A Week to a New You: Day Six

As we near the end of the Cool Chic and in Christ series on the 7 Sayings of Jesus, we come to the end of his earthly journey.

“It is finished.” John 19:30

Endings can be hard in life, especially when they are unexpected or unwanted. In traditional liturgy this verse is referred to as ‘The Word of Triumph’, as Jesus’ death on the cross brings a triumphant reconciliation between humanity and God. Yet, at the centre of this triumphant reconciliation is a death, and there is no way to fudge that.

To come into a new life, the old one has to end. Earlier this week, I met up with an old friend. We talked a lot about beginnings and endings, mainly endings. And one thing stuck; that it is really hard to live with the finality of endings, especially when unsure about what the future holds, or if one is still querying whether the ending was particularly triumphant. From a Christo’s perspective, were it not for the resurrection, the end of Jesus’ life would be another sad story of injustice, betrayal, brutality and destruction, much like what is seen in many parts of the world today. But because of the resurrection, this story takes on an opposite meaning, one of victory and not defeat. The moment one begins to look at an ending from the perspective of the eternal a broader, less bleak vista emerges. The pain in the ending is temporary, and better is to follow.

Looking back at traditional Christian liturgy, of which as a Jesus Geek I am a complete fan of exploring, the Apostle’s Creed which dates back to the 4^th Century has an interesting addition to what Jesus did on Holy Saturday, prior to his resurrection:

“… [he]…was crucified, died and was buried; he descended into hell; on the third day he rose again from the dead.”

Said in many traditional churches, sometimes in place of the more popular Nicene Creed, the idea of Jesus descending into hell before he was resurrected has been quietly put to one side, probably because it proves too problematic to explain, and churches have failed to entirely agree upon the ins and outs of it. But I quite like the idea of a Saviour who took the battle right to the frontline and wins it decisively for us all, especially as I often feel incapable of making much headway in my own strength. In fact the idea of Jesus descending before ascending can be useful when dealing with endings. Things being over does not mean that further decline is on the way, as we see tomorrow, something far greater can be ready to roll out of a tomb and change everything forever.

So, is it finished? If it is, and Jesus says so, then trust and know that it is for a life changing and enhancing reason. See the end as the beginning of something truly beautiful. A life as a new you,