Listen to today’s devo!

Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. (John 19:30)

Expanded Passage: John 19:28-30

I thought I had to clap after the music stopped. After all, the fact that the orchestra stopped playing seemed like a clear indication that the song had ended. At the time, I had not been to many concerts of classical music. I was under the impression that people clapped after each song. A friend, instead of making fun of my ignorance, explained to me that there are extended music compositions, like the symphony, which contain different movements. Each movement is a section of the whole, but not the end of the composition. According to the social norms, I was supposed to hold my applause until the conclusion of the last movement.

The crucifixion had been orchestrated by the Father, and the director was none other than the Son. The gospel writer lets us see that Jesus anticipates the end of a movement. He knew all things had been completed. In his farewell prayer (John 17), Jesus declared that he had brought glory to the Father on earth by finishing the work he was meant to do.

The movement ends with an important cadence. Although the soldiers hung Jesus on a cross, in reality no one took his life. He laid down his own life; he gave up his spirit. But hold your applause; a movement is left. He will live again and, with him, so will we.

Write down what has been finished by Jesus and give thanks.

Luigi Peñaranda is the former director of graduate programs in Spanish at Wesley Seminary at Indiana Wesleyan University.

© 2025 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.