A Finished Work!
"I
have glorified Thee on the earth: I have finished the work which Thou
gavest Me to do."
-JOHN
17:4 [KJV]
These
words were spoken by our Savior at the beginning of His High Priestly
prayer. He speaks in anticipation of accomplishing the task assigned
to Him in the covenant of grace, which He delightfully agreed to do.
The work for which He was chosen was to join Himself to human flesh
and be "made
under the law to redeem them that were under the law."
As the God-Man, He would have to give His life a ransom for those
entrusted to Him by the Father in electing grace. His work was to
satisfy divine justice by enduring the penalty of the law in the
stead of His people who would break the law and become deserving of
death.
His
work was to establish righteousness, purge away the guilt of sin,
save, redeem and satisfy divine justice for all those chosen by the
Father in distinguishing mercy before the world began. The fact that
the Savior arose, ascended and was exalted to the highest heaven
shows that He did indeed finish the work the Father gave Him to do.
The Holy Spirit said "this
Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on
the right hand of God"
[HEBREWS
10:12].
Among the seven pieces of furniture in the Old Testament tabernacle,
something was noticeably missing - a chair. There was no place for
the priests to sit because the sacrifices they offered could never
put away sin, consequently, their job was never completed. But the
God-Man, by finishing reconciliation, putting away sin and bringing
in everlasting righteousness by His death, arose, went back to glory
and took His rightful place upon the throne of universal sovereignty.
He would never have sat down had His work not been finished. "The
LORD
said unto my Lord, Sit Thou at My right hand, until I make Thine
enemies Thy footstool"
[PSALM
110:1].
The
Father was well pleased with His Son’s work of redemption and
accepted His sacrifice as full payment for the iniquities of His
people. Upon the basis of purging our sins by His substitutionary
death, Christ ascended and "sat
down on the right hand of the Majesty on high"
[HEBREWS
1:3].
His triumphant cry from the cross was, "It
is finished"
[JOHN
19:30].
To all who believe
on the Lord Jesus Christ, hear these glad tidings: your redemption is
accomplished, the Savior’s perfect righteousness has been imputed
to you and the pardon of your sins is full, irrevocable and
everlasting.
-Gospel report by preacher Jim Byrd
Thirteenth
Street Baptist church of Ashland, Kentucky USA
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