“Jesus knew that his mission was now finished, and to fulfill Scripture he said, ‘I am thirsty.’ A jar of sour wine was sitting there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put it on a hyssop branch, and held it up to his lips. When Jesus had tasted it, he said, ‘It is finished!’ Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.” John 19:28-29 (NLT)
Whenever I read the events which lead up to Christ’s crucifixion, my heart bleeds and emphatically cries out, “Oh!”It just isn’t fair! Don’t they know He isn’t guilty and doesn’t deserve to die? Can’t they understand He’s the God who came to save them? So, accusations spill out of my judgmental heart. Surely, if I had lived back then, I would have known He was God’s Son!
However, as I continue to read, my heart turns soft. It becomes clear; God’splan for the innocent Son of Man and the Son of God to be crucified. Jesus knew at a young age His heavenly purpose: To die a brutal, substitutionary death in payment of the debt disobedience had accrued. Sin had separated God from His creation, but Jesus paid the sin debt to bring restoration: perfection for imperfection. This was God’s plan from the beginning, before the foundation of the world. (1 Peter 1:19-21; Ephesians 3:9-11). Eternal life is now available because Jesus suffered and died. Without His sacrifice, the Holy Spirit could not indwell believers, breathing His glory into their emptiness (Romans 8:15).
Isaiah prophesied in detail about this life-altering event years before it happened:
“He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet He never said a word. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter. And as a sheep is silent before the shearers, he did not open his mouth. Unjustly condemned, he was led away. No one cared that he died without descendants, that his life was cut short in midstream. But he was struck down for the rebellion of my people. He had done no wrong and had never deceived anyone. But he was buried like a criminal; he was put in a rich man’s grave. But it was the Lord’s good plan to crush him and cause him grief. Yet when his life is made an offering for sin, he will have many descendants. He will enjoy a long life, and the Lord’s good plan will prosper in his hands. When he sees all that is accomplished by his anguish, he will be satisfied. And because of his experience, my righteous servant will make it possible for many to be counted righteous, for he will bear all their sins.” (Isaiah 53:7-11 NLT)
My heart did a 180 from my first reaction to the cross. Not only was Jesus’ sacrifice planned and prophesied, but it was also necessary because of me, my sin; I’m as guilty as those who crucified Him!
Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for his own sins! But He was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed. All of us, like sheep, have gone astray. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all. (Isaiah 53:4-6 NLT)
My friend, this is for you and me. Jesus’ perfect blood was shed to save us two thousand years ago. His blood still saves today, and tomorrow it will continue and not stop until He returns. This is the good news of the Gospel of Jesus!
It is finished; it was enough. Hallelujah, what a Savior!
With tears in my eyes and a fervent heart of gratitude, all I can say is, “Thank you, Jesus.”
Blessings and Love,
Mari Jo Mast & the Help Club for Moms Team
Mari Jo encountered God’s unconditional love and grace in the year 2000, which radically freed her from the bondage of legalism and exhausting performance. She desires to faithfully obey and purely reflect the character of Jesus in her life and longs for readers to encounter the Presence of Holy Spirit in her writing.
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