Yesterday, Pastor Bobby in his blog told us that everything that needed to be done had been done by that point in the week and it was time for Jesus to celebrate the Passover with his disciples, but it isn’t until Friday afternoon that Jesus himself tells us “It is finished.” (John 19:30 NIV)  

Today, Jesus has been accused, questioned, mocked, beaten, denied by Peter three times, and more. Any one of these things would have had most of us responding and lashing out whether physically or verbally, but Jesus hasn’t. He knows he hasn’t earned any of this, but he also knows his Father’s plans. One of those crucified with him even says to the other “we deserve this death…he does not.” (Luke 23:39-43 NIV) Jesus endures one of the most painful ways to die recorded in history, not because of what He ever did, but because of us. God loved each of us so much that he sacrificed His son for our mistakes, our wrongdoing, our sin. But that mind-boggling sacrifice is completely overlooked by most of those there in Jerusalem at the time.

For the rest of the Jewish world, they had already begun the celebration of Passover, but this was the day of Preparation, the day to make sure everything was ready for the special Sabbath the next day when no work might be done. And as the religious leaders and others scrambled around trying to make sure they were ready for the Sabbath (after they checked off “get rid of Jesus” from their list), Jesus was fulfilling every one of the prophesies found about him in the Old Testament and his own statements of what must happen as well, so that He might declare “it is finished”. (this is only a short list as an example)

• John 18:9 says “This happened so that the words he had spoken would be fulfilled: “I have not lost one of those you gave me.” (John 6:39)
• We see Isaiah 53:12 fulfilled, where Isaiah told us that “he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.”
• Peter has denied Jesus three times, just as Jesus said he would (Matthew 26:69-75, Mark 14:66-72, Luke 22:54-62, John 18:15-18, 25-27)
• The Roman soldiers even fulfill their roles:

- Psalm 22:18 said, “They divide my clothes among them and cast lots for my garment.”

- Several places the Old Testament teaches us that “not one of his bones will be broken” (Exodus 12:46, Numbers 9:12, Psalm 34:20) and that “they will look on the one they have pierced.” (Zechariah 12:10)

The religious leaders of the day were so busy preparing for the special Sabbath and were convinced that they were RIGHT that they completely missed the fact that the texts they had been reading and studying for years were being fulfilled in that moment.

In his blog on Monday, Nick asked us to stop, and take an inventory, to “clean house”, and be prepared so that we wouldn’t miss this gift.  How many of us, in the busyness of our preparation or general busyness of life, miss God at work in our midst? We might have all the signs and pointers flashing in front of us to help us see, we may know what to “look for”, but still miss what is happening. We may even put it down to coincidence.

Parents will tell you that you can be right in the room with a toddler and still miss the moment…the first step…the misjudgment of a step that leads to a fall…the cute moment you wish you had a picture of…whatever that moment might look like that you wish you had back, if you are not fully engaged and watching every moment. Let’s not miss this moment!

Jesus fulfilled that passage from Isaiah for you, for me, for each of us on this planet. He died for our sins, not his own, for he had none. God loves each of us so much that had we been the only resident of planet Earth, God would have still sent His son to die for us. (John 3:16)

Don’t miss this moment, this gift from God. Give Him credit for all He has done and is doing. Let’s be bold enough to join Him in his work and offer ourselves to His plans. And let us be thankful for the gift of Jesus and His work on the cross that we might all be washed clean of our sins and granted eternal life with Him.