It Is Finished

Will not overdraw stories of the current euros with a welcome to if not for God and router credit if not for God showed days just on if not for God. We got Mike a course, but his guest is not for God in a Stu Epperson like we would remember station the political guest to have Mike at absolutely, and Stu is the owner and the founder of the Truth Network and he actually found out that we all grew up they went the same church that I did on Calvary Baptist butts to his latest book is called last words of Jesus by Stu Epperson Junior and the forwarded by Dr. David Jeremiah so this guy is big time, but the week he told me some of the things that that were in the book, and in one of the things that he says is one of the last words as it is finished.

He talks about John 17 verse three. Can you tell us a little bit about that. Stu letters three great closing statements in the Bible is one of beginning one of the middle one. One the beginning is when God finished all creation.

Earlier in Genesis and he said basically it is done and he rested from his work, but that was the sixth day of creation, the very last one is the very end. The book of Revelation were God created a new heavens and the new earth and the redeemed are gathered around and he said it is done it is finished. It is complete. The redeemed Saints are here and we are celebrating the marriage supper Lamb right in between those two statements is the third statement, the greatest closing statement of all time made by the one who finished the work who not only finished work of creation, but finished the work of redemption when he said it is finished and he finished the work John 17, three and four were. He says he I finished the work that you sent me to do so. Jesus Christ said in that climactic moment it is done it is finished. Redemption is done all of prophecy everything the Old Testament points to Jesus everything the New Testament amplifies who he is and what he did and when he said it is finished. Mike it was finished and thank God it is finished. Is that means were not finished and it's a new beginning his completing and paying person gives us a new beginning and new hope and a future return eternity with him and brings us into relationship with him and at that same moment, the veil of the temple tour which is brilliantly symbolic of that divide.

No one could dare go on the holy of holies the very presence of Almighty God without without being struck dead by God's great holiness and glory in Christ close the deal on the cross you rent the veil and granted access like Hebrew says in the holy of holies by the blood of Jesus. And there's this phrase in Hebrews that is a closing type phrase owner to be citable to he was a says Christ died, Christ paper sends Christ complete his work once for all. Right so thousands and thousands of lands were taken at Temple thousands and millions of gallons of blood was spilled banana whole aqueduct system. The tip of news is that this crimson blood of these lambs and goats and sheep and in work slain in analog Lexus and the took tablet are carried out into the area where the waste went and you imagine going up to Passover every year magical the temple every day with all the sacrifice all his blood.

It was a Bilotti mass and one time at Passover. One man, the son of God, and God the son carried our sins on that cross and he said it is finished and he shed his blood without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sins, and redeemed us, not by silver and gold by the precious blood of the Lamb who died in our place and so he closed the deal and that was by the way the last Passover that was by way the last sacrifice because it was the Lamb of God who took away the sins of the world, absolutely. I heard a story one time and it was John Wesley was a big time revivalist in a big time preacher back in the day and there was a businessman who had always wanted to hear John Wesley preach and so one day he finally got to go see him and John Wesley preach and he preached on John chapter 3, you must be born again and the businessman said wow this is really great. He said the next time the skies in town to see him again. He goes to see the guy again and he preaches again he preaches on John chapter 3, you must be born again and he says okay I will see the sky one more time only get something else from what this guy has to say in the third time he hears it he hears him to go preach and he preaches on John chapter 3 he said you must be born again, and so the businessman actually comes up to John Wesley after the sermon and he says amen. He said you are a great preacher.

I love to hear you preach. I love the word he says. But let me ask you, why is it that every time I hear you preach you preach on John chapter 3, you must be born again, and John Wesley, looks at him with a twinkle in his eye and he says because you must be born again and Stu the amen there is no other way to be to go to heaven or to be born again, other than by the precious blood of Jesus Christ.

And I think so many times in our own lives. We look at you know what is something that I have to do and how can I earn my salvation of why need to do to do more but when you said it is finished. I thought of Ephesians chapter 2 verses eight and nine it says, for by grace are ye saved through faith and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God not of works lest any man should boast what you think of all that. That's spot on. That's the whole point middle. That's it. It's what what I hear one of a pet pastor friend of mines uses this almost no every time I hear him on the radio.

He says that religion all religions that have ever existed is spelled Dio do do do do do right you doing it earlier to perform the five pillars of Islam, you got a gazillion deities.

In Hinduism you got the Buddhism levels of karma and all that reincarnation, you gotta do do do do to get in order spelled Dio and don't don't don't don't don't don't drink don't smoke the little girls Adu etc. etc. don't don't don't don't don't.

One belief system that's ever existed.

Is Christianity in Jesus Christ and is spelled Dio and he yes done and that's the point of it is finished, he did what none of us could do. He did with the religious system can produce any did something that only can bring a rebirth and a change of heart and so that's right that what you just shared Ephesians 289 it's right at the heart of the gospel. That's why it's a gift in that great I think so. I think so.

Not another one of the last words of Jesus that you are talking about and we were to talk about this a few minutes ago was father forgive them down for they know not what they do it and I think about that in my day-to-day life because sometimes you meet people who are not Christians in their you know they're kind of shaking their fist that Christians are Christianity and one of the things that I think of his father forgive them for they know not what they do on what you do or what you tell people who may be facing persecution, whether it's on a big scale read it on a smaller scale were theirs being made fun of ridiculed autosave. First of all the prayer from Luke 23 verse 34 is the first words out of his mouth. After all the torture the beatings, the trials of mock trials can record all the evils that have to be betrayed by those closest to him being denied by his Lee disciple areas of the cross. Everyone's abandon hymns except for a few women, and John and some others, and so that is the first thing he said and I think what you would say to someone struggling with that is that before you take that first to apply it to your enemies, you apply levers to you.

You picture yourself holding that that mallet driving a nail into the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ hand, could you try that Neil could you do that you try that nail through his feet. Could you stab a spirit aside, could you cuss Adam blasphemer spit on him mock him, smacking is hard, you can upside the face because I would say something that's exactly the point in their old was I was I that killed the Savior by by guiding ferocious bone are my older dead guys read the poems the dead guys.

By the way, read the books, the dead guys read the songs of the dead guy's those wonderful songs by Charles Wesley.

You mentioned you know John earlier.

No O sacred head now wounded by another one of those great guys. You know all these guys are amazing Grace John Newton but so they gotta stop and say wait a second picture me as a cross picture me participating in this scandalous evil murder. The only innocent person that's ever walked the planet right that was me until I realized that I was the one in desperate need of forgiveness. I can never ever forgive anyone until I have truly been forgiven. I can't dish out that which I've never partaken of and consumed myself and so we all need to get on her knees and go to for that cross, realizing that I'm the one who killed Jesus and that verse there's five sermons that one verse there's a limit about fatherhood father is observed out what truly is forgiveness. The Greek word literally means to forgive means to give grace there is that there is that one word them. Who are they, we just want for a ride on the Jews water around Roman soldiers with the right on the, the wimpy leader Pontius Pilate who are they, they know not what they do they have any idea what they did in who they were killing a kid is that there's your fourth sermon right so there's always sermons in their and that one verse it's powerpack and is there's a sermon on prayer is first word from the cross was a word of prayer, answer prayer of the last thing that we resort to we don't ever run to forgiveness.

When were offended or wronged her. But because we've been forgiven and that the most forgiving people on the planet are Christians because we have something that God has done in us is not for myself.I get a guy can conjure the stuff up if and so, my heart really God used that chapter as I was writing the book to convict me of the unforgiveness toward people that I was bitter at near realizing some get into that thing away to second here I am harboring this against that someone else know nova better time articles that would be forgiving than right now and that's the power of grace and that's why he went to the cross so that forgiveness could be real and could be transformative. Absolutely the they're speaking to forgiveness. There were two.

Two other people around on a process right next door and one of the guys was kind of mocking Jesus and this and that and the other guy actually said hey look what we we deserve what we what happened to us and he said that this guys done nothing wrong and in Jesus actually says to him, he when he asked. Easy says, remember me when you get to your kingdom.

Jesus says today you will be with me in paradise. So you not I am just try to look at it. Would that guy really do to earn his holiday was a great example you talk a little bit.

He did nothing but goodie. Do you know he's ate everything says he couldn't.

He couldn't work works are righteous because his hands were nailed to the cross he could walk in the passive of God because his feet renewal across all you do is wait did and he cried out in prayer for mercy, not the most articulate sinners prayer, but it worked. As you said, bam, you're saved today you will be with me in paradise are Jesus, Charles, it has version says Christ last companion on earth was his first companion through the gates of heaven on the 30th that's pretty good, and the so now is a great moment to take a break and think about wow. I know that that the thief on the cross. If not for God.

Woe is pretty heavy duty and how cool we got Stu and Mike together was a you're trying to sell your home and your sick of your realtor telling you they can get your prize think Todd Harris call me to sell your house for more money and less time with no hassles.

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Todd Harrison team affiliated with Kelly, welcome back. If this week with our good buddy Stu Epperson and Mike we been talking about his actual first book, which was the last words of Jesus in his last book was the first word, the Jesus and others to some confusing about that, but nonetheless you got the words and when we left our hero aims on the on the cross for the faith yes was the greatest statement of forgiveness and practice is interesting. Everyone always takes that phrase father forgive them and they apply to everything else they well what's I need to forgive my neighbor which is true definition or 3000 got sick, forgiven, saved Pentecost and adjuster just a couple months later but the direct, immediate application of adverse direct, immediate application adverse was just a few feet away from Jesus that thief the the. How many people were actually bona fide, saved and forgiven Azucena Calvary how many one how many people asked for forgiveness, or how he will ask for salvation. Azucena Calvary one note to same passage, Luke 23 the first thief said save me to be down from here.

I want a better life. I'm uncomfortable. He wanted to felt he met he didn't want Jesus. It will forgiveness you want to go deeper like that second seat but the second thief.

Like the first thief cried out for salvation, but his heart wanted what Jesus had who Jesus was, in his heart, knew he needed forgiveness. So Christ forgave that man in saved assault on the centurion made a remarkable confession after the death of Christ and surely this was a righteous man is on silver than maybe he was saved.

But we know for a fact for the words of Jesus in response this man's humble prayer confessing him as Lord and believe in his heart that he would come into his kingdom. Lord, remember me when you come in kingdom.

We know this thief was saved. What a great picture of God salvation that to the least deserving.

They didn't save some notable wealthy guy at the cross, he didn't save any of these high-level military guys there all the religious folks there all the high levels and he's in there that were mocking me to save any of those people. He saved the worst guy up there hanging right there dying just a few feet away from Jesus. He took a right to heaven with him, and there is actually a passage and I believe it's in Matthew chapter 18 to start off in the verse. See 2223 therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of the servants and when he had begun to reckon, one was brought on to him, which owed him 10,000 talents. But for as much as he had not paid his Lord commanded him to be sold at his wife and children and all that he had in payment to be made. The servant therefore fell down and worshiped, saying, Lord, have patience with me and I will repay the all then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt. But the servant went out and found one of his fellow servants, which owed him 100 pounds and he laid hands on him and he took him by the throat, saying pain. Everything that I have his fellow servant fell down at his feet was Ottoman, said patients on me and I will pay the all and he would not, but he went out and he cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt so his fellow servants saw what was done and they were very sorry, and came and told him to their Lord all that was done. Then his Lord, after that he called him and he said under him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desires me soon as not thou all had had compassion on my fellow servant, even as I had pity on me and his Lord was with was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was doing to him. So likewise shall my heavenly father do also unto you, if you do not forgive from your hearts every debt. One of your brother from from his trespasses and so what he saying is basically you know I get into trouble, and I owe this guy a million bucks, and the guy has mercy on me, and I say thank you, thank you for having mercy on me and then I go find somebody else who owes me 20 bucks and I'm like him to throw you in jail because you have the 20 bucks and you're not. And I think maybe that's maybe that's God's way of telling us hey, look how much God has already forgiven us off.

I mean he has forgiven off as owes us of so much in this world and so many offenses that we've done to him and then if we decide that were not to forgive somebody else. It's like the same thing a man I love this relevant neighbor showed up for God because that's that's that that what you just said is the embodiment of that. He's forgiven us, and that shows that it flows out others love having programs like this and thank you so much for being on the Truth Network with the show wonderful and encouraging people and you're getting to the heart of why we do what we do here the Truth Network to spread the good news of Jesus to so many who have never been touched. They've never been transformed or even seen their need for forgiveness and they have a pattern of unforgiveness is like that fell that verbal so this is a great platform and were grateful like of what you're doing well and end where here in part for written and a big part because of the efforts that you put in in and your your father was he in these descriptions yesterday still doing these doing broadcasting is been a mentor to me and to so many that area. So what got you interested in this, God did. If not, I had never cc neighbor show so that it would Southern FSI left question and answer clearly enough doesn't connect no joking objects, hypothetical.

I just I actually want to, do some totally different because I grew up a Christian radio brat and in a regular our families through four generations of radio broadcasters and I thought you know maybe I should try something different. I wasn't mad and angry radio and always report the radio stations and scampered around and playing Frisbee records and doing stuff in and the Lord just I got a hold my heart senior college through some circumstances and just suddenly, I just wanted to do this and crazy crazy story and then the that change the trajectory of everything was planning to do God.

God's plan got stopped laughing at me because I stopped on my plan and he finally got that worked out and I fell in this planets is kind of how it is up to where we are today. While yet I I heard Gigi Greer, the president of the Southern Baptist convention in one of his latest sermons that he was doing via the Internet and that one of the things that he said was he said there was a guy who was cutting down trees and he said that there was a little bird in his nest up in one of these little trust in one of these trees and he said what this what the guy did. He said he felt bad for the bird and he said so he started knocking on the tree and he said he got the bird and his and his little babies to leave and he went to another tree and then that the guy was cutting down the tree said oh no, here's another tree and I gotta cut this tree down as well. And the guy starts knocking on the tree in the bird leave that tree and he goes over somewhere else away from the trees and he said that the bird is sitting there.

He's like then this guy's a real jerk for making me get out of these trees and go somewhere else and he said that's kind of a lot of people do to God.

He says you know God gets us out of a situation that were in and we wanted to be in that situation we were comfortable in that situation.

And when God gets us to another place, which is where were supposed to be. Sometimes we shake our fist at God and say why you do this is that ever happening you all the time that if that hasn't happened. Anyone listing right now that we get to check their ID and make sure they're out there. There are a there there okay under room temperature, but no, absolutely.

And that's a that's a great unit is the safest place to be in the universe is at the center of God's will similarly really miss our young people up when parents asked them where you going to college so there assuming I'm assuming that God's will for your life is go to college about Re: planters in Cambodia. Ha ha. How are you going to wear is less than 1% born-again of Vietnam, why am I assuming or assuming you know when you assume you make a you know what out of Stu and me why my you know putting that on that kid. How about stop exit hate was God's will for next Your life and how can I pray for you to find that, as opposed to were going to college large, going to school at school at school to school know, maybe you should consider going to a godly school where the professors are like us a modern-day CS Lewis or Charles Haddon Spurgeon used in a bilge up in the faith instead of the school. This could actually destroy your faith intended ends in a singe right to hell. See Sony we we have all these presumptions and presuppositions about God's will and that's one way it manifests itself in so parents could put that on those kids asking where God wants you to go and ask them what God's will for your life is a mature young person of your listing. If you're washing toilets at the at the do it the worst gas station in town in your life and that nasty floor and you're in the center of God's will.

You need to be there right now and you will be filled with joy like the joy the Paul and Silas were when they were singing praise in the Philippian jail after being beaten and shackled okay if you're at the best school get the best degree graduating and making the best money get that dream family and your outside God's will. You better run as fast you can from that run from that duty talks about God of the but then love you don't love Jesus rose from that gal is good looking, but I love Jesus and get into God's will because you're the most dangerous place I'd always get my ballplayers all time make so you get that pro contract buddy who is an amazing ballplayer and you're making tons of money you make it $100 million. That's not even your shoe endorsement. If you're out of God's will.

You're the most miserable person on the planet and you're the most dangerous place you could ever be. Just as Jonah who end up being well vomit okay so we gotta think about God.

It's not about jail B young person going to college about GLD parent is about GLD is about what God wants.

Romans 12's will is perfect acceptable and it is absolutely amazing and so that's where going back to your tree sermon from brother JD and who also grew up in Winston-Salem.

By the way is that's where that's so true, so let's start with him start at the beginning with the God of new beginnings as a guide were today were you want me to go absolutely on how to share my faith will hey, I was always like well it's a hostile work.

Part one of my garlic. Thinking about that and ask God how you want to share your faith, annexing no one your coworkers.

You find yourself in a visitation room of your coworkers, family members have died hate and they're asking you to pray okay all that gobbledygook about will I don't want to offend someone or appraiser is out the door. Why because you stop to God. You open the door for me to share the gospel because that's what you call me to do and I am 100% a thousand percent surrendered to be in the center of your will. Right here and right now absolutely yeah you know, one of the things I was think about earlier this week was I used to live in Savannah, Georgia, and was back in 2008 and I remember, for Tom had a girlfriend and one once we were talking or whatever. And and she said she said Mike where are you from Annas off North Carolina.

She sold did you live anywhere us to know. I lived in North Carolina my whole life and she goes okay okay and that's eventually actually ended up meeting her death and when I met her death. He said Mike where you from and I set out from North Carolina and he goes it adds a follow-up question.

Did you guys Mike where your parents were civil. My dad's for Brooklyn and my moms from New Jersey, and so this girl from across the room. She looks at me because I knew you were Yankee I think that I'll not about you Ashley when you're into the Christian circles and stuff like that is like no I don't know if you're meet people and it's like you know they say they're a Christian and a topic on a Christian lingo or whatever and it's like eventually after you're around them for a while. You got a look at it like I knew you were Yankee has ever happened to you. Absolutely. That's good. They were to peg that on you when we are to have no that's exactly right. That's and that there is a there's a real unit. The hope of Christ it's going to come out on what is what is Peter State University 315 says be ready always, always be ready to give an answer to the hope behind.

If not for God, for Mike podcast right if not gone, and last words of Jesus by Stu Epperson Junior get thanks for the plaintiff listening to God mightily is run on iTunes if not for God. More information on my contact him if not for God, not life