FOR THE LOVE OF GOD

Scripture Reference: John 19:28-30

3. Jesus Addressed Those He Had Come to Redeem – Continued

From Last Lesson: I would like to continue on addressing some of the saints of the Old Testament with words of comfort that Jesus Christ might have given them in His last words, “It is finished.”

Elijah: Readers, remember when Jesus and Elijah met on the Mount of Transfiguration (see Matthew 17:1-9; Mark 9:2-9; Luke 9:28-36). Moses was with them there. Both of them urged Jesus not to come into glory at that moment, as by Christ’s holiness He deserved to do, but rather, continue to walk the way of sorrows to the cross. Is it possible that both of them sensed something of the fact that unless Jesus became a curse for even them, for their breaking the law, Moses as the giver of the law and Elijah, as the great defender of the law, is it possible they could not remain in glory? Nevertheless, Jesus has borne for them breaking the law, their offense towards God the giver of the law, and Jesus has kept every iota of the law. Jesus Christ truly loved God above all else and His neighbor as Himself. Jesus went all the way to the cross. He did so to become a curse for Elijah and all mankind. Elijah will continue to be with Christ Jesus in glory forever. “It is finished.”

Simeon: The ravages of age were upon Him when, in the temple, He held the infant Jesus, a babe, in his arms (see Luke 2:25-32) However, before Abraham was Jesus was the great, “I Am.” Simeon’s patient waiting for that day will be rewarded with life everlasting in the presence of the Lord of Lords and the King of Kings, Christ Jesus. Jesus had become a curse for even Simeon. Now, “It is finished.”

Anna: She was old and shriveled up in body when, never departing from the temple, she continued to bless the day of Jesus’ coming (see Luke 2:36-38). Now she may bless the day of Jesus’ going. In the moment when Jesus shall commend His spirit to the Father; in doing so Jesus Christ shall commend Anna’s spirit to the Father, also. Jesus was made a curse for the devout and devoted Anna. But now, “It is finished!”

So then, have you, dear readers, been considering what Jesus said to all of us when He uttered that seemingly simple little sentence? He is saying to us what He said to all of these: “I became a curse for you that you may be accepted and reconciled of God, but only if you like all of these put your trust in Me.”

He said everything to us that He stated and taught to Peter and the other apostles and disciples. Like them, we as individuals, we as a body of believers, we as the Church, the Bride of Christ, have been given the true understanding of the nature of the person and work of Jesus Christ. Therefore, we must as fearlessly and boldly and with as much reliance on the power of the Holy Spirit as Peter had before the leaders of the Jews, we must also be witness to that only Name under heaven given among men, whereby we must and thus can be saved.

There is no real and sincere wisdom, righteousness or true love among men unless it comes from Him who so loved His creation that He was willing to be forsaken of His Father for each of us.

To Be Continued

Unless otherwise noted, Scripture taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, ESV © 2016 by Crossway Bibles.
Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture Reference: John 19:28-30

3. Jesus Addressed Those He Had Come to Redeem – Continued

Now, I would like to address some of the saints of the Old Testament with words of comfort that Jesus Christ might have given them in His last words, “It is finished.” Remember that they looked expectantly to the Father for the coming and fulfilment of the Messiah. Even though they might have been looking for something a little bit different than the initial mission of Jesus, their hopes were still faithfully placed in Him.

Enoch: He walked with God, while others about him did not, and God called Enoch to Himself. “Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him” (Genesis 5:24). Enoch will now walk with Christ Jesus forever, for Jesus and the Father are one. “It is finished.”

Noah: He witnessed alone with his family the coming judgment upon all those who had broken the covenant of God. Noah built the ark to the salvation of his household (see Genesis 6:9-22). Thus, possibly unbeknownst to him, it was Christ Jesus who was witnessing through him; and Noah was witnessing through the Lord. Men ridiculed him and laughed at him scornfully. In mocking him they mocked the Anointed One; but those who mock Christ even now will soon call upon the mountains and hills to cover them from the Lamb who is coming in the wrath of the Lion of the tribe of Judah. “It is finished!”

Abraham: He is called and known even today as “the father of the faithful.” With him God made the covenant of grace. To Abraham and his seed were the promises made. The great “I Am,” Christ Jesus is that seed. With Paul even the saints of old may now say:

“Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree’ “ (Galatians 3:13).

Abrahan looked forward for a city that had foundations. Jesus Christ established those foundations from the cross and they still stand today.

Christ Jesus has finished being and bearing that curse on the tree. The wrath of the covenant has been removed; the promise of the covenant is fulfilled. “It is finished.” It is finished for Abraham and for all those who have like faith like his.

Moses: He was called and known as the mediator of the old covenant (see Exodus 3:1-12). He was faithful in all his house. Moses led God’s covenant people toward but not into the promised land, and “the promised land” he so greatly and longingly desired to enter was, after all only, still of this sin-cursed earth. But Christ Jesus has borne even the punishment for his unfaithfulness; now, because of that truth, Moses will enter the promised land, the new heaven and the new earth on which righteousness will dwell. “It is finished.”

Job: Satan tempted him sorely and mercilessly. He tempted Jesus much more sorely than he tempted Job, however. Job overcame his temptation because Christ Jesus overcame his temptation, and went to the cross to become a curse for all mankind, past present and future. Now, it is finished. Job’s last end will truly be better than the first. Now he himself understands his own Spirit inspired words, “I know that my Redeemer lives” (Job 19:25). “It is finished.”

David: He was called a man after God’s own heart (see 1 Samuel 13:14; Acts 13:22); his heart was true and sincere with his covenant God. On the cross Jesus has cleansed and washed away the sins David so greatly bewailed, making him whiter than snow through the blood of Christ Jesus. Christ became a curse for David, but now the curse is lifted. “It is finished!”

To Be Continued

Unless otherwise noted, Scripture taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, ESV © 2016 by Crossway Bibles.
Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture Reference: John 19:28-30

3. Jesus Addressed Those He Had Come to Redeem – Continued

From Last Lesson: “Peter, you will be “filled with the Holy Ghost” (see Acts 2:4; 4:8, 31) as I was filled with the Holy Ghost when I told the Pharisees they were of their father the devil, and you will fear no man, not even those who will be out to destroy you in the attempt to erase My name from the minds of men.

“I can already hear you say:

‘Let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well. This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved’ (Acts 4:10-12).

“Now Peter, you know that Satan will continue in his desperation to wipe out the memory of My name from the earth. You also know, Peter, and now all eleven of you, My disciples, will know how to meet and to defeat Satan’s efforts to separate you from Me. When Satan comes as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour, you will fearlessly defy him, knowing that his followers can at most kill the body but never the soul (see 1 Peter 5:8-10).

“When Satan comes as an angel of light, quoting Scripture and professing belief in my name, talking sweetly of love, even of love for Me, you will expose his wiles so that he may not lead My people away with him to eternal death (see 2 Corinthians 11:14-15).

“You will henceforth feed my sheep. I am, you know, the bread of life. I am the water of life (see John 4:10-14; 6:35; 21:17). You and the disciples will remind My people to:

‘Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you . . .’ (Matthew 11:28-30).

“What I have said to you, Peter, I also say to all of you, My disciples, those here now and those who will be given to Me in times to come.”

In his desperation, knowing that his time is short, Satan will continue in his bid seeking to deceive, if it were possible, the very elect of God by means of theoretical science and worldly philosophy. The Lord will send His servant Paul to challenge the wisdom of this world:

“Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe” (1 Corinthians 1:20-21).

Will the wise men of this era ask, with Pilate, what is truth? Will they say that all is relative, that no one knows the truth? Paul will answer them even now, that they are face to face with truth, as clearly and as directly as was Pilate when Jesus stood before him in the judgment hall. “For from him and through him and to him are all things” (Romans 11:36). All doubt that may be in your mind, with respect to Jesus and His work, is now at an end. With Paul we might all say:

“But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing” (2 Corinthians 2:14-15).

To Be Continued

Unless otherwise noted, Scripture taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, ESV © 2016 by Crossway Bibles.
Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture Reference: John 19:28-30

3. Jesus Addressed Those He Had Come to Redeem

First imagine what He could have said to His disciples. “You, my friends now at last understand, that I and the Father are One. You, at last, know who I am and what I have come to do. For three years you followed Me. You loved Me, but you didn’t love Me truly for what I am. You heard Me preach and teach about the Kingdom of Heaven but you didn’t understand clearly that My Kingdom could not be established except I bear your sin and the iniquity of all My people.

“You heard My disputes with the scribes and Pharisees, calling them blind guides of the blind and you were astounded at the forcefulness of My address. You thought I was too harsh with them. You didn’t understand that it was Satan who, through them, was out to deceive you and the people, that they shouldn’t believe in Me as the promised Messiah.

“When, just the other day, we celebrated the Passover, you didn’t realize that you would be called upon to remember Me as the One who was a fulfilment of all the blood of beasts on Jewish altars that was slain and that those sacrifices pointed and were a shadow of Me.

“But now you understand. Soon the Spirit of truth, the Spirit of comfort, whom the Father will send in My name will qualify and equip you to become My witnesses. Soon you will speak before kings and governors who have the power and desire to destroy you and you will not be afraid.”

Just imagine what He might have said to Peter, “you went forth alone to weep bitterly over your denial of Me. All your boasting of love and faithfulness to Me fled from you when I was being led toward death by crucifixion. You cursed and swore that you had never known Me. For a moment Satan seemed right then to have entered into you as he had entered into the heart of Judas. But Peter, I prayed for you, that you might not fall into Satan’s hand. Alas Peter, remember how I looked upon you as I passed by you on the way to Pilate’s judgment seat? Then you understood clearly that I loved you and forgave you. But Peter, what good would My prayer for you and My looking at you have been if it had not been for the fact that even now, I, by being forsaken of God for you, you are forgiven for your sin of denying me? Now dear Peter, you know. Now you will be My witness.

“Now, Peter, you understand as you never understood before, that soon you yourself will be arraigned by the rulers and elders, by Annas, the high-priest and by Caiaphas for preaching “in Jesus the resurrection of the dead” (Acts 4:2), and for healing a lame man in my name. But then, Peter, you will be “filled with the Holy Ghost” (see Acts 2:4; 4:8, 31) as I was filled with the Holy Ghost when I told the Pharisees they were of their father the devil, and you will fear no man, not even those who will be out to destroy you in the attempt to erase My name from the minds of men.”

To Be Continued

Unless otherwise noted, Scripture taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, ESV © 2016 by Crossway Bibles.
Used by permission. All rights reserved.