with those that are around us we change our worship style to fit those with whom we worship.

+ But, when Jesus died he broke down the wall between you and him, so that you don’t have to settle for a just collective experience with him based on rules and dos and don’t but you can have a personal private and intimate relationship with him and him alone.

+ Now, you must understand that this was news for the new testament church, because they understood Old Testament protocol.

+ In the Old Testament, only the priest had direct access to God. The priest would go into the temple each year to atone for the sins of the people. And only the priest was allowed behind the veil Of the temple to commune with God. But the Bible says, that when Jesus died, the viel of the Temple was ripped from topped to bottom signifting that you no longer had to go through the priest to Get to God, but you can go God all by yourself. And ”Jesus’ name is so powerful, that he said when you pray don’t pray in your own name, but whatever you ask, if you ask it in the name of “Jesus” I‘ll do it for you.