How many times have you set out to do a task – and just when you think you are finished – you find that there are still a couple things yet to be done? I know that this has happened to me many times; whether I was building something, writing a paper, or even trying to finish my daily “to-do” list. Something inevitably will turn up.
When Jesus came into this world as the incarnate Son of God, He had to accomplish many things before He could return to the Father. First, we know that He fulfilled all of the Old Testament prophecies relating to His first coming. While here, He clarified His own words of the Old Testament. He instructed us as to the only means whereby one might be saved [that is, receive eternal life – through faith in Him alone]. He established His church during His personal ministry. He taught us about baptism, church membership, observing the Lord’s Supper, discipleship, how to give, how to pray, how to forgive and to seek forgiveness, how to care for others, and about spreading the Gospel to the entire world. And, He made it very clear that all who reject Him as the Christ – the Son of God, the Saviour – will suffer the wrath of God in a devil’s hell [that is, eternal separation from God – tormented in the lake of fire for all of eternity].
In John 17:1-5 we find that Jesus prayed,
“These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee: As thou hast given him power [authority] over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.”
Then, in John 19:28-30 [Jesus being nailed on the cross] we read,
“After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst. Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a spunge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth. When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.”
Romans 5:8 states,
“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
Three days later we find that Jesus arose from the grave, was seen by many over a forty day period, and in Acts 1:9-11 we read,
“And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.”
Through the Scriptures we see that Jesus Christ finished [fulfilled] all that was required during His earthly ministry, paid the sin debt for all of mankind, conquered death, arose from the grave and returned to eternally reign with His Father.
In John 20:31 we read,
“But these [that is, the Scriptures] are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.”
The question must now be asked, “Have you personally trusted in the finished work of Jesus Christ?” For He alone is the Saviour of the world. Remember that Jesus Christ died in your place – so that you can live eternally through faith in Him. As a child of God, do you have unfinished spiritual business to attend to? If so, please consider the following verse.
Hebrews 12:2,
“Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
We who are believers need to stay focused on the work that our Lord has given us to do; stay the course and press toward the mark of the Lord’s high calling for our lives.
