Christ’s Cross of Completion
John 19:25-42 Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene. (26) When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son! (27) Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home. (28) After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst. (29) Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a spunge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth. (30) When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost. (31) The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. (32) Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other which was crucified with him. (33) But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs: (34) But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water. (35) And he that saw it bare record, and his record is true: and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe. (36) For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken. (37) And again another scripture saith, They shall look on him whom they pierced. (38) And after this Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus: and Pilate gave him leave. He came therefore, and took the body of Jesus. (39) And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight. (40) Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury. (41) Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid. (42) There laid they Jesus therefore because of the Jews' preparation day; for the sepulchre was nigh at hand.
Introduction: In our first few verses we see Jesus speaking first to His Mother, Mary (v 26) and then speaking to His beloved friend, John. (v 27) We see a change in relationship. Mary has now become the Mother of John. Mary is commanded by Jesus to submit to John. From this day forward John would care for her as his Mother.
We see as Jesus is dying on His Cross He is concerned about the welfare of Mary. Jesus is meeting her future needs. Just as He cares for you and I and our needs. He in agony, made sure Mary was taken care of without fail.
Jesus hanging on His Cross, He was not begging for mercy, He was not begging for pain pills, He was taking care of His Fathers business, caring for us.
Yet we will see:
I. JESUS FINISHED HIS WORK,
A. Which No One Else Could Do
1. He Is the Alpha and Omega
2. The Beginning and the End
i. The First and the Last
Revelation 22:13 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.
B. Jesus Could Do It, Because He Is God,
John 10:30 I and my Father are one.
1. He is the express image of God,
Hebrews 1:1-4 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, (2) Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; (3) Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; (4) Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.
2. He is the fullness of the Godhead bodily,
Colossians 2:9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
3. Jesus never gave in to sin’s power of the temptations of Satan,
Matthew 4:10-11 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. (11) Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.
C. Jesus Could Finish The Work,
1. Because as God, He cannot fail.
2. Everything is limited to His will,
i. either holy will or
a. His permissive will,
Romans 12:1-2 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. (2) And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
3. All things are possible with God,
i. Except lies
Matthew 19:26 But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.
Hebrews 6:17-18 Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath: (18) That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:
D. The Man‘s Approval
1. Does not obligate God
i. To accept what is being done in His name.
ii. Works done in His name does not necessarily mean He accepts them
Matthew 7:21-23 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. (22) Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? (23) And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
3. His Word plainly reveals His will
2 Timothy 2:3-6 Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. (4) No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier. (5) And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully. (6) The husbandman that laboureth must be first partaker of the fruits.
II. JESUS FINISHED HIS WORK ON THE CROSS
A. According To The Divine Plan.
John 17:4 I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.
B. The Divine Plan
1. God would be justified
Luke 9:22 Saying, The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day.
2 Peter 1:17 For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
C. His Finished Plan
1. Magnifies His great and marvelous grace,
III. JESUS FINISHED HIS WORK
A. It would have been easier
1. More pleasant for Him
i. To have remained with the Father,
John 17:5 And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.
B. He Tasted Death For All
Hebrews 2:9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.
2 Corinthians 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
C. Accepting Christ As Your Personal Saviour
1. Is granted His forgiveness
i. His justification,
Acts 13:38-39 Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: (39) And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.
CONCLUSION: Here we have seen God’s Plan a Divine Plan partially completed. Now we know there is more coming but the work of the man Jesus’ on earth is done. He tells us, “It is finished.” We will never hear Jesus tell us another parable, nor describe stories illuminating His Father. We will never be able to walk up to Him physically and ask for forgiveness. His work “is finished.”
We read of His command to His Mother; His command to His Apostle John; His death on the Cross; The Roman Soldiers gambling over His robe; and of the Roman Centurion who pierced Christ’s side with a spear. Yet even without next Sunday, we know He lives. We have read the rest of the story.
Also, having read the whole story, today we are concentrating on just one facet of this story that portion of which tells us of Jesus’ physical death. The death of the only begotten Son, God-man, Jesus. Not the death of God, but the death of His only Begotten Son, Jesus.
Now we must know, He did what He did so His blood, which was spilt on Calvary would wash away my sins, not only my sins, but yours also.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
God loved us so much that He sent His only begotten Son to die for our sins on that “Old Rugged Cross.” He loves us dearly, we are His Darlings. (We must carefully note here, that God does not love your sinful attitude, nor your sin that you dally in.) By sending His Son one time to the Cross, we don’t have to hang on the Cross for ourselves nor for our family. Jesus has paid it all. It is paid in full. Nothing owed.
All God has asked of you is to Accept Him through His Son Jesus, confess Him, and Jesus will do the rest.
Romans 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
God tells us in this verse, Confess my Son to men, and believe that I have raised Him from the dead, then and only then, I will save you. Save you from Hell, not yourself, He will then guide you.
Hebrews 10:22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.
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