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Apr 20, 2025

The Cross & Resurrection Change Everything | Easter at Burnt Hickory

The Cross & Resurrection Change Everything | Easter at Burnt Hickory

Passage: John 19:30-20:18

Speaker: Matt Petty

Series: Easter

Category: EASTER SUNDAY

Keywords: gospel of john, new creation, empty tomb, spiritual transformation, lamb of god, mary magdalene, cross of christ, it is finished, spiritual renewal, eternal destiny, resurrection power, victory over sin, easter message, jesus love, paid in full, coming back to faith, easter 2025, sin debt canceled, john 19-20, colossians 2:14, sacrifice complete, firsthand account, the cross and resurrection change everything

This Easter, we explore the powerful meaning behind Jesus's final words, "It is finished" and what His death and resurrection mean for us today. Through examining historical contexts and John's firsthand account, we discover how these words weren't just a final breath, but a declaration of complete payment for sin, victory in battle, and perfect sacrifice. We'll see how Jesus's death and resurrection work together - the cross paying for our sins and the resurrection proving His power to do so. Whether you're exploring faith, need assurance of forgiveness, or are carrying heavy burdens from your past, this message reveals how Jesus's finished work offers you a fresh start and complete acceptance.

I couldn't help over the last 30 minutes getting emotional over the phrase “he has risen”. Not because it was just something cool to do in the day he has risen. Not because it was just something that he should have done. Christ has died. Christ has risen, and Christ has made a way. I want you to know today, church, that today is a day of celebration. It's a day of hope. It is a day of future. It is a day of honor. And every single thing that we do in our faith rests on today. It rests on the death and the resurrection of King Jesus. And I believe that that beyond any sports game, beyond any team that we've cheered for beyond anything in our life that deserves an accolade, I believe the words he has risen deserves what the psalmist would say, a shout of praise, a clap of our hands, and a standing ovation to this community to know that he is Lord. He has saved us. He has given us a way, and we are his children.

I’ll tell you today exactly what I want to do in the next couple of minutes. I simply want to show you how much Jesus loves you. Secondly, I want to convince you that you need to give your life to Jesus. And thirdly, I just want to persuade you, if you know Jesus, if you've given your life to Jesus and your past has given you some struggles and you find yourself in a deep, dark, heavy moment, that today can be the day that you come back to Jesus. And I want to do all this today from John's firsthand account of Jesus's life, from John's Gospel today. Our church has been walking through John's gospel for the last couple of months, and today we come to John chapter 19 and 20.

We come to one of the most pivotal points in all history, the resurrection and the death of Jesus. In fact, as you're finding John 19 and John 20, let me walk you through what is happening, where we're going to pick up the scriptures today. Jesus has walked on this earth. He has come as the king of kings. He has been born of a virgin. He has walked a sinless life for 30 something years. He has taught his disciples. He has called many to himself. He's given life to those who have been dead. He has healed those that have been sick. He's fed those that have been hungry. He has called these 12 men to himself as his disciples to train them, to set them free with the gospel, with what he's about to do. And now Jesus has just spent the last hours of his life in this upper room with his disciples teaching them what is about to happen.

And now Jesus has gone to the garden of Gethsemane. He has received the sin of all mankind upon himself. He's been turned over to the Roman authorities. He's been given, at best, a couple of sham trials. He has been scorned. He has been whipped beyond recognition, and now where we're going to catch Jesus on the cross. He has been there since the morning. He's been whipped beyond anything that a human being should go through. The darkness has come over the earth for the last three hours. But Jesus, where we're about to catch him is on Friday afternoon of the passion week. You're about to see the crucifixion of Jesus.

You may say, Pastor, we're not celebrating the crucifixion. We're celebrating the resurrection. Let me say this, just to clear this up today. Never look at the cross without the resurrection. Never look at the resurrection without the cross. You see, the cross was what bought us and paid for our sins. The resurrection is what proved that Jesus could do what he just did. So with that in mind, I want you to follow with me here in John's gospel. I simply want to read it over us this morning, make a couple of comments on what the resurrection and the death of Jesus has done for us. John chapter 19, he's on the cross. The agony of pain is too much for any person to endure. History tells us that Jesus probably died not from the physical pain but the heartbreak of pain of being separated from the Father and having all sin upon all mankind put on him. And this is what he says in John 19 verse 30.

Jesus said, it is finished. And with that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. Friends, that Friday afternoon at three o'clock, Jesus's life was over. His heart stopped. His life had finished and the Romans had made sure of it. But I want you to pay really close attention to right before he died. What is it that Jesus said? Jesus said, it is finished. But what did Jesus not say in this moment? Pay close attention. Jesus did not say, I am finished. Amen. He said, it is finished. And this phrase, it is finished is actually the Greek word in the Bible. Tetelestai. This word is an incredibly rich Greek word. Now, the Bible in this point was written in Greek. Jesus spoke this word over the people at the cross in Greek this day, tetelestai has so many meanings that every person that was present at the cross that day and that heard what Jesus said, knew exactly what he said.

Why? Because tetelestai was a word that was used all over Greek society. In fact, if you were a servant and your master sent you to do a job, you would simply come back into the master's presence and look into his face and say one word to him. And that would be the word to tetelestai indicating that you had done what you had been charged to do. Friends, that's exactly what Jesus said on the cross that day as he was dying. On top of a servant, it was an artist's word. It was a word of an artist. After they put the final brushstroke, the final chip onto a sculpture, they would step back from the sculpture looking and the fact that they had done what they had set out to do, they would step back from the sculpture and simply say the word tetelestai, that it was finished.

And actually Paul in Ephesians chapter two, calls us Jesus's workmanship and his masterpiece. And that day on the cross, he said, it is finished. On top of those tetelestai was also a business word. It was a merchant word. When you bought something, the bill of sale would've been handed to you after the transaction was made and there would've been a stamp. There would've been a writing on it that uttered the word tetelestai, serving as an official record that the transaction had been made, that it was finished. Isn't this exactly what Christ did for us with his blood, with his death, with his pain, Jesus paid in full the wages of sin. In fact, Romans 6 23 tells us that the wages of sin is death and Jesus uttering the words. It is finished in this moment, indicated that he paid the death that I deserved and that you deserved.

And the fact that nothing else can pay it, nothing else can be added to it. Jesus paid it all and all to him I owe. On top of those tetelestai was a judge's word. He would simply write on the charges of a criminal that had served their full sentence that was posted outside the jail cell as they were being released. He would write the word tetelestai on the charges that were made against them because it was finished. I love in Colossians chapter two, verse 14, Paul says, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us. Listen to this, he, this is Jesus. He has taken it away and he has nailed it to the cross. Jesus nailed our sin to the cross. He took our punishment. He wrote the words paid in full, never to be tried again.

There is no double jeopardy in God's kingdom because Jesus has paid it all. If those examples aren't good enough, tetelestai was a warrior word. If a warrior would win a battle somewhere in a foreign kingdom, he would simply come before the ruler of this kingdom. He would say one word in the ruler's presence and he would look the ruler or the king in the eye and say tetelestai, I have done what you have charged me to do and it is complete. But last but not least, if those are not powerful enough tetelestai was the exact copy of the Hebrew word that the high priest would utter as he was coming out of the temple after sacrificing the lamb on behalf of all mankind. This priest would open up the veil, walk onto the stairs and utter the words. It has been complete in Hebrew, we translated into Greek tetelestai.

Jesus was the perfect lamb of God and he did completely what every one of those lambs for all time had attempted to do. It is finished. It's better than just a phrase. It's better than just something that he uttered on the cross. It had a rich meaning and even more than the language, it meant that he had been sacrificed, that all sin had been dealt with, that Jesus became sin on my behalf. The perfect son of Jesus dies for all sin, but praise God, he didn't say in that moment he was done. He said it is done. In fact, he rises to prove it. Look at the next verses in John chapter 20. John says it better than any pastor could say it today. The first 18 verses says this, early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance.

She came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one who Jesus loved. That's John's nickname for himself. Mary said, they have taken away the Lord out of the tomb. We do not know where they have put him. So Peter and the other disciples started for the tomb. They were both running, but the other disciple outran Peter, and he reached the tomb. First he bent over, he looked into the strips of linen. They were lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus' head.

The cloth was still lying in place, the separate from the linen. Finally, the other disciple who had reached the tomb first also went inside and he saw and believed, they still did not understand from scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead. Then the other disciple went back to where they were staying. Now, Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over and looked into the tomb. She saw two angels in white seated where Jesus's body had been, one at the head, the other at the foot. When they asked her woman, why are you crying?

They have taken my Lord away. Mary said, and I do not know where they have put him. At this she turned around and saw that Jesus was standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. He asked a woman, why are you crying? Who is it that you're looking for? Thinking it was the gardener, she said, sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will go and get him. Verse 16, don't miss this. Jesus said to her, Mary, she turned toward him and cried out an Aramaic rabbi, which means teacher. Jesus said to her, do not hold on to me for I'm not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them that I am ascending to my Father and your Father to my God and your God.

Last verse, Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news saying, I have seen the Lord. Church, listen to me, what hit me the most over this last month studying this scripture. What jumped out from this firsthand account that has never stood out as strong to me is that despite all the confusion, despite all of the initial seeming unbelief of everybody that heard this, the resurrected glorified Jesus actually transforms this ragtag group of followers and they actually changed the world and they are the ones that we owe today's celebration to, because Jesus changed them. And they handed down what Jesus had done in their life. But here's the question I've been asking. What is it that changed them? What is it that took them and moved these disciples from grieving and mourning and hurting and scared and scattered and somewhat unbelieving followers?

What was it that took them from that to becoming the foundation of our Christian faith? It's incredibly simple and we just read it. It was none other than the undisputed resurrection of King Jesus. That's what everything rests on. But the irony of the story is that they didn't even come to the tomb that morning looking for a resurrection. We forget this sometimes. In fact, when you read the text back, maybe later on this evening, you'll see the irony is they weren't looking for a resurrection. They were looking for closure. Mary was coming to the tomb. The other gospels tell us there were others with them, but John is spotlighting her. Mary's coming to the tomb to finish the burial process, to finish her grieving process. In this moment, everybody's hurting. Everybody's kind of doubting at first, but then as we saw in the rest of the text, as it caught hold, Jesus had done what he said he’d do, it's true as it caught hold that it was real.

What I'm trying to get you to see is this: what changed them was the fact that Jesus was dead and now he's alive and he showed himself to them that morning. He continued for the next 40 days to show himself: later that afternoon on the road to Emmaus, later that evening to the disciples, another time to the disciples, another time at the beach with a couple of disciples, another time over those 40 days to 500 people at one time, Jesus showed himself to them all, telling them that you can have life and this changes everything. That's what happened here, and that's the offer that Jesus is making. That is the resurrection. It's true, but here's the question. If it's true, what does it do? Let me spend the next couple of minutes before we close today and give you three things that the resurrection does for those who trust in King Jesus.

Number one, the resurrection gives us victory over sin. Isn't this the central message of the gospel of Jesus? That Jesus as the sacrifice bought us back from a life of sin and that the resurrection is the proof that God, the Father, accepted his sacrifice and set us free. In fact, the apostle Paul in Romans four, and in Romans five, talks about how the resurrection is the verification of Jesus's sacrifice. Romans 4 25 says that he was delivered over to death for our sins. He was raised to life for our justification. Justification is a fancy word that just literally means that Jesus coming back to life. It was a symbol that we too can be set free. That's what the Bible says. Think of it as a receipt at Costco. That's what the resurrection is. You pay the cashier, they hand you the piece of paper.

You stand by the long line of people waiting to get by the guy with a yellow marker in his hand to simply say it has been verified that you have paid your bill. That's the resurrection. You see, many people had been crucified. Many people had claimed many crazy things. Many people had made many promises, but only king Jesus came to this earth, lived a sinless life, went to the cross saying that he was going to do it and rose from the grave. You see, when Jesus died, they thought that they had lost. You get this right, you see from the moment the prophets of the Old Testament said that God would send a redeemer, that God would send a messiah, that God would send a deliverer. They thought it was going to be a political king. They thought it was going to be a military leader.

They thought it was going to be a new kingdom that was on this earth that would bring peace, and it kind of looked like that's what Jesus was going to do, right? He was healing people, he was feeding people. He was gaining this huge following. But at the moment, Jesus died, they thought he had lost. You see, a redeemer would not lose. But let me tell you what Jesus did for us. Jesus solved a way bigger problem than a national problem or a political problem or a Rome problem on the fact that Jesus died for our sin and rose from the grave. Jesus offers a redemption to a bigger problem, and it is the problem of sin, and it's the problem of death. Jesus takes our sin. He takes our curse onto himself, and he rises to give us victory.

In fact, look at this verse in first Corinthians verse 15, verse 55. It says, where oh death is your victory, where oh death is your sting, but thanks be to God that he gives us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Listen to me closely. For those of us that are in Jesus because of the resurrection, our death is no longer a defeat. Our death is no longer a sting, but our death is a victory in Jesus, my savior forever. He sought me and bought me with his redeeming love. The cross without the resurrection is just another death, but the resurrection gives us victory over sin.

Number two, the resurrection floods our lives with God's divine power. Listen, Jesus's resurrection means that there is now a power that has overcome the grave. There's a power that overcomes so many things in our lives that drag us down and defeat us. In fact, that's why second Corinthians five 17 says, therefore, if anyone is in Christ, there's a new creation that has come. The old has gone, and the new is here. You realize because of the resurrection, now when the newness of Jesus comes over us, that means we're not reconditioned, we're not shined up, but Jesus has now made us like himself and we are now fully alive, more alive than we could ever be without him, and Jesus is not only able to forgive sins, that's the cross. He's now able to put back our broken hearts. He's now able to fully restore us even from death.

According to John, Mary Magdalene made it to the tomb first. Now, that might not mean a whole lot to you, but the other gospel writers let us in to who Mary was in the beginning. You see, Mark tells us that before she met Jesus, she was actually possessed by seven demons. That's Mark's way of saying how hopeless that she was. Her life was a mess. She looked mentally ill. She was incredibly immoral. She was probably, history tells us a prostitute. Beyond redemption. In many people's minds, her life was a mess. She was destitute, an outcast on the edges. Most people would've given up on her. But in Luke chapter eight, Mary falls at Jesus's feet, Jesus heals her, sets her free from these demons that were all over her life, and from that point on, she followed Jesus with a reckless abandonment.

Mary Magdalene, this former prostitute, this former lady is now on the scene at the resurrection. It's amazing, right? She's at the garden with tears in her eyes. She looks at what she thinks is the gardener and actually yells at him, says, where did you put him? I'll go get him. And at that point, Mary recognizes the voice that one day called her into victory, and it's none other than Jesus. It's none other than Jesus, and by calling her name, he set her free. I believe that Jesus is calling some of your names. I believe because of the cross and because of the resurrection that now you're beginning to hear the gospel story is not a gospel of Jesus being finished, but it being finished.

It's a gospel of Jesus taking on our sin and shame and rising on the third day to give us his power to give us victory, and I believe that Jesus can do exactly what he did for Mary to some of you tonight. Listen, Jesus can put you back together. He can heal you. He can save you. You can become a Christian. He can make the old things pass away and the new things come. He can give you the power to live and possibly like Mary. Possibly you're just struggling. Maybe it's physically, maybe it's emotionally. Maybe it's your family. Maybe it's an addiction. Maybe it's a sinful habit. Maybe there's something else going on in your life. Mary would look at us and just simply say, there's power available in the name of Jesus.

Mary would look at you and go, I get it. I was there, but there's healing and there's power in the name of Jesus and he wants to give it to you. Do you realize there's more healing in the power of Jesus than there is sickness in you? That's the point of the resurrection of Jesus. The resurrection says that he will give you his power. He will give you his presence. He will give you his life, but the question is, have you turned to him or are you still turning to yourself? Number one, the resurrection gives us victory. Number two, it floods our life with his divine power. Here's the last one, the resurrection seals our eternal destiny.

Do you see what Jesus did by conquering death, by offering his power to you? Jesus’s resurrection says that no matter what you think, you can have your eternal life sealed in the name of Jesus with a guarantee from heaven because he's the king over death. Simply put, the resurrection knocks out our future fear. It's not permanent. Even death is not permanent. God will undo every pain. He will undo every hurt. He will wipe away all things and he will make it new. The great reversal is coming in the name of Jesus and believers. What a beautiful day that will be when Christ sets us free as Christ was set free from the tomb that morning. If you feel like you're in a season of darkness, if you feel like you're in a season of waiting for God, if you feel like you're in a season of waiting for prayer, waiting for a child to come back, waiting for God to heal a hurt, waiting for God to bind up a wound, here's what I want to tell you.

Don't give up because God is up to something. He's the God of crucifixion Friday. He's the God of silent Saturday and praise be to God, He's God of resurrection Sunday. That's my God. That's what we are celebrating today, and he's not going to disappoint. Because He's given us victory already. He's flooded our lives with his power now already, and he's already said to us, our eternal destiny is secure and nothing else, and no one else can give you that for your life. That's the message from Mary. That's the message from the disciples, and that's the message that every person that is truly trusted Christ wants to give you.

Do you believe it? Has this grabbed your heart? I've got news for you. Some of you've lived a long time saying, I don't believe it. It's too good to be true. That's the same thing that these people said until the risen savior, Jesus grabbed their heart, it seemed like nonsense until the proof was in their life and Jesus changed them. Isn't this what your soul for a long time has been looking for? There may be seasons of your life where you have absolutely run hard to find something that will satisfy you. Maybe for you it was a season of some habit. Maybe for you it was a season of some relationship. Maybe for you, it was a season of just seeking some kind of success, but the risen savior, Jesus wants to look at you and look at me this evening and simply say, I'm the one that brings victory. I'm the one that brings power. I'm the one that brings your life being sealed in my blood and in my name. What's keeping you?

 

Follow Along with the Message

The Cross & Resurrection Change Everything

 

April 20, 2025

John 19:30
When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
Colossians 2:14
Having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross.
John 20:1–18
1 Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. 2 So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!”

3 So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. 4 Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5 He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, 7 as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen. 8 Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. 9 They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead. 10 Then the disciples went back to where they were staying.

11 Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb 12 and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. 13 They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?”

“They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” 14 At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. 15 He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?” Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.”

16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”). 17 Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ ”

18 Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!

 

What does the resurrection do?

1. Gives us over sin

Romans 4:25
He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.
1 Corinthians 15:55, 57
55 “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” 57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

2. Floods our life with his divine

1 Corinthians 5:17

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!

3. Seals our eternal

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