John 19:25-42
Christ hangs on the cross...
Beaten, bloody, feeling pain most of us have no way of imagining...
And in the midst of His crucifixion commends the care of His mother to one of His disciples, tells one of the thieves hanging next to Him on a cross that He would see Him in Paradise that day...
Caring about people like us to the very end.
With His last breath He cried out to God, and it was finished. As He yielded up His Spirit, the veil in the temple tore in two from top to bottom, the earth quaked, rocks were split, bodies of dead saints were raised out of their graves and appeared to many in the holy city! The centurion and those guarding Jesus with him proclaimed, "Truly this was the Son of God". Courageous Joseph of Arimathea went to Pilate and asked for the dead body of Jesus, then wrapped Him in linen and placed Him in his new tomb. A tomb of hewn rock, a large stone rolled over the opening. The stone was sealed. A guard was placed at the tomb, just in case His disciples came to take Him away - the religious leaders remembered Jesus' words, "After three days I will rise", and wanted to make sure Jesus stayed where He was! Women - followers of Jesus, took note of where He'd been taken.
The scene is dismal and dark. For many this is where the story ends. Jesus came, lived an exemplary life, and gave us an example to follow. Like prophets before, and those some would say came after, He died and was buried. It was finished.
Yes, the crucifixion was over. Yes, Jesus died. Yes, Jesus was buried. Jesus' obedient act that redeemed mankind from sin, allowing our relationship with God to be restored, was finished.
From the finished work of Jesus we have our beginning! "But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you." (Romans 8:11)
The death of Christ brought us life!
It is finished, but it is not over!
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