Finished Off

TITLE: “Finished Off”
DATE:  September 16. 2019
TEXT:. Hebrews 10:10 (ESV) - and by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.  

It was in the summer of 1989 that over one million people in the countries of Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia linked arms for the completion of a singular task. Together they formed a human chain that stretched for more than 360 miles.

When the chain was complete, one person, at the end of the line, whispered a single word into the ear of the person next to him.

It was not a hard word to remember.

That word didn’t change as it was passed along the line. Mile after mile, person after person, that all important word was passed. Have you guessed that word? Can you imagine one word which has the power, and importance, to bring a million people together?
​
That word which touched the hearts of each of those people was freedom.

It’s not hard to understand the power of such a word to people who had experienced fifty years of oppression and outside tyranny.

Now allow me to tell you about another word, even more powerful than freedom. I said it is more powerful because it has  touched tens of millions of souls.

I am talking about the Greek word: "tetelestai."

Centuries ago, the word tetelestai  was written on tax receipts when they were paid. On a papyrus tax receipt, tetelestai would be the equivalent of a rubber stamp which means, “Received Payment.” There is one other thing you should know about tetelestai.

Tetelestai is the last word that Jesus said upon the cross.
Both the King James and the English Standard Version of the Bible translate tetelestai as, “it is finished.”

• Tetelestai says that because of Jesus perfect fulfillment of the law, no longer is their condemnation for those who have been rescued.
• Tetelestai says the payment for our sins has been completed the shedding of Jesus’ blood on the cross.
• Tetelestai says the Christ’s work of redeeming humankind has been completed and His defeat of death in His resurrection changes today and eternity for all who believe.

​
In short, tetelestai means that the Son, with the shedding of His holy, precious blood, and with His innocent suffering and death, has made full, and final payment to our heavenly Father for all that we have done wrong.

The bill for our sins has been marked, “paid in full.”

THE PRAYER: Dear Lord Jesus, You have done that which we could never do for ourselves. You have paid, in full, the debts of all our sis Now may I,  with gladness, share the good news of atonement with others. In Your Name. Amen.
he music which introduces and concludes our devotions was written by Guy Baumann. He along with three of his brothers perform on the album: The Baumann Brothers which may be ordered here: http://thebaumannbrothers.com/index.html