The Seven Statements of Jesus on the Cross:

Declaration of Victory

"It is finished!"

John 19:30

The Culmination of Years of Divine Preparation

¨    God’s divine plan for man’s redemption was neither a hurried nor careless undertaking.

-Jesus’ advent into this world was perfectly and precisely timed by God. (Gal. 4:4-5)

-Just think of the providential circumstances that made that time the right time. (See back page)

¨    God’s divine plan for man’s redemption might be viewed as existing in five major stages.

-PURPOSE: God’s purpose in Christ dates from eternity. (Eph. 3:8-12; 1:3-6; 1Pet. 1:20-21)

-PROMISE: The patriarchs received promises pointing to the plan. (Gen. 3:15; 12:1-3; 22:18)

-PROPHECY: All the prophets foretold God’s plan in some way. (Lk. 24:27; Ac. 3:18ff; 10:43)

-PREPARATION: Specific preparations were made from Greece till John. (Lk. 1:76-79; 3:3-9)

-PERFECTION: The plan ultimately reaches its completion in Jesus Christ. (Eph. 3:8-12)

The Climax of Christ’s Work on Earth

¨    Jesus’ life on earth was intended to accomplish several things.

-He gave us a picture of God in His glory, grace, and truth. (Jn. 1:14, 18; 14:9; He. 1:1-4)

-He gave us the ultimate example of what God expects from each of us. (Rm. 8:29; 1Co. 11:1)

-He came to finish and remove the old law. (Mt. 5:17-18; Eph. 2:14-15; Co. 2:13-17; He. 8:6-13)

-He came to inaugurate a new law between God and men. (He. 9:15-17; 10:1-9)

-He came to serve as the ultimate sacrifice for man’s sin. (He. 10:10; Rom. 5:6-9)

-He came to overcome death and destroy the power of Satan. (He. 2:14-15; 1Jn. 3:8)

¨    Years of human weakness, temptation, and hardship were now coming to an end.

Application: Christ’s Finished Work, But Not Finished Completely

Christ’s Work Goes On

¨    Jesus’ work of redemption may have been finished at the cross, but His work of intercession continues. (1Jn. 2:1; He. 7:24-25; Rom. 8:34)

¨    Jesus reigns as King over His kingdom. (Jn. 18:36-37; Co. 1:13-14; 1Co. 15:20-28)

¨    Jesus will Judge the world at the end of time. (2Co. 5:10; Ac. 17:30-31; Jn. 5:22-23)

Our Salvation Was Not Finished At Calvary

¨    The payment for sin has been made available, but men are not saved until they submit themselves to Christ. (Ac. 2:36-41; 3:19; 13:46)

-My salvation is based on accepting or rejecting Christ’s doctrine. (Mk. 16:15-16; Rom. 6:17)

¨    As a Christian, I must continue to work on my salvation. (Php. 2:12-13; 2Pet. 1:2-11; 3:18)

-I can lose my salvation if I do not continue in faith.

(He. 6:4-6; 10:26-31, 35-39; 2Pet. 2:20-22; Ga. 5:4; Co. 1:21-23)

DO NOT QUIT!

(Jas. 1:2-4, 12; He. 12:1-2, 11-17; Ga. 6:9-10; 1Co. 16:13-14)

In the Fullness of the Time, God Sent Forth His Son…

The sense is, that the time which had been predicted, and when it was proper that he should come, was complete. The exact period had arrived when all things were ready for his coming. It is often asked why he did not come sooner; and why mankind did not have the benefit of his incarnation and atonement immediately after the fall? Why were four thousand dark and gloomy years allowed to roll on, and the world suffered to sink deeper and deeper in ignorance and sin? To these questions perhaps no answer entirely satisfactory can be given. God undoubtedly saw reasons which we cannot see, and reasons which we shall approve if they are disclosed to us. It may be observed, however, that this delay of redemption was in entire accordance with the whole system of Divine arrangements, and with all the Divine interpositions in favour of men. Men are suffered long to pine in want, to suffer from disease, to encounter the evils of ignorance, before interposition is granted. On all the subjects connected with human comfort and improvement, the same questions may be asked as on the subject of redemption. Why was the invention of the art of printing so long delayed, and men suffered to remain in ignorance? Why was the discovery of vaccination delayed so long, and millions suffered to die who might have been saved? Why was not the bark of Peru sooner known, and why did so many millions die who might have been saved by its use? So of most of the medicines, and of the arts and inventions that go to ward off disease, and to promote the intelligence, the comfort, and the salvation of man. In respect to all of these, it may be true that they are made known at the very best time, the time that will on the whole most advance the welfare of the race. And so of the incarnation and work of the Saviour. It was seen by God to be the best time; the time when, on the whole, the race would be most benefited by his coming. Even with our limited and imperfect vision, we can see the following things in regard to its being the most fit and proper time:

(1.) It was just the time when all the prophecies centered in him, and when there could be no doubt about their fulfillment. It was important that such an event should be predicted in order that there might be full evidence that he came from heaven; and yet, in order that prophecy may be seen to have been uttered by God, it must be so far before the event as to make it impossible to have been the result of mere human conjecture.

(2.) It was proper that the world should be brought to see its need of a Saviour, and that a fair and satisfactory opportunity should be given to men to try all other schemes of salvation, that they might be prepared to welcome this. This had been done. Four thousand years were sufficient to show to man his own powers, and to give him an opportunity to devise some scheme of salvation. The opportunity had been furnished under every circumstance that could be deemed favourable. The most profound and splendid talent of the world had been brought to bear on it, especially in Greece and Rome; and ample opportunity had been given to make a fair trial of the various systems of religion devised on national happiness and individual welfare; their power to meet and arrest crime, to purify the heart, to promote public morals, and to support man in his trials; their power to conduct him to the true God, and to give him a well-founded hope of immortality. All had failed; and then it was a proper time for the Son of God to come and to reveal a better system.

(3.) It was a time when the world was at peace. The temple of Janus, closed only in times of peace, was then shut, though it had been but once closed before during the Roman history. What an appropriate time for the "Prince of Peace" to come! The world was, to a great extent, under the Roman sceptre. Communications between different parts of the world were then more rapid and secure than they had been at any former period, and the gospel could be more easily propagated. Further, the Jews were scattered in almost all lands, acquainted with the promises, looking for the Messiah, furnishing facilities to their own countrymen, the apostles, to preach the gospel in numerous synagogues, and qualified, if they embraced the Messiah, to become most zealous and devoted missionaries. The same language, the Greek, was moreover, after the time of Alexander the Great, the common language of no small part of the world, or as least was spoken and understood, among a considerable portion of the nations of the earth. At no period before had there been so extensive a use of the same language.

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