Finally, It’s Finished. – Family Devotion – April 15, 2022

Read: John 19:17-30

Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
John 19:30

Finally, It’s Finished.

 

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

A dad arrived at a little league baseball game a bit late. Through the chain link fence, he asked, “What’s the score?” A little leaguer replied, “We’re losing 11-0.”

“Ouch,” the dad said, “too bad.”

“Oh, it’s okay,” the boy quickly answered, “we haven’t been up to bat yet.”

On Good Friday, Jesus went to bat for you and me. And when it seemed like we were losing, he climbed up on the cross and won the victory. While rest of us stood and stared with hopeful faces pressed up to the chain-link fence, Jesus stepped up to the plate and smacked a homerun over the devil’s head—up, up, and away! It’s gone! Sins gone! Satan defeated! Salvation won! He ended death’s long winning streak with one final word from the cross, “It is finished.” And with that, Jesus died and placed himself into the hands of his loving heavenly Father.

None of us were standing there at the cross the day Jesus died. But today, we are. And as we do, we see all that was there:

• Jesus was there. But that doesn’t surprise us. After all, this is the reason he was born. He understood his mission from the beginning, and until the end, he carried out that mission just as God planned.
• Sin was there. We see it on Jesus’ face, on his back, on his hands and feet. We see it in the black darkness of the noon-day sky. It was there with all its power, for “the wages of sin is death.” All sin—the ones you see or can’t see, your favorites or most shameful—strapped to his sin-free back.
• Love was there. What held Jesus to the cross our sins shaped and made? Amazing love caused Jesus to say “yes” to the thorns, the nails, and the cross.
• Death was there. Even the bravest person has cried and felt the fear of death But as we look and see our Savior die, we know that death dies too! Good Friday is the day death died!
• Victory was there. Death lost; Jesus won! You and I and the souls of all people are saved and set free. Thank God Jesus won the victory that day.

On Good Friday, every cross we see reminds us: Sin was there. Death was there. Love was there. We were there. But most importantly, Jesus was there.

Closing Prayer:

Dear Jesus, thank you for being there for me and my family on the cross. As I quietly think of you and what you did for me, may it fill me with an eager hope that soon will shout out your name! Amen.

The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire.

Questions for Younger Children

• Names as many things as you can remember that were there at the cross the day Jesus died.
• Which one is the most important and why?

Questions for Elementary Age Children

• What’s the part that you dislike the most about Good Friday?
• What would have happened if Jesus hadn’t gone through that hard part?

Questions for Middle School and Above

• In your own words, explain what exactly Jesus meant when he said on the cross, “It is finished.”
• Name at least one area of your life that immediately benefits from hearing Jesus say, “It is finished.”