Jump Start # 1910

John 19:30 “When Jesus therefore had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And He bowed His head, and gave up His spirit.”

Our verse today is sad. It is the last words of Jesus. This verse takes us to the cross. It is here that we find Jesus speaking these final words. This passage shows that His spirit didn’t escape Him, but rather, He gave it up. No one took Jesus’ life. He surrendered it. It was a sacrifice by His doing. He chose to die. Three simple final words, “It is finished!”

What was finished? A person doesn’t refer to himself as “it.” We might say, “I’m finished,” or, “I’m done.” Jesus said, “It is finished.” Jesus isn’t an “It.” The “It,” is what He came to do. He completed His work. He fulfilled all that He was supposed to do. He didn’t leave some things unfinished. He didn’t say, “I ran out of time, but I got the big things done.” He didn’t say, “I’ll have to come back another time and pick up where I left off.” No. Instead, “It is finished.” Job completed. Job finished. He came to seek and to save that which was lost. He came to establish a spiritual kingdom. He came to leave an example. He came to save us through the offering of His blood upon the cross. That, He did. That, He finished. That, He completed.

It is finished, but Jesus didn’t go into retirement. This is a thought that many struggle with today. They feel that Jesus went to Heaven and basically does nothing today. They think He’s just sitting around with angels waiting until He is to come back and gather His people up. So, in the meantime, He’s not doing much. The “it is finished,” applies to why He came. That was completed. But Jesus isn’t retired. He isn’t finished.

• Jesus is still forgiving us of our sins
• Jesus mediates between man and God.
• Jesus continues to be our help
• Jesus sits at the right hand of God
• Jesus blesses
• Jesus opens doors
• Jesus is still saving today

The Lord is busy. He is doing things that we may not see nor, understand. When asked, our kids might say that they are doing “nothing.” But that idea doesn’t fit God. He is not idle. Doing nothing is not a part of God’s makeup.

And this leads us to us. We are not finished either. There are things in life that we may be finished with, but not our walk and work with the Lord. We may be finished with school. We may be retired and finished with going to work. But we are not “done” with God. Never.

• We continue to be a light into a dark world. Working or retired, we must always remember to influence people for the Lord. Our attitudes, our choice of words, our behavior all reflect a Christ driven life or not. Do we make a scene at restaurants? Are we demanding and always having to have our way? Do we forgive? Are we kind with our words? Do we smile and offer to help? We are never finished with being a light into the world. Never. Even retired, there are neighbors, family members and those around us who need to see Christ in us. They need to see the difference that Jesus has made. They need to see marriages that thrive. They need to see rough edges smoothed and polished by the Gospel of God. They need to hear kind words and see kind acts.

• We continue to be needed in the kingdom. There are spots for us to fill in the congregation. There are things, many things to be done. There are people to encourage and visit. There are classes to be taught. There are physical things that need our touches around the church house. Sometimes age limits what a person can do, but sitting on the sidelines isn’t in the program. Gather some people your age and have a Bible study. Get a couple of others and take them out to lunch. Be a bright light where you can. We may be finished with work, but we are not finished with God. Years of studying and learning makes retired people the most knowledgeable and experienced folks in the church. Use that wealth of talent to help others. Share what you know.

Now, here is a thought I want us to consider. I’ve heard it expressed over and over. A person finally retires from work. They no longer have to get up at the crack of dawn, drive in traffic and work 8-10 hours every day. They are “finished” with that. But what I hear so often is that, “This is now my time. I’ve put in 40 years of work. Now, I get to do what I want.” And for some that means playtime. It’s playtime everyday. But speaking Biblically, “Is it ever our time?” Doesn’t it always belong to the Lord? Can we say, “Don’t count on me, because I’m off doing what I want.” Can’t the church count on you? Can’t God count on you? Sure, travel. Sure, take up a hobby. Sure, do things that work wouldn’t allow you to do, but you are not finished with the kingdom. You are not finished doing good. You are not finished with hospitality. You are not finished with encouraging. You are not finished trying to make things better.

Often, we confuse the American spirit with the Biblical pattern. Off to work we go, because the company owns my soul, may be the American work ethic, but it’s not the Biblical picture. Because once we are done with work, the American spirit proclaims, “It’s now my time and my life.” Wrong. You belong to God. Remember that statement of Jesus, “to whom much is given, much is required”? The retired person has more time, money and knowledge than the young family man who is pulled in several directions. Explore the possibilities that you never had time to look at before.

• Consider writing a class book on some spiritual topic
• Consider serving as a shepherd or deacon
• Consider helping a young preacher
• Consider spending some time with a struggling congregation and offer your help
• Consider writing a hymn
• Consider leading a class during the day for retired folks

So many possibilities. So many wonderful things that can be done. Be thankful that you are retired, but do not “be finished.” Don’t allow this season of your life to make you selfish. Don’t turn your back on the good that you can do.

It is finished only fits us when God is finished with us here.

Let’s get busy. There is much to be done.

Roger

Jump Start # 84

John 19:30 “Therefore when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.”

  This verse records the final words of Jesus before He died. Jesus made seven statements while on the cross. Many of those were about others. But here, dying, our Jesus makes this last proclamation, “It is finished.” Was this directed to the world? Or, to the people staring at Him? Or, possibly to His Father? Or, to all of these? It is finished.

  Jesus came for a specific purpose. He was on a divine mission. Satan tried to short cut that mission. Others tried to side track Him. Jesus stayed the course. He finished what He set to do. It was all done. It was completed. He didn’t need another day. There wasn’t more to be done but He simply ran out of time, no, “it is finished.”

  You’ll note, Jesus didn’t say, “I’m finished,” but instead, “It is finished.” The “it” is the work He was sent to do. He was to fulfill prophecy. It is finished. He was to prove that He was the Son of God. It is finished. He was to be the perfect sacrifice for the sins of the world. It is finished. He was to defeat Satan. It is finished. He was to be tempted as we are so He could sympathize with us. It is finished. He was to establish His kingdom. It is finished. He was to sit on the throne of David. It is finished. Jesus did it. Perfection. He completed exactly what He wanted to do. We can’t say that. We often don’t get everything done in one day that we want. There are always more things to do. Not Jesus. He finished.

  Looking at the life of Jesus, we see someone who is not layered with multiple responsibilities, complexities and things to do. We have to run the kids to soccer practice, take care of the yard, call our parents, pay bills, go to work. These things keep us busy. They make us tired. Jesus wasn’t concerned about retirement. He didn’t have a house to maintain. I don’t think He had a dog that had to be taken to the vet. As we look at the life of Jesus we often hang our heads with guilt. He could go and pray all night. Our hearts tell us that we ought to do that, but our heads reminds us that we have to get up in the morning and take the kids to school. Our hearts feel guilty about not studying God’s word more than just on a superficial level but our heads tell us we have projects due at work and if they don’t get done we could lose our jobs. I must admit that I like my layers but sometimes all these layers seem to get in the way of being the spiritual person I ought to be. There is a simplicity about the life of Jesus that is very appealing. He had one mission and He finished it. Could it be that I too only have one mission but these layers keep me from seeing that?

  Paul said, “one thing I do” (Phil 3:13). Jesus told Martha that only “one thing is necessary” and Mary has chosen the good part which will not be taken away (Lk 10:42). Could it be that all our layers of our life blind us to the most important thing in our life and that is living for God? Can we say at the end of our journey, “It is finished?”

  Thank you, Lord, for staying with it and finishing. Thank you, Lord, for not giving up when the way became difficult. Thank you, Lord, for not being so busy that you failed to see what it was that you were supposed to finish. Lord, help me to finish what is most important.

Roger