It Is Finished

Text:

1John 3:14:

We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.

 

Theme:

It Is Finished

 

Introduction:

• The First Epistle of John is the fourth of the general epistles and was written by the Apostle John in his later years.
  • The purpose of the epistle is to declare the Word of Life to those to whom he writes, in order that they might be united in fellowship with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ.
  • He shows that the means of union with God are,
    • By Christ, through his atoning work and his advocacy
    • By man, through our holiness, obedience, purity, faith, and love
• Our text focuses specifically on the union with God achieved through man’s love of his fellow man or woman…a primary indication of Salvation! è How do we know that we are SAVED
  • We BECOME saved by
    • Romans 10:9-10, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”
  • We can recognize the EVIDENCE of salvation in the LOVE shown
    • Mark 12:33, “And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.”
• However, John chooses an interesting way of expressing the concept of SALVATION.

 “We know that we have passed from death unto life,”

• It is just as important to BE SAVED as it is to LIVE IN YOUR SALVATION!
• • What we will focus on is John’s use of the concept of finality in satisfying both
    • Explicitly stated, death must be finished for there to be life
    • Implicitly stated, life must be finished for there to be death

• Let me ask you now, can you say, “IT IS FINISHED!”

Body:

• Jesus was able to say IT IS FINISHED => All that He was sent to do was DONE!
  • He was BORN to die and be raised again. His Words on the cross summarize His Purpose
    • He FORGAVE us
      • Luke 23:34, “… Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do…”
    • He SAVED us
      • Luke 23:43, “… Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.”
    • He COMFORTED us
      • John 19:26-27, “Woman, behold thy son!…Behold thy mother…”
    • He SUFFERED for us
      • Matthew 27:46, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani…My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”
    • He was as much MAN as He was GOD for us
      • John 19:28, “…I thirst.”
    • He then said IT IS FINISHED because His Work was done!
    • He then performed His final commission
      • Luke 23:46, “…Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit…”
• Can we say IT IS FINISHED? è Have we done all that we are supposed to do?
  • Death must be finished for there to be life à Physical Death
    • This existence (i.e., body) will not get into Paradise.
    • Hebrews 9:27, “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:”
      • It has been said that “Everybody wants to go to Heaven but nobody wants to die to get there.”
      • We as human beings struggle with the concept of death in the physical realm.
      • However, the Bible teaches us that we only have two options for ending this existence…
        • Physical Death during this world
          • The body cannot live forever. It will at some point stop living or be stopped.
            • Our days are numbered à Job 14:5, “Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months are with thee, thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass;”
          • All our activities will come to an end à Ecclesiastes 9:10, “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.”
            • The prophecy to Hezekiah makes it clear à 2Kings 20:1, “In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz came to him, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Set thine house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live.”
          • The end of the body is not the end of us!
            • 2Corinthians 5:1, “For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.”
            • We must cleave to the hope of Eternal Life
          • When we die in Him, He will come to get us.
            • 1Thessalonians 4:16, “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:”
        • Transformation at the end of this world – the Rapture
          • 1Corinthians 15:52-54, “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.”
            • We won’t see death but we will lose this life.
          • Regardless of the path that you prefer, you, as a Believer will be “caught up” in one way or another!
      • Once again let me ask, can you say “IT IS FINISHED”?
        • Some think that physically “IT IS FINISHED”, but…
          • As long as there is breath in your body, IT AIN’T FINISHED!
          • As long as God grants you the sight of another sunrise, IT AIN’T FINISHED!
  • Life must be finished for there to be death à Metaphysical Death
    • This refers to the a “dieing to” and not physical “death” è An Essential Step toward Salvation
      • 1 à We must PRAY that our sins may be forgiven and we can be free the bondage of sin!
        • 2Chronicles 7:14, “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”
        • Colossians 2:13, “And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses”
      • 2 à We have to give up everything in this life for God
        • Death TO things of this world or the flesh – Metaphysical death that ends “living in the world”
        • Romans 8:13, “For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live”
        • As the hymn says…
          • “All to Jesus I surrender. I surrender ALL!”
      • 3 à We must believe and confess!
        • Romans 10:10, “For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”
    • Once again let me ask, can you say “IT IS FINISHED”?
      • Some think that “IT IS FINISHED”, but…
        • If you don’t believe in God, IT AIN’T FINISHED!
        • If you don’t walk with God, IT AIN’T FINISHED!
        • If you have trouble following His Word, Will and Way, IT AIN’T FINISHED!
        • If you can’t love your neighbor, IT AIN’T FINISHED!
        • If you worry all the time, IT AIN’T FINISHED!
        • If you can’t live under God’s control, IT AIN’T FINISHED!
        • If you don’t conduct your self in moderation, IT AIN’T FINISHED!
        • If you are depressed all the time, IT AIN’T FINISHED!
        • If you can’t find yourself in this study, IT AIN’T FINISHED!
          • As Elijah told Hezekiah, we need to “get out houses in order”!!!

Conclusion:

• Our text is about “making sure” or “How do we know?”
• This means that we cannot forget the first two words of John’s expression è “WE KNOW”
  • Oftentimes as believers, we tend to think, guess, suppose, assume, and understand but don’t ever truly KNOW!
    • My Uncle George wrote in my first Bible that I got for myself when I was 16 years old, “Take Time To Know”!
    • We don’t take the time to know. Believers need to TAKE TIME TO KNOW!
      • You can have a million dollars and be a millionaire but you can’t live it until you KNOW IT!!
      • You can have the love of your life sitting right next to you, but you can’t love them until you KNOW IT!!
      • You can have every answer to a math test in the book in your hand but can’t pass the test until you KNOW IT!!
      • You can have the recipe for peach cobbler right in front of you, but you can’t make peach cobbler unless you KNOW IT!!
  • Paul understood this statement in his letter to Romans in Romans 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”
    • It all may work together, but we get know blessing from what God is already doing unless WE KNOW!
• That’s why WE MUST KNOW that we are SAVED even though we are BEING converted!
  • Saved from the condemnation of SIN
  • Saved from OLD WAYS
  • Saved from OLD FRIENDS
  • Saved from MY FLESH
  • Saved from MY SELF
  • Saved from ETERNAL DEATH
  • Saved from a BURNING HELL
• I KNOW that I have passed from DEATH to LIFE (I am SAVED) (I am BEING converted) because I
  • LOVE my GOD
  • LOVE my ENEMIES
  • LOVE those who DESPITEFULLY USE ME
  • LOVE my FRIENDS
  • LOVE my BROTHERS and SISTERS
  • LOVE my CHURCH FAMILY
  • LOVE my KINFOLK
  • LOVE my LOVED ONES
  • LOVE my CHILDREN
  • LOVE my SELF!!!
  • LOVE who God is molding me to be!!!!
    • THANK YOU, FATHER, that I KNOW!!!!!
      • I haven’t died, but I am DEAD…to sin
      • I ain’t dead, and I am living in HIM!!!
        • I AM BEING “FINISHED” à Just like the woodwork….Job says it best
          • Job 23:10, “But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.”
          • We are BEING FINISHED until Jesus returns
            • Philippians 1:6, “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:”

 

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