It Is Finished
By Susan Klein
Jesus said,
“It is finished.”
With that, He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.
With that, He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.
Every once in awhile, I find my mind
wandering to the memories of sins in my past. Old feelings of guilt overcome me
and I wonder how God could possibly have forgiven them all, not to mention how
He keeps forgiving my many trespasses in the present…and those yet to come. I
want to cry out like King David in the Old Testament, “Remember not the sins of
my youth and my rebellious ways” (Psalm 25:7, NIV). That is when I have to take
my thoughts back to the finished work of the Cross.
When Jesus uttered the words, “It is
finished” from the Cross, He wasn’t talking about His physical life being over.
He was speaking of the completion of the task He had been called to perform by
the Father: bearing all the sins of the world and paying the penalty for each
and every one of us. The word “finished” here indicates a conclusion of a job
or task, a goal achieved - - yet not just ended but brought to perfection. In essence, Jesus was
saying, “Father, what you have asked me to do has been perfectly completed, now
and forevermore.” (Jesus spoke of this completed work before it even
happened in His prayer to the Father in John, chapter 17.) Since I know this to be a
true statement, how can I possibly question His forgiveness? Who am I to
suggest that my sins are too great for this finished perfect work?
In their song, “You Love Me Anyway,”
the Sidewalk Prophets describe this very sentiment:
I am the thorn in Your crown
But You love me anyway
I am the sweat from Your brow
But You love me anyway
I am the nail in Your wrist
But You love me anyway
I am Judas' kiss
But You love me anyway [1]
But You love me anyway
I am the sweat from Your brow
But You love me anyway
I am the nail in Your wrist
But You love me anyway
I am Judas' kiss
But You love me anyway [1]
God loved us so much that He
willingly gave us His perfect Son, who demonstrated His love by dying on the
Cross and paying the penalty once and for all for every sin ever committed on
the face of this earth. His one act of selfless, perfect love was the final payment,
bringing all sacrifices to a final end. Conclusion: “It is finished.”
Dear ones, it truly is finished. We
are once and for all, now and forever, completely forgiven. Let’s live like it!
GOING DEEPER:
1. What sins in your own life might
you have trouble viewing as “forgiven”?
2. Ponder the personal significance
of these three words, “It is finished.”
FURTHER READING:
Susan
is married to Mark, and has two adult children. She enjoys teaching Bible
studies, writing, and tutoring with the Literacy Council. She is a member of
the Peace Team at Oakwood and also co-leads an on-site small group.
