Who is Jesus? Chapter 51 “It is Finished”

 

Who is Jesus? Chapter 51 “It is Finished”

 

Now the soldiers crucified Jesus at the third hour of the day, which would be 9 o'clock in the morning. And when it was noon time, there fell a thick darkness over the entire land for three hours. The darkness lasted until three o'clock in the afternoon.

This darkness was because the sins of the world were placed upon the body of Jesus, including all sickness, disease, plus depression and loneliness and pain was put on Jesus. Because of this God could not bear to look at him. God turning his back on Jesus was pain enough to break Jesus's heart. Reading from - - 1 Peter 2:24 Who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness; by whose stripes you were healed.

Finally, Jesus could take it no longer and at the sixth hour which was 3 o'clock in the afternoon, He cried with a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, Lema Sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” And some of those standing nearby, upon hearing it said, “Behold, he is calling Elijah.”

After this, Jesus, knowing that all of the Father's plan of salvation was now completed, He said “I thirst.” This was in order to fulfill the Scripture, as standing nearby there was a jar full of sour wine mixed with myrrh. So, the guard put a sponge full of the sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it to the mouth of Jesus, mocking as he said, “Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to take him down.” But Jesus refused to take the sour wine. Then Jesus, called out with a loud voice, saying, “It is finished; Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit into His Father's hands.

At that very moment, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split. (This was significant for the veil to be ripped with the finger of God from top to bottom, giving access into the Holy of Holies. Now there is direct personal access to God, and it is available for all believers to enter boldly into His very presence.)

When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were amazed and said, "Truly this was the Son of God!"

And all the crowds that had assembled for this spectacle, when they saw what had happened returned home beating their breasts.  And all his acquaintances and the women who had followed him from Galilee stood weeping at a distance as they watched these things.

Since it was the day of Preparation, so that the bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken and that they might be taken away off the cross. So, the soldiers came and broke the legs of the two thief's who had been crucified with Jesus. But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs.

However, one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water. These things took place so that the Scripture might be fulfilled: “Not one of his bones will be broken.” And again, another Scripture says, “They will look on him whom they have pierced.”

It was the Holy Blood of Jesus that was necessary to be shed for you and for me. Jesus paid the ultimate price for our salvation, and he waits for those he is seeking to accept his call to follow Him. Have you said “Yes” to Jesus? If you have not invited Jesus into your life - - then today is a good day to do just that.