Three years of hope, gone.  Jesus gave John, the only disciple with him at his death, final instructions about caring for his mother. Then Jesus spoke his final words, “It is finished.” To you and me, now, those are words of hope and wonder. Jesus did what was necessary to secure life for his sheep. “It is finished” means that our sins are forgiven, Jesus did the will of his Father.  They are words of comfort and peace.  But that is not likely what they meant on that Saturday to.. read more

The Last Passover, the first Lord’s Supper, the intimate setting in the upper room, provides precious memories.  But there is another memory of that night that we don’t recall so easily. It is a story that discloses the selfishness of the human heart. Just after the Lord’s Supper and just before Jesus goes to the garden to pray, the disciples manage to get into an argument that exposed the pride of their hearts. They were trying to figure out who among them might betray Jesus since he had just predicted.. read more

John records that at the end of his life Jesus said, “it is finished.” Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. These are not the actions and words of a victim. Jesus was in control of his own death. He ended his life when it was the right time when he had finished what his Father asked him to do. No one took his life from him, he laid down of his own accord (John 10:17-18). The death of Jesus was not a random moment in time… read more