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.

Today we look back almost two-thousand years and remember and celebrate Jesus' death.

His death was truly a special death. No man ever died like Jesus died. His death was truly a surprising death. Our text tells about Jesus' death, which is very precious to us Christians.


I. He really died, like any man.

It is hard for us to understand that Jesus could die. He is the Son of God, equal with God the Father. And we know that God cannot die. Nevertheless Jesus did die. He dies according to his human nature.

Our text says, "He bowed His head and gave up His Spirit." That means He died. Now His body hangs limp, without life. His lips speak no more; His eyes see no more; His ears hear no more; His heart beats no more! Jesus is really dead. God's special, only Son has died!

II. His death is different, voluntary.

In many ways Jesus' death is like any other man's death, the soul leaves the body. But in one way Jesus' death is different, special. Death happens to us through sickness, accident or someone kills us. But Jesus "gave up His spirit." John uses the Greek word "aphekin" which means "dismissed." Jesus dismissed His soul. The crucifixion did not kill Jesus. Other criminals who were crucified often hung on the cross a week before dying. They did not die of the nail wounds but of exposure to cold or infection.

The Jewish priests asked Pilate to send the soldiers to break the legs of the three who had been crucified so that they would die quickly and their bodies could be taken away buried before Passover began at 6:00 pm. So the soldier came to the place and broke the legs of the two criminals who had been crucified with Jesus, but when they came to Jesus they saw that He had already died, so they did not break His legs.

The crucifixion did not kill Jesus. He gave up His life. When Luke describes Jesus' death he writes that Jesus said a prayer as He died, "Father into Your hands I give up My spirit!" After He said this He gave up His spirit. (Luke 23:46)

Before He died, a few days before, Jesus said to His disciples, "The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.” (John 10:17-18)

When Jesus had finished His work on earth He died, not before. At other times the Jews tried to kill Him, but He did not permit them. His time had not yet come. His work was not yet finished. But now His work is finished. He says, "It is finished!" Then He gave up His life.

The soldiers did not kill Him; the crucifixion did not kill Him; He gave His life. He offered His life upon the cross. Why? He died to destroy death. The penalty of sin is death. (Romans 6:23) Jesus volunteered to suffer death, the penalty of sin, for all people. His death frees us from eternal death. Therefore death is destroyed.

Jesus took our place on the cross. He let God forsake Him, so that we can come near to God. He Himself had no sin, but He accepted our sin, so that His righteousness can become our righteousness. He accepts our death and gives us His life. (2 Corinthians 5:21)

III. He died to destroy death and give us life.

Jesus arose from death on Easter morning to show that God has accepted His suffering and death for our salvation. (Romans 4:25) Therefore death is destroyed, and we have new and eternal life through faith in His name. Death no more rules. We live the life eternal. A new world is here!

But it doesn't seem that way. We still die. We still have sickness, ups and downs. Where is the victory over sin and death? We daily are tempted and often fall. Where is the new life in us?

Maybe we should say it will be perfect one day, or we hope it will be perfect. Can we say it is finished, successful? St. Paul said that. He says, "We are justified (right now before God)." "In Christ all died." He even says, "We are risen."

Paul knows very well that our sinful heart still fights against the spirit and that all creation waits for final salvation, and yet he says, "Old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature." Contradictions? Yes! But still true! In Christ Jesus we are justified and risen and have new life.

All is accomplished on the cross because Jesus finished the work God asked Him to do. He died for us.

By faith, if we believe in Jesus, we are united with Him now and forever. His death is our death; His resurrection is our resurrection; His new life is our new life; His glory is our glory.

Yet we must fight the good fight of faith and woe to us if we fail to fight! But if we believe in Jesus this battle is decided already, and we know that we have already won, although the world is fast becoming more against God. We must wait for the Lord's return, and woe to us if we no more want to wait! But if we believe, we know that the Lord is with us now and that He rules over all things.

Even when we must die we are not afraid. Paul says, "We are not afraid, but are content to die, because then we will be home with the Lord." (2 Corinthians 5:8) With David we say, "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me. (Psalm 23:4)

Because Jesus volunteered to die on the cross for us we can now live with hope and die with hope and victory! Glory be to Jesus!

Amen.