It Is Finished (John 19:17-30)
Let us bless and greet one another, “Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God.” The title of today’s message is, “It is Finished.” So, the meaning of those words, “It is finished,” is actually the meaning of the gospel, and if you understand what it means very well, then you will enjoy the gospel. On top of those words, “It is finished,” must be the foundation of our walk of faith. That is the house that is built on the rock. If we try to build the foundation of our lives on anything other than the words “It is finished,” then that is a house that is built on sand. In other words, if you try to build your life upon the law, or religion, or the world, it is a house built on sand. I hope that today’s message will become the foundation of your life and the starting point of everything.
1. King of the Jews
1) Hebrew, Greek, Latin (Jn. 19:20)
(1) Shown to all people
We’re talking about the things that happened before Jesus Christ died on the cross. John 19:19 says that, before Jesus Christ was crucified, there was a plaque that said why He died, it said He is the King of the Jews. That placard that says what His sin was, was written in Hebrew, Aramaic, Latin, and Greek so that everybody could understand it.
(2) Chief priests – Claimed to be King of the Jews (Jn. 19:21)
However, in John 19:21, the chief priests protested to Pilate, saying, “Don’t say He is the ‘King of the Jews.’ He just claimed to be the King of the Jews,” and because they were asking him to rewrite the plaque, Pilate answers, “What I have written I have written.” It is because the High Priest did not believe that Jesus Christ is the King of the Jews. That is the characteristic of people who are stuck in religion or legalism, who cannot see Jesus as their Christ or Messiah. If you are trapped inside of your legalism or religion, you cannot see the Christ. Then, you will just live your walk of faith without seeing the Christ.
(3) Pilate – Wrote “King of the Jews” (Jn. 19:22)
However, while Pontius Pilate was questioning Jesus, he did feel that Jesus was the King of the Jews, but why did Pilate still give Jesus over to be crucified, then? It’s because Pilate prioritized his own success and position more than the Truth. That is the case for nonbelievers even today, they prioritize their success and their position in the world more than the Truth. Religious people who do not know the gospel will partake in all the religious activities and festivities and just leave Christ out of it. If we live like that, then our lives will be built on sand. Both the religious life and the life of the world that is built on success will break down and fall.
2) Jesus’ undergarment and mother
(1) Divided it and cast lots (Jn. 19:24)
When Jesus Christ was crucified, the lower half of his body was not covered at all; He was completely naked, and we see that the soldiers are casting lots to decide which of them gets to keep Jesus’ garments.
(2) Fulfillment of the word (Ps. 22:18)
But this Word was already prophesied in Psalm 22:18, that people would cast lots for His clothing, so the things that are happening do not happen for no reason; it is the Word of God being fulfilled. How will you and I look at the incidents that are happening in the world today? Heb. 1:2 says that Jesus is moving all of creation with His Word, then that means we must be able to see all of the problems, conflicts, and crises that happen in our lives through the lens of God’s Word. We must confirm the Word of God so that we can see how God, Who is the Word, is working in that situation. The Word of God is being fulfilled even now because God is the Word.
(3) Disciple took her as his mother (Jn. 19:27)
Before Jesus Christ goes to die, He calls His mother, “Woman.” That word “woman” is not a term of reverence and it is not a term of degradation; it is a very neutral term. Why does He call His mother “woman” instead of, “mother”? Now, instead of having a biological family that is made out of flesh and blood, with Jesus Christ as the head, we have a new family that is created where we can call each other, “brother,” “sister,” “mother.” So, He looked at His disciple, John, and said, “Here is your mother,” and this is talking about the end of the biological family that is only related by flesh and blood, and now a new type of family that is connected by Jesus Christ as the head; it is the church. That’s why we call God the Father our Father, and we call each other brothers and sisters. Now, this relationship of community is no longer centered so much on flesh and blood, but it is talking about a body that is united as brothers and sisters within Christ Jesus, and Paul even says, “My mother” in Romans 16.
3) Jesus’ death
(1) Fulfilled all things (Jn. 19:28)
Then in Jn. 19:28, it says, “Later, knowing that all was now finished.” That’s the title of today’s message, “It is finished,” then what exactly is finished? If today’s message really is entered into you, then every problem is finished. In other words, when the gospel really goes into you, then every problem is finished. So, I hope you will listen very carefully about why it is finished. If everything is finished but you think it is not finished, you live your life filled with resentment. Let’s say, for example, if you go to a restaurant where everything should be paid for you already, but they didn’t pay for you, so you pay again, how frustrated would you be? That price is a very steep price. Don’t you think it’d be so unfair if that’s a price that you had to work your entire life to pay off? If you don’t really understand these words, imagine medical bills. Let’s say the price was so steep and it’s a debt you cannot pay off, even if you work your entire life. But if you don’t know that somebody has already paid all of your medical expenses and you worked your entire life trying to pay them off yourself, how frustrated or resentful would you be?
(2) Thirsty – Jar of wine vinegar to Jesus’ lips (Jn. 19:29)
Jesus Christ said, “I am thirsty,” and they brought wine vinegar to Him.
(3) Word fulfillment (Ps. 69:21)
This is also an incident that fulfilled the Word from the Old Testament from Psalm 69:21, when it says, “They gave me vinegar for my thirst.” Even right now, the Word of God is being fulfilled through incidents that take place. You must be able to see that to say, “Oh, God is working right now. Even right at this moment, God is answering our prayers.” If you pray, you will receive answers. Even right now, the Lord is evangelizing. This year, when I went to Korea, I was going to meet with a friend I saw last year, and we were supposed to meet on Saturday, but he said he couldn’t come because he was going to a Bible study, but when I saw him last year, he was a nonbeliever. And he said, “I’m sorry,” and I said, “Don’t apologize,” and then we had a little time before I left for the airport, so we met, and he said he’s even volunteering in the parking lot at the church. Last year, I saw him in Korea for the first time in decades, and then this year, I saw him again, and now he’s doing Bible studies, he’s volunteering in church at the parking lot, and now he’s even telling his other friends, “It’s possible for you if it’s possible for me.” What this means is that God is still carrying out the work of evangelism through the people we meet. I didn’t even say one word to him, he just knows the fact that I’ve become a pastor, but God gives us these blessings of meeting and God carries out the work of evangelism. His wife also said she was praying for over 30 years for him to start going to church, and she said that answer started to bear fruit after he met me last year.
God is carrying out His work even now, and it’s very important that you confirm to yourself how God is carrying out His work throughout your week. God is answering your prayers, I’m not talking about the things you earn by working hard, I’m talking about the answers given from heaven. Yes, your ability to work hard is one type of answer that you get, but when you pray, God answers you, why? Because we are children of God. When you cry out to “Abba, Father,” the Lord will answer you, and even right now, regardless of me, God is carrying out the work of missions and salvation through the people that I meet.
2. It is finished
1) Creation
(1) The heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array (Gen. 2:1)
So, where do we see these words, “It is finished”? In Gen. 2:1, God said that everything was completed when He created the heavens and the earth, this means that everything was completed to perfection, so after God created the heavens and the earth and human beings were created in God’s image, then He said, “It is finished.” God created mankind out of the dust of the earth and breathed into Him the breath of life, and that was Him saying it was perfectly completed.
(2) God’s image – Fruitful, Increase in number, Fill, Subdue (Gen. 1:27-28)
God finished everything so they would perfectly receive all the blessings of being fruitful and abundant, increasing in number, and ruling over creation.
(3) He rested (Gen. 2:1-2)
Until the sixth day, God was creating, and on the seventh day, He rested. The fact that He rested doesn’t mean He said, “Okay, My work is finished so let’s go have fun now,” it means that He has created everything to perfection, and after He rested. However, because of Satan, humans began to disobey God. Human beings were created to be with God, but because they sinned against God, God’s Spirit left mankind and they lost all of their blessings of being fruitful and abundant, increasing in number, and ruling over creation. Now, instead of ruling over creation, humans live as slaves. Originally, we were created in the image of God to live with God, receive His blessings, and rule over His creation, but now, we are changed into slaves.
2) It is finished
(1) God’s mission (Gen. 3:15, Gal. 3:16)
That’s why God promised in Genesis 3:15, “I will send the offspring of the woman to crush the head of the serpent,” in other words, He would send the Messiah. The reason is because disobeying the Word of God is sin, and the result of sin is death.
(2) Mankind’s problem – Authority of sin, death, Satan
That death is our physical death and also our secondary death where our spirit is eternally trapped in hell. Satan is the one holding onto the power of this sin and death.
(3) Curses of mankind’s sin, Fear of death
As a result of this sin, humans continue to face curses and disasters, and as a result of this death, people are always living under this constant fear of death. All of this has been finished on the cross. When Jesus Christ died on the cross, He finished all of the problems of our curses and disasters. After Jesus Christ resurrected, He overcame death, He overcame the authority of Satan and hell. Now, His life lives within us as the Holy Spirit, so everything is finished.
3) Cross (Col. 2:12-15)
(1) Died with Christ and also raised with him (Col. 2:12)
On His way to the cross, Jesus was whipped, He was spat on, He was mocked and tortured, and that was Jesus Christ receiving all of the pain and suffering on our behalf, so He died on the cross to take all of my problems and my death for me. So for me, I’m already finished; in other words, I died on the cross with Christ, and now, I have been raised again by the Lord, with the Lord. Now, the life I live is lived within faith in Him. If you don’t understand the gospel, you will spend your entire life trying to finish something that has already been finished. Your scars have been taken by the Lord on your behalf. The Lord has taken your mental suffering and your physical suffering on your behalf. He has paid that full price on my behalf, that’s what it means, “It is finished.” There is nothing that can be a problem anymore.
Now, our walk of faith begins on top of that faith. If I’m powerless, then I begin inside of the gospel where the Lord has finished all problems. Am I sick or diseased? I need to begin with that faith of being with the Lord, receiving His power. Everything is finished, but we are still stuck within the scars of our past; now we must begin with the faith that the Lord has finished everything. Have you financially failed? It doesn’t matter. Now, we must begin anew inside of the faith that the Lord has finished everything. Begin with the Lord. If you don’t know the gospel, you’ll keep trying to live, centered on yourself, stuck inside of yourself. All of that has been paid for, and now, you’re trying to pay for it a second time.
(2) Forgave all sins, legal indebtedness – Nailed it to the cross (Col. 2:14)
Using Colossians 2:12-15, I would like to explain the cross in another way as well. In Col. 2:14, it says Jesus Christ died on the cross to forgive all of our sins, “having canceled the written code, with its regulations,” and this charge of legal indebtedness has stood against us and condemned us. We call that “the Law.” When you go into court, there will be a prosecutor who condemns you for breaking such-and-such law, and the judge confirms it, and you are guilty. Satan does the same thing, he uses lines such-and-such of the law to accuse us, but the Lord has gotten rid of the Book of the Law all together, and He has gotten rid of our police record. So now Satan is trying to accuse us, but there is no evidence against us; that is the cross. He has finished all of our sin, even right now, Satan tries to accuse us with His lies. We must not be deceived by that. All of our Original Sin has been finished on the cross. We continue to sin, then we could just turn back to God. We must hold onto the cross and then turn back to God. The problem is, if you don’t know this, then Satan will continue to accuse, condemn, and oppress you. He will oppress you with the law, He will oppress you with your guilt-trip. Everything is finished; He has gotten rid of your sin altogether.
(3) Destroyed the devil’s work – Cannot sue (1Jn. 3:8-9)
1 John 3:8 says the reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work. He has died on the cross to forgive all of our sins and taken away all the charges with which Satan can accuse us. Then Heb. 2:14 says that when He resurrected, He overcame the authority of Satan who holds onto the authority of death. Satan accuses and condemns us with sin, and then he pushes us into fear with the fear of death. But when Jesus Christ died on the cross for me and my sin, He has completely finished all of the power of Satan and sin. Now, Satan and I are no longer relevant. That’s what it means that “It is finished.” What kind of despair are you in? Everything is finished so may you hold onto the gospel and begin anew with that faith. If you are trying to accomplish something by your own strength, then that’s actually how you go into the curses. Religion and legalism is trying to accomplish something by yourself and by your actions, but the gospel says, “The Lord has finished everything already.” And now the only way we can live is on top of that faith, that must become the rock or foundation of our life. “I will build My church on this rock.” If “It is finished” does not become the foundation that I build my life upon and instead, I try to build my life on the law, then that is a house built on sand and it will fall. If success becomes my foundation, then that is a house built on sand. So, with legalism and religion and the world, you cannot overcome the law.
(4) Disarmed the powers and authorities – Victory (Col. 2:15)
Col. 2:15 says, “Having disarmed the powers and authorities.” Jesus Christ has disarmed and made a public spectacle of the power of Satan that is controlling. So, even right now, when you call upon the name of Jesus Christ, Satan and all the evil spirits are trembling in fear. Even right now, there are many people who are receiving possession by evil spirits, through the New Age movement, receiving transcendental power through meditation, and we can overcome that with the power of Jesus Christ our Lord. Now, through the power of the Lord Who has finished everything, 1 Cor. 5:17 says we are a new creation. When human beings were originally created, we were created perfectly. But as they sinned against God ,they were completely corrupted. Then, through Jesus Christ dying on the cross and resurrection, He has finished everything, and now we are a new creation. A “new creation” means that we are now reset.
I no longer live centered on myself, I live centered on the Lord. Then my powerlessness? It doesn’t matter. That’s me being powerless, the Lord is not powerless. My depression, my mental illness, do not matter because it does not affect the Lord. Everything was finished on the cross, now the power of the Lord is inside of me. That is how you live in faith, so there’s no way to exist in America without this gospel. If you have this money, you can live physically, but without this gospel, you can never truly live because you cannot overcome the problem that is flowing down your family line continuously. Inside of my family line, one of my relatives passed away early from a disease, and he was very young, and actually, I saw that his older brother also passed away at a young age with the same disease. We call that “Genetics,” and in a similar way, there is a common weakness that is in every family line. Do you think you can solve that with money? Do you think you can solve that by graduating from a good school? or do you think you solve that by volunteering a lot or making a lot of donations? The Lord has to finish everything on the cross. All the curses and disasters, the things that are flowing down our family line, must be completely changed and reset through the blood of the cross.
3. Blessing after it is finished
1) Peace (Jn. 20:21)
The third main point today is, what is the blessing we have received after everything is finished? John 20:21, after Jeus resurrects, He says, “Peace be with you.” What exactly is that peace? This means that now we are reconciled with our Lord.
(1) Set aside the law – Peace (Eph. 2:15-17)
Eph. 2:15-17 says that Jesus Christ has broken the dam that was dividing us from God, so now we can become one with God. What does it mean to be reconciled with God? It means there was an obstacle or barrier between us and the gospel, but now that barrier has been broken by the Lord Jesus. So now we can be united with God, so you can pray to God, prayers communicate with God. You can pray to God right now and God will give you an answer because you’ve now been reconciled to Him. Philosophers will think so deeply and then be destroyed by their own deep thoughts, because they keep spinning their thoughts, but they have no answers. When you face a problem, you cannot think deeply. I hope that instead, you will pray to God who is the solution to the source of that problem. Because everything is fulfilled according to God’s Word. God Who has allowed this problem has the key.
If you think deeply, you might be able to solve a few of your problems, but how could you live like that? But if you pray to God, God will give you the solution. It doesn’t matter if that problem is big or small or medium sized, because nothing is a problem for God, because now we are reconciled, at peace with God. When we were enemies of God, no matter how much we prayed, He did not listen, but through the cross of Christ, we are now reconciled with God. Now if we pray in the name of Jesus Christ, God will answer us. So you must not fall into your own thoughts, you must change it into prayer. Are you sick? Then your disease cannot get better just because you think about it. You have to pray to God and pray for God’s power to be upon your sickness. Are you going through financial hardship? It doesn’t matter how much you worry about it, that will not help. I hope you will pray to your father God. When you pray, then God’s power will be upon your finances. So, we have become reconciled with God, so now, you can communicate with Him anytime you want. If you don’t pray for your phone bills, then your phone will stop working, but if somebody pays, even if it’s not me, then we can keep on communicating. The Lord has already paid all of your bills, so please just pray to God. But that’s not our nature, so we keep on forgetting. Then, when you face a problem, all you have to do is talk to God, communicate with Him, but you keep on forgetting that. Then you try on your own and when you finally give up, you think, “Oh, I have to pray,” why don’t you just pray from the beginning? Because when you pray, God answers.
(2) Send you – Mission (Jn. 20:21)
Then in Jn. 20:21-21, it says, “I have sent you into the world.” Jesus Christ Who has finished everything and is with us sends out back out into the world with a mission. In other words, if we have reason to live, everybody has a goal and all you have to do is find the goal that the Lord has given you. The fact that it is finished means the Lord has already prepared everything you need to get that goal, then He sends you out. But if you don’t know what it means that it is finished, then you think that you have to attain that goal yourself. That’s somebody who’s living a religious life, even if they go to church. Just remember that even though the Lord has paid for everything, you’re trying to pay it again. Once you become a child of God, everything is finished. In other words, if I now belong to this family, then this family has to take full care of me. If God becomes my Father, then everything is finished; God now protects me and God takes full responsibility for my life. When I am weak, God gives me strength. I am that God’s child. Now, the reason God sends us back out into the world is to establish God’s Kingdom, and even that is never done by our own strength, but the Lord says, “I will give you all the power over heaven and earth, and I am with you.”
(3) He breathed on them, “Receive the Holy Spirit” (Jn. 20:22)
In Jn. 20:22, Jesus breathed out and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit,” so Jesus Christ comes into us as the Holy Spirit, the Spirit that saves. The devil is the spirit that kills, but Jesus is the spirit that saves. If you think your own thoughts cannot save you then you will come to life, why? Because the Spirit of Jesus saves. Then it says, “Jesus breathed on them,” and this has a special meaning. In Genesis, God breathed His breath of life into man, and the man became a living being. When the Holy Spirit of Jesus comes into us, then our spirit, mind, and body are all revived. When the Holy Spirit of God comes into us, then our depressed emotions and thoughts come to life. Even if I’m in the midst of absolute despair, if the Holy Spirit of God comes into me, then I come to life. Then, for people who are suffering from mental illness and depression, when the Holy Spirit comes into you, then all of that will be brought to life. From my perspective, it might seem like I am hard-pressed on all sides and there is no escape, but when the Holy Spirit comes into us, He will show us the escape route.
Because He is the Spirit of creation, He can make something out of nothing. I think that there’s no way out, but the Lord makes a way. I think I’m done for, but the Lord says, “No,” and He continues. I when the Lord guides us, He will provide for us. People say, “I’m done for,” humans have no choice but to despair like that, but when the Lord says, It is finished” it means that our life problems are finished. So for us, it is not the end. The Lord has finished it, so no matter what situation you’re in, because the Lord has finished everything we can start anew no matter what. It doesn’t matter if you’re facing a dead end or if you’re facing acidosis because the Lord guides us. Even for 80-year-old Moses, that was a new beginning for him because that is when the Lord called him and guided him. It doesn’t matter even if you’re not that intelligent, because when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, you will receive His wisdom, so there’s nothing that could be a problem. The reason why problems begin is because you’re trying to take care of it yourself. The Lord has already completed the world evangelization, now He is with us and He is fulfilling it through us.
2) Every day
(1) Morning – Strength of the Holy Spirit that saves me
Now, what must we do every day? When you wake up in the morning, you must save yourself. You cannot save yourself with your positive thinking. The Holy Spirit that saves, the Spirit of Jesus Christ must completely fill you, that is what you must pray for. “Everything is finished;” may that spirit completely fill me. Then, the invisible spirit of Jesus Christ will work upon your thoughts, your soul, your spirit, and your body. If you try it, you’ll realize. Your thoughts will be changed now your thoughts change. I thought this was the end but now my thoughts are changing. I used to suffer from depression, but now my thoughts are different. I hope you will enjoy this blessing. For people who are running their business, you’ll get new ideas, why? Because the Holy Spirit that saves is now upon you, so it is a completely turning point for me.
(2) Day – All meeting, words, what you see and hear – Blessing
Then in the daytime, there are people you meet and things you hear, say, and see. There are no answers in the midst of that. But if you change all of that into prayer, then you will receive answers. We change all of that into answers and blessings. If you just meet people without thinking about it, nothing happens, but change all of the people you meet into prayer. There are some people who will give you a hard time, there are some people who think the opposite of me, there are all sorts of people, but you can’t get stuck on that. You need to change everything into prayer for God’s guidance. So, we are people who receive answers. Your daytime is very important.
(3) Night – Answer of the word
At night time, the Holy Spirit must give you the answer to everything you face throughout the day with the Word of God. This is how we live our lives every day within the faith that, “It is finished.”
Conclusion
1. The cross finished it all – Start of life
In conclusion, the cross that has finished everything must be the start of my life. If that does not become our start, then we need to start our life with something else, then the only thing we will face is darkness, curses, and disasters. No matter how correctly we try to live we cannot escape from that. Now, on top of the foundation that “Everything is finished,” may you receive the guidance of the Holy Spirit. “How can I overcome America?” We cannot, but if you pray, God will allow you to overcome. “How can I do world evangelization to save the 237 nations?” If you think you can do that, that’s a lie. You cannot do it; it’s impossible, but if you pray, then God does it. I hope you will finish everything through prayer.
“I’m going to do something,” maybe you can make a living but you can never overcome America; you cannot overcome the forces of darkness that are controlling the whole world. But when you pray in the name of Jesus Christ Who has finished everything, then God will fulfill it. Even if you pray right now, God is answering you. Even right now, if you pray for your business field, then God is working there right now.
2. Guidance, Works of the Holy Spirit
Then what will happen? Then, by the power of the Holy Spirit, you will cast out demons and the Kingdom of God will be established. So you can do world evangelization from your home. When you are at home, when you are in the church, when you pray for Hollywood, then the Holy Spirit of God is working there right now. That Holy Spirit is the Spirit that saves, then works of salvation will take place, your business will come to life; your studies will come to life; your family will come to life; everything around you will come to life. But the devil will try to deceive you.
3. Fruits of the Holy Spirit
I hope you will alway begin with, “It is finished.” Then without a doubt, you will bear the fruits of the Holy Spirit. May you and I be within God’s guidance and works starting with the faith that it is finished. Let’s pray together holding onto the Word we’ve received. If you pray, God answers.
Message Prayer
Let us pray holding onto the message we have received.
Offering Prayer and Newcomer Blessing
God, we thank You. We thank You for finishing everything on the cross and for being with us through the Holy Spirit now. Allow us to live the entire week upon this faith, let us not look at our own weaknesses or our problems, but instead, let us follow the working and the guidance of God. We pray that You will give new strength with the filling of the Holy Spirit upon the people who are suffering mentally or physically. We pray that God’s power and the work of re-creation will take place upon those who are suffering financially.
We have returned your materials as offering, and we pray that it will be used for the 237 nations, for temple construction, and to save the future generations. We pray that You will give the blessing of the economy of light upon the offering given in faith. In Jesus’ Christ’s name I pray, amen.
Announcements
1. Online zoom early morning prayer (Mon.-Fri. 5:30, Sat. 6AM) – Raise the bartizan of prayer
2. Church meeting every 1st Sunday of the month, 5/4 (Sunday) 12:30pm
3. Church officer’s message every Sunday at 1:30PM in Church officer’s room.
4. Offering can be given to the church venmo: @Antiochmissionchurch
Benediction
Now may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the unending love of our Father God, and the indwelling, guidance, fellowship, and filling of the Holy Spirit, be upon the heads of all the people of God, the people of all nations, and the remnants who desire to race towards world evangelization, starting with the faith that it is finished and receiving the guidance of the Holy Spirit, be with them from now until forevermore always, amen.