John 19: 30 Unceremoniously

John 19:30 When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

Death is coming for us all! What an encouraging word, don’t you think? With this kind of uplifting message, who needs the plague!

But accepting the inevitable can have positive effects on our lives. It can bring a focus to the life we have that wasn’t there previously. Too often we coast through life, not really aiming at what we claim is important for us. It takes focus, sustained for the long-haul, to make important movement forward.

Over the last few chapters of John, there have been many details given about the hours before Jesus was crucified. The Gospel writers as a whole tell many details about what happened and why in the hours leading up to His death.

Even the time Jesus spent on the Cross is detailed, including interactions Jesus had with those crucified with Him. The crowd tried to interact with Jesus. Soldiers interacted, although not successfully. Even the Jewish passerby’s called out to Him trying to get Him to do something at their behest.

All this detail leading up to His death. And then the words of our text. So simple. So lacking in detail.

“It is finished.” Notice it isn’t, “I’m tired of living, let me go.” “This isn’t fair, get me down.” “You’ll pay for this!” “You’ll be sorry.”

“It is finished.” One word in the Greek of the New Testament. One word. That was Jesus’ final message to humanity. He had spoken the Sermon on the Mount. He had given us parables to ponder and miracle healings to contemplate and rejoice over. But His final statement is one word.

Jesus says that word, and bows His head and breathes His las breath. Done.

Jesus had spent His ministry with His disciples preparing them for this moment. He told them repeatedly that it would end this way. And now it had. Finished.

Like the work of a great artist or wedding cake decorator making the final strokes to their masterpiece, Jesus says His work is done.

What will our final strokes be on our masterpiece? Do we have a masterpiece? Is our life moving toward something greater than ourselves? Are we making a difference, a positive one?

I don’t expect either you or I to make the same impact that Jesus did on the world. Impossible! But the waters ought to have been shaped in a purposeful way by our passage through life. Our passage should shape those closest to us in ways that say, “He/she was here.”

What are the marks we are leaving? Will we be able to say, “It is finished.” Or will there be innumerable loose ends for someone else to tie up? Or will the loose ends be all there is left, having left no discernible goal to which your life clearly was aimed.

Now is the time to get some worthwhile goals and begin moving toward them with vigor.