Advent 2021: Between It Is Finished and It Is Done
Now in putting everything in subjection to him [Jesus], he [God] left nothing outside his control. At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him. But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. - Hebrews 2:8-9
When we behold the foolishness of the manger, we see the weakness of a life of hiddenness. When we look upon the naked man hanging on a cross, we see what looks like weakness and foolishness in the natural; yet that very foolishness is how God reconciled the world to Himself, how He will restore all things, and how God chose His King. What began in the manger in Bethlehem will finish on a throne in Jerusalem.
After making atonement for sin by His own blood on the Hill at Calvary, He ascended and sat down at the right hand of Majesty.
And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven." - Acts 1:9-11
Jesus ascended in His physical body to a place called the New Jerusalem. There is a tabernacle in that celestial city in heavenly places. God gave Moses a glimpse of this tabernacle on Mt. Sinai, and He instructed him to replicate it on earth (Heb 8:5). King David saw it (Ps 63:2). Isaiah saw the glorified Christ sitting in this temple (6:1-6I). It is the place in which God manifests His glory and where Jesus Christ is seated, eagerly waiting to return to the earth and claim what is rightfully His. There He sits on, leading the procession of history through the ministry of intercession (Heb 7:25) and empowering His church to live in the tension between a kingdom that has come, is coming, and will come forever.
There are two distinct proclamations of “it is finished” or “ it is done” in the New Testament. Understanding what each of these phrases means can help us in our understanding of the continuity of the kingdom of Jesus’ reign now and in the age to come and empower us to live in the tension.
When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, "It is finished," [g.k. - teleo] and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. - John 19:30
When Jesus exclaimed on the cross, “it is finished!” He was declaring that something had come to a close and that a work had been accomplished. What was that work? He paid the debt for the sin of all mankind. In that payment, He joined himself to all of creation and reconciled the world to God, bringing forth a new creation through that finished work. He was identified as the Son of David through the resurrection who would be the rightful King to inherit and rule over the earth.
After the resurrection Jesus tells the disciples, “All authority in heaven and earth has been given to me.” The work of redemption is done.
And yet, when the celestial city descends to earth and Jesus takes His rightful place on the throne of His father David, the Father declares “It is done!”
And he said to me, "It is done! [g.k.- ginomai] I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. - Revelation 21:6
The full manifestation of the authority that Jesus has received through the cross and resurrection will be realized on the earth. The word here in the Greek means to reveal, to begin, to appear. The work that was finished on the cross will be fully revealed in the age to come. Restoration will be done. When we lose sight of the divine storyline, our hearts can begin to grow anxious and our confidence can be shaken. But remember, at present, we do not see everything in subjection to Him. We are living in the tension; in the patient endurance between was has been accomplished and what will be revealed. What shall we look at to give us confidence, peace, joy, and courage in this present chaos?
We look at Him. He is the author and finisher of our faith. All the promises of God find their “yes” in Him. Even when they have not fully come into view on our timeline, we see them clearly in the face of Jesus.
Many can become offended at Jesus without understanding this momentary tension between resurrection and second coming. As followers of Jesus, we must press in, in faith, to the victorious manifestations of the kingdom while also preparing to walk through tribulation. This is called maturity. The tension between the two requires patient endurance. Patient endurance is the posture of an unoffended heart. It is not just our prosperity that proclaims the greatness of God but our perseverance in tribulation that tells the world “Jesus is enough,” that we belong to a superior kingdom, that we have an “other worldly” hope. We are living as strangers and aliens (1 Pt 2:11) now in the tension, desiring a better country, a heavenly one (Heb 11:16).
Jesus at the last supper prepared His disciples for this very thing saying multiple times to them things like, “in this world you will have tribulation,” “the world will hate you,” and “If they persecuted me, they will persecute you.” Understanding this reality enables us to live from heaven to earth, not from earth to heaven. Success then, to the believer, is not defined by how much we acquire, what position we obtain, how many people see us, like us, or praise us. Success is defined by how well we love and how well we steward what has been given to us. We serve in secret, give in secret, and fight for the highest possible good for those around us. When we are cursed, we bless. When we are persecuted, we pray. When we lose property, position, or prominence, we joyfully accept that a servant is not above his master and a student is not greater than his teacher. This is the reality of the heavenly call of the believer and the priesthood of the believers. We are now priests to God, pilgrims in the earth, citizens of a heavenly city, and servants of another King and His kingdom.
But recall the former days when, after you were enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings, sometimes being publicly exposed to reproach and affliction, and sometimes being partners with those so treated. For you had compassion on those in prison, and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one. Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised. - Hebrews 10:32-36
This Advent, we slow to remember and to recalibrate to the truth that we are living in the tension between it is finished and it is done. We are in need of endurance, so that we may run the race set before us and receive what is promised.
Prayer:
Father, I come before you. I look up to you and out of the present circumstances and chaos around me. You are not anxious or shaken. You are seated on the throne. I remind my soul that I am a pilgrim, walking the long road of obedience towards Zion. Jesus, I fix my eyes on you today as I run my race. Holy Spirit, help me to keep my heart from being offended in the tension and discouraged in the delay. Empower me today to live as a citizen of heaven. To walk as a heavenly man or woman, full of supernatural joy, peace, and confidence - when things are going well and when they are not. Let those around me sense a heavenly fragrance in my words, actions, and attitudes. Help me to live from heaven to earth. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
