Jesus’ Completed Victory at the Cross

I want to recognize we got people watching all over the world today, but there's one particular place that I'm actually just a little bit jealous of. It's Maggie watching in Arizona. I saw her on YouTube and I'm just Who wants to be in Arizona this morning? Come on, somebody. It was like a frozen tundra out there. Kind of feels like it still right now, but uh we're going to warm this place up with the fire of God right now. Let's go in this place. If you brought your Bible today, would you get it out? Uh this is our time to hear from God. If you brought your Bible, you could just hold it in the air like you care. This is our chance. Everyone can participate. Even those watching online, I'll count to three and when we get to three, would you just shout word with me? Here we go. One, two, three. Word. We're getting into God's word. So God's word gets into us. As I shared just a moment ago, our vision for 2026 is

kingdom come. Kingdom come. And it sounds so good if you read the scriptures. Jesus taught us to pray, Lord, let your kingdom come and your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Yet kingdom is not so easy. It's not so comfortable and it's not convenient. When you understand the kingdom, you you start to understand that God's ways are are higher than our ways. There there are times that I'm asked about what's happening around the world, both in our nation and and in other nations right now because we're living in really uh peculiar times because we're getting close to the second coming of Jesus. He told us to be aware of these things, not to be naive, that we ought to look for the signs of the times. We ought to see that there will be wars and rumors of wars. There will

be natural disasters that uh it'll be uh like the days of Noah. People will be immersed in sin and they won't even care about the the ways of God. And when someone asks me about the things that are happening, what's typically what's typically the motivation behind the question is do you align with my belief? Do you think like I think are we the same? And and kingdom is not about us aligning our beliefs with one another. It's about aligning our beliefs with the king. The King of Kings has a way. That's Jesus. And we want his way. After Moses had died, Joshua took the mantle of leadership. And we're told in the book of Joshua that as as he was journeying into this new season of leadership and he was going to lead the Israelites into

a promised land, he came up against the angel of the Lord, a messenger. And and Joshua asked this question. He said, "Are you for us or are you for our adversary, our enemy?" It's the question we still ask today. It's the question when we see the political tension of today. Are you for the protesters or are you for ICE? Are you for uh the Iranian government? Are you for the protesters on the street? And really what we're trying to say is does your belief align with my belief? But what the angel of the Lord declared is was was neither. I am not for you and I'm not for your enemy. I'm on the Lord's side. There is a way that's higher than our ways and it's the kingdom way. So when we talk about kingdom come, we're we're not

trying to analyze what can we do to be a better world. What can we do to make this place a little bit better? No, we how can we bring the ways of King Jesus into our lives? Not not our ways, but his ways, his word. We want him to infiltrate this world. This isn't this isn't about aligning with the political side right now. This is aligning saying, "Hey, there might be truth on both sides, but I don't want either side. I want him. I need him to come in and start restoring what's broken in this world. I need him to come in. And so I'm not avoiding these things. I'm actually inviting God into these areas. As we think about kingdom come in 2026, God's just like revolutionizing me personally. If you really go into kingdom come, it will just wreck your life for good reason. It'll just wreck you. Before we did our first pursuit

night, I was told an hour before that a member of this church has stage four uh colon cancer and he was diagnosed on Christmas Eve, the same dad, his day his dad was diagnosed with bladder cancer. And it was just one hour before pursuit night. It was like this wakeup call from the Lord to say, "We need to be a praying people. We have the authority. God's given it to us. We need to take him at his word." And so we've been praying for Steve that he's going to be cancer-free. And by the way, his dad's name, who also got diagnosed with cancer the same day as Steve. So, we're going to pray that all the Steves are going to be eradicated with cancer. Can you can you agree with me on this? [applause] That same night that we prayed this our first pursuit night, just one week ago, about a a week and a half ago, we had pursuit night and we prayed and uh there was a man named Terry who came to pursuit night who was wheeled in on a wheelchair by his daughter. Wheeled in.

He came in with just a mustard seed of faith with prostate issues, cancer issues, not able to urinate, uh having a catheter that was uh uncomfortable. Comes in on a wheelchair, but just believing that God could do more. As he went to the doctor that week, he experienced healing miracles from that prayer because he was wheeled forward and the prayer team laid hands on him. They petitioned God to do more, that God wasn't finished with this man yet. And then Terry comes back a week later to pursuit night, but no longer wheeled in the wheelchair, no longer having a catheter, but actually testifying to the healing power of God. That's kingdom come. I was told after pursuit night this week by Heather during this uh government shutdown not too long ago, she's a a

government employee and she found herself in a really difficult place where she could not pay for her rent that month. And so she called her church. She called here and and and the the answer was, "Hey, uh we're able to pay for a part of your rent, but we can't cover all of it, but we're not going to leave you there. We're going to pray for you." And so we helped with a portion of the rent, but then we prayed for her. And then she tells me that someone else comes forward and says, "I'm going to cover your rent." And I asked her, "Well, who this person was?" And it was a woman. And uh she and I said, "Well, who was this woman?" She's like, "I don't know. And she didn't just cover her rent for that month. She says, "I'm going to cover it until your lease is finished." That's kingdom come.

I would tell you, if we don't have the expectation that God is God and he does great things, we're not inviting God's kingdom to come in our lives. And this isn't just about some big area where God just fixes everything immediately. Sometimes it's a journey. Sometimes it's a struggle. In fact, the kingdom is not easy or convenient or comfortable. When we look at the story of Jesus, which is where we're going today in John chapter 19, what we see is that sometimes it looks like evil is prevailing. It looks like the powers of this world or the kingdom of this world is taking control. It looks like sometimes that the wrong guy gets to go free. And I'm referring to John chapter 18.

when Pilate presents Jesus to the people and says it's Passover and we have a tradition and and and we traditionally the Roman government will just appease and try to please the Jewish people during Passover. We'll let one of your prisoners set free. Who do you want? Do you want Jesus? And they shouted Barabbus. Let let this murderous political zealot go. this guy that's trying to get political freedom because they were missing spiritual freedom. And in those moments when you're caught up in the story and and is still true in our lives today by the well way because the devil is a deceiver and it will look like at times that it looks like it's over. The wrong guy is winning. It it will look like

that somehow you're you're stuck that this is the end of the story. And so we come today and we get to see that it is never over with Jesus. In fact, when there is death, he's just getting started. He will fulfill what he said to Martha that he is the resurrection and the life. So we have to hold forth that promise in the moments of death. We have to remember he's the light of the world in the middle of the darkness. We have to remember the promises of God that he is the one that's able. And so where we're going today is we're going to we're going to finish John chapter 19, but I want to warn you in advance. We're going to cover a lot. I'm going to read the entire text to you today and then we're going to look at it from a highle view to understand the

application of our lives that Jesus knew exactly what he was doing when he was doing it. Even we remind ourselves for our own personal application even when it doesn't look like it. He never stops being sovereign, which means completely in control. And I'll remind you of that today because there are times you have to preach it to yourself. The title for today's sermon, if you're taking notes or if you just want to remember the seriousness of what we're reading, the title is, "It is finished, but it's not over." It is finished, but it's not over. Come on, somebody. You should be a little more excited than that. And maybe you don't know the reality of it yet, but it is finished, but it's not over.

John 19 is not going to sound like a triumphal story, but that's exactly what it is. Would you stand to your feet for the reading of God's word? I'm going to read you the text, and as I mentioned, it's going to be quite a bit of text. So, I'll read it to you, and then we'll sit back down after the reading of God's word and better understand the application for our lives. John chap 19 starting with verse 16 and we'll go all the way to the end today. So he that's Pilate delivered him over to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus and he went out bearing his own cross to the place called the place of the skull which in Aramaic is called Goltha. There they crucified him and with two others one on either side and Jesus between them. Pilate also wrote an

inscription and put it on the cross. It read, "Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews." Many of the Jews read this inscription, for the place where Jesus was crucified, was near the city, and it was written in Aramaic, in Latin, and in Greek. So the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, "Do not write the king of the Jews, but rather, "This man said, I am the king of the Jews." Pilate answered, "What I have written, I have written." When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his garments and divided them into four parts, one part for each soldier, also his tunic. But the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from the top to the bottom. So they said to one another, "Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it shall be." This was to fulfill the scripture

which says, "They divided my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots." So the soldiers did these things, but standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother's sister. Let's just take a pause for a pop quiz. What was his mother's name? Say it out loud. Mary. So you've got the mother of Jesus, Mary, and his mother's sister. There was also Mary, the wife of Clus, and Mary Magdalene. A whole bunch of Marys there that day. Come on, somebody. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, do you remember who the one whom he loved is? Is John, the author who's telling the story, standing nearby, he said to his mother,"Woman, behold your son." And then he said to his disciple, "Behold

your mother." And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home. After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said to fulfill the scripture, "I thirst." A jar full of sour wine stood there. So they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a hissup branch and held it to his mouth. When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, "Here it is. It is finished." Come on, read those three words again. It is finished. and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. Since it was the day of preparation and so the bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath, for the Sabbath was a high day, the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken and that they might be taken

away. So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and of the other who was crucified with him. But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water. He who saw it has borne witness his testimony is true. And he knows that he's telling the truth, that you also may what? Believe. For these things took place that the scripture might be fulfilled. Not one of his bones will be broken. And again, another scripture says, "They will look on him who they have pierced. After these things, Joseph of Arythea, who was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus.

Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took away his body. Nicodemus also who earlier had come to Jesus by night. Anybody remember which chapter of John that was? Three, the third chapter. This is the chapter Jesus said, "You must be born again to enter the kingdom." This is a chapter Jesus said, "For God so loved the world when he met with Nicodemus in the middle of the night. And now this Nicodemus comes with a mixture of myrr and aloe about 75 lbs in weight." So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen cloths with the spices as it is the burial custom of the Jews. Now in the place where he was crucified, there was a garden. In the garden, a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. So

because of the Jewish day of preparation, since the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there. This is the word of the Lord. You may be seated. In this 19th chapter of John, the author decides not to rush the crucifixion story. He could have simply said Jesus was crucified and he was buried. But that's not what John does. He wants you to see the intentional details of the story for a reason. And he does it differently than the uh other gospel accounts of the life of Jesus in Matthew, Mark, and Luke. They're going to give details that John decides to leave out. And they're intentional. We're going to see that as we we better understand why did John

include the story that he did about Jesus life. we start off today and better understand that John gives us a great meaning and that he continually focuses on the life of Jesus when he tells us in the opening verses today verse 16 and 17 that he was sentenced to be crucified in verse 16 they took Jesus and he went out in verse 17 bearing his own cross John is simply giving us the point that the king carries his own cross. It's King Jesus that does this. Now, in another gospel account, we read that Jesus was so weak from the scorging, the flogging, the beatings, the the the the the slaps, the hits, the the the abuse

that he received that Simon ofSirene actually had to help carry the cross. This is Simon that more than likely was from Africa who was in Jerusalem for Passover and he was forced to carry the cross. But John leaves out that detail. Why would he do that? Well, he wants you to see that it is the king that carries the cross. He's showing us something theological that Jesus is not a victim. Jesus is the one that, as we read in John 10:18, he told us, "No one takes my life from me, but I lay it down of my own accord." It is Jesus that carries our sin. It is Jesus that finishes the work of salvation. No one else could bear your shame, but Jesus did it on the cross. No one else could fulfill this journey of

taking this cup, the wrath of God. There are some of us in our lives that don't realize what Jesus has done for us. Maybe you've even believed in Jesus, but you keep carrying shame. Maybe some of you have even believed in Jesus, but you keep coming back to some addiction. Some of you have believed in Jesus, but you haven't been healed of your past, what was done to you as a child. So, you still have resentment. You're still dealing with some issues in your life that that just aren't of God. And today, as we come to this text and and we we'll come to the culmination when Jesus uses those three words, it is finished. At least in the English, those three words have power because Jesus did what needed to be done.

He carried your shame. He carried your sin. He carried your guilt. No one else can do that. And if you choose to believe in him, you've got to remind yourself of this daily. It was Jesus in the book of Luke chapter nine that he says, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me." Now, what Jesus is not asking you to do is to carry your cross of sin daily. Here's what he's asking you to do is to die to your old self daily. To die to your flesh daily. To die to your agenda so you get God's agenda daily. That you better understand what the cross has done for you. And

that you've got to keep coming back to the cross daily. It doesn't just mean that you're going to suffer daily. It means there's a reality that the old life is gone and the new life has come because of Jesus. We don't have to carry those old things anymore. They were crucified on the cross. This is the finished work of Jesus. He's not just a king for some people. He's the king for all people. He's the king for all people. where they crucified Jesus in John 19:20 where we're told that there was an inscription that was written above his head. This was a big enough sign that anyone who was walking by, which was on their way to the city, which when you go to Jerusalem with us

later this year, by the way, we're going to Israel and you're invited to go. And uh when we go to this particular place, you can see the the the hill Zion. You can see people headed towards what what today is old Jerusalem. Back in the day, it was the city of Jerusalem. And as people are on their way, cuz remember it's Passover, more than a million Jews would have uh uh swarmed together to the city of Jerusalem. And as people are passing by on the eve of Passover, right before Shabbat, this Sabbath day, people are being crucified. the Roman government making a statement that if you mess with us you'll be executed on the cross and above his head is an

inscription a sign that reads these words according to John 19:E 19 Jesus of Nazareth which is the identification of who this Jesus is Jesus of Nazareth king of the Jews now we don't know the motivation of Pilate putting that sign there. Was it mockery? Maybe. Did Pilate actually believe these things? Maybe. Was he making a statement to the religious leaders who forced him into this situation to crucify Jesus? And he's letting them know, I'm doing this because of what you've said. We don't know exactly, but John notes specifically that Pilate had this written in Aramaic, which was the Hebrew

language. That's the Jewish language. Uh some believe today they were actually speaking more Hebrew than Aramaic, but historically speaking the language of the Jews was Aramaic. They also put it in Latin, which would have been the the educated language of the day. That's what the government officials would have uh used. So it represents the government officials. And then it was also in Greek. That's called coin Greek, which is the language of the people. Coin means common. It's the common language of the day that the Greeks and the generations prior got all the people to speak the same language. So here you have written for all history to remember because of this book of John, Jesus of Nazareth, king of the Jews. This is both for the Jews, for governments, and for the common people.

This is so important that we see the intentionality of God because it might look like Pilate did it because the Jews were pretty upset and they came to Pilate and said, "No, no, no, no, no. You need to rewrite that sign and said he said he was the king of the Jews." And Pilate says, "What I have written, I have written." And it might look like Pilates's in control, but we really know that King Jesus is always sovereign and in control. And here we have cement in history. There's hope for everyone, for the Jews, for the Gentile, for every government official. Listen, there's no limitation to hope that whoever you are today, you might work for the government. You might just be a young student. You might find yourself at the

end of your life, retired. I need you to know today that Jesus died on the cross for you. He loves you so much. He died on the cross for every single one of us. Not just some people, but he died for every single one of us. And as we better understand what Jesus did, he changed everything on the cross. Think about this today. We find crosses on buildings all over the world. There's been more art depicted on the cross than any other religious symbol. We see people wear cross as a jewelry. Men, women, we see crosses everywhere. People get crosses tattooed on their skin. Now, think about this. The cross was a torture device that the Romans perfected for execution.

It was meant to be a slow, painful death as a form of punishment. How in the world did this become symbolic all over the world but by Jesus? Because a cross is intended for a criminal to be executed. A cross was intended for a murderer to get his justice. But today, people wear crosses not because criminals were crucified, not because murderers were were executed. It's all about Jesus. It always comes back to Jesus. He took a torture device and he turned it into art. He took something that's meant for death and he reminds us that it's about life and it's not just because everyone else

was crucified on it. It all comes back to Jesus of Nazareth. He is still the king. And when the enemy puts a sign over you and intends it for evil, he might try to mock you, shame you, put something over you to remind you of what others have said about you. Let me just remind you of the promises of God today. That what the enemy intends for evil, God will work it for good. The enemy might try to shame you, mock you, make fun of who you are, even in Christ today. And let me just tell you, if you're if it sounds like your enemy is your family, your friends, your co-workers, someone that doesn't understand what it means to be a beloved child of God. We battle not against flesh and blood.

This is a spiritual battle. And the enemy that was at work in the days of Jesus is still at work today until he's eventually locked up for eternity. But John points out every detail of this story so that we would see according to God's word, it's been fulfilled in Jesus. Not another person, not a someday or a one day. The king fulfills every detail. We see this with some specific examples that John notes that you might wonder why in the world would he put these details in the crucifixion story including the story of those who are gambling for the clothes of Jesus at the cross which exposes to us that Jesus was naked on the cross. He was completely vulnerable up there and they're not only gambling for his undergarments they want that outer robe. That's the real value.

So, who's going to get that? If we rip it in four, it's not worth the value of a a one piece tunic or a robe. So, what they do is they they cast lots. They get to see which which of the four will will walk away with this great tunic since this guy is going to be dead. And John notes for us that this is not by accident, but God had predicted a thousand years before the cross in Psalm 22:18, "They divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots." Jesus fulfills every detail of God's word, for he is Christ, Messiah, the chosen one. And it's not just the gambling that we get to see Jesus fulfills, but in John 19:28, we're told Jesus knowing that all was now finished, said to fulfill the scripture, I thirst.

Why would he include such a small detail for us to see? That's because Jesus once again is fulfilling the promise and prophecies of God's word. Psalm 69:21, for my thirst they gave me sour wine to drink. God gave us a word over the ages that we would be able to look for Messiah. We would look for the one who would save the world. We would look for the king that is above all other kings. And this is going to be different than what we might expect because the kingdom is not convenient. The kingdom is not easy. But what we see is Jesus shows us he is the God of every detail. So much so that when he says, "I thirst," they happen to have that same sour wine that was predicted so much earlier in the book of

Psalm 69. How did they get that sour wine to him? They used a hissup branch. Why would John know a hissup branch? Why would he just not say they took a branch and gave him sour wine? Because it was the hissup branch that the priests would use to sprinkle blood on the mercy seat. The ark of the covenant had a particular place where they would take the blood of the sacrificial lamb, the lamb that was slaughtered for the sins of man. And then the priest would take that blood and put it on a hissup branch and sprinkle it on the mercy seat, declaring that that lamb was slaughtered for the sins of man. And God receives this offering on his mercy seat, which represents his presence. And where his presence is is his power. Where he could judge, where he could give justice

because of the blood of the lamb, God gives mercy. And now it's a hissip branch being lifted up to Jesus. For the last time, he is the one that John declares in chapter 1. If we go back to the beginning, John the Baptist looked at Jesus and said, "Behold the lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world." And as we see these details that are held in the scripture, we start to see that God knows exactly what he's doing. He kept his promise on the cross. And it may not look like it in the moment, but what we can now see looking back is he's always faithful. He was faithful before we could see it.

He was faithful when we see it. And he's going to be faithful again. He doesn't stop being faithful. This is why you trust in God. This is why you hope in God. This is why in your darkest hour, you don't listen to the devil and get depressed and head down the wrong road of despair. You go to Jesus. You trust in Jesus. You hope in Jesus. He's the living king. He's not dead. He's alive now and forever more. And what we see on the cross is it's not just the finished work of our sin. God doesn't just take care of your sin. He actually invites you into his family. Look at the details of what Jesus does on the cross. Could you imagine the pain he's going through? Imagine the weight of what he's going through. The sins of

the world are on the son of God as he's hanging on the cross. And in his last hour, he's not complaining to himself. He cares about his mother. He looks down at Mary and he says,"Woman, behold your son." And he looks at John, the one who's been his disciple for three years, learning from him. He loves John. And he looks at John and says, "Behold your mother." Now, this is not family by blood. This is not his cousin John, John the Baptist. This this is not a blood family. This is a spiritual family that when you come to Jesus, you start to see we belong because God does more than just forgive us of sins. He adopts us into his family. John tells us that in chapter one to all who do believe in Jesus and receive his name, he gave the right to become children of God. That's who you are.

And then now what do we do? We take care of each other. We don't always get it right. Come on, somebody. But we do keep coming back to the fact that you're not alone. We pray for each other. We we carry each other's burdens. We go through life together. We are the family of God. And there's nothing like it because we're the church. And Jesus said if we're the church, he's building it. And not even the gates of hell shall prevail against it. So what we see with Jesus is he's the king that creates a new family. You're not just saved from something, your sin. You get to be brought into something, a righteous family. And we come to the culmination of the text today. And if there's anything I want you to get, I need you to get this because this is life transforming. Jesus declared in John 19:30 three words. It is finished.

At first glance, it sounds like a cry of defeat because he gave up his spirit. It looks like it's over, but it is finished. Is not a cry of defeat. It is the war cry of victory. This is God declaring that he has fulfilled what he's come to do. It is finished. John notes here in the original Greek and we have it translated in English, it is finished. But the original Greek phrase would have just simply been one word and that is to tell. To tell. It is finished. It is accomplished. It is done. This would have been the word that comes off the lips of a general after they've won a war. It's done. It's been accomplished.

It's finished. We don't need to keep fighting to tell us. This is the word that would be stamped onto an invoice. In the ancient days, we're told that there would be a receipt and if there was a debt owed and the debt was paid, just one simple phrase would be put there. To tell us, it is finished. It's done. The debt has been paid. This person doesn't need to come back. It's over. They're not a slave to the lender anymore. It has been accomplished. It is finished. Is so much more powerful than just paid in full. The word of God wants us to see that God has been planning this from the beginning. He predestined this. It wasn't by accident. God wants us to go to his word. Let me just give you an example of this. In another gospel

account, Jesus on the cross declares, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" Now, he's not just making the statement that God has abandoned him. Jesus is actually pointing us to God's word, which is found in Psalm 22:1, which reads this, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" Which means that Jesus was saying this out loud so that the hearers would point to God's word that which which they would have been familiar with. The Jews would have known this text. They would have sang this text. They would have said this text. They would have studied this text. So when Jesus said, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" It points them back to Psalm 22, which by the way describes the cross. When you read through Psalm

22, you're you're going to read texts like this at Psalm 22:14, which says, "I am poured out like water." That's Jesus. He's giving his life. I'm poured out like water. Psalm 22:14. When Jesus says, "It is finished to Telsty." He's saying, "It is finished." Which is in the Old Testament, the very last phrase of Psalm 22. So if Jesus points us to the beginning, my God, my God, why have you forsaken me? If we read through that psalm, the very last phrase of that psalm is he has done it. It's the Hebrew word assa. Assa actually could be translated he has done it or it is

finished. We know this for a fact because when the temple of God was accomplished, we read about this in 2 Chronicles 4 11 and we read the same Hebrew word that's in Psalm 22:31. He has done it. It says so finished. That's the word assa. He's done it. It's accomplished. There's no more building that needs to be done. He's finished the work that he did for King Solomon on the house of God. So when Jesus out loud says the phrase, "It is finished." He's not just saying that so that we hear it. He's going back to God's word to say, "It's now been accomplished. It's done. Everything God's been preparing through history has been accomplished and finished by Jesus

on the cross. Psalm 22 itself tells us that it is Jesus. Now it appears that Jesus is referencing this text so that we see that he's he's fulfilled it. He's not just quoting scripture. He has done it. He's not just quoting that which is translated from the Hebrew to the Greek to telly. He's letting you know that what he's done is for you. It is finished. If you grasp this, then it means you don't have to do it. Now, the the theological consequences of this text changes everything. It means you cannot you will never be able to earn your way into heaven.

You'll never be able to earn righteousness. You'll never be able to earn God's favor and goodness in your life. Jesus did it. It is finished. Changes everything. Just shout those three words with me. It is finished. Jesus did not say for clarity, I am finished. He said it is finished. What is it? Sin is finished. Condemnation finished. Shame finished. Guilt finished. Your past which God prophesied in the days of old. Remember not the former things. Behold, I am doing a new thing. Do you not perceive it? Your past, it is finished.

This is not just some areas of this life. This is God's kingdom come. Addiction finished. Depression finished. Poverty finished. Yes. Limited mindset. Finished. When you take these three words seriously and you allow Jesus to preach to you, that means I'm no longer allowed to have self-pity parties. Jesus died on the cross. He suffered. It is completed so that I no longer focus on me. I turn my attention to him and what he's done. It's never been about you. It's not about me. It's all about Jesus. So stop trying to add to what Jesus has already completed. You can add nothing to the gospel.

And gospel means what? Shout it out. Good news. This is good news. This is this is the good news that changes the world. That when we continually point people back to Jesus, we can say that what he's done for me, he can do for you. This is not religion. This is the reality that this changes eternity. Your sins are forgiven so that when you go before God, you're counted as completely and perfectly righteous. This changes your identity. You're no longer an orphan wandering in this world trying to figure out the purpose and plans for your life. You say, "God destined me, designed me. He's the one that made me, and he doesn't make mistakes." The devil's a liar. That's why he wants to abort this generation that we're

living in. He wants us to think that we're just blobs made out of mistakes. That somehow this world just came to be. But we have a creator that made you and the one that placed the stars in the sky. He's the one that placed you in this world. And he is the one that even if you are the one that has had the abortion, he doesn't hold it against you. He wants to heal you. He wants to love you. He wants to show you your purpose and a plan that wherever you've been is not what defines you. It's who Jesus is and what he's done on the cross. So you will either receive it is finished or you will try to accomplish it yourself. So you no longer have to try to live for victory. You no longer have to try to do it anymore. Which I don't know about

you, but we got a lot of men in the room. But men, we're fixers. You no longer have to fix it. Even if you've messed it up, let me just tell you, you're probably not the one that's going to be able to save it. You got to keep coming back to Jesus. So, you don't live for victory, you live from victory. That's an important spiritual principle that you don't fight for victory. You'll be too exhausted. You'll empty yourself and you'll wonder why you feel this way when Jesus has done it for you. That's because you don't fight for victory. You fight from victory. This is absolutely amazing because you can feel defeated. You could live defeated, but if you keep coming back to the cross, you will keep coming back to that reality that what was done then is still the truth today. And so we

see with Jesus that when he said it is finished, he died. He took our sin on the cross. As was tradition, they would break the bones of the person being crucified to expedite the the process of death because a person could spend days suffocating on the cross. And since it was Passover and since the Sabbath was starting, they wanted to expedite the process, which was normal. And you'd break the legs of the person who's on the cross so that they would then suffocate. They break the legs of the first criminal. They break the legs of the second criminal, but they come to Jesus and there's no need to break the legs because he's already dead. Now, why would John include that story?

He includes that story because this is actually in God's word. When God instituted the Passover, which is about to be celebrated, it was to take the Israelites from slavery to freedom, from being oppressed to having the promised land that God's given them. And on this journey, he would use a lamb that they would put that blood of lamb on the doorpost to preserve the life that they would not experience death. And then he gave them a meal to remember this lamb. You cooked the lamb and and you remember what God's done with that lamb. By that lamb's death, you lived and there was bitter herbs to remember the bitterness of of of slavery that you're no longer there anymore. There's all these elements of the meal. And and they were to remember Passover year after year. But in that description that God gave to the Israelites the first time to do Passover, when you kill that lamb,

Exodus 12:46, you shall not break any of its bones. That lamb was not just to be treated flippantly. You don't need to break the bones of the lamb. You're to slaughter the lamb, but don't break his bones. Now, fast forward to Psalm 34:20. Speaking of Messiah, he keeps all his bones. Not one of them is broken. Jesus is the Passover lamb. He's the last lamb that's ever needed to be sacrificed for sins and he did it for you. And so they took a spear and pierced his side and at once there came out blood and water. This is not a random detail. Today at the front of the altar, we've got tables in just a moment. We're going to give you an opportunity to remember what Jesus has done. On the very night

he was betrayed, Jesus took that Passover meal and he took two elements. And of those two elements, he said, "Do this in remembrance of me." Don't forget it is finished. Don't forget when they pierced his side, what came out of it? Blood and water. That's intentional. Blood represents forgiveness. It's by the blood of the lamb that you're forgiven. If you're new to church, it sounds a bit morbid that the preacher is always talking about blood. That we're always singing about blood. But when you understand the details that you're covered by the blood of Jesus, it means you're forgiven of all your sins. There's not a single sin that's not covered by the blood of Jesus. He died once and for all for your sin. The blood here represents you

forgiven by Jesus. The water represents the cleansing of God's righteousness in your life. Water in the scriptures always represents life. Always. When we read earlier in John chapter 7, Jesus said to all who believe in him, out of his life will come rivers of living water. So water represents the Holy Spirit, life in you. So because of the blood, you have been cleansed and you now have life everlasting. Consider this. From the side of Jesus, you get the blood and the water. You remember Adam, the first man. Out of his side came Eve, his wife. Out of the sight of Jesus came his wife, the church.

The blood of Jesus and the water of Jesus. In just a moment, I want you to remember the blood. We have bread and we have a cup of juice. And it represents those two elements. And if you want to remember Jesus in just a moment, you can do that by coming forward and taking of those two simple elements that are sacred. Next week, we're going to have water and we're going to do water baptism. That if you believe in Jesus, that water represents the earth that you've been buried to your old life. And when you come up out of the water, you you have you have a resurrection power of Jesus. It represents that Jesus died. He was buried, but he rose from the grave. And if you've never been baptized and you have believed in Jesus, it's a commandment of God. Get baptized. Be obedient to God's word. Come back next week. You don't have to take a test. You don't have to take a class. But you do have to trust in Jesus. And by the way,

it's not just believing in Jesus. It's receiving the promise that you're forgiven. It's preaching to yourself those three words. It is finished. When condemnation and accusation slips into your life that I am who I used to be, you preach to yourself, it is finished. I am who God says I am. The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 5:17, "If anyone," Come on. Anyone, that's you, my friend. If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. Don't go back to the old you. This isn't a better you. This is a new you. This is like the conversion of a caterpillar to a butterfly. They don't look anything alike.

It's the same person, but it's not the same. One is limited. The other can soar to heights. One is slow and stays on the ground. The other is [music] beautiful and soarses and goes from one place to another. If you're in Christ, you're a new creation. When the old has passed away, the new has come. Jesus said it with his own words. Whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life. If you've never trusted Jesus, today's your day. It's one simple reminder that it's done. Jesus did it. The Bible says in Romans 10 that if you believe Jesus died on the cross for your sins [music] and if you're willing to confess it with your mouth, you're saved.

And from that day forward, you're sealed with God himself, the Holy Spirit. From [music] that day forward, you keep coming back to the cross. It's done. Don't go back to your old sin. Why? Why would you go back to that addiction? Why would you go look at that old thing? Why would you go say those old things? Start letting new things come out of you. Start looking at new things. This is a new life you have in Christ. Don't go back to the old. But you got to determine it today. Jesus didn't die so you'd stay the same way. I didn't come here to preach you a message so that you leave and keep doing the same old things. It's start it's time to start praying some bold prayers. It's it's time to start doing some bold things. Start living the life Jesus has for us. Start praying for people to be healed.

Start casting out demons out of out of this world. They've been occupying this land too long. This is ours. Take it back. Of course, you've suffered for a long time, but the suffering ceases now. [music] It is finished in Jesus alone. Would you close your eyes and bow your head? Just turn your attention to God Almighty. He's glorious, majestic, all powerful, all knowing. I want you to turn to him right now. If you've never trusted in Jesus, today is your day of salvation. Please don't wait for another day. This could be the best day of your life to say, "I am saved. [music] I'm a new creation. I'm born again." If that's you and you want to be saved by Jesus, you're going to put your trust in him. Your heart needs to be trusted in him. If that's you, would you just raise your hand and say, "From this day forward, that's who I am. I'm a child of God.

Praise be to God." Anybody else? Just raise your hand nice and high. Yes. Praise God. Man of God. That That's He changes everything. Your identity in Christ is different now. Praise be to God. Anyone else? Just throw your hand up. Just Just proudly. This You're now a child of God. You're shaking off the old. You're walking into [music] new best decision you could ever make. Praise God. Anyone else? Just raise your hand. For some here today, this is the best day ever because the Bible says there is more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than 99 who don't need repentance. So may I may I just say like when you decide to go allin for Jesus, [music] heaven has a party.

God is so grateful that you said enough is enough. I'm not doing my old anymore. I'm doing something new. Be liberated today from your sin. You're a child of God. I want all those who believe in Jesus to pray with those doing it for the first time. Would you just repeat these words? Lord Jesus, I believe in you. Forgive me of my sins. I receive the Holy Spirit. It is finished. I don't have to do it. You did it. I receive it in Jesus name. Amen. Amen.