Read the transcript from today's video devotional.
The famous last words of a person are incredibly significant. Vincent van Gogh said, "The sadness will last forever." Pretty depressing. Benjamin Franklin said, "A dying man can do nothing easy." Think about it—the last words of what somebody says are significant. These are the ultimate words. The last words that Jesus Christ said: "It is finished." He's dying on the cross and He says, "It is finished."
What did He accomplish by saying that? By the way, just a side note—Jesus Christ could not have fallen off a cliff and said, "It is finished." He couldn't fall off a cliff and save us. What He said is significant. The context here is the culmination of Jesus Christ's earthly ministry. He's carrying His own cross to Golgotha. This is a public crucifixion, and this is a world-altering event.
Two History-Shifting Truths
In John chapter 19, verse 30, our Verse of the Day, the Bible says, "When Jesus had tasted it, He said, 'It is finished.' Then He bowed His head and gave up His spirit." Jesus Christ tasted the wrath of God for us. Very simply, in this passage, Jesus declares two history-shifting truths about how He has finished the work of salvation for us—how He has met all the righteous requirements that we need to get to heaven, if we place our faith in Him.
He Finished the Work of Salvation
Number one, He finished the work of salvation. It says right there, when Jesus had tasted it—the wrath of God—He said, "It is finished." In the original language, it's not a cry of defeat. He gave up His spirit. It's a cry of victory. The term was often used to mean "paid in full."
Secondly, He fulfilled His role as Savior. With this cry, Jesus completed everything that you and I needed for salvation. Nothing was left undone. There's nothing left to earn. In 2 Corinthians chapter 5, verse 21, the Bible says, "God made Him—Christ, who knew no sin—to be sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." Jesus wasn't a sinner on the cross. As a matter of fact, He was just as holy as He ever was in heaven when He died on the cross. But God poured His wrath on our sin when He died for us—God made Him who knew no sin to die as if He were a sinner, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. Jesus remained the master of the moment, choosing the precise instant to voluntarily release His spirit and accomplish this tremendous salvation.
How We Apply This
What do we do? How do we apply this? Very simply—number one, trust the finished work of Jesus Christ for you. Trust the work. You can't earn your salvation. If you could earn it, that would nullify grace. The Bible says it's by grace that we're saved through faith. It's not of ourselves. It's not by works, so that no one can boast. Jesus paid it all. We don't have to perform. We don't have to try to earn salvation. He has paid it for us. It is finished. You can't get more finished than finished.
Number two, live for the fame of Jesus. If Jesus Christ did this for us, we should live for the fame of Jesus Christ. First Corinthians chapter 6 says we're to glorify God with our body. In Philippians chapter 1, verse 6, God began a good work in you. He started a good work in us, and the work that He's doing in our lives is still unfinished. Jesus Christ said, "It is finished," but His work in us is still unfinished. Because of what He's done—dying for you, forgiving you of all of your sins—we are in this section, this dash, if you will, between living and dying. The dash in our life is still unfinished, and He is going to finish this work for us.
Jesus said, "It is finished." Now that we are in this unfinished spot in our lives, let's finish the race and serve Jesus Christ so that we can see unbelieving people become committed followers of Him.
