Just look at (28) can you tell me what two of them are? "everything had now been finished", "so that scripture would be fulfilled,". In fact both of those words mean the same thing as does Jesus cry from the cross - I’ve done it, it is accomplished. Jesus as he hangs on the cross as he is about to give up his spirit can say everything is done.

That is an astonishing statement, to die with no regrets, nothing left unfinished or unsaid, to be able to say it is all done. That is a phenomenal statement for anyone to make on their death bed, let alone from a Roman cross, after a sham trial and a sudden arrest.

These are not the words of a victim these are the words of a victor. But what does it mean?

a. God’s plan of salvation Jesus is saying that he has fulfilled God’s plan of salvation, that he had accomplished God’s plan from eternity to save mankind.

Genesis begins as God creates the perfect world, until humanity rebels and decide it wants to rule itself. Then; thorn, thistle, pain, discomfort, sorrow, broken relationships, murder, death come pouring into God’s perfect world. Why? Because what maintained the perfect world was God’s word and without it the foundations are ripped out.

But at the blackest moment in history God makes a promise;
"I will put enmity between you and the woman,
and between your offspring and hers;
he will crush your head,
and you will strike his heel."

At the cross we see Eve’s offspring’s heel bruised as Christ is beaten and hung on a cross but in that cry "It is finished." Jesus is saying I have crushed Satan’s head, he is defeated. God’s history long promise is kept.

b. God’s word But here is more to it than just fulfilling that one promise. Jesus is fulfilling God’s continued promises, the promises we find in the Bible. That’s why (28) he deliberately acts in accordance with it. He is accomplishing God’s word spoken centuries before through the prophets. God’s word can be trusted, why, because it is fulfilled.

c. Atonement for sin In 1:29 John the Baptist, the get ready guy, says this when he see Jesus "Look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!"

The big question throughout the rest of the gospel is how will he do it? As you see him forgive sinners you know that there is a price to pay at some point that sins must be atoned for.

There has been a lot in the news this week about the credit crunch, encouraging people to pay off any outstanding debts they can and advising people not to take on any others, in case they cannot meet the bill. Jesus as he cries out "It is finished" is saying I have paid the price, I have atoned for their sins, I’ve paid the bill.

What does Jesus accomplish at the cross? He fulfils God’s word, he does everything to accomplish the Father’s will and plan, and in doing so the Lamb of God takes away the sin of the world. He makes possible relationship between rebellious man and a holy God. It is finished - I have redeemed them, I have repaired the breach, I have paid the price for their rebellion, I have kept your word, I have been your perfect Son on their behalf. It is all accomplished.

2. Where is the proof?
Some people are fine with the gospels until you get to their final chapters, in John it would be ch 20, 21, because they say they are just so unbelievable. The dead don’t come back to life so how do you expect me to believe that Jesus did?

But actually that is to totally miss the point about who Jesus is. This is not the amazing thing about Jesus, it is just one of a series of amazing things. There is nothing natural about Jesus, from his birth, to healing the blind, lame and leper, to walking on water, stilling the storm, feeding 5000, to crying "Father, forgive them".

Everything about Jesus life is out of the ordinary because he is God made man. But the resurrection is vital because it proves that Jesus is Lord and Messiah, that he is the resurrection and the life. It is what Peter proclaims, this man who cowers in a courtyard is so changed that he proclaims from the rooftops, Acts 2:32-36. Paul goes on to say that "if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith...But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead!"

Jesus accomplishes God’s eternal purposes, he is both Lord and Messiah, he is the victor over Satan and death, he makes atonement for our sins, and the proof is that he has risen.

Maybe this morning you are a bit sceptical about the resurrection, or maybe you feel a bit embarrassed when friends ask you about it. I just want to take a minute to examine the alternatives.

a. Mistaken identity theory - This is what some believe, it is what the Koran teaches, that someone who looked like Jesus was crucified in his place. But that just doesn’t fit, as if Jesus enemies of 3 years are going to be fooled by that, as if Jesus would allow that to happen. If as the Koran maintains Jesus was just taken up into heaven why would his disciples preach a crucified Messiah rather than instantly victorious one? That theory just doesn’t stand up.

b. Swoon theory - This says that Jesus didn’t die on the cross he merely passed out, or was drugged so that he looked dead only to be revived later. But the flogging Jesus endured was so severe, some did not live through it, it alone would put him in a critical condition. And crucifixion, well the pain was so severe that the Romans invented a new word for it - excruciating meaning literally ‘out of the cross’. The Romans were experts no one survived crucifixion because if they did the executioners lives were forfeit. Then there is the spear thrust into Jesus side that confirms his death. The swoon theory doesn’t stand up.

c. They went to the wrong tomb - If this was the case the Jewish authorities would simply have brought out the body, the mistake would have been shortlived, again it doesn’t stand up.

d. The disciples stole the body - Do con men die for the lies they pedal? No they don’t. Peter and others rush to the tomb expecting to find a dead body, but what they find changes their lives to such an extent that they will die for what they now believe - Jesus is alive. You would not die for a stolen body. Then there are the Roman guards there to stop just such an eventuality.

No other theory holds up. So what is the evidence for the resurrection?
i. It is recorded for us in the gospels. God’s word tells us, that should be enough. But even for the sceptic it is a word that is viewed by historians as accurate and reliable.

ii. The empty tomb is part of early Christian teaching. Just weeks after the resurrection Peter stands up and declares Jesus is risen, Paul writes of over 500 witnesses to Jesus resurrection.

iii. The disciples don’t expect it. If I was writing a gospel I’d want to look good in it. But the disciples don’t expect the resurrection.

iv. Women find the body. If you were making up this account you would not have women find the body if you wanted it believed, because they were not viewed as credible witnesses.

v. The Jewish response. The arguments were not about whether the body was missing but how it came to be missing.

vi. The willingness of the disciples to die for their beliefs. These men who cowered and fled, and mourned and doubted are so changed by Jesus resurrection that they stand and preach in the very city where Jesus was executed a few weeks earlier, they willingly die rather than deny Jesus as Lord and Messiah.

vii. Jesus speaks today. But actually we know Jesus is alive because he still speaks to us today. Millions of Christians will talk of having met him and known him.

Why have a made such a big deal about this? Because the resurrection matters! Because it confirms Jesus is both Lord and Messiah, it proves he is the victor over sin, hell and death and that it is finished.

In the Old Testament when God accepted a sacrifice for sin it was burnt up, nothing was left, because it had not exhausted God’s anger against sin. But at the cross Jesus has God’s anger for sin poured out on him and can say "It is finished." It is done, I have taken it all and it is paid for and the resurrection proves it.

But the resurrection also shows us the consequences of believing in Jesus, it is that we share not just in his perfect record but in his future - life after death.

John tells us why he writes his gospel, it is "so that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name."

Do you believe Jesus is the Messiah? I don’t mean do you have a head knowledge. I can have a head knowledge that this chair will hold my weight, but I don’t believe it until I sit in it and rest my weight on it. Have you believed or just known? It is only by believing that you will have life.

1. Why at did Jesus accomplish at the cross?
2. What difference does it make? What difference should it make?
3. What is my hope for the future based on? How is it lived out? How can we spur one another on to live in the light of its hard won reality?

Words that changed the World