“It is finally finished!” Those were the words uttered this past Tuesday night as we attached the last piece of metal on the project we were working on. Note the exclamation point at the end of the first sentence. It’s not a “my Lord I’m glad the agony is over” type statement...it’s more like a victorious “Wow, we have accomplished the task set before us.” The Heart of a Sportsman summer mission project this year was to construct a shelter at the Iredell County Fairgrounds. The shelter will be used during the South Yadkin Baptist Association’s ongoing fair ministry, where the workers at the Iredell County Fair will be ministered to by folks from local churches in our association (see previous blog: “From Start to Finish” for pics of the project)
I couldn’t help but say those words (it is finished) when we were packing up the tools. This shelter had been a long time in the making. This project, a brainchild of Sandra Harrison, had been a series of ups and downs for the past several years. Things like: Permission from the county to build the shelter at the site, money, and time. Not to mention Inspectors and building plans. Plans that had to be drawn by highly trained professionals, I might mention. High-tech, highly engineered plans that ended up being much like the ones for a skyscraper in New York City. After looking at the plans, this shelter obviously must have been designed to sustain the strongest hurricane, tornado, flood, and even an earthquake. However, in God’s time He brought it all together...and it was finally finished!
While hanging out with the fellas and eating a hamburger after we were done, one of the guys mentioned that Bret Frarve had just announced that he was coming back...again. If you follow NFL football, you know he retired from the Packers and said his career was finished. Then, he came back to play for the Jets. Again, he said he was finished. But he couldn’t stand it and he is now back in the NFL as the quarterback with the Vikings. Don’t get me wrong, I love Bret Farve and I’m glad he’s back. I just thought he was finished.
Some of the last words that Jesus spoke on the cross were, “It is finished!” It was not a “oh shucks it’s over” statement, but much like us finishing the shelter, it was a victory cry for mission accomplished! In fact the Greek word used here means it is “accomplished.” Jesus had accomplished what He had set out to do. Jesus had completed all that was required by the Father for our salvation. Everything that was needed to atone for our sin, a perfect life of righteousness to present as an atoning sacrifice had been completed. Nothing more was or is needed. No other sacrifice is required. There is absolutely nothing you and I can add to the sacrifice of Christ. There is absolutely nothing you and I can contribute to his sacrifice – Jesus has done it all that is why he said ‘it is finished.’ It’s not a Bret Farve “I am finished” – but a guarantee! In fact you can bet your life on it! All you have to do is decide whether or not to accept His sacrifice. When Jesus said it’s finished, he meant it. However, if you really think about it, Jesus is like Bret Farve in one way for sure; He’s coming back! Coming back for those who are His.
1"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God[a]; trust also in me. 2In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. John 14:1-3
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