Later, knowing that everything had now been finished, and so that Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am thirsty." A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips. When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. John 19:28-30
Jesus' last words: IT IS FINISHED.
I spent the first few days of this year at Passion Conference in Atlanta, Georgia. I had attended many Christian conferences (this was my eighth) and thought that I knew exactly what to expect: sit through some sessions, doze off through some sessions (let's be honest...it happens), sing songs, experience amazing worship (yes, this is different than singing), get an emotional and spiritual high, try to soak in as much as possible, do a service project, drive home (which is always longer than the drive there), experience post-conference depression and quit. Oh but wait, every time we say, "This time I'll keep my spiritual fire going even after I come home!" I wanted Passion to be different...and I'm so glad it was.
I'm glad I didn't experience a spiritual high...the change was real. I'm glad we didn't have lots of free time...I was focused. I'm glad it was intense...I couldn't run from the truth. I'm glad I was tired...I had to choose to push through. I'm glad I heard Louie Giglio speak about "tetelestai"...I can't but Jesus can. AND HE DID.
The first word in John 19:28 is "later." We may pass this up nonchalantly but, for a moment recognize that during this "later" Jesus had been hanging on a cross, he had been watching as the soldiers gambled for his clothes and as loved ones mourned his impending death. This later, according to Giglio's teaching, came about six hours after Jesus had been placed on the cross. Six hours.
After much suffering, Jesus' last word is "tetelestai," which means "it is finished" in Greek. Louie Giglio's message on this one simple word had changed my life forever. In fact, it has changed everyone's lives forever. The main two things I want to touch on in this blog are the grammar (quick and painless, I promise) of tetelestai and the implications of it.
Grammar. It's not for everyone, but it makes this word so much stronger. Tetelestai is written in the perfect passive indicative tense. This means that the purpose of whatever the word is referring to is complete and the result of it is ongoing. It is complete and will always be complete. "It is finished" refers to the entire purpose of why Jesus came to earth. He came to seek and save the lost, and he had accomplished that. Forevermore, we have a way to God through his conquering over sin and death. In the moments that we feel that we are not worthy or we have to work in order to accomplish something...tetelestai. It is finished. We can't, but Jesus can. AND HE DID.
So what? What are the implications of this one word? Louie suggested five things that are finished because of tetelestai.
- System: Any religious system where we try to make ourselves good enough to get to God is finished. Why? The system pointed to a Savior and He had come. He fulfilled the system...tetelestai.
- Sin: Here's the deal... Sin doesn't make us bad, it makes us dead. By accepting Jesus as our one and only Salvation we aren't made good, we are made alive. We are alive because...tetelestai.
- Shame: Perhaps one of my favorite quotes from Giglio's entire message was, "If we walk around with shame, that's on us, because God already put it all on Him [Jesus]." Woah. This is perhaps the implication I struggle with most, but all the more reason to claim...tetelestai.
- Self: I am in the Millennial generation. Maybe you are too, maybe not. If not, you surely know someone who is. The selfish generation who can only think of themselves, right? Think again. I praise God for Giglio's hope for the Millennial generation when he says, "The power of the Gospel can change the 'me and mine' generation into the 'You and Yours generation.'" How?...tetelestai.
- Satan: Tricky. Why is there still sin? Why do bad things happen? ((I am not going to try to solve this huge theological argument in this blog post, but please take what I have to say with a grain of salt.)) Louie Giglio told a story of how, as a boy, he used to kill snakes with his friend at camp over the summer. In order to kill a snake, you have to cut the head off from the body, ensuring death. However, you cannot forget to bury the head because even a dead snake head will still inject poison if it is stepped on and triggered. Additionally, the most intriguing part of this story is that when you pick up the body of a dead snake, it will wrap its body around your arm, as if it were still alive. ((If you really want to freak yourself out, look it up on YouTube.)) In the same way, Satan still injects his poison into this world. He has been defeated, but that does not mean that he doesn't have a hold on the world. Is there hope? Of course...tetelestai.
Tetelestai impacted me so heavily. I couldn't stop thinking about it in the days and weeks and months that passed. Each day, not exaggerating, I found myself clinging to tetelestai in nitty gritty LIFE. I had to do something about it. It was becoming a part of me not because I am extra-spiritual or better than anyone else, but because I needed the truth of tetelestai each and every day.
I realize that my reaction and actions taken may not be yours, and you may not even agree with them. That's ok. A few months after hearing about tetelestai at Passion, I decided to get it tattooed on my arm. A claim of truth that I see all the time. I didn't want to flash it across social media because I didn't get the tattoo for other people to look at. I got it as a permanent and constant reminder to myself of how I need to be living.
This blog has taken me a while to write because it's so utterly personal. However, I think the concept of tetelestai is too great to be kept secret.
IT IS FINISHED...and that is where we begin.
