Sometimes, the most profound thoughts come in small packages. In other words, you don’t have to say a lot to say a lot.
Arguably, the most famous speech in the history of our country is Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address. It is only 272 words long. It took less than two minutes to say.
You don’t have to say a lot to say a lot.
I recently googled “famous short quotes” and found some rather profound three-word statements. For example, before he left the Philippines, General Douglas MacArthur famously promised, “I shall return” (which is strikingly similar to another three-word promise by Arnold Schwarzenegger: “I’ll be back.”).
In the Disney classic, Frozen, Princess Elsa packed a lot into three little words: “Let it go.” As he was dying of cancer in 1993, college basketball coach Jimmy Valvano gave a moving speech at the ESPY Awards, urging all of us, “Never give up.”
Philosopher Renee Descartes famously wrote, “I think, therefore I am.”
And yes, I know. That’s five words, but he said it in Latin: “Cogito ergo sum.” There’s a lot packed into those three little Latin words.
In the moments before his death, Jesus cried out from the cross, “It is finished!" Like the quote from Renee Descartes, the number of words is somewhat deceiving. In English, it’s three words.
In the Greek language, in which the New Testament was written, it’s just one word: “tetelestai.”
Tetelestai comes from a verb that means “to make perfect or complete; to fulfill; to finish fully." With
that one word, Jesus was saying that he had fulfilled every promise of a Savior that God had made for over 4,000 years. He had fulfilled his Father's per fect plan to save mankind from their sins.
Jesus was declaring, “I have completely finished what I came to do.” He was saying, “It’s all taken care of. It’s all paid for.”
Over the last couple of years, my family has had to deal with some major health issues. During that time, we’ve had numerous bills that have gone back and forth between us and the insurance company.
I can’t tell you how many times we thought we had something paid for, only to have another bill pop up or the insurance company send us a message telling us we still owed money.
Has that ever happened to you? You think you have something paid for, but then you get another bill or hidden charge. It is very frustrating.
From the cross, Jesus promised that God will never do that to us.
Tetelestai. Your salvation – forgiveness and heaven – it’s all been paid in full.
Every year on Good Friday, those who attend our church receive a nail as they enter. The nail represents their sin and guilt.
In the front of church, we set up a large wooden cross with dozens of holes drilled into it. When we leave church on Good Friday, we leave that nail at the cross. We don’t carry it with us.
Because it is finished.
You don’t have to carry guilt and regret. You don’t have to beat yourself up.
Go to the cross. Tell Jesus you are sorry. And then hear him tell you, “Tete- lestai. It is finished!" You don’t have to say a lot to say a lot.
Pastor Andrew Schroer has been a pastor for over 25 years and is currently serving at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Edna, Texas. You can find his latest books, “364 Days of Thanksgiving” and “364 Days of Devotion,” on Amazon.com.
