Sermon Title: "It Is Finished: The Victor's Cry"
Below is a sermon shared on Good Friday in a Plymouth Brethren Assembly gathering in Virudhunagar, Tamil Nadu, India. (AI translation of my Tamil Script)
Text: John 19:30 – "When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, He said, It is finished: and He bowed His head, and gave up the ghost."
Introduction:
Beloved in Christ, on this sacred Good Friday, we gather under the shadow of the cross, not as mourners of a tragedy, but as witnesses to a victory. The sixth saying of our Redeemer, "It is finished," is not a sigh of despair but a triumphant declaration. This cry is filled with divine authority and majestic power.
Let us listen with reverence to these final words of our Saviour. This is not the cry of a man overcome by suffering, but of the God-Man who has overcome sin, Satan, and death.
1. The Final Word – A Divine Full Stop
Jesus did not say, "It is almost done," or "I have tried my best." He said, "It is finished" – a word so complete, so final, it echoes through eternity. In the Greek, it is Tetelestai – meaning, "Paid in full," "Completed entirely."
It is like the last word written at the end of a great book, the final stroke on a masterpiece, the seal on a royal decree. Christ is saying, "The purpose for which I came has been fully accomplished."
From A to Z, salvation is a gift of God. From the first step of divine election to the final glorification of the saints, every part is authored and accomplished by Him.
2. The Cross: A Symbol of Victory, Not Defeat
To the eyes of man, the cross may seem like a symbol of failure, of shame, of judgment. But in the eyes of God, it is the banner of victory, the altar of redemption, the throne of mercy.
The cross is not what hangs around our necks as jewelry; it is the place where the Lamb of God bore the sin of the world and secured eternal salvation.
The cross is not a symbol of shame, but the banner of eternal victory.
3. The Fulfillment of All Scripture
From the first shedding of blood in Eden, where God clothed Adam and Eve with garments of sacrifice, to the types and shadows of the Law, to the songs of the Psalms and the visions of the Prophets – all pointed to Christ.
And now, at the cross, He declares: "It is finished." All that was written of the Messiah has been fulfilled. As Jesus Himself said, "All things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me." (Luke 24:44)
This one word encapsulates the fulfillment of every prophecy, every promise, every typology.
4. Salvation Secured, Not Offered
Christ did not merely make salvation possible. He accomplished it. From beginning to end, salvation is the gift of God. He lived the perfect life we could not live and died the death we deserved.
There is nothing more to be added. The blood was not partially spilled, the price was not partially paid. All was finished, and all was fulfilled.
What must we do now? Nothing but believe. Because everything that needed to be done has already been done by Him.
My faith is not built on uncertainty, but upon One who is utterly trustworthy.
5. Not a Cry of Despair, But of Sovereignty
Unlike the deathbed cry of Queen Elizabeth I, who lamented, "All is finished; I have come to the end," Christ's cry is not the cry of defeat, but of divine satisfaction.
He bowed His head and gave up His spirit – not because life failed Him, but because He willingly laid it down. As He prayed in John 17:4, "I have glorified You on earth; I have finished the work which You have given Me to do."
He was not overtaken by death; He overthrew it.
He did not say "It is finished" in sorrow or regret. He declared it in peace and triumph.
6. Accomplishments of the Cross
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Eternal Redemption Accomplished (Hebrews 9:12)
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The Wrath of God Removed (Romans 3:25)
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The Law Fulfilled and Cancelled (Colossians 2:14)
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Satan Defeated (Colossians 2:15)
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No More Condemnation for the Believer (Romans 8:1)
Every enemy has been conquered. Every promise fulfilled. Every barrier torn down.
Conclusion: Unshakable Assurance
This one word – Tetelestai – contains the whole gospel. Because He finished it, you and I can begin again. Because He completed it, we are complete in Him.
Let your faith rest not in your feelings, nor in your works, but in Christ's finished work. Build your hope not on shifting sands but on the solid rock of the cross.
"It is finished" – this is the believer's joy, the sinner's invitation, and the church's anthem.
Amen.
