“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).
The time after Jesus’ death was dark. He had been cruelly betrayed by one of His close followers and handed into the power of those who wanted Him dead because they saw Him as a threat to their control over the people. He had been tried and found innocent three times, but still the religious leaders would have nothing but His death. They convinced their Roman governor to crucify Jesus, and in the name of peace, He did so. He suffered a grueling death, and then He was buried. It seemed the hope of Israel was gone.
But not even death is powerful enough to stop God! Three days later, Jesus came back to life! His tomb had been sealed by the Romans at the request of the Jewish leaders, but in His power He pushed back the heavy stone and walked out alive. To prove His return, He appeared to many of His followers, showing them that everything He had promised had come to pass. His death had forgiven the sins of the world, and His resurrection guaranteed life everlasting with Him.
When Jesus died, He uttered a simple phrase. “It is finished!” He cried before breathing His last. Those simple words have sealed our salvation. The phrase literally means, “It has been completed.” Jesus had come to earth for one purpose: to deliver the world from sin by paying with His own perfect blood the penalty for people’s rebellion against God. There is now no more need for sacrifice. Jesus has completed what works never could. We no longer have to live in fear, guilt, or shame. Jesus has defeated them all. And we no longer need be afraid of death, for Jesus has made even that glorious.
God has kept His promises. We are free. It is finished.