Jesus Finished the Work - Day 46*

* I've posted 46 blogs in this series because I wrote one on the Sundays in Lent. The Sundays in Lent are not counted in the 40 days. JWN

“When Jesus had received the wine, he said, ‘It is finished.’ Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.” (John 19:30)
The “it” here was not his life. Now, his life was finished, but that is not what Jesus says in these his final words. The “it” here was his work and mission. It—what he came to do was done. Complete. Over.
So, what was that work? There are so many things that we call it: Reconciliation, Redemption, Salvation. Justification. All big, theological words. All important. All full of meaning. Reconciliation—bringing together parties that had been separated. Redemption—lifting up that which was cast down, healing that which was broken, paying the price of a slave who could not pay for himself. Salvation—saving from evil, destruction, danger, death. Justification—making “just,” that is, making things “right” between God and us.
All of that, and more, Jesus accomplished in his death. Amazing that one death could do all that. Amazing that God would give us his Son. Amazing that God loves us that much. Maybe that is why we call it “Amazing Grace.”
Jesus could have walked away at any moment from his mission. He could have just had a regular life. He probably would have made a pretty good carpenter. He might have been a decent enough fisherman. He would have enjoyed being a teacher or even a rabbi. He had so many gifts that he could have shared. But his mission was all-in-all for him. And his mission needs to be all-in-all for us.
His mission is ours. It is not enough to receive all the benefits of his mercy and grace and love. In receiving them He calls us to live them and share them.
For Jesus his mission was finished. In finishing his mission he handed it on to us. As long as we live we are the extensions of his mission to the world. To be a Christian is to be a missionary. Missions are not necessarily in some foreign land. Mission starts here, with us, within us, and then it moves out.
At our end, won’t it be lovely when we can say, “It is finished.” Our part of the Jesus mission is over. And now let us trust in his mercy and love to bring us home to God.
I end these reflections on the cross. Tomorrow is Easter. Be wherever you might worship to celebrate his resurrection. Believe in it. Live it. Practice it. Share it.
I have been pondering. What would resurrection life look like? Maybe that is another series.