It Is Finished

by Darrell W. Johnson

Nearly two thousand years ago, a young Jewish rabbi known as Jesus of Nazareth was nailed to wooden beams and hoisted above the skyline of the city of Jerusalem. Christians ever since have proclaimed that this event, symbolized by the cross, lies at the very center of their faith. Indeed, they have claimed that in the cross event God has actually "saved the world." But how could a single man's execution centuries ago have anything to do with us in the twenty-first century? In these meditations, Darrell Johnson probes the mystery and majesty of the cross, exploring it from various angles and illuminating this core belief of Christian faith in its multiple dimensions.

Genres: Christian

100 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2008

About the author

Darrell W. Johnson has been preaching Jesus Christ and His Gospel for over 50 years. He has served a number of Presbyterian congregations in California, Union Church of Manila in the Philippines, and the historic First Baptist Church in the heart of Vancouver, Canada.

He has taught preaching for Fuller Theological Seminary, Carey Theological College in Vancouver, and Regent College in Vancouver.

He has authored eight books, including The Glory of Preaching and Discipleship on the Edge: An Expository Journey Through Revelation.
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He is currently serving as a pastor at The Way Church and Canadian Church Leaders Network.
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He and his wife Sharon have been married over 50 years. Together they have raised four children adopted from four different countries of the world, and now enjoy loving 11 active grandchildren!

Reviews

[Bert van der Vaart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Darrell Johnson is a super solid, yet always refreshingly provocative Christian teacher. The present book is no exception, and especially good for the season of Lent. Johnson argues that most Christians think immediately of the Resurrection and the empty tomb when they think of Good Friday. But Johnson argues that it is the death of Jesus which best represents the character and power of God. He explains this paradox, first by referring to the immediate phenomena occurring at the moment of Jesus' death: the hours of darkness, the tearing apart of the heavy veil in the Temple, and the earthquake with many saints resurrected--all culminating with the Roman soldier's testifying of Jesus' divinity. Secondly, he refers to the many prophecies fulfilled in Jesus' death. But more fundamentally, Johnson does a great job explaining how being "lifted up" glorifies God--who so loved the creatures he made that he was willing to take all our sins on his incarnated self and suffer the most brutal and shameful death. The fact that no earthly conception of God would ever be seen on the Cross, let alone die (how could He?), is the greatest reversal of human knowledge in a long row of such reversals: 1) he who wishes to rule must serve; 2) he who would keep his life must lose it; 3) unless a seed dies in the ground it cannot bear fruit, etc etc. We are all reminded of our incapability of understanding God's thoughts and ways (Isa 55:8): according to Johnson no more is this the case than at Jesus' death on the Cross. Well worth reading!

[Steve Bolt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic! Really explains the heart of Christianity.

Very Biblical. This book truly explains what the true gospel is and why a correct understanding of it is so important.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a collection of 6 of Darrell Johnson's sermons on Jesus' death. Because they were originally sermons, they aren't very dense, but they also don't translate seamlessly to essays. That said, sermons 5 and 6, "The Glorification of God" and "The Final Contradiction," had some especially powerful insights on the nature of God. From chapter 5: "In Jesus we discover that God understands being God in terms of self-emptying love. Those who bear this God's image are most truly themselves when they empty themselves and give themselves away."

[Katrin V · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great series of sermons on the crucifixion. This slender volume is probably worth rereading each Lent as a 'reset' for my thinking about where victory in Christ lies.

Glad to reread it this Lent. 2020