When I was a youth minister in Massachusetts the local ministers from various churches would gather for a pre-Easter service.  Seven ministers would get up one by one and share the last seven phrases that Jesus said from the cross.  I always wanted to be asked to share number 6, “It is finished”, but I was never asked to, so today I will.

Saying the words, “It is finished” can bring relief.  The pain, the distress, the task at hand, or the conflict is over.  No more of whatever was causing such discomfort.  Those words certainly said a lot for the one who spoke them that day, for he was going down a “dead end!”  But was “it” really finished?  Sure the work Jesus came here to earth to do was, but I believe our work was just beginning.

Jesus showed us how to live, pray, “be”, love, overcome, deal with evil, trust our heavenly father, face fear and even die.  When He said, “It is finished” He might as well gone on to say, “You are just beginning.  Now go and show others there is a better way to live.  Don’t just tell them, but show them the love of my Father as I have shown you.  Convince them that in believing in my death and resurrection there is so much hope it will last for eternity.”  For us, it isn’t finished, yet.