‘I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do.’
John 17 vs 4
The work Jesus is referring to here is his paying the price once and for all for every sin you and I have ever committed. Just before he died on the cross, He said, “It is finished.” In other words, everything that can be done to permanently secure our righteousness has been done, and there is nothing we can do to add to it. Neither can it be taken away.
The biggest challenge we have today is “Self’. We have somehow managed to make it about us; what we can do to earn or secure our righteousness, as against what Jesus has already done. Unfortunately, by so doing, we inadvertently take away the peace and joy that Jesus gave us. By putting the onus on what we have to do to earn or keep our righteousness, our peace is taken away. Why? Because we know we are not capable of living a perfect life. Not capable of evading sinning in thought or action. As a result, we are often under duress, worried about the inevitability of the next time we sin or displease God. And this is exactly where the devil wants us to be; in a state of such constant worry that it is only a matter of time before we give up altogether and run helter-skelter in the opposite direction.
I recall going home in a state of fear and panic about ten years ago after attending a church service. The sermon was about the importance of doing everything we can to live a holy life; one worthy of a child of God. It was so focused on dos’ and don’ts that by the time I was leaving, all I could think about was the inevitability of failing. By the time I got home, fear and panic had been replaced by utter dejection. There was no way I could live up to the demands of being a child of God. It wasn’t long before dejection turned to resentment. In time, I shied away from God for several months, as the so-called demands and expectations were just too much. This is not the kind of relationship our God wants with us. He wants us to focus on Jesus’ finished works as against what we have to do. Any message that focuses on our works as against Christ’s finished works is not from God. It is all about Jesus, and what he has already done to guarantee our right standing with God the father.
‘I am ascending to my father and your father, to my God and your God.’
John 20 vs 17
This statement, made by Jesus to Mary at the tomb, is one we so often overlook. And yet, in terms of why Jesus died for us and what his finished works means, it is one of the most profound statements in the bible. For by his sacrifice, we are able to stand on equal footing with him in the eyes of God the father. Just as Jesus can call him father, so can we. Isn’t that amazing!! Equal footing with Jesus in the eyes of God.
It is all about Jesus, and never about us. The more we focus on Christ’s finished works, the more his peace and joy reign within us.