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Sermon Notes & Pictures

• It is finished
• Jesus’ words, “It is finished,” appears only twice in the New Testament–John 19:28 and John 19:30.
• What Does Tetelestai Mean?

• “It is finished,” which is one of Jesus’ most important statements, is translated from the single Greek word tetelestai.
• I don know all the tenses- but it means it has been completed and the result of that action is ongoing and with full effect.
• tetelestai was used in Greco-Roman culture—
• An artist would say Tetelestai! to announce a painting was finished
• A Servant would say Tetelestai to announce he had finished a work given to him
• A judge would say Tetelestai to announce that Justice had been srved
• A judge might have said Tetelestai! when he conferred a sentence or when issuing a ruling that a
• A priest might have said Tetelestai! when he recognized an unblemished and acceptable sacrifice for God.
• A merchant might have said Tetelestai! after stamping a bill “the debt has been paid.”
• A soldier might have said Tetelestai! as a battle cry toward a vanquished foe. The soldier would yell, “You are finished!”

What was finished?

1.Jesus finished what God told him to do

• Matthew 5:17 “ Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill”
• Matthew 10:34-36 34 “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. 35 For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’; 36 and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.
• Luke 12:51 Do you suppose that I came to give peace on earth? I tell you, not at all, but rather division
• The work of Jesus was to draw people to the one true God, at the expense of all other truths, religions, beliefs and thoughts.
• This is the most divisive message the world does not want to hear

• In a world that has become saturated with self esteem and everyone gets a swing at the bat, it is a message of Follow Jesus or go to Hell.
• John 6:38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.
• John 12:46-48 46 I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness. 47 And if anyone hears My words and does not believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. 48 He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him—the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day
• John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
• Jesus came to bring people from death to life- from darkness to light- from hell to heaven.

• Jesus finished this work that was given to him by his father.

1.  Jesus came to pay for our Sin

• Jesus came to make propitiation for our record of sin against God. Jesus finished the work given to Him by His Father.
• what is a debt? its something owed for something given- My Yukon- not Paid in full- now paid in full- I’ll get a deed- that deed PROVES that my debt has been paid- Im not sending them more checks- “just to make sure I really am paid off”
• Romans 5:6-11 6 For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. 10 For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. 11 And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.
• if Jesus hadn’t said “it is finished” we wouldn’t be able to be reconciled to God
• Jesus came to make a way, the only way, for people to find mercy, grace, and help in time of need. Jesus, the sympathetic Savior, finished the work given to Him by His Father.

1. Jesus says “it is finished”

• we identified the IT but what is it that is finished?
• What Jesus finished was finished for eternity. Then, now and today and forever.
• You can’t add to it, you can’t take away from it. There is nothing else for us to do to make this fact more factual.
• The eternal work of Jesus Christ has been completed!

• This should change the way that we live! It should motivate us to live a different way!
• If you truly understood grace- you’d walk in such love because you know what it cost
• My friend Tyson from school- drove me every day- never asked for anything- If he asked me for a ride today? I’d do it in a heartbeat- He can’t take those rides away, but I can be unappreciative
• Jesus finished the work of forgiveness for our sins when he was nailed to that cross
• God placed his wrath against sin on his son for our benefit
• There was a great exchange that took place here-

• 2 cor 5:21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
• Colossians 2:13-15 And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, 14 having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. 15 Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.
• For those who receive Christ- God now looks upon them as if they lived a sinless life-

• Those of us in Christ are looked upon by God as if we had never sinned-
• THE POWER OF SIN HAS BEEN BROKEN
• Why would you go back to something you’ve been set free from?
• Got deployed to Bosnia 3 months after being married- I didn’t get back on the plane- DONE

• The work on the cross made every mans attempt to appease God, rubbish!
• The debt I owe to God was PAID IN FULL by JESUS when he shed his blood on my behalf!
• IT IS FINISHED!

Implications of “it is finished”

• Implications of Tetelestai
• people who want to add to the work of Jesus are trampling on the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ!
• They want to replace the work of the Cross from “it is finished” to “you better finish it”
• The greatest implication of Grace is that it cannot be earned, bought, or sold- it is only through FAITH that it can be appropriated
• This is EXCITING if you have repented and received Christ as Lord! By the grace of GOD
• But its BAD if you’re trying to ADD to to the WORK of JESUS
• If you don’t believe in the Death, burial and Resurrection of Jesus, God’s WRATH is on you!
• John 3:34-36 For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God does not give the Spirit by measure. 35 The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into His hand. 36 He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.You cannot earn your salvation through communion
• You cannot earn your salvation through witnessing
• You cannot earn your salvation by doing enough works
• You cannot believe that Jesus was only a prophet
• This is why we as Christians- must preach and believe that Salvation is in Jesus Christ alone!
• I understand that you may get tired of hearing this message- but folks- I want you to invite everyone one you know to come and hear this truth-
• if you do not have Jesus you are an enemy of God, but if you receive him, you become his friend!
• There is a church I know of- and when ever I meet people from that church- they always say the same thing about that pastor- “he is so funny”
• I dont want you guys to say I’m funny. I hope you say- That guy preaches Jesus!
• We will be a slow growing church- but the people who come to church here will know this truth!
  IF you recieve JESUS IT IS FINISHED! God loves you! God forgives you! You are the righteousness of GOD
• If your testimony isn’t “I was forgiven of my sins before God” then you don’t understand salvation
• God didn’t fill a hole in your heart, he didnt give you a destiny, he didn’t prosper the work of your hands, he didn’t end your loneliness. God WILL do all those things! BUT IT IS PREDICATED ON SALVATION!
• WE MUST SHARE THIS TRUTH

• It doesnt take gimmicktry, we do not need to make it palatable. We do not need to entice people with false hopes and expectations
• Someone told me that I preach fire and brimstone- its funny- Everyone I know that has been saved, filled with HS and is walking with Jesus APPRECIATES preaching that draws men to repentance- it reveals the desperation of the heart and the need for a SAVIOR
• One visit to church may be all that you get! Woe be to me if I miss this opportunity to tell you!
• YES GOD LOVES YOU! he Loves you SO MUCH THAT he Sent JESUS To DIE FOR YOU
• It is false to believe

• “Christians have to earn the right to share the gospel with someone.” Jesus already EARNED IT
• “Unbelievers need to see Jesus in you before they will hear what you have to say.” I am not Jesus! I FOLLOW JESUS
• “People need to hear more than ‘Jesus can forgive your sins and give you eternal life.’ They need help with the real problems they’re facing today.”
• Being forgiven of your sins will be the first step to fixing all the problems that you have in your life
• We need to serve. We need to show hospitality. We need to love on people. But people need to HEAR why we do this!
• If we never TELL Them we are going to serve them into HELL
• When Jesus said “it is finished” I believe that he meant it
• WE MUST WALK IN THIS TRUTH

• You don’t need to get resaved every day- you need to walk in the forgiveness that Christ has provided
• You do not have to feel inferior because of your past sins or missteps before God- if you’ve recieved Christ as savior- walk with your HEAD HIGH and your SMILE FIXED
• Jesus has FORGIVEN YOU and you should WALK IN IT
• We all have things that we wish we wouldn’t have done- thoughts, actions, deeds, beliefs
• but through JESUS We can walk CONFIDENTLY before GOD and MEN because of JESUS
• WE MUST FORGIVE OTHERS

• I’m not saying we need to sign off on their lifestyle- I’m saying if someone hurts you, forgive them because Christ FORGAVE YOU
• Don’t hold grudges, don’t attempt to hurt them, don’t try to mess up their life
• If Jesus Forgave YOU you should forgive OTHERS
• Forgiveness isnt giving someone else permission to hurt you again, its allowing you to move on
• Forgiveness is a gift to yourself, not a gift to another person- you recieved it- you give it!