BIBLE STUDY: END in SIGHT
A. BACKGROUND... After two years we near the end of the Gospel of John. We’ve covered the beautiful idea of INCARNATION, the world-famous John 3:16 (“For God so loved the world”), we met the Disciples, enjoyed Jesus’ teachings, and marveled at his miracles. Almost 1/3 of John’s Gospel is a deep dive into the last week of Jesus’ life. He goes from the Last Supper to prayer in the garden, to arrest/torture/trial, to the cross.
B. TODAY... The 7 LAST WORDS: “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do... today thou shalt be with me in Paradise... Woman, behold your son... My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?.... I thirst... it is finished... Father, into Thy hands I commend my spirit.”
C. SUMMARY. A. Crucifixion was used by the Romans as a public spectacle to yield maximum intimidation of the local population. As if to say, “Thinking of insurrection? This is how you’ll end up.” Jesus would have been laid on a wooden cross, nailed to it, lifted up for all to see, his life ebbing away. Excruciating. In the midst of such agony Jesus makes seven statements that reflect basic humanity (“I thirst... why am I forsaken?”) and profound divinity (forgiving all... promising Paradise). The Roman Centurion, stunned by Jesus’ grace under fire, concludes “surely this is the Son of God” (Mark 15:39).
D. KEY POINTS
1. BLANKET Forgiveness? Looks like it. “Father, forgive them for they don’t know what they’re doing” (Luke 23:34). In my new book about Jesus, I ask us to consider who the “them” being forgiven are? The obvious ones are the soldiers executing him, the crowd complicit by their mocking or silence, the Disciples who abandoned him, the political and religious authorities who wanted Jesus out of the way. On another level the Bible is always about us, we are the “them” in every generation. We are complicit in ways that look like “they (we) know not what they (we) are doing.” With such forgiveness promised, what do we make of our fresh start each day?
2. HUMAN Jesus. Many deny the divinity of Jesus. No one denies his humanity. He went through hell on that cross, a horrible death. Seeing his mother there broke his heart. He focused on her, turning her care over to John, inviting John and Mary to form a mother/son bond. Later, his simple statement “I thirst” (John 19:28) expresses a most basic human need. The most profound humanity is Jesus’ cry, “My God, my God, why has thou forsaken me” (Matthew 27:46). From the depth of despair, at the hands of abusive oppressors, Jesus is left alone, feeling abandoned, wondering if it was worth it. YET... it must be noted that Jesus’ cry is also verse 1 of Psalm 22, which only gets worse before it gets better. Was Jesus, sapped of strength and near death, pointing us toward Psalm 22, the downside and upside? On the downside the Psalmist calls himself “a worm... scorned, despised, mocked, ... laid in the dust of death.” And “God does not answer” (verse 2). But the Psalm changes midway, expressing faith, confidence, and ultimate triumph. In short, Jesus knew the outcome, however awful the journey. That, too, is human when linked with faith.
3. WHAT is FINISHED? When Jesus exclaims “it is finished” (John 19:30) was it a narrow (my life) or broad (my purpose) finish? Maybe both. Jesus’ whole life was lived on a trajectory tied to God’s will. It is true that some people live more purpose-driven, clear-headed, visionary, focused. Jesus was such a person. We all will reach the end of our lives. To do so with a sense of completion, fulfillment must be the greatest satisfaction. The end of life is always a sorrow, even for Jesus. But to have lived fully, to have done right, to have been God-used – that is joy. In my coaching (and parenting) days I told my players, “Pour yourself out on the field, don’t have anything left unused.” Jesus did the living necessary for our guidance, the dying necessary for our forgiveness.... and then the resurrection necessary for our eternal life. Finished.
