The
Finished Work
John 19:25 “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.”
1. Setting Things In Order
2. Thirst
Is Last
3. It is Finshed
4. The Sabbath Day
1. Setting Things In Order
Verse twenty-five: “Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene.”
The most basic of human institutions [instituted by God six thousand years ago] is the family. This institution of the family came as a result of the first marriage. The first marriage [instituted by God six thousand years ago] occurred when God removed one of Adam’s ribs [the first man] to form Eve [the first woman], so that she would be a helpmeet to her husband. From Adam and Eve came the first children [Cain and Abel].
This was the first family.
Now, the very God Who created the institution of the family is the very same God Who was to be nailed on the Cross of Calvary that very day. The Son of God was now to set things in order in preparation for His departure from this world.
Now, what is the uppermost important thing on HIS mind? For the Bible reveals what is in His mind. Let’s look. We see Him [in verse twenty-six] making provision … for His mother’s care: “When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son!”
Now, with this done, [that is providing for HIS mother] Jesus Christ had run the full course … from the beginning to the end … for HE is the ONE, WHO created the family [the institution of the family] in the first place, and presently, is seen making provision for the family [by providing for the present and future care of His mother, Mary].
The family is of high priority to God.
2. Thirst Is Last
Verse twenty-eight: “After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst.”
Jesus earlier had already been offered “vinegar to drink mingled with gall” but HE had refused to drink. We can see this in the book of Matthew: “They gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink.” [Matthew 27:34]
Now, just before He gives up the ghost [for the purpose of fulfilling the Scripture], HE was ready to drink. He was thirsty! This is in fulfillment of the Scripture located in Psalms sixty-nine, verse twenty-one: “They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.” [Psalms 69:21]
Now, when a man is thirsty, death is not very far away. Did you know that? We need water to live. Unless our thirst is quenched with water then it will be only a matter of time … till we die.
There is something funny thing about water; we need to keep drinking it! Jesus said in John chapter four verse thirteen: “Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again:” [John 4:13]. Jesus Christ is saying that drinking this kind of water is only a short term solution to solving a man’s eternal thirst.
Only God can break this maxim! In Isaiah the LORD GOD is telling us that HE can “redeem” us, and that HE can “deliver” us from the continual “thirst” problem. “Wherefore, when I came, was there no man? when I called, was there none to answer? Is my hand shortened at all, that it cannot redeem? or have I no power to deliver? behold, at my rebuke I dry up the sea, I make the rivers a wilderness: their fish stinketh, because there is no water, and dieth for thirst.” [Isaiah 50:2]
When the Son of God said while HE hung that old Cross of Mount Calavary: “I thirst”, Old Death was real near.
What was happening here?
I will tell you. Jesus Christ was about to cross the finish line so that man might be redeemed from the curse of sin … which is death, so that man might not hunger or thirst ever again. [Revelation 7:16] “They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat.”
Now, I already have read to you from John four, verse thirteen, now, I will read to you from verse fourteen. Are you ready? “But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.” [John 4:14]
3. It is Finshed
Verse thirty: “When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.”
Isaiah fifty-three: “Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?
For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.
He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.
He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.
And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.
Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.
He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.
Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.” [Isaiah 53:12]
What more can we add to this? We cannot, but to thank God for His unspeakable gift. [2 Corinthians 9:15] “Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.”
4. The Sabbath Day
Verse thirty-one: “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.”
The day they crucified Jesus Christ was on a Wednesday … a day of preparation. [The day of preparation was the day before the Sabbath day.]
Now, Thursday was a Sabbath day. Please note: the Sabbath day [referred to in verse thirty-one] was not the weekly Sabbath day [or the seventh day]. The Sabbath on Thursday was a HIGH DAY. It is as it says in Leviticus: “In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the Lord's passover.” [Leviticus 23:5]
According the Scripture, [in Matthew 12:40] Jesus Christ would be three days and three nights in the center of the earth. “For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.”
This visit to the “heart of the earth” would last from Wednesday till sometime after dusk on Saturday [which is Sunday morning]. This is when Jesus Christ “led captivity captive” and brought Paradise to Heaven. [Ephesians 4:8] “Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.”
Do you believe the Scripture? [Galatians 3:22]
“But the scripture hath concluded all under
sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might
be given to them that believe.” Amen!!