+ In Nomine Jesu +
‌‌
The message this evening is based on a portion of the passion narrative from the Gospel of  St. John. 
‌
“Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), “I thirst.” A jar full of sour wine stood there, so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it to his mouth. When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.” 

Grace and peace to you, from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
‌
The end had come. Jesus suffered in a way that no one else ever could or would suffer again. Physically, He suffered death by crucifixion, which means that He ultimately suffocated, His legs no longer able to support the weight of His body. His arms nailed to the cross, meant that the full weight of His body rested upon His chest, His lungs. 
‌‌
But what Jesus suffered physically is but a small part of His passion, as incomprehensible as that is for us to grasp. More than the physical suffering, Jesus suffered things that are outside of any human categories, such that we could begin to understand it. When Jesus died on the cross, He had become the sin of the world. Can you even fathom such a thing?Jesus was guilty of every single sin ever committed by humanity. The Scriptures tell us that “God made Him who knew no sin, to be sin!” Not to be a sin, or some sins, but “to be sin.” Name a sin, even if it’s your sin. Jesus bore it in His body on the cross. And, having done so, He suffered the consequence. The unbridled wrath of the Father was poured out on Him! It is for that very reason that He cried out, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken Me?” His Father could do none other. For, as the prophet tells us, “God’s eyes are simply too pure to behold evil.” The Son of God embodied the evil of the world.
‌‌
I’m not sure any of us can fully appreciate the evil that Jesus became when He took the sin of the world upon Himself. For a small glimpse of it, it’s the evil that accuses you in the still of the night, that convinces you that you are unworthy of God’s mercy and forgiveness. It is the evil that torments you, that convinces you that you are unredeemable, that you are beyond what God did for the world in Christ. It is the evil that ravages your soul and torments your mind.  It’s the evil that says, “you are deserving of death!”
‌
Jesus’ final word from the cross tells us more about His death than we might be inclined to think. He had received some sour wine on a hyssop branch. Hyssop was the plant used at the Passover to spread the blood of the sacrificed lamb on the door posts people’s homes. Sour wine was given to those who were suffering such a fate as crucifixion to numb their senses in some sort of a show of humanity. In the end, Jesus said, “It is finished.” His words didn’t have anything to do with the sour wine. In the original language, which was Greek, it was actually one word that Jesus spoke. The word was “telestai.” It’s was a very common word at the time, and yet, an important word. It was actually a word used in commercial trade in Jesus’ day. Today, we would say, “Paid in full.” A debt is paid and the debtor is released from any obligation because the debt has been “Paid in full.”

“Telestai!” Jesus paid your debt in full! This is the atonement of Christ! It’s the mystery of the Cross of Jesus! It is the reconciliation of the world to God! It’s the Gospel in one word! The sin that separated you from God, that caused you to fear Him and to cower in His presence, has been paid for, it has been taken away from you as far as the east is from the west. “It is finished!“ There is no more that needs to be, or can be done for your salvation. 
‌‌
And so, Lord...
‌‌
“If my sins give me alarm
 And my conscience grieve me,
Let Your cross my fear disarm;
 Peace of conscience give me.
Help me see forgiveness won
 By Your holy passion.
If for me He slays His Son,
 God must have compassion!”
‌‌
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
‌‌
The peace of God that passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus unto life everlasting. Amen.
‌‌
+ Soli Deo Gloria +
‌

‌