It is finished.
– John 19:30

That’s three really powerful words that Jesus speaks from the cross right before he breathes his last breath. “It is finished.” What does that mean? Well, to summarize, it means that Jesus has fully and finally paid the price for all the sins of those who trust in him. And this is like basic gospel, but can I just say this again and encourage you to let it soak in in a fresh way in this moment.

John 19:30 is the essence of the gospel message.

Jesus has fully and finally paid the price for all the sins of those who trust in him, all of them. When the accuser Satan comes to you and tries to bring you down, to overload you with guilt over past sin, just remember, it is finished. Jesus has paid the price for those sins.

You don’t have to pay any more price through feeling guilty about this or that. No, you are free from guilt. There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. The Law of the Spirit of Life has set you free from the law of sin and death. It’s finished. And think about how today you don’t have to try to earn your way into favor with God. You don’t have to try to overcome your sin with good works. No, it’s finished. Your sin has been paid for. It’s covered.

You’re now clothed by grace through faith in the righteousness of Jesus himself. It’s finished. He’s made you righteous. So yes, of course, let’s live in that today. Let’s live fully in that. It’s finished. He’s paid the price for the forgiveness of our sins, for the filling of his Spirit. So let’s live out of the overflow of his finished once-for-all all sacrifice for us. Let’s live like that today.

John 19:30 shows us how Jesus atoned for the sin of His people.

God, we praise you that it’s finished. Jesus, we praise you for your proclamation of these three words marking the moment when you died on that cross for our sins. All glory be to your name, Jesus our Savior, our Lord, our Redeemer, our faithful God who made a way for our forgiveness through your once for all, full and final sacrifice for our sins. So help us, we pray, to live in light of this reality today. God, help us to live free from guilt over past sin. Lord, help us to live free from fear, overcoming sin. God, help us to live today out of the overflow of your grace in us that has counted us righteous before you. God, help us to see ourselves as you see us, covered with the finished work of Christ on the cross for us.

And God, help us to make this good news known around us. God help us to be active in sharing the good news that it’s finished, that sin has been paid for, that death has been defeated for all who trust in Jesus. God, help us to share this with other people around us.

Prayer for the Soninke People

And God, we pray for the spread of this good news all around the world. We pray specifically today for the Soninke people of West Africa and all the way up into France, for the Soninke 3 million Muslim men, women, and children who don’t know the good news that it is finished, that Jesus has paid the full and final price for sins. God, we pray the Soninke people of West Africa and France would be reached with the good news that it’s finished, that sin and death have been dealt with and overcome by Jesus. We pray all this in his name, in the name of the One who finished on our behalf. Amen.