Hello and welcome back to Cultivating Growth. We want to thank everyone once again for joining us. This week we are finishing our three episode series on the words that Jesus speaks from the cross, and we're gonna conclude today with two statements of victory and finality that Jesus gives us. And one of those recorded for us in John chapter 19, the other one in Luke chapter 23, both of which signify the victory that Jesus is claiming even in death.

And so with that, let's get right to it.

Well, John, several weeks ago when we began this conversation, we made note that. Yeah. Of the seven statements that Jesus makes from the cross, although it's, it's tough to put them in strict chronological order. We've got a pretty good idea of, of some of the things that certainly happened towards the beginning.

Yeah. A and maybe towards the middle. Mm-hmm. But we are pretty sure about what's happening towards the end because as you made mention your intro there, there's a couple of phrases, one given to us in John 19, the other in Luke chapter 23, that really are stamping and especially. The first one that we'll talk about in John chapter 19.

Three words and, and three words that may seem kind of inconsequential. You know, three words that may seem pretty simple that, you know, he's, he's had much longer conversations that we've talked about. I mean, full on conversations with the, the thieves on the cross, full on conversations with John and his mother that we talked about last week.

But here it is, three little words. It is finished, but. They are heavy, heavy, heavy words that he'll drop really here at the very end after receiving that drink. Mm-hmm. That we talked about last week. As soon as he receives that in verse 30 of John chapter 19, he says, it is finished and he bows his head and he gives up his spirit.

You know, we referenced last week also verse. 28 that it says after this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that that word accomplished in the word that's translated as finished in in verse number 30 or the same Greek word, and, and it really is an indication that Jesus understands that there is nothing left to do.

That he was sent to Earth with a purpose. He was sent to earth by his father to fulfill his father's plan. And he has done so perfectly and, and he has accomplished everything that they set out to accomplish together. And so, yes, there, there is a sense, obviously in which physically everything is coming to an end.

He's about to take his last breath, but this speaks much more. To the spiritual reality that what he was sent here to do has been accomplished. And so as he's, as he is hanging before all of these Romans and Jews alike, many of whom are thinking that they have beaten him. Because they finally killed the guy who they've been after for quite some time.

Now, Jesus, in his last breath, whether they fully understand it or not, is making it known that you did not win, that I did everything I came here to accomplish. And so it really is a statement of victory that that Jesus utters here at the end again, even though in the moment it may not have been heard that way.

And that's exactly what Jesus is saying. Yeah. I mean, you study through the Book of Revelation specifically, and I mean we can, you know, kind of go out even further from just his, his physical enemies that were there. But Satan himself of this moment probably feels like he has, you know, he has delivered a great victory over Jesus, over God.

But, you know, he'll, he'll, he'll learn her learn very quickly that that just certainly isn't the case. It is victory. And I think what's really important is to understand that Jesus dying on the cross. Was all a part of the plan, right? Mm-hmm. It, it was a part of, of what needed to happen is blood needing to be spillt and, and all of that.

I like the word that you used has worked out perfectly. Everything has worked out perfectly and, and not just everything has worked out perfectly in the life of Jesus for the 30 some odd years that he walked on this earth. But everything has worked out perfectly for the. The history of humanity. Mm-hmm.

I mean, you go back to Ephesians chapter one and you know, Paul makes it pretty clear being directed by the Holy Spirit that before the foundations of the world were even in place, th this, this was thought out, this was the plan. And, and it is, it's difficult to think about it, you know, certainly in that way.

Yeah. But when you broaden that out, you start to understand that the heaviness of this, it is finished a plan put in place before the foundation of the world culminating to this death on the cross. You know, I think John does a really good job for us of, of bringing us. To this point, you know these, these three words, it is finished.

They're only found in John's account. It's not recorded anywhere else, but I think that's appropriate when you think about how John helps us understand the layout of God and Jesus's plan for his time on earth. Because he'll give us these statements throughout the gospel of, of John that it is not yet his time, right in John chapter two.

And then as we get towards the end and you get to John chapter 13, the hour has come and you, you start to see these kind of moments throughout John's account where there is a plan that is laid out and now is not the time for certain things. And then now is the time for certain things. And now we're coming to the end.

Of, of this plan and, and so it's appropriate then that John concludes Jesus's time on Earth with this statement because he has been so dedicated to helping us see that God's plan is being carried out in Jesus' life the way that God wanted it carried out, and now we get to the end. And that plan is complete.

Everything has been accomplished, it is done. And so I think it's really appropriate that John is the only one to record these words for us because of how dedicated he's been to really helping us see this plan in motion throughout Jesus' life. And the timeline of that plan itself. Yeah. I mean, John 17 is another good example of that When Jesus is.

Praying, you know, again, hours before he would be arrested. He, he uses that same kind of phraseology. The, the hour has come, John 17 of verse one glorify your son, that your son also may glorify you. Mm-hmm. And so Jesus understands, he understands what's about to happen. He was not surprised when he was arrested in the garden.

He was not surprised when he was put on the cross and he's not surprised that he's going to die there. Yeah. It was. All a part of the plan to redeem man through his blood, and now that that has happened. It's finished. It's finished. And I think that then we can kind of move into Luke chapter 23 because again, these two statements very clearly come at the end.

Both both gospel accounts kind of give us the indication that these really were Jesus' last words in whatever order maybe they were uttered. But Luke records for us in Luke chapter 23 and verse number 46. And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, he said, father, into your hands, I commit my spirit.

And having said this, he breathed his last I. And so there is this moment of great victory that we see in the words it is finished, and then in Luke's account we see this moment of Jesus in some ways almost reuniting with his father in this manner of. He, he is now giving himself up to his father. He has fully submitted himself to his father's will, and he is placing his spirit now in the hand of his father.

And it's this beautiful moment of, of Jesus claiming that victory and announcing that everything that he was sent to earth. Has been accomplished the way that it was intended to be accomplished, and now I give myself back to my father having completed what I was sent here to do. It's this beautiful summary really of, of what Jesus was sent here to do and now this resignation to go back to the father having completed his will.

This is a powerful ending. I mean, there's no getting around it. I mean, the way that John kind of voices it is finished and the fact that he kind of breathed his last, bowed his head and, and Luke gives, you know, father into your hands, I commend my spirit. Having said this, he breathed his last. I mean, that, that tells me that these two statements from Jesus probably came pretty quickly together.

Yeah. If not. Together. Yeah. But I think you, you see the power of this. I mean, Luke gives it to us in verse 47. Mm-hmm. I think there's a powerful piece when it talks about the Satur who was there. He, he saw that what had happened. He, he glorified God saying certainly this was a righteous man. And so he, he, whether it is just those.

Final words of the end, or he's thinking about, you know, the entirety of Jesus's time on the cross. It, it has an impact on him the way that Jesus conducted himself his mentality and, and certainly the way he's operating here at the end. It's so remarkable to me. You know, we, we spend a lot of time, rightfully so, talking about all of Jesus's teachings throughout.

His ministry and the impact that it had on people, and even when he is at his most vulnerable, as he's hanging on a cross beaten, embarrassed, and near death. His words are still having such a significant impact on people. I mean to, to your point about the, the centurion there in verse 47. I mean, everything that Jesus does and everything that Jesus says from the earliest accounts of what we hear Jesus doing in saying to his last words.

Carries such weight and have so much purpose behind them. N nothing that he says, nothing that he does is just a throwaway statement or a a time filler of any sort. They're so meaningful and so purposeful. The, the very last words that he utters before dying have this type of an impact on those who are standing by watching and then still us today as we talk about them.

And we try to, you know, imagine what it would've been like to be there and to hear Jesus utter these words and the impact that they have still in our hearts today as we think about them. It's just remarkable that, that someone who is literally taking his last breath. Yet he's still having this kind of an impact on those around him and his focus is still on the father.

I, I think that that is, you know, that's remarkable to kind of, you know, consider and to think about. I, I think in a lot of ways, you know, going again, back to the garden, he's making the point that. YYY your will, speaking to the father, your will has now been accomplished. Yep. And you know, and now there's a, there's a period that's put onto it, right?

It is, it's over. It is finished. I, I'm now giving myself, you know, over and, and back to you and, you know, there is a there's a beauty in it. You know, for sure. Mm-hmm. But there is an understanding that now God's will has been accomplished in this. And we talked about a moment ago that this is, this was a plan laid out before the foundation of the world, and now it has come to, you know, come to bear with Jesus here on the cross.

Yeah. It's such a comfort to know. That God had a plan mm-hmm. That involved me and involves you. And to, to be able to spend some time looking specifically at what Jesus has to say on the cross that really brings all of this to light because again, he's, he's so focused on others. He's still focused on carrying out the plan that God has for him.

He's still focused on his father and their relationship and he, he's just, no matter what happened to him on this earth, he never lost sight of that. And I think taking some time to look at each of these gospel accounts, the way that we have is really impactful. And you know, if, if you are maybe just listening to this episode and you haven't listened to the others, I'd go back and listen to those and, and maybe do your own study on these statements.

And I. You know, mark 'em in your Bible or, or have a list of 'em in front of you and, and, and just kind of sit with what Jesus has to say during this time period on, on the cross. 'cause it really is an impactful study and, and it's one that has really brought some things to the forefront that I wanna make sure that I never lose sight of.

Yeah, I mean, before we close, I want to direct everybody's mind back to kind of the literal, very first words that we have recorded of Jesus to hear the very last before he gives his life on the cross, both kind of point to God's will, whether it is Jesus at 12, the very first words recorded for us in Luke's gospel.

I, I've gotta be about my father's business. That's what I've gotta be about. And, and now we see that. Plan his business being fulfilled, you know, on the cross. And so we'll close with this idea. In John 17, we made mention already of verse one, when Jesus is praying as He does so focusing on the Father.

We've made mention of verse one already, but in John 17 of verse four, this simple statement is made from Jesus. I have glorified you speaking to the Father on the earth. I have finished the work which you have given me to do. Thank you for listening this week. If you haven't already done so, we'd appreciate it if you would take just a second to subscribe to the podcast on whatever platform you're listening and rate and review the show so we can continue to spread the good news of Jesus as widely and effectively as possible.

Thanks again for joining us this week, and we'll talk to you again next week.