It is Finished!
When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. John 19:30 ESV
Jesus’ last words from the cross were, “It is finished.” What was finished? Certainly there was more to done, wasn’t there? There were thousands who had not yet heard. There were thousands more who needed healing. How could He say His job was complete?
Jesus’ completed task was actually two-fold. He was first to train a small group of leaders to carry on His ministry after He left to return to the Father. They would go on to reach the unreached after He was gone. In His prayer the night before the crucifixion He says that He has completed this task (see John 17:4). The second aspect of His mission was to redeem mankind from sin, taking upon Himself the punishment for sin that we deserve. He accomplished this with His sacrificial death on our behalf.
- Jesus preached to thousands, healed many and trained twelve disciples to carry on His work after He was gone. What do the following verses say about His ministry to the Twelve? — Mark 3:14-19; Mark 4:33-34
- Jesus’ death on the cross paid the penalty for our sin and set us free. What do the following passages say was accomplished by Jesus’ death? — Romans 5:12-19; Hebrews 10:5-14
Question to ponder: What does Jesus’ death and resurrection mean to you personally and how does this impact your leadership?
Passages for further reflection: John 12:23-28; Titus 2:11-14
Developing Kingdom Leaders - Tom Yeakley 