Dear Christian friends:

"When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit." (John 19:30)

It doesn't seem like anything is finished or built:
Jesus seems helpless.
Jesus' disciples forsake Him.
Jesus seems to fail.
Really Jesus' words, "It is finished," are a shout of victory. The greatest victory of any.

"All is now accomplished" (John 19:28) Not only Jesus' suffering, but also we; not only we; but the whole world! Salvation is finished! Jesus paid it all! Nothing left for man to do for his salvation.

"All" is now finished! We must not weaken that word "All". Man the sinner brought evil, sickness, curse, death and punishment. Jesus on the cross wins a new world for man!

Jesus' death on the cross brings many deep blessings to our world to man. Sickness of body and soul and all nature finished, healed! Enmity between God and man now taken away. God and man now peace friends. The rule of sin is ended! Eternal death is destroyed! Eternal life is now here. Man and nature are free! A new world is here!

True, it may not seem that has happened yet. We still have sickness and die. We still have good times and bad times. Where is our victory over sin? We daily are tempted and often fail. Where is the new man? Where is the new world?

Maybe we should say it will or we hope. Can we say, "It is finished", "All is accomplished?" Paul did. "We are justified", "In Christ all died", He even says, "We are risen." "We have ascended." Paul knows that our sinful heart still fights against the spirit and that all nature waits for final salvation. Yet he says, "Old things are passed away; behold all things are become new." Contradictions? Yes! But true! By faith Paul is justified and risen. By faith we see a new world replace the old.

All is accomplished, finished because Jesus finished the work God asked Him to do. Our sin became His sin so that His holiness and righteousness can become ours. Our death and punishment became His, so that His life and glory can become ours.

Jesus finished our salvation and a new world for us in heaven. Do you believe it? Are you finished? Finished with the Ten Commandments? Finished worrying about money or health or other problems? Are you finished worrying about death?

We should be! Jesus has finished it all. We should also be finished! And my sermon is finished!

Amen.