“When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said,
“It is finished,”
and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.”
(John 19:30, ESV)
Down by the lake there are three crosses. There are also a couple of benches at the foot of these crosses. These benches are situated such that one can sit and meditate on their significance with a beautiful view of the lake in the background.
One evening we had a gorgeous sunset developing and I (Bruce) slipped down to the crosses to see if I could get a picture or two. As I viewed the developing sunset, I appreciated the word picture God created with the sunset juxtaposed to this symbol of Christianity.
The almost blood-red sky brought to mind the crucifixion. This thought of Jesus’ death seems contra-intuitive in light of the Christmas season in which we find ourselves. Christmas is when we celebrate His birth, His physical arrival on earth. His birth is a gift from God. Yet this gift will only be realized upon His death, His death on the cross, which fulfills the purpose of His coming.
Jesus, before giving up His spirit said, “It is finished.” The Greek term John used also means “paid in full.” It is like the stamp used to close out a debt that has been “paid in full.” One no longer owes anything.
When we place our faith in Him and what he did, we no longer will pay the penalty for our sins. That is the gift Jesus gave us, the greatest gift we could ever receive. Let us not forget the reason for why we celebrate His arrival at Christmas time. 🤠 🤗
This week’s Blessings, Prayer Requests, and Schedule are here.
