What is Finished?

Jesus’ job is done. Ours is just beginning.

A key premise of this book is that you and I play a significant role in our ultimate salvation. It’s easy for Christians to get derailed, confused and disillusioned when their victory and freedom seem to evade them.

“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)

It is finished. 

These three words, this short sentence, may be the most powerful and eternity-shaking ever uttered. In fact, I’m sure that is the case. 

The world shook and groaned as Jesus completed his most glorious assignment.

“And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit. And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split. The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many. When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said, “Truly this was the Son of God!”” (Matthew 27:50–54, ESV)

Can you imagine being there, witnessing these incredible events? Jesus cries out and dies resulting in a shaking of the earth, a torn curtain, split rocks, open tombs and long-dead people walking around alive once again.

Truly this was the Son of God!

The centurion was correct. 

“It is finished” changed the world.

But, “It is finished” begs the question, “What is finished?”

A GREAT DECEPTION

One of the greatest deceptions that has compromised many Believers in Jesus is this: 

They presume “It is finished” means “All is finished.”

This miscalculation of the impact of the blood, the cross and the resurrection has resulted in a sleepy church, a casual people and lukewarm Christians who are at risk of surrendering their salvation.

““And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: ‘The words of him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. “ ‘I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God. Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you.” (Revelation 3:1–3, ESV)

Wake up. 

““ ‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.” (Revelation 3:15–16, ESV)

Burn hot.

If we misunderstand “It is finished” to mean everything is finished, all is well and there is nothing left for us to do, we sleep and grow cold. 

When Jesus died and rose, everything necessary for us to live in victory, power and abundant life was made available. Jesus succeeded in grand fashion by conquering death, Hell and the grave. We have been invited to walk in that victory, but in order to do so we have to, for starters, walk. We have a part to play.

WHAT IS FINISHED?

The Gospel message reveals the glory of the cross and resurrection. What is finished? More than we have the capacity to understand. it’s immeasurable. 

Sin was crushed. 

Death was destroyed.

Sickness was defeated.

The Holy Spirit came to the earth.

Freedom was made possible.

Beyond this, demons must obey us. We have authority. Mountains must move. We are seated in heavenly places with Christ Jesus. We are the head and not the tail, above and not beneath.

We trample on serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy, and they will by no means harm us. 

Of course, countless messages have been preached on the power of the blood and the victory of the cross. The power and the victory are real and the church has barely tapped into experiencing it. 

But, the blood, cross and resurrection didn’t resolve everything. If it did, Universalism would be true. The believe that all will be saved is a false-belief. It’s untrue. 

We must respond to the sacrifice and victory of Jesus if we hope to walk in victory, and ultimately to be saved.

WHAT IS UNFINISHED?

The cross has empowered us to respond and to walk in victory. But, again, we have to walk.

The concept is quite simple. Jesus has given us authority over the enemy. He defeated Satan. Yet, people today are demonized. What is unfinished? Well, for starters, demons must be dealt with.

If someone is demonized, they will remain in torment if we don’t do anything. The victory of the resurrection didn’t result in demonic attacks coming to an end. If anything, they became more intense.

We have to act. We have to cast out the demon. 

That example works well in many scenarios. Consider sickness.

Nowhere in the New Testament will you find the Apostles praying for God to heal somebody. Why? Remember, Jesus said, “It is finished.” His job is done. He already did everything necessary for the sick to be healed. There is nothing left for him to do. It’s finished.

In order for the healing to manifest, we must draw on the victory and power of Jesus and minister his healing power. We have to do it.

Demons are still with us. Sickness is still here. 

The resources necessary to eradicate both have been made available to us. We must act. God is ready to facilitate his deliverance and healing through us.

What else is unfinished? Well, every second of every day people are entering their eternal home in Hell. Since I wrote that previous sentence, approximately another twelve people died, and, most likely, most of them are currently in torment.

We have a job to do. The harvest is ripe! Hell is growing larger to hold the number of people who are going there. This should grieve us! We should be moved to cries, groans and tears!

Yet, the church sleeps.

It is unfinished. Our job is unfinished.

OUR SALVATION IS UNFINISHED

There is much for us to do in the short time we are alive. Are their open doors to the enemy in our lives? We must close them. Are we apathetic? We must burn hot. Are we one of the foolish Virgins who have no oil in our lamps? We must develop intimacy with Jesus. Is our family unsaved? We must intercede. Is our city overtaken by wickedness? We have no choice but to pray, preach and advance into the darkness.

A significant focus for us must also be our own salvation.

We work it out with fear and trembling.

We must endure every single day until the very end when we breathe our last breath.

Our salvation is unfinished.

Eternal security is not only a myth, it’s a disastrous and eternally dangerous lie. We first endure and tremble, and then we are saved.

A casual approach due to a misunderstanding of “It is finished” leads to lamps without oil and a lukewarm life.

“For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept.” (Matthew 25:3–5, ESV)

“Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’” (Matthew 25:11–12, ESV)

A failure to go deep in God, to have a passionate heart and to stay awake in these perilous end-times can lead to eternity in Hell.

Depart from me, I never knew you.

“It is finished” didn’t result in everybody going to Heaven. You and me included.

If we lose our love, grow sleepy and lose our passion, we are in a risky position. If we continue in sin, are careless with the call to holiness and refuse to respond rightly to the cross of Jesus, we can’t presume to be saved at all.

“For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries.” (Hebrews 10:26–27, ESV)

“It is finished” didn’t result in all being saved. We must respond. We must walk in holiness. If we continue in sin we can only expect judgment and a fury of fire that will consume us.

WE HAVE A JOB TO DO

Your life is unfinished. Your job is unfinished. We all must respond to the glorious benefits of the empty tomb by walking in power, authority, obedience and overwhelming passion for Jesus every day.

We can no longer wait around for Jesus to do what he isn’t going to do. 

“So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”” (Acts 1:6–11, ESV)

The disciples still didn’t get it. 

They expected Jesus to establish his kingdom and to hang around to work miracles and all of the other incredible stuff he did prior to his death and resurrection.

Jesus basically told them that he’s leaving. He’s done. It is finished.

He told them to wait for the Holy Spirit. Why? Why would this great gift be necessary? 

It’s simple. It was their turn to do the works of Jesus. 

““Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.” (John 14:12, ESV)

Then, Jesus left. He was gone. 

It was in this moment these original followers of Jesus went from being disciples to apostles. From followers to “sent ones.” 

Now it was their turn. Jesus’ job was finished. Theirs was just beginning. A desperate world was waiting for them. It was time to work wonders.

“And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.” So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by accompanying signs.” (Mark 16:17–20, ESV)