When Final Words Become Forever Hope

While our culture often does all it can to sanitize death or hide from its finality, there is no escaping the reality of death. You and I will wake up one last time, and we will say our last words. When that day comes, what will your final words reveal?

Let’s look at the final words of Jesus on the cross in John 19:17-30. They are not random. They reveal His heart, His identity, and His mission. As we prepare our hearts for Easter, I want to invite you to see His final words not as a farewell but as an invitation to something brand new. Because what Jesus finished at the cross can be the starting point of your greatest transformation. Starting today.

The Last Words of the Suffering Savior:

1. “Woman, behold your son.” – A Statement of Compassion

• Even in the midst of cosmic suffering, Jesus cares for His mother.
• Jesus was forming a new family – the Church.
• Jesus wasn’t just dying for the world; He was loving individual people.
• Your compassion in crisis can be the clearest window into your character.

2. “I am thirsty.” – A Statement of Suffering

• Jesus was not just suffering physically; He was enduring the wrath and alienation that sin brings.
• In Scripture, thirst is symbolic of spiritual longing.
• The cross reminds us that only Jesus satisfies.
• Are you leading from a place of spiritual dehydration?

3. “It is finished” – A Statement of Victory

• “Tetelestai” – a single word which means “it is finished,” from the Greek word “telos” which means “end” or “goal.”
• When stamped on a purchase (like a receipt), this word meant “paid in full.”
• Jesus wasn’t just saying that His life was over, but that His mission had been fulfilled. The debt of sin had been paid in full.
• Jesus died with no regrets. He perfectly accomplished our salvation.
• The justice of God required payment. The mercy of God provided it.

The greatest victory you can ever walk in is the finished work of Christ on your behalf. That’s your identity. That’s your foundation.

A New Beginning Starts Here:

• “It is finished” doesn’t just signal the end of Christ’s suffering. It signals the beginning of our new life.
• Because of the finished work of Jesus, you can walk in the resurrection power of a brand new beginning.
• Your past doesn’t define you. Your failures don’t disqualify you. Your sin doesn’t get the final word.

Because of the cross, your story isn’t finished. Your transformation is just beginning.
What new beginning does God want to birth in your life today because of what Jesus finished?