John 19:30 (ESV)
When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
Bible Commentary
John 19:30 is a critically important Bible verse from the time of the crucifixion of Jesus, in which He spoke His last words from the cross before His death.
Jesus Christ came to earth to give His life as a penalty for sin, as a substitute for man. He was the only One Who could be the perfect sacrifice that God required, since He was both God and man.
The work the Father gave Him was to fulfill all that was written in the law of Moses, the prophets and the psalms concerning Him (Luke 24:44).
When Jesus uttered the words, “It is finished,” from the cross in John 19:30, He professed the completion of the work He came to do, which put an end to sin and the curse of man.
John 1:17 says, “For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.” The completion of Jesus’ work meant the free gift of grace for all who choose to accept it.
The undeserved favor of God
Grace simply means: the undeserved favor and love of God.
Though many of us have accepted Christ as our Saviour, we live far short of the fullness of the grace God offers us. We have been lulled into the deception that in order to please God, others or ourselves, we must perform–do enough, work long enough or hard enough.
Like so many in our current culture, I used to base my value on how much I did each day and how well I did it, whether it was on a job or doing the many things associated with being a wife and mother.
If I finished my to-do list or received positive affirmation at work from a boss, then I felt pretty good about myself. If I helped my kids finish their homework and managed their responsibilities and activities successfully, then I could reward myself with some rest and relaxation.
The problem was, the next day came and I would have to start all over again.
Unlocking the Truth – Grace and Rest
As you read God’s Word regularly, you’ll come to understand that our value as a person is based upon Him, not upon what we do or how much we do. We are made in His image, and His great love for us was proven to the world by the cross.
Because of the amazing gift of grace, we can work hard doing what God has called us to do at a job, at home, at school or in a ministry, but be in the rest of God at the same time, which means we are not working under our own power, but under the power of the Spirit of God.
It’s like having wind beneath our wings. Isaiah 26:12 says, “O Lord, you will ordain peace for us, for you have indeed done for us all our works.”
When we surrender our work to God and accept His grace by accepting Jesus Christ as an atonement for our sins, we enter into His rest—the place where He has already gone ahead and prepared for us.
We can be free from stress, the bondage of sin and performance-based works, and instead live a life of peace, joy and freedom in His grace. Study the Bible verse of John 19:30 and meditate on the wonder of the freedom of grace. Receive the freedom of rest in Jesus Christ.
