John 19

Bible Passage:  John 19

What do you say to a very sick boy who does not have much more time?

These thoughts came to me last night as I was in a taxi on the way to the hospital.  As I was waiting, I read through today’s passage and these words caught my eye from John 19:30 …

“It is finished!”

There is a certain sense of finality with these words.  

It’s the end!  Kaput!  No more!  Nothing left!  Big Fat Zero!  Finito!  Done!

It is finished!

With these words, Jesus bowed His head and gave up His spirit.

To the people watching, it seemed that way too.

All the excitement and passion of the last three years … now disappeared like the mist of the air.  The nails on the cross were like nails to the coffin.  That’s it… no more Jesus!  No more miracles.  No more talks that moved thousands.  No more love and compassion .. especially for those who needed it most.

But we all know that was not the end!

When Jesus died – it was not the end but the beginning!  The beginning of a new and living way for us to truly be able to come to the Father!

The author of Hebrews tells us,

Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus,  by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh,  and having a High Priest over the house of God,  let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
~ Hebrews 10:19-22

The veil in the temple was ripped “from top to bottom.”  For hundreds of years, the veil stopped men from entering into the holy place – the place where God’s presence dwelt.  Every year, only on the Day of Atonement could the high priest enter the Holy of Holies and only then with the blood of a sacrificial lamb.

When Christ completed His work at Calvary, that veil was torn “from top to bottom”, symbolizing that God had removed the barrier, giving man once again, full and free access into His presence.

It is finished!

What was ended? Jesus ended our sins and the guilt that accompanies them.

What was paid?  Jesus paid the price of our redemption.

What was performed? Christ performed the righteous requirements of the law.

What was accomplished?  Jesus accomplished the work that the Father gave Him to fulfill.

Jesus Christ finished His work on the cross for you and for me.  That was His purpose, His mission.

Now our purpose, our mission is to believe in Him and to preach His good news.  So that others too may know that the ending in this world is not the end of all things.

Instead there remains a bright and glorious hope that awaits all of us.

So with this in mind, I went rejoicing into the hospital room.  I knew that even though it may seem the end for the young boy… it will not necessarily be so… because we have Jesus.  And that is all we need.