MPGC43- IT IS FINISHED
By Colleen Donahue
You'll remember three of Christ's last words on the cross were, "It is finished." Part two of this course "Man's Problem God's Cure" has been looking at exactly what was finished and how we can appropriate it in our life.
Those three words, "it is finished" has a meaning for every man and woman. In this study we'll sum up what that meant for Jesus, for the Jews, for all non Jews (Gentiles), for Satan and for God the Father.
If ever three words were said containing life changing meaning it was these .......
"It Is Finished!"
"IT IS FINISHED" -- WHAT IT MEANT FOR JESUS
Day 1 - What was Christ's reason for coming to earth? List the reason from each verse so we can see if they were accomplished.
A. Matthew 5:17
B. Matthew 20:28
C. Luke 4:43
D. Luke 12: 49 (Matthew 10:34)
Note: "fire" in Luke 12:49 is the fire of affliction and persecution. Jesus was to pass through this fire, and many believers after, would have to as well. That's because the promotion of the Kingdom of God would spark division and bitterness in the heart of man exposing his opposition to God.
E. John 10:10
F. John 12:47
G. John 18:37
Some of these reasons were fulfilled because of Christ's life. The salvation made available for sinners came because of His death. And the possibility of an abundant life came because of His resurrection.
Day 2- As our good shepherd, Jesus laid down his life for his sheep and He will never have to do that again.
John 10:11
Christ's death in place of us (his sheep) has finished the pathway for all men to get back to God. Every man and woman now has a way to get back into fellowship with their Creator.
John 14:6
Note: Remember that humanity had become so corrupt that God had destroyed all mankind except one man (Noah) and his family. Mankind had started over with Noah. But once again humanity had become corrupt through sin. Although God promised never again to destroy mankind while earth existed, we are bound for destruction when we die if we are not put right to meet a holy God. Christ's death in our place has put us right with God.
Day 3- Jesus has finished the work of freeing us from our sins.
Galatians 1:4/ Hebrews 9:28 / 1 Peter 2:24 / 1 John 3: 5-6 / Revelation 1:5b
Day 4- By his death Jesus has finished the work of justifying each of us so that we are saved from God's wrath. He has made us "just-as-if-we had never sinned."
Romans 5:9
Note: Jesus has made this a possibility for every man to accept and walk in the light of. WE still have to make the decision to be "born again".
Day 5- Jesus had poured out his blood for man's forgiveness and redemption and it will never happen again.
Matthew 26:28 / Titus 2:14 / 1 Peter 3:18 / 1 John 1:7b
Day 6- Jesus has finished the work of cleansing man's conscience from acts that lead to death so that we are again free to serve the living God.
Hebrews 9:14
Day 7- Jesus came to fulfill the law. The law is a curse to us because it says, "You must do this or that if you want to be right with God." But of course we can never obey all these do's and don'ts for very long and thus we can't stay right with God. Jesus dealt with this curse of the law once and for all.
Galatians 3:13
If we stay united with Jesus, we become righteous (in right standing with God) because HE (Jesus) is righteous. Never again must we be subject to all the do's and don'ts. They are fulfilled perfectly in Christ and if we are "in Christ" we fulfill the law perfectly.
2 Corinthians 5:21
Day 8- Jesus took our infirmities, diseases and burdens on Himself once and for all.
Isaiah 53:4-5 / Matthew 8:17
Day 9- Finished was Christ's life on earth so that His Holy Spirit could be poured out to any man and woman that wanted Him.
John 16:7
Jesus as "the seed" had been broken and had died so that many seeds (you and I) could break out over the earth!
John 12:24
Satan thought he had won in instigating Christ's death, but he had truly lost. For many "Christ's" would soon multiply all over the world as believers filled with the Holy Spirit.
Day 10- Finished was death's hold on Jesus. He rose from the dead!
John 10:17-18 / Romans 1:4 / Revelations 1:18
Day 11- In life Jesus took the ultimate abuse of death at the hands of men. He will never again have to walk this dark place of death, for God has exalted Him and given Him a name above all names. What is Christ's position now?
Mark 16:19 / Luke 22:69 / Ephesians 1:20
Day 12- The sinless Christ will never again be numbered with transgressors.
Luke 22:37
Instead He now intercedes for us as our high priest at the right hand of God.
Hebrews 4:14-16 / Hebrews 9:24
Day 13- Jesus had done the work of reconciling to himself all things on earth and heaven. What does this mean?
Colossians 1:20
He has torn down the dividing wall of hostility between God and man.
Ephesians 2:14
Finished was the barrier keeping the common man from entering the Holy of Holies to meet with God.
Hebrews 10:19-22
Every man and woman who accepts the reconciliation Jesus has provided can go to God at any time of the day or night. He is always accessible to us.
Day 14- Jesus had defeated Satan by breaking his power. He caused Satan's works to cease to be any kind of an active and dangerous threat in the world.
1 John 3:8
Jesus had cancelled the claim that Satan has had over mankind.
"IT IS FINISHED" - WHAT IT MEANS FOR A JEW
Day 15- The Jewish way of animal sacrifices to deal with sin is done. Why?
Hebrews 9:25-28
Therefore those who continue to practice the Jewish faith today refuse to recognize that the Messiah has come. They maintain their man-made laws negating Christ's death and resurrection plus the fact that Jesus Christ fulfilled the law and therefore the demands of the mosaic law are finished.
Day 16- Because the Jews as God's chosen people didn't believe that Jesus came as their Messiah what has happened to them?
Romans 11:25
But notice even this bad situation is used by God for all other people -- the non Jews or Gentiles.
Day 17- For as long as Jews reject the Messiah what do they set themselves up to be?
Romans 11:28
Day 18- Even so, the work Jesus did on the cross was for every Jew. Though they are enemies of God at present, they are still loved by God as His special, chosen people. And one day they will take part in God's new covenant with man.
Isaiah 59:20-21 / Isaiah 27:9 / Jeremiah 31:33-34
"IT IS FINISHED" --WHAT THAT MEANS FOR ALL GENTILES (those who aren't Jewish)
Day 19- The ultimate power that Satan had over all men was to send them to eternal death. But Jesus shared in our humanity for what reason?
Hebrews 2:14
The power of Satan over our lives and kingdom is defeated. What does that mean for us?
Luke 10:19 / Romans 8:37
Day 20- The penalty for all the sins that we have committed has been forgiven and pardoned. According to these verses what else is true?
Isaiah 43:25 / Isaiah 44:22
If God doesn't remember our sins why should we?
Day 21- Finished is the guilt and shame we are under because of our sins. Not only are they forgiven, but it gets even better! What won't we have to face?
John 5:24 / Romans 8:1
And we don't need to face condemnation because the law -- all the do's and don'ts that we can't keep -- has been cancelled!
Colossians 2:14-15
Day 22- The power of our old sinful nature that we inherited from Adam and keeps us sinning is finished. Why?
Romans 6:6
The death of our old nature on the cross has made way for us to be raised with Jesus with a new nature, and therefore we are able to receive the Holy Spirit and operate as a new creation in Christ.
Romans 6:4 / 2 Corinthians 5:17
Day 23- This means we are freed from the power of the old self that keeps us sinning. We now have the power to stop doing what we know is wrong because of the Holy Spirit within us.
1 John 4:4
Day 24- Finished is our need to hide from God and try to cover our sins. Through Jesus we are reconciled to Him and what is now true?
Romans 5:1
Therefore we can continually live in God's presence. As his children what is also true?
1 John 5:14-15
Day 25- Finished is having to live a stunted life apart from God. What is possible NOW -- right here on earth?
John 10:10b
And what is available after our life on earth?
John 3:15
You'll remember when Adam sinned we lost our right standing with God (our righteousness) . This led to our loss of relationship with God. Without relationship we lost our rights as his children of God and this led to our loss of rulership over this world. Christ's death finished this terrible sequence of events.
Christ himself is now our righteousness. In Him we once again have right standing with God. This means we can have a relationship with God and therefore we regain our rights as children in God's family. And finally we are free to fulfill our destiny of rulership over the situations our life is involved with.
What a Savior!
"IT IS FINISHED" - WHAT THAT MEANS FOR SATAN
In day 18 we saw that Jesus became human so that by his death He could destroy Satan who holds the power of death. Man had been created with eternity in his heart. God's plan was that we would live forever. But when sin came into the world so did death. If death had not become a reality then man would live forever in a "hell on earth."
When Christ defeated Satan on the cross it does not mean that Satan and his demons were annihilated. For a time he is still allowed to roam this earth. Men need to see the contrast between the prince of light and the prince of darkness. But he is like a snake without venom or a scorpion without a stinger. He can no longer have any real power over God's children unless we give it to him. Therefore Satan's ultimate power to kill us has been negated in that if our life on earth ends our eternal life in Heaven begins!
Day 26- While Satan's power over men has been destroyed it may surprise you that God still makes use of him on earth. Satan accuses, opposes, afflicts, blinds, tempts and slanders but all under the watchful eye of God. We see that clearly in the life of Job. Notice that Satan could do no more than what God allowed.
Job 1:6-12
Day 27- But why if Satan's power is finished does God still allow him to tempt us and try to harm us? There are several reasons.
A. God wants children who are solidly committed to Him and this means with a faith that cannot be shaken.
Luke 6:48
B. God wants His children refined and purified so that they come to abhor sin as much as He does.
Psalm 17:3 / Malachi 3:3
C. God wants his children to be mature and complete. Testing strengthens us in ways nothing else can.
James 1:2-4
Day 28- Finished is Satan's rulership over the earth. He took it by deception and now it once again belongs to the children of God. But Satan is not handing it over easily.
Matthew 11:12
The amplified Bible translates this verse like this:
"And from the days of John the Baptist until the present time, the Kingdom of Heaven has endured violent assault, and violent men seize it by force (as a precious prize -- a share in the heavenly kingdom is sought with most ardent zeal and intense exertion).
Therefore we see that the Kingdom of Heaven is forcefully advancing by forceful men and women that are laying hold of it often through a fight.
Ephesians 6: 10-13
Day 29 - When God is finished using Satan and the world draws to a close, Satan's time on earth will be finished for he is a defeated enemy. His final doom is already settled by God.
Revelations 20:7-10
Day 30- Finished will be all that is old. In time there will be a new heaven cleansed from every trace of revolt by the fallen angels. In time there will be a new earth freed from all curses brought on by the fall.
Revelations 21: 1-5
Next Study: MPGC#44