Marcus Mecum - How Does the Bible Spell Salvation, Tetelestai

TOPICS: Salvation

John chapter 19. As we enter this season of considering Calvary and the cross, I think you have to take some time to acknowledge that Jesus, hanging on the cross, said seven different things. But I want us to focus on one of those things for just a few moments. I think we all would agree that last words matter. In your final moments, as you’re breathing your last breath on this planet, or maybe someone you loved, those words can be extremely important. Those words are remembered, rehearsed, and thought about often.

So how much more would the last words of Jesus, or in this instance the last words of Jesus, have mattered? Should we remember them? Should we recall them? Should we rehearse them concerning our lives? So let’s look at it. Verse 28: Later, knowing that everything had been finished—watch this—so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, «I am thirsty.» So they took a jar of wine vinegar that was there, soaked a sponge in it, and lifted it up to Jesus’s lips. When he had received the drink, Jesus said, «It is finished.» And with that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

In English, that phrase, «It is finished,» is, of course, three words, but in Greek, it’s one word. The word is «Tetelestai.» «Tetelestai» means «It is finished.» Now, I want you to know that Jesus did not say, «I am finished.» Jesus was far from finished. He couldn’t have been further from being finished himself. But he said «Tetelestai"—it is finished.

Now, the Pharisees would have arrogantly believed, looking at the lifeless body of Jesus, «Oh, he’s finished.» I’m guessing the demons would screech and howl in hell, looking at that broken, bleeding, dead body, saying, «Oh, he’s definitely finished.» Even the disciples probably looked at that moment with despair and disappointment, thinking, «He’s done. He’s finished. There’s no future.» But Jesus never said, «I am finished.» He said, «Tetelestai,» which means «It is finished.»

Now, to understand the wonder of this word, the power of the word «Tetelestai, ” we need to see how it was used in ancient history, specifically during the time that Jesus was on the earth. For example, if you were invited by your master—you were a servant in his kingdom, and you were invited to receive instructions, receive a task, an assignment—the master would give you very detailed instructions. „This is the job I need you to do. This is where I want you to go. This is how I want you to accomplish it. This is the time frame in which it needs to be done.“ The servant would leave the master, go accomplish the task, finish the job, and then return to tell the master—not „I’m done,“ but he would come back and say „Tetelestai, ” which means „I have done what you sent me to do. I have fulfilled the instructions. I went where you said to go, how you said to accomplish it, in the time frame you asked me to accomplish it in. Tetelestai—I have done what you sent me to do.“

So Jesus, at 33 years of age, announces „Tetelestai,“ that it is finished, that he finished the work that the Father had given him to do. John 17:4 says, „I have finished everything you gave me to do.“ So, Jesus did not die a premature death; though he was young, he did not die ahead of time. He didn’t die accidentally or incidentally. Jesus died on purpose, down to every single minute detail, even down to the very hour in which he would die. Jesus died on purpose. John 10:18 says, „No one took his life; he laid it down, and he did so willingly.“ Matthew 27:50 says, „He yielded.“ Nobody took it; he yielded his spirit. So when he said „Tetelestai,“ he was saying, „I finished the work the Father gave me to do.“ This is a servant’s word. It speaks to the master: „I’ve done it. I heard. I knew. I understood the instructions.“

And so the finished work of Calvary is given a servant seal, a finishing word: „Tetelestai,“ I have finished what the Father gave me to do. Beyond it being the word of a servant, it was also the word of a priest. When the priest examined the sacrificial lambs, he would confirm that the lamb was without spot or blemish, knowing that this is a picture of Jesus, the Lamb of God that would take away the sins of the world. They would go into great detail examining these lambs. They would lift the eyelids of the lamb, open its mouth, look in its ears, observe the hooves, pull back the wool, and examine the body of that lamb. At the end, if it was acceptable, the priest would make an announcement: „Tetelestai,“ which said, „The lamb is perfect. The lamb is an acceptable sacrifice.“

So when Jesus says those words „Tetelestai,“ he is saying to his Father, „Here I am. Examine my life. Examine every detail of it. Go to whatever extreme is necessary, because I am presenting myself as the perfect Lamb of God.“ „It is finished“ is what he is saying. It’s the word of a priest. Not only is it the word of a servant, and not only is it the word of a priest, but it was also the word of an artist. In Jesus’s day, artists would use this word. Some of the greatest pieces of art in all of human history come from the day Jesus was on the planet. Even greater than our day, great value was placed on artistic works.

So the artist, whether a sculptor or a painter, would take out his chisel and begin to chisel away at some formless, shapeless stone, imagining what he wanted to create. The painter would grab the canvas and begin to imagine with every color and every paintbrush exactly what he was trying to accomplish. Once the artist completed their task, down to the last stroke, down to the final chisel, the artist would announce when he was finished and the piece was complete: „Tetelestai,“ saying, „I’ve completed the art; the masterpiece is done.“

So Jesus is there on Calvary, announcing that the greatest work in all of history, the greatest piece of art in all of history, has been completed. Many people didn’t see exactly what Jesus was doing. They didn’t see what he was sculpting. They didn’t understand the canvas on which he was painting and the picture he was trying to make clear. The disciples didn’t understand it. Simon Peter, in reference to the cross, would tell Jesus, „I won’t let you do it. I won’t let anybody take you to that cross. I’ll stand between you and anything that tries to stop you.“ And Jesus said, „Get behind me, Satan, ” saying, „You don’t understand. The cross is a stroke that I’ve got to apply to the canvas to ensure that the breathtaking canvas of your salvation is complete.“

It’s important that we understand that many of them didn’t get what he was trying to do. On the road to Emmaus, after the resurrection, he would tell them, „You’re slow to believe. Why? Because you don’t understand the words of the prophets.“ In other words, Jesus is saying, „I’m just here carrying out the work that I was given to do. I’m just here to finish this masterpiece.“ And that’s what Ephesians 2:10 says: „We are his workmanship.“ Literally, what that means is we are a piece of art. That’s what he was doing on the cross. He was being an artist. He was saying, „Hey, I know there’s a masterpiece in each and every one of you, and in order to complete it, I’ve got to go to Calvary, and I’ve got to go to the cross, and I’ve got to get to the place where I finish the work. Every detail, every brush stroke, every chisel, I’ve got to ensure the masterpiece is complete.“ And once it was complete, he announced „Tetelestai,“ which means „It is finished.“

Not only was it the word of an artist, but it was also the word of a businessman. When you completed a transaction, you didn’t stamp that transaction „Paid in full.“ You would stamp it „Tetelestai,“ which means „It is finished.“ It means it’s been paid in full. So Jesus, on the cross, with the silver in his tears and the gold in his veins, would pay the debt of our sin. He didn’t put a down payment on it. He didn’t set up a payment plan, hoping that over several generations we might deal with this great debt. It wasn’t when you get to heaven that the debt would finally be paid in full. No. The Bible says the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life.

There is nothing you can do to add to or take away from Calvary. You can’t do anything to in any way add to or subtract from what Jesus has already done on the cross. It’s not 99% grace and then 1% your efforts. It’s either all grace or no grace. And Jesus stamped our debt „Paid in full.“ Not partially paid, not paid in part, but „Paid in full.“

At the age of 12, he would say, „I must be about my Father’s business.“ Jesus did not come to play games. If you are here to play games, Jesus does not deal with people who play games with God. But if you are here to do business with God, He takes seriously the business of the Father. And he says „Tetelestai.“ If you really mean business about your life and you really mean business with God, and you’re here saying, „I’ve messed up. I’ve made mistakes. I’ve got a history. I’ve got a past, but I don’t want to live there any longer.“ I can promise you that Jesus knows how to do the business of the Father. And he knows how to ensure that „Tetelestai“ is spoken over your life, which means the past is over. It’s gone. It’s complete. It’s finished. It’s been paid for.

It wasn’t only the word of a businessman. It was also the word of a judge. In Jesus’s day, if you were put in prison for crimes you committed, those crimes would be written and placed on the prison doors. Once your time was served, the judge would take that piece of paper with the crimes listed and would stamp that document with the word „Tetelestai,“ meaning the prison doors could open, and no longer could the charges brought against you be used against you ever again. Your debt was paid. Colossians 2:14 says, „He took the handwritten requirements that were against us and nailed them to the cross.“ He took the charges against us and nailed them to the cross, which means the prison doors have been opened for you and for me. We don’t have to stay back there any longer. „Tetelestai"—you can no longer be charged for the crimes and sins of your past.

You know, a lot of Christians don’t get this. A lot of Christians still live dealing with the guilt of their past, living as if, «Okay, I’m trying to serve God now because I’ve done this and I’ve done that, and I’m giving my life to God, but I have to make sure I put in all this effort, all this work, because I’m really trying to make up for that thing that I did, that person I hurt, that mistake I made.» I’m still trying to make up for it. That’s why I’m in church today—hopefully God will see that I’m here and it will make up for the mistakes of my past. That’s why I give, because I’m trying to ensure that I make up for the sins of my past. That’s why I serve, because I’m trying to make up for the sins of my past. I know I’m serving God, but I must really make up for the crimes and sins and mistakes of my past. I’ve got to work those things off.

Understand this: the Holy Spirit will never convict you of forgiven sin. The devil is the one who wants to keep bringing up the sentence, bringing up the charges, reminding you of what you’ve done, where you’ve been, and trying to take you back into the prison that God has already released you completely from. If you have repented, if you’ve asked God to forgive you—and that’s an important part of this, by the way. It’s not just nothing. You say, «God, I repent. I turn. I acknowledge. I’ve fallen short. I’ve sinned. I’ve messed up. I’ve not lived pleasing to you. I’ve hurt your heart. That back there is not the life that I want. I want a new life. Will you forgive me?» He is faithful and just to forgive you every single time. «Tetelestai» means it’s been paid in full, and you can walk out of that prison of guilt.

It wasn’t only a judge’s word; it was also a warrior’s word. When a warrior would go to battle, defeat his enemy, he would return home, look in the eyes of his general, look in the eyes of his family, and he would say, «Tetelestai,» which meant «The battle is over. Victory has been accomplished.» In John 12:31, the Bible says, «Now is the time for judgment. The prince of this world will be driven out.» Jesus is saying the battle with hell has been finished, and victory has been accomplished. «Tetelestai» is a clear word that you and I no longer have to wonder if we can break free, if we can get victory, or if someday we will win the battle. Oh, we sometimes struggle and trip up and think, «I don’t know if I’m going to win this thing.» You need to understand: Jesus announced, «The battle is over. Hell has already lost. The victory is already yours.» You just have to keep getting back up and walking it out. «Tetelestai"—it is finished. Amen.

The ancient Egyptians used to say when they built their great monuments and pyramids, «We build like giants and we finish like jewelers.» So Jesus on the cross—that’s what he was doing. He was building like a giant. But never forget, he was finishing. That’s the word. He was finishing like a fine jeweler. Every detail mattered. Every word, every prophecy, every scripture he would fulfill—he was finishing like a fine jeweler. Think about a few of them with me. We read the one as we opened the message today: he said, «I cried out in thirst.» They would take that sponge of vinegar and put it to his mouth. Why? Why was that important? Why could he not say «Tetelestai» until that was done? It’s because he was fulfilling the prophecy of Psalm 69:21 that they would give him vinegar to drink. Every detail—another stroke on the canvas of our salvation.

If you want to know one of the great authenticators of scripture, how you can trust the word of God, it’s the fulfilled prophecies of Jesus. If you want to know how to authenticate Jesus as the Son of God, it’s that he fulfilled every prophecy and every scripture that needed to be fulfilled. For example, Psalms 22—remember this was written generations before Jesus would walk the earth. As you read Psalms 22, we’re not going to do it for time’s sake, but as you read through it, it’s as though a person stands at the foot of the cross in real time, recording every detail. This psalm was written before the crucifixion was even a thought in the minds of men.

Listen to some of the details. He writes about the piercing of his hands and feet. He gives the clear insults and mockings, as well as the shaking of his enemies' heads. He describes the crucifixion in details like, «the bones are out of joint,» and «water is pouring out,» that they would cast lots for his garments. So when he said «Tetelestai,» he was also speaking of every prophecy being fulfilled. Every prophecy concerning Calvary, Jesus absolutely fulfilled.

Now, you have to understand, it wasn’t like he got to the cross and was angling to complete these things, living them out in real time, as if, «Oh, I’m surprised right now that my flesh is being ripped off my back. Oh, I’m surprised now that they’re ripping the beard out of my face. Oh, I didn’t expect to be made to carry the cross up Golgotha’s Hill.» He wasn’t surprised by any of it. Psalms 88:15 says, «I am afflicted, ready to die from my youth.» Did you know there was never a day that Jesus lived not knowing how, when, and where he would die? Those details had been predetermined, and he knew his future from his youth.

He would stand in Joseph’s carpenter shop and see the wooden beams, reminding him that one day he would carry a cross. Every time he drove a nail into a piece of wood, it reminded him of the hammer and nail that would pierce his hands and feet. It’s important that we remember nothing was a surprise to him. He knew every detail. He knew his instructions. He had heard clearly from the Father what exactly he was to do. He lived every moment of his life with full knowledge of exactly how it would go down.

Holman Hunt, a great artist, painted Jesus in his youth to help us imagine what this was like. In the painting, Jesus is a little child with a nail in his hand while Joseph is at the worker’s table. The setting sun shines through the carpenter’s shop window, hitting that little boy and casting the shadow of a cross behind him. In another painting, Jesus is depicted as a young boy, a teenager full of vitality. As the day ends, he stretches out at the end of a hard day’s work on his tiptoes, and once again, the setting sun creates the image of a cross behind him.

The point is this: this artist was conveying that every day of Jesus’s life, he lived with the shadow of the cross. There was never a question of what he came to do. «Tetelestai» is simply him saying, «I did it. I finished it.» And I want to make sure that every servant out there understands that I’m saying it in their language. I want to ensure that every religious priest, every artist, businessman, judge, prisoner, warrior, or defeated foe understands what I did on Calvary, and that was «Tetelestai.» When he said that word, it not only announced to humanity that it is finished, but that word caused the gates of hell to shake and demons to tremble. That word caused all of heaven to rejoice and the earth to shake, with the veil of the temple torn from top to bottom—"Tetelestai"—it is finished.

You and I need to know today that God has finished the work for us. That it is final. It is complete. It’s been paid in full. The debt that was held against you has been eliminated. So think about it: the two prominent ideas of the cross—there were several, but the two prominent ideas are forgiveness and finish. Forgive, finish. Forgive, finish. Forgive, finish.

So if you don’t forgive, you don’t finish. If you don’t forgive, there’s no «Tetelestai.» If Jesus had not said, «Father, forgive them,» he made it clear in his heart, «I forgive. I forgive my enemies. I forgive the false accusations. I forgive those who beat me. I forgive my disciples that should have stood with me and turned their backs. I forgive.» He forgave so he could get to the point where he said, «Tetelestai,» «It is finished.»

You want to know the most important thing you can do if you want to finish the work, the assignment that God has given you to do? The number one reason you won’t finish is that you will get stuck in a cycle, living the same day over and over again, the same event repeating itself in your mind, the same person consuming your thoughts over and over again—10 years ago, 20 years ago, 30 years ago. You still can’t get to your «Tetelestai» moment in your life. You can’t get to where Paul got when he said, «I finished my course. I fought my fight.» You don’t get to the finish line until you learn how to forgive. Forgive and finish. Forgive and finish. Forgive and finish. Forgive yourself. Forgive yourself, sir. Forgive yourself, ma’am. Forgive and finish. Forgive that person that hurt you. Forgive and finish.

Every eye closed, every head bowed. Maybe you’re here today and you’d say, «Marcus, some things have gone down in my life. Some things have happened. I’ve hurt people I love. I’ve fallen short in so many different areas, and I just beat myself up. I just can’t believe it. I wasted so many years in addiction. I wasted so many years just wasting my life. And now I’m looking at it all, and I struggle when I look into the eyes of the people I love. I see the mistakes I’ve made, and I struggle to forgive myself.» You believe God can forgive you, but can you forgive you? That’s the question. And Calvary makes the announcement that if you can forgive, you can finish. If you can forgive, you can be set free. If you can forgive, the prison doors can open. But you’ve got to be willing to know «Tetelestai"—it’s finished. It’s done. It’s over. You don’t have to live there any longer.

If you’re here at one of our locations and you’d say, «Marcus, I need to forgive myself today. God has been speaking to me. This word has been dealing with me. I’ve been living in this guilt long enough,» and you’d say, «I need to forgive. I need to let that thing go. I need to quit living there.» If that’s you, just lift your hand as high as you can. Just slip it up quickly. Thank you, Jesus. Lift it up as high as you can. So beautiful. God’s going to break off today so many people’s shame. He’s going to break that off of your life, off of your mind. I believe that. I believe so many people struggle with addiction because they cannot forgive themselves. They struggle with different types of perpetual sin because they cannot forgive themselves. And I’m no stranger to self-forgiveness. I wish I could go back and change it too, but we can’t. But that’s why he came—not because we deserved it, not because we earned it. There’s forgiveness today in Jesus’s name.

The other issue is how do I let go of what someone else has done? How they hurt me? How they let me down? How they kicked me when I was down? How they turned their back on me when I needed them most? They were not there; they crossed the line, and I just struggled to let it go. I struggled to let them go. And today you’d say, «Marcus, I need to forgive my mom, my dad, my brother, my sister, my friend, my pastor, my old pastor—hopefully that past pastor, your husband—you need to forgive today.» You’d say, «Marcus, I’ve been carrying that in my heart. I’ve got an issue, but today I want God to help me finish, and I know I need to forgive so I can finish. I need to let that thing go.» Just lift your hand up. Slip it up quickly, as high as you can. You’re just dealing with others. You’re just bitter. You’re struggling with what they did to you. Just slip that hand up as high as you can. All our locations—unashamed. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Now you can put that hand down. Anyone else you’d say, «Marcus, today I just want to finish. I want to make sure I finish. I don’t want to believe the lie of the enemy that, in some way, shape, or form, I’m not going to.» The Bible says he is the author and the finisher. You’re just saying, «I want to be a finisher in the kingdom. I want to, like Paul, say, 'I fought my fight, I finished the race.'» If that’s you, just lift your hand up as high as you can. Thank you, Jesus.

At all our locations, if you lifted your hand for any of those three things, I want you to stand up on your feet as we begin to worship. Quickly stand up on your feet. And as you stand up, I want you to get out of your seat and into the aisle, and come down to the altar. The rest of us, let’s stand and sing. Come on. There’s nothing stronger. Can we sing it together? Come on. Today is a day of forgiveness so we can finish the work the Father gave us to do. Come on, let’s worship. Everyone, in all our locations, get out of your seat. Let’s come to the altar. Let’s come to a place where we say, «God, I need the strength of Calvary. I need to hear 'Tetelestai' today. I need to be a finisher in Jesus’s name.»

Come on, can we worship him together? Before we pray at all our locations, before we pray, I’m reminded of a story told by DL Moody. While riding on a train, the engineer sent word that he wanted a conversation with him. DL Moody was a famous preacher, akin to the Billy Graham of his generation. They had a conversation, and this engineer recounted all the good deeds he had done, all the religious efforts, explaining that because of all these good things, he was confident that one day he would stand before God and everything would be good. DL Moody listened to the conversation, absorbing the man’s explanation and the way he laid it all out. Finally, as the train stopped, DL Moody said, «Do you want to know the difference between the way you describe salvation and the way the Bible describes it? You spell it 'I do'; the Bible spells it 'It’s done.'»

You take, whether it’s the unforgiveness you have towards yourself or towards somebody else, and you take it to the cross. You place it there, and it’s «Tetelestai.» It’s finished. It’s done. And every time the enemy tries to bring it back up, you’ve got victory there. You’ve already been to that battle. You’ve been to the war. Why? Because Jesus went to that cross for you so you could have the power to forgive and let it go in Jesus’s name.

Do you want to be a finisher today? Do you want to finish? I don’t know what that is. Maybe it’s that you can’t stay married if you don’t forgive, but you want to finish. You don’t want to live your life. Maybe you want to get sober. You want that life. Forgive. Forgive. It’s a quiet church today, but that’s the problem—we come and we just play games when Jesus has come to do business. Did you not know? That’s what he said: «Did you not know that I must be about my Father’s business?» He’s not playing around with us today. He’s here to do business, to tell us it is finished in Jesus’s name.

Put your hand on your heart. Father, in Jesus’s name, thank you for that final word that you spoke on Calvary: «Tetelestai, ” announcing it is finished. We bring our sins, all of them, and lay them at the foot of the cross, along with all the guilt and shame from the accuser that continues to haunt us. Today, we place those at the foot of the cross, and we hear that stamp, that final word „Tetelestai”—it is finished.

Now, we see you working all of that together for our good. We didn’t understand this brushstroke or that one; we didn’t understand why things went this way or that one. But we are your masterpiece; we are a piece of art in your hands. Father, we thank you that all that the enemy meant for evil, you meant for our good. And we forgive ourselves. We let it go. We declare that this next part of our life will be the best part of our life—that the first half doesn’t define the next half; that the first quarter doesn’t define the fourth quarter. And we will finish strong.

Now we forgive. We lay aside any offense, any unforgiveness, any bitterness in this life. Your word says you shall have offenses. It says that one of the impossible things is that we would not be offended. It’s part of it: people hurt us, people use us, and even some people abuse us. Today, we come and say, „Father, we forgive them.“ That doesn’t mean you go back and lose your boundaries and become a doormat and reintroduce yourself to abuse. But it does mean, „I’m not going to let them consume my thoughts and my heart one day longer. I will not let them control my decisions. Because they abused me, I won’t abuse myself anymore. That day is over. In Jesus’s name, ‘Tetelestai’: it is finished. Praise the name of Jesus; it is over.

Even that thing—you can work together for good. How could you possibly make that into something positive in our life? Only in the hands of Jesus. Only with you can you take these things that I thought would destroy me. But you came, Jesus, to destroy the works of the devil. Every offense, every hurt, every abuse that the enemy has tried to destroy me with, you came to destroy those works in Jesus’s name. I receive today „Tetelestai"—it is finished. A new day has begun. I see a new day dawning. I see a fresh new beginning. Shake off the past. Shake off the bitterness. You are free. And who the Son sets free is free indeed. He doesn’t free you halfway. He doesn’t free you partway. You are free indeed in Jesus’s name.

Come on, let’s bless him together. Let’s adore him together: «Tetelestai.» Thank you that the work of our salvation has been finished in Jesus’s name. It’s done. It is done in Jesus’s name. Praise God. Praise God.

Thank you, Jesus. Every eye closed, every head bowed. You’d say, «Marcus, Jesus is not the Lord of my life.» You’re not saved; you’ve not given your life to Jesus Christ. You’ve been living away from him, apart from him, doing your own thing, and you’d say, «Marcus, I need forgiveness. I need a new beginning. I need a new start.» You’d say, «I don’t want to keep moving in the direction I’ve been going. I want to turn to him today. I need grace. I need his love. I need his mercy. I need to know there’s a way out of the life I’ve been living.» The truth is, there’s only one way out, and that’s to give your life to him.

Just give it to him and say, «God, here you go. Here’s my life—the mess I’ve made of it—I give it to you.» He takes that broken life, and the Bible says he takes it like a vessel that’s been marred and makes it into a brand new vessel. That’s what only God can do. The marred, the sin—it can all be made into a brand new vessel. You’d say, «Marcus, today I need to get right with God. I need to put my trust in Christ.» And you want me to pray for you. On the count of three, lift that hand as high as you can at all of our locations. One, two, three—throw it up as high as you can. Keep it raised. Keep it raised boldly. Keep it as high as you can. You’re saying, «Yes, today is the day.»

Today is the day of salvation. You say, «I’m going to get to it at some point. I’ll get to it at a later date.» Tomorrow is the devil’s word. Today is the day of salvation; today is God’s word. He says, «Today.» Do not put off until tomorrow; it’s not promised to you. It’s not promised to you. Today is the day; right now is the time. You say, «I need to get right with God. I’m done. Jesus, here I am. I need your forgiveness.» Lift that hand as high as you can.

Let’s all put our hands on our hearts and say, «Jesus, thank you for dying on a cross. You shed your blood to pay the price for my sin. I repent. I repent. I acknowledge that I have sinned. If I were to list them, it would take more time than any of us have. But you know the list; you know every detail. And I acknowledge that I’ve messed it all up. I’m a sinner. I need you. I need you. I need a Savior. I ask you now to forgive, cleanse, wash, and make me new again in Jesus’s name.» And we all said, «Amen».