John 19:30. ‘It is finished!’ 22/4/11
When he had received the drink, Jesus said, "It is finished." With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
"It is finished." With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. The Son of God, bowed his head and gave up his spirit. What a terrible situation this is, that the very Son of God should be brought to death itself. Why should one so great and innocent be brought to this point? The situation of evil must surely be extremely great that God’s very own Son is brought to the point of death by it.
Here though we are brought to the understanding that it is humanity; you and I, that has brought this situation to this point. What a sad indictment on our society; on our world. In fact, that surely is a shocking statement of where we are at. This really brings us face to face with the reality of where, even we, who think we are not too bad, are at today. We have driven Jesus to death.
I wonder how many today will note and take to heart the seriousness of this point. I am sure most people, even today, are burying their heads in the sand, or the chase after pleasure, to the point that they do not even consider that it is us that have caused this terrible situation. We certainly are not too willing to acknowledge that each of us are responsible for his death on the cross.
However, this weekend we are called to think seriously about the events surrounding the cross, and the importance of accepting the depth of what it means for us. Here our focus is drawn to the circumstances of an innocent man dying the cruellest of deaths, for crimes that he has never committed. Anyone who has seen the movie, ‘The passion of the Christ’ cannot help but be moved by the terrible suffering that he underwent. It was absolutely sickening to see what he would have gone through. What a shocking, awful event. What a tragedy. Jesus, God’s own Son going through all of that, even though he had done nothing wrong.
What is wrong with us? What have we come to in our thinking, when we can allow, or more to the point, cause, such a thing to happen, without it churning us all up inside; without us asking all kinds of questions; and without us falling on our knees in shame? Particularly when we realize that it was you and I that put him there.
Here we are today getting ourselves all worked up about all kinds of things that are happening in the world around us. But when it comes to this event we acknowledge that perhaps it has happened; maybe it was even important, but we very quickly move on to think about other things. We put a positive ‘spin’ to it all and then move on to think about our own pleasures and happiness. How blatantly arrogant and self-centred is that? How callous and stupid are we really?
Here on Good Friday we have that which brings to light the central core to what is wrong with our world. Here we have that which even reveals the very nature of what and why all the terrible things that are happening around us; and why things are the way they are, today. Yet we very quickly want to ignore having to think about it. We very quickly want to bury our heads in the sand and go on thinking that our world is basically OK; and that we are alright; that mankind is basically good; and that we are evolving into a better world.
When are we going to wake up? When are we going to force ourselves to understand? The heart of all the problems in our own lives and in the world around is that we are rotten to the core. All of us. That is why there are still wars and rumours of wars: that is why there is so much corruption and selfishness: that is why there is so much sickness and death: That is why there are so many hurts and frustrations. Because of our rotten nature that is at the very core of our lives we cannot and we will not ever avoid it in this world of ours.
All of the technology in the world. All the progresses ever made over the centuries, cannot and will not remove the wickedness that is at the very heart of our lives. There always has been, and always will be, suffering, sin and evil. As long as the world stands we can no longer avoid it. And particularly while we human beings and we as individuals, look in the direction we are for our answers to making this world a better place. Technology, the conservation movement, the rights of the individual, equality, or whatever, will not eradicate that which is at the core of our lives. While we continue to focus on those things to improve our situation, not only will we continue to have the problems that we are having, but it will all end in hopelessness and destruction: We will end up needlessly suffering the same consequences as Jesus; no far worse.
Any honest look at humanity and history will tell us that without taking Jesus and his death on the cross seriously, will mean that we will continually go round and round in circles getting nowhere. Until we take notice of what God and his Word has to say with regard to sin and our rebellion against God; and its consequences; then Jesus and his death on the cross will have little meaning for us; and our ‘christian’ message will have no impact on the world around us. We all will continue to wander aimlessly through life; chasing one dream after another, and only finding death.
However, as we recognise and acknowledge that humanity is sinful and rotten at its core then we will find that there is an answer: there is a way out. Today we are reminded of, and commemorate, that way out; that Good News. Here today in the midst of all of the evil and wickedness that is there in our world, we find One is not tainted as we are: one in whom no sin is found. Here on the cross we find God’s own Son, come into our world to help us out of our mess.
Out of love for his wayward, rebellious people, he freely comes and takes all of our sin and wickedness on himself. He allows us to send him to the cross, so that in turn he might take our punishment on himself. He pays the price that is needed for us to be forgiven. He took the full force of evil on himself so that instead of damnation and eternal separation from God, we might have life and salvation. He is forsaken by God Almighty himself, because of us and our sin. But in turn he extends and freely gives us forgiveness of sins, life and salvation: to each and every one of us. Jesus died so that we might live with God for all eternity. A seeming tragedy has been turned into the greatest victory of all time. It is finished! He has won through for us, despite who we are.
Now we are assured that despite who we are, nothing need ever separate us from the love of God, here or in eternity. Jesus, there on the cross, not only reveals to us the true reality of our sin and wickedness, But also God’s answer to it.
So now instead of being left shattered and hopeless; or searching and naive, as we try to find our way in a sinful, rotten world, we can have peace and contentment. Now instead of trying to pretend and prove to ourselves and others that we are not so bad, we can be real and acknowledge that we are far from being the kind of people that we should be. We can do so; first because that is the reality of our situation before God; but also because we now know that Jesus, out of his divine mercy and goodness, has died for us and for our salvation.
Now then we can also look up with humble admiration and awesome wonder to this One who has extended life and salvation to an otherwise dark and gloomy world. Now we can follow Jesus as he moves amongst the lost and lonely of this world, sharing with them the Good News of what he has done for us all. No longer need we be overly concerned as we face the reality of a world gone wrong, because we now know that nothing can ever separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus. As we look to him and his death on the cross we know that he loves us and forgives us. Yes, we know what he says about those who turn their backs on him and reject all that he has done for them, but we look to him and trust that he will keep us on the narrow way.
So, now today, as we are again brought face to face with Jesus and his death on the cross, for us and for our salvation, let us have the confidence to go forward from here, with our focus fixed on Jesus there on the cross. Every day as we look to the cross we realize that it was us who put him there, and so we are able to be realistic about life and the problems and troubles that we face. But we can then go forward with absolute admiration and thankfulness toward Jesus for his dying there in our place. Then as we keep the reality of the cross before us we can have the confidence to face each day as it comes, and even death itself, knowing that it cannot separate us from him.
Yes, Jesus said, "It is finished." With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. But he did so, that life would not be finished for us. So to him be all glory and admiration, now and forever. AMEN.
Pastor Roger Atze
Glandore/Underdale Lutheran Parish
When he had received the drink, Jesus said, "It is finished." With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
"It is finished." With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. The Son of God, bowed his head and gave up his spirit. What a terrible situation this is, that the very Son of God should be brought to death itself. Why should one so great and innocent be brought to this point? The situation of evil must surely be extremely great that God’s very own Son is brought to the point of death by it.
Here though we are brought to the understanding that it is humanity; you and I, that has brought this situation to this point. What a sad indictment on our society; on our world. In fact, that surely is a shocking statement of where we are at. This really brings us face to face with the reality of where, even we, who think we are not too bad, are at today. We have driven Jesus to death.
I wonder how many today will note and take to heart the seriousness of this point. I am sure most people, even today, are burying their heads in the sand, or the chase after pleasure, to the point that they do not even consider that it is us that have caused this terrible situation. We certainly are not too willing to acknowledge that each of us are responsible for his death on the cross.
However, this weekend we are called to think seriously about the events surrounding the cross, and the importance of accepting the depth of what it means for us. Here our focus is drawn to the circumstances of an innocent man dying the cruellest of deaths, for crimes that he has never committed. Anyone who has seen the movie, ‘The passion of the Christ’ cannot help but be moved by the terrible suffering that he underwent. It was absolutely sickening to see what he would have gone through. What a shocking, awful event. What a tragedy. Jesus, God’s own Son going through all of that, even though he had done nothing wrong.
What is wrong with us? What have we come to in our thinking, when we can allow, or more to the point, cause, such a thing to happen, without it churning us all up inside; without us asking all kinds of questions; and without us falling on our knees in shame? Particularly when we realize that it was you and I that put him there.
Here we are today getting ourselves all worked up about all kinds of things that are happening in the world around us. But when it comes to this event we acknowledge that perhaps it has happened; maybe it was even important, but we very quickly move on to think about other things. We put a positive ‘spin’ to it all and then move on to think about our own pleasures and happiness. How blatantly arrogant and self-centred is that? How callous and stupid are we really?
Here on Good Friday we have that which brings to light the central core to what is wrong with our world. Here we have that which even reveals the very nature of what and why all the terrible things that are happening around us; and why things are the way they are, today. Yet we very quickly want to ignore having to think about it. We very quickly want to bury our heads in the sand and go on thinking that our world is basically OK; and that we are alright; that mankind is basically good; and that we are evolving into a better world.
When are we going to wake up? When are we going to force ourselves to understand? The heart of all the problems in our own lives and in the world around is that we are rotten to the core. All of us. That is why there are still wars and rumours of wars: that is why there is so much corruption and selfishness: that is why there is so much sickness and death: That is why there are so many hurts and frustrations. Because of our rotten nature that is at the very core of our lives we cannot and we will not ever avoid it in this world of ours.
All of the technology in the world. All the progresses ever made over the centuries, cannot and will not remove the wickedness that is at the very heart of our lives. There always has been, and always will be, suffering, sin and evil. As long as the world stands we can no longer avoid it. And particularly while we human beings and we as individuals, look in the direction we are for our answers to making this world a better place. Technology, the conservation movement, the rights of the individual, equality, or whatever, will not eradicate that which is at the core of our lives. While we continue to focus on those things to improve our situation, not only will we continue to have the problems that we are having, but it will all end in hopelessness and destruction: We will end up needlessly suffering the same consequences as Jesus; no far worse.
Any honest look at humanity and history will tell us that without taking Jesus and his death on the cross seriously, will mean that we will continually go round and round in circles getting nowhere. Until we take notice of what God and his Word has to say with regard to sin and our rebellion against God; and its consequences; then Jesus and his death on the cross will have little meaning for us; and our ‘christian’ message will have no impact on the world around us. We all will continue to wander aimlessly through life; chasing one dream after another, and only finding death.
However, as we recognise and acknowledge that humanity is sinful and rotten at its core then we will find that there is an answer: there is a way out. Today we are reminded of, and commemorate, that way out; that Good News. Here today in the midst of all of the evil and wickedness that is there in our world, we find One is not tainted as we are: one in whom no sin is found. Here on the cross we find God’s own Son, come into our world to help us out of our mess.
Out of love for his wayward, rebellious people, he freely comes and takes all of our sin and wickedness on himself. He allows us to send him to the cross, so that in turn he might take our punishment on himself. He pays the price that is needed for us to be forgiven. He took the full force of evil on himself so that instead of damnation and eternal separation from God, we might have life and salvation. He is forsaken by God Almighty himself, because of us and our sin. But in turn he extends and freely gives us forgiveness of sins, life and salvation: to each and every one of us. Jesus died so that we might live with God for all eternity. A seeming tragedy has been turned into the greatest victory of all time. It is finished! He has won through for us, despite who we are.
Now we are assured that despite who we are, nothing need ever separate us from the love of God, here or in eternity. Jesus, there on the cross, not only reveals to us the true reality of our sin and wickedness, But also God’s answer to it.
So now instead of being left shattered and hopeless; or searching and naive, as we try to find our way in a sinful, rotten world, we can have peace and contentment. Now instead of trying to pretend and prove to ourselves and others that we are not so bad, we can be real and acknowledge that we are far from being the kind of people that we should be. We can do so; first because that is the reality of our situation before God; but also because we now know that Jesus, out of his divine mercy and goodness, has died for us and for our salvation.
Now then we can also look up with humble admiration and awesome wonder to this One who has extended life and salvation to an otherwise dark and gloomy world. Now we can follow Jesus as he moves amongst the lost and lonely of this world, sharing with them the Good News of what he has done for us all. No longer need we be overly concerned as we face the reality of a world gone wrong, because we now know that nothing can ever separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus. As we look to him and his death on the cross we know that he loves us and forgives us. Yes, we know what he says about those who turn their backs on him and reject all that he has done for them, but we look to him and trust that he will keep us on the narrow way.
So, now today, as we are again brought face to face with Jesus and his death on the cross, for us and for our salvation, let us have the confidence to go forward from here, with our focus fixed on Jesus there on the cross. Every day as we look to the cross we realize that it was us who put him there, and so we are able to be realistic about life and the problems and troubles that we face. But we can then go forward with absolute admiration and thankfulness toward Jesus for his dying there in our place. Then as we keep the reality of the cross before us we can have the confidence to face each day as it comes, and even death itself, knowing that it cannot separate us from him.
Yes, Jesus said, "It is finished." With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. But he did so, that life would not be finished for us. So to him be all glory and admiration, now and forever. AMEN.
Pastor Roger Atze
Glandore/Underdale Lutheran Parish
posted by Roger at
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