On Easter Sunday, we took a look at the passage from the Gospel narrative where Jesus announced, on the cross, "It is finished." Then we tried to answer the question, "Just exactly what was the 'It' that Jesus was was talking about?" And what might the four cups of the Passover meal have to do with it?

It's a fascinating question, and it's one that helped us wrap up our Lenten series on the covenants. Jesus is, in and of Himself, the culmination of the covenant promises made through the ages by God the Father.

When we think of the phrase, "It is finished", our minds naturally go toward the notion of God's plan of redemption. On the other hand, we quite rightly think of Christ's work as including His death, burial, resurrection, ascension, and future coming again. And Paul reminds us in Romans that our redemption wasn't complete until Christ had been "raised for our justification."

So what was Jesus talking about when He said, "It is finished"?

Scripture says, "A bowl full of vinegar stood there; so they put a sponge full of the vinegar on hyssop and held it to his mouth. When Jesus had received the vinegar he said, 'It is finished'; and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit."

If you take a close look at the Gospel accounts of the Last Supper, the events immediately following, and then the crucifixion, you can make a case for saying that the "It" Jesus was talking about was the Passover meal. He drank the sour wine, the fourth cup, the "Cup of Consummation" as it is called. Then the ultimate AND FINAL Passover meal was finished when the Great High Priest gave His own life as a sacrifice and fulfilled the Passover of the Old Covenant and transformed it into the New Covenant Passover.

Want to listen to last Sunday's teaching about what Jesus may have meant when He said, "It is finished"? Please click right here.

Blessings, beloved... and the Lord be with you! Happy Easter. He has risen, indeed!

Pastor Chris