It Is Finished

John 19:30 --
Therefore, when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, "It Is Finished!" and He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.

I don't care how many times I read that verse, I am always reminded of the finality of the work of Jesus on the cross and out of the tomb.
He saw it all the way through.
Wrestling in Gethsemane Garden, He set aside his own wants to embrace the Father's will. What an incredible day it must have been there in Jerusalem when Jesus made his way toward Golgotha.
On the surface, it must have seemed like just another day. Sure there was an under current of tension, but this had been going on for some time. Ever since Rome had become a military presence there in the city and the country. 

Crucifixion was common place as false messiahs rose up on a regular basis.
Men who promised to fulfill the Scripture of a coming deliverer who would free the nation from the oppressive hand of Rome. These so called Messiah's would be popular for a time, then find themselves, due to the crimes they committed, hanging on a Roman cross as their punishment. But there was more to Jesus' time on the cross than met the eye.

He became the payment for what had been brought in through Adam and Eve's disobedience back in the garden of Eden. Where Adam, through his bad choices, had introduce sin to humanity (thank you very much), Jesus, who is referred to as "Second Adam" broke the presence of sin. Destroyed the penalty of sin, and shattered the power of sin. He became the ultimate payment so I could enter into a covenant relationship with God. That is why at the very end, before He gave His life, Jesus cried out "IT IS FINISHED!" Sin no longer had an unbreakable hold on the lives of men and women, from that moment on extending all the way down to today.......Sept. 6, 2013. How incredible is that? It is finished!

I think those words ring out every time someone comes to Jesus to receive their salvation. I think that no matter what a person has done in the past, when there is confession and a penitent heart, Jesus pours out forgiveness and proclaims "It is finished!" That individual is now loosed and given freedom from their past. To me, this is the incredible gift that those in addiction receive from Christ when they work the steps. Freedom from their sin and freedom from their sin/past. No longer hanging over them is the guilt and shame of past deeds and behaviors. Why? Because the very one who possessed the will and determination to see his mission through to the end, hung on that cross. And at the appropriate time, knowing He had completed His mission, cried out "It is finished!" and then gave up His spirit as payment for all sin. Thank you Jesus.

So this morning, what ever games the enemy is trying to play in your mind, don't let him. If you have been saved....if you have given yourself, will and life, over to Christ...then you can cry out to the devil....I am free once and for all time because my Jesus not only lived it.....but He declared it on a hill outside of Jerusalem....."it is finished!" You do remember that, don't you devil?

God on you...
mb