Latest revision as of 17:14, 3 April 2023

Theological Proposition/Focus:

Homiletical Proposition/Application:

Introduction:

Image: The words "Mission Accomplished"

The words "Mission Accomplished" are packed with emotion, satisfaction, and relief. On July 20, 1969 8 years after president John F. Kennedy set the goal of landing a man on the moon, Neil Armstrong put his left foot on the surface of the moon and declared, “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” In his own way Armstrong declared "Mission Accomplished." Years of planning, work, and anticipation were realized in that moment.

Need: There is great value in recognizing the culmination of effort, the accomplishment of a major mission.

Preview: While the moon landing was significant, it pails in comparison with another event in history, and just as those 11 words in in 1969 marked the completion of a major event so 3 words (1 in the Greek) mark this major event. τετέλεσται -it is finished

Text: John 19:28-30

Body

today we have read a variety of passages leading up to the death of Jesus. However, I want to take you back for just a moment. You see, way back in Genesis after being created Adam and Eve made the most significant mistake in history. They chose to disobey God. Their disobedience cast a shadow of sin over creation and in particular mankind. The outlook was bleak at best, Adam and Eve faced things that were previously unimaginable in a cursed Earth, and worst of all they faced separation from the Holy God who had created them. However, in the midst of this gloom a sliver of hope remained.

In Genesis 3:15 that same Holy God who had created promised a Savior.

And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”

All hope was not lost, the God of the universe put a plan in motion, a mission that would make the moon landing pale in comparison. A mission to redeem that which is seemingly unredeemable.

The crucifixion marks the completion of a mission millennia in the making (John 19:28-30).

Let's read John 19:28-30 Later, knowing that everything had now been finished, and so that Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips. When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

The first thing I want you to see is that

Jesus knew exactly what he was doing in his crucifixion (28-29).

Look at verse 28. The text tells us that Jesus knew all the details. One writer has argued that Jesus fulfilled 27 distinct prophecies in the 24 hours leading up to his death.

The odds are of completing such a feat are incredibly small but what is more are the odds of remembering to complete every single item.

I know that when Emily sends me to the grocery store the odds of me remembering more than three specific items is very small. Jesus did not just know the prophecies but he completed every single one.

In fact, so detailed was Christ in his fulfillment of Scripture that even seemingly minor passages like Psalm 69:21 "They put gall in my food and gave me vinegar for my thirst." are fulfilled in Christ.

Image: I can barely remember 4 items at the grocery store.

Now, I have alluded to something here that I want to make more specific. It was not just that Jesus happened to fulfill all of Scripture but that he personally was in control.

Jesus was in complete control of his crucifixion (30).

The climax of the crucifixion comes in verse 30 when Jesus declares τετέλεσται, it is finished.

In just three verses John has used this word three times. The work is done. Mission accomplished.

However, notice, this was not just by chance. John carefully constructs the sentence that describes the death of Jesus.

We might translate this as "after bowing his head he gave the spirit." In other words Jesus was the subject. Jesus gave himself to death. Death did not take Jesus!

But more, there is a type of double entendre here. John does not say that after bowing his head Jesus gave himself over to death. John says that after bowing his head, Jesus gave the spirit.

In John 14 prior to the crucifixion Jesus had promised to send the Holy Spirit, God himself who would dwell within the followers of Christ.

While we know that the Spirit ultimately came 50 days later on the day of Pentecost, the crucifixion marked the act where by the separation between God and man that came in the Garden of Eden was restored.

Jesus declared, Mission Accomplished, what was broken is now restored.

Image: Just like a Newscast would show mission accomplished and then back up, so let me back up.

If you were watching a news piece on an important mission that had been accomplished you would probably see a newscast in which the first portion of the cast was devoted to the act of accomplishing the mission but after those details the news cast would move backward and recount some of the history of the mission, let's do that. You see the problem is our sin, the problem is our need for atonement.

Let's read Hebrews 10:11-12

11 Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, ^[1]

The crucifixion once-for-all satisfies the need for atonement for sins (Hebrews 10:11-12).

As a temporary measure to atone for sin God placed upon the nation of Israel a sacrificial system. F.F. Bruce describes the sacrificial system

The Aaronic priests never sat down in the sanctuary; they remained standing throughout the whole performance of their sacred duties...their sacred duties were never done, that their sacrifices had always to be repeated. In v. 1 the repetition of the ritual of the Day of Atonement “year by year” was mentioned; here, as in 7:27, the reference is to those sacrifices which were offered “day by day.” But whether the repetition was annual or daily, the main point is that repetition was necessary; not one of these sacrifices could remove sin or cleanse the conscience with permanent effect. The completion of one sacrifice meant only that a similar one would have to be offered in due course, and so on indefinitely; it was in keeping with this that the priests of the old order never sat down in the presence of God when a sacrifice had been presented to him. ^[2]

In essence,

The Old Testament sacrifices were both necessary and futile (11).

The sacrifices were an act of obedience that symbolically looked forward to the ultimate sacrifice.

However, while necessary in the interim, these sacrifices were unable to provide any ultimate atonement.

The God of faith showed grace and mercy to the one who in faith offered a temporary sacrifice but the real sacrifice was still needed.

The crucifixion was necessary and efficacious (12).

In contrast to the necessary but ultimately futile work of the priests of the Old Testament, the work of Christ was necessary and efficacious.

The author of Hebrews tells us that when this perfect priest offered his sacrifice for sins he sat down at the right hand of God.

The picture here is of a job completed. Sitting is only reasonable when the work is complete and in contrast to the future work of the past the work of Christ is efficacious and complete. The penalty for sin has been paid once for all.

But there is more! the crucifixion is so much more than just eternal fire insurance! Look at verses 13 and 14

and since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool. 14 For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy. ^[3]

The crucifixion definitively places us within the realm of already not-yet (Hebrews 10:13-14).

In the crucifixion sin has been defeated and the time is coming when this defeat will be fully realized (13).

Image: In the revolutionary war American independence was granted November 1782 but the war didn't end until September 3, 1783.

In one sense, victory was achieved back in 1782 but that victory was not fully realized until 1783.

Understand that if you have accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Savior then you are redeemed, you are saved.

However, sin still abounds but don't despair, the day is coming when all will be made to submit to the victory Christ completed at the cross.

In the crucifixion we have an expectation of a day when we will realize perfective sanctification (14).

In the crucifixion the one who accepts Christ as Savior is made perfect before God.

Understand that you cannot earn your way into Heaven. If you are saved you are already guaranteed Christ's perfect righteousness before God.

But we are also in the not yet. We have been set apart and are being transformed into Christ likeness.

MTR: Today we are going to celebrate the Lord's supper, as we do so take a minute to reflect on both the finality and expectation of the statement "it is finished!."

Conclusion: Lord's Supper

1 Cor. 11:23-26

Today we will celebrate the Lord's supper. This is the ordinance given by Jesus as the means of remembering what he did. Remember, we do this in memory of Christ. If you have not accepted Christ as your personal Savior, then let the elements pass by you. If you are not walking in fellowship with Christ let them pass. This is a memory of Christ and is something he has given his followers. If you are visiting with us today and have accepted Christ as your Savior and are walking with him we invite you to join. This is not our church's supper, it is the Lord's and you are invited to join us.

In just a moment our deacons will hand out the elements. Please just hold on to them, after we sing we will partake in them together. While we are singing. Take time to worship God, take time to ask God to search your heart and show you any outstanding sin. Confess your sin and ask God to bring you into deeper fellowship with him.

Ask Deacons to pass out the elements while people silently pray reflecting.

Invite the Deacons to sit with their families.

Song: How Deep the Father's Love for Us

The Bread

If you will now take your cup you will notice that there are two pieces of plastic on the top of your cup. You can slowly peel off the first piece and reveal the piece of bread. We will be eating this together after I read from 1 Cor. 11 (wait 20 seconds).

 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.”^[4]

Song: Behold the Lamb

The Cup

Now we can take our cup again and peel back the second piece of plastic. After I read we will drink together. Remember, this is done in memory of what Christ did for each of us!

25 In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.”^[5]

1 Cor. 11:26 - Till He Comes and Dismissal

For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

^[6]

After we sing Thank you Jesus we are going to let the tension sit, that we might remember the tension of anticipation of the resurrection.

Song: Thank You Jesus for the Blood.

1. ↑ The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), Heb 10:11–13.
2. ↑ F. F. Bruce, The Epistle to the Hebrews, Rev. ed., The New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1990), 245.
3. ↑ The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), Heb 10:13–14.
4. ↑ The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), 1 Co 11:23–24.
5. ↑ The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), 1 Co 11:25.
6. ↑ The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), 1 Co 11:26.