Midweek Lenten Worship April 9, 2025
“Jesus Finishes the Battle for Your Salvation” John 19:28-42
Rev. John R. Larson Ascension Lutheran Church Littleton, Colorado
I wonder how many books I began to read but have failed to read until the end. Someday, I promise, I am going to finish those books. How many projects have you begun and then you set them aside and forgot about them? Some of us are bad about completing something – seeing things to their end.
Do you know what the second Friday in January is called? It is officially named “Quit Day”. Check it out on Google. The second Friday in January, this year was January 10. By that day most people have broken the resolutions that they made on January 1. They quit. January 10? I stopped trying by January 2!!
We start but we don’t always finish. We come up short. That can be one of the things that we most regret about ourselves and our character.
But the persistence of Jesus is what we see very clearly today. It was 3 o’clock on that Friday afternoon. I’m sure He was dehydrated and had a dry mouth. He could be heard saying, “I am thirsty.” So the soldiers took some wine vinegar and put it on a sponge and lifted it to His mouth. After receiving the drink Jesus spoke some wonderful words, “It is finished.” His work for redemption and atonement for our sins was completed. He didn’t begin His work and stopped short. No, it was done. Finished.
In a sense that is not the only time when He spoke the words that He was moving toward the fulfillment of His calling. For 40 days in the desert He was tempted by the devil. The battle to fail was strong. Needs of His body (bread), needs for glory (jumping from the height of the temple) and needs to bypass suffering (falling to the feet of the devil) were real. Would He quit shortly after hearing those words from His Father at His baptism, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased”? (Matthew 3:17) No, He was going to finish.
Later His own disciples warned Him about returning to Jerusalem. They knew the opposition against Jesus was intense in that city. But Jesus went anyway. Later Jesus would say, “No prophet can die outside Jerusalem.” (Luke 13:33)
On Palm Sunday Jesus is heard saying, “Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour? No, it is for this very reason I came to his hour. Father, glorify your name!’” (John 12:27-28)
“It is finished” was a declaration that was a long time in coming. He had many obstacles, but Jesus destroyed all of them – for us. The Bible says, “The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.” (I John 3:8)
Some of you knew “Shorty” Campbell. For years, for decades, Shorty ran this church. He wasn’t the pastor, but he indeed ran this church. We might call this place “Ascension Lutheran Church” but the name that many knew this place was, “Shorty’s Church”. Shorty died in 2008, almost 17 years ago now. The usher’s closet in the narthex is named, “Shorty’s Closet”. His picture is there. And a verse, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.” (Matthew 25:21) A life completed and finished – all in God’s hands.
Don’t you see? His words, Jesus’ words, “It is finished” make our words, “It is finished” strong and glorious. We don’t “peter” out, barely making it to the finish line. No, we stand in the triumph of Jesus, we stand clinging to Him and know that we finished strong in faith. Paul to the Philippians would speak a word about a brilliant finish – “Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” (1:6)
Paul could see that his tired body was on its last legs. He speaks about his frailty but also about His strength, his Lord, when he writes his final words in the Bible. “For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award me that day – and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.” (II Timothy 4:6-8)
“It is finished” makes the cowardly brave. Two followers of Jesus, Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus, asked for the body of Jesus that Friday afternoon. The description of these two men was far from glorious. “Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jews.” It adds, “He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night.” (See John 19:38-39) Both were afraid of confessing, publicly, that they belonged to Jesus. But now that fear was gone. They went to Pilate. They asked for the body of their Lord. Fear was replaced by faith. The sacrifice of Jesus makes people sure of facing their finish of life and it allows us to face the fears of life.
This was a new beginning for those two men. This is a new beginning for us. Look at the strength of Jesus. Look at His resolve. This brings us a strong faith, an unshakable confidence in our Savior, Jesus. This tells us that our last words, “It is finished” are spoken in hope and it tells us that until we speak those words, our God will make us courageous and certain and strong.
“It is finished.” I’m glad it was for Him, for you, for me. Amen!!
(This sermon was part of a sermon series written by Pastor Bryan Wolfmueller in Concordia Pulpit Resources for Lent in 2024)
