Easter Sunday: It is Finished! 4/5/26: Full Service

On Easter morning, worshipers proclaimed the resurrection with simple, powerful rejoicing and then gathered for a service that blended celebration, instruction, and invitation. Redwood Chapel offered practical hospitality—sunrise service, breakfast, kids’ participation through a video reading, live translation into Mandarin and Spanish, and ways to connect through small groups and volunteer opportunities. The gospel reading focused on John’s account of the crucifixion and the single Greek word tetelestai, translated “it is finished,” and explored what those three words accomplished. Jesus declared that his mission stood complete: the debt owed for sin met its payment, the enslaving power of sin lost its mastery, the dividing curtain between humanity and God tore away, and the work required for salvation reached fulfillment.

Scripture framed each claim. Romans linked sin to the wages of death and contrasted that reality with the free gift of eternal life. John and Hebrews tied the cross to access—Jesus removed separation and opened direct approach to the Father. Colossians pictured the cross as canceling the legal debt and triumphing over hostile powers. Practical application followed theological truth: repentance amounts to turning away from self-reliance and receiving the finished work of Christ; baptism and a life of service flow from the grace that saves. The community received a clear call to live out faith through good works, a forthcoming Serve Day to serve Castro Valley, and next steps such as baptism and prayer support in the prayer room for those ready to turn.

The service closed with missionary prayer, encouragement toward generosity as a faithful response to grace, and a benediction that sent worshipers into the week with the assurance that the empty tomb testifies to victory. The resurrection stood not only as past event but as present invitation: trust, repent, receive, and engage in the life that follows from what Christ completed on the cross.

Key Takeaways

• 1. The debt of sin is paid Jesus paid the moral and legal debt that separated humans from God by taking judgment into himself on the cross. That payment removes any ground for self-justification; salvation requires receiving, not earning. The announcement “it is finished” declares that nothing remains to be settled for those who trust Christ. [40:27]
• 2. Sin's power has been broken The cross shatters sin’s dominion, shifting people from slavery to potential freedom under the Son. Freedom does not mean instant perfection but it changes the center of allegiance and opens the way for real transformation. The gospel invites practical reliance on the risen Lord to dismantle recurring patterns of addiction, anger, fear, lust, and pride. [44:22]
• 3. Access to God is opened The torn temple veil signals that earthly mediators no longer block approach to God; believers now draw near by Christ’s work. This access reorients prayer, worship, and conscience—no ritual passport, only the new and living way through Jesus. The invitation becomes personal: come directly to the Father with confidence grounded in Christ’s sacrifice. [50:08]
• 4. Salvation is a free gift Grace gives what effort cannot earn: new standing and new life granted by God’s initiative. Receiving this gift requires repentance and faith, after which good works flow as the shaped response—not a means to acquire salvation but its fruit. The finished work calls for urgent reception and lifelong gratitude expressed in service. [55:32]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [24:29] - Easter Greeting: “He is risen”
• [25:56] - Community welcome and connections
• [26:50] - Kids’ video: The Garden, Curtain, Cross
• [30:24] - Live translation and accessibility
• [37:11] - Introducing “It is finished”
• [40:27] - Debt of sin paid
• [44:22] - Sin’s power broken
• [50:08] - Separation from God ended
• [55:32] - Salvation as a free gift
• [61:10] - Invitation to repent and pray
• [66:10] - Next steps: baptism and Serve Day
• [69:01] - Missionary prayer and benediction

1. What is the single Greek word Jesus spoke from the cross, and what are some of the common, everyday meanings it had in the first century? [38:54]
2. According to the passage from Colossians 2:13-15, what are the two specific actions God took regarding the "record of debt" and the "rulers and authorities"? [49:12]
3. What significant event happened at the temple in Jerusalem at the moment of Jesus's death, and what did it physically separate? [50:53]
4. According to Ephesians 2:8-9, what is the source of salvation and what is explicitly *not* its source?

1. If the debt of sin is completely paid and there is "nothing left to pay," what does that imply about human efforts to earn God's favor or forgiveness through good behavior or religious rituals? [43:21]
2. The power of sin is described as having been broken, yet believers still struggle with patterns like addiction, anger, and pride. How can both of these truths—freedom declared and ongoing struggle—be true at the same time? [48:40]
3. The tearing of the temple veil from top to bottom signified the end of separation from God. How does this historical event change a person's understanding of prayer and approaching God, moving from a system of ritual to a personal relationship? [52:06]
4. Ephesians 2:8-10 makes a clear distinction between salvation as a gift and good works as a result. What is the purpose of good works in the life of someone who has already received this free gift? [56:44]

1. The debt of sin has been paid in full. Is there a specific area of guilt or shame from your past that you still try to "pay for" yourself, rather than resting in the finished work of Christ? What would it look like to accept that it is truly finished? [59:48]
2. The power of sin has been broken. Which of the common patterns—addiction, anger, fear, lust, or pride—most often feels like it has mastery over you? What would it look like to practically rely on the risen Lord this week to dismantle that pattern instead of trying to overcome it through sheer willpower? [46:11]
3. Access to God is now open. How does the truth that you can come directly to the Father with confidence change your approach to prayer this week, especially when you feel unworthy or distant? [52:53]
4. Salvation is a free gift. Have you ever found yourself subtly slipping into a mindset of trying to earn God's love or approval through your performance? What is one way you can remind yourself this week that your standing with God is based on grace alone? [55:48]
5. Good works are not the root of salvation but the fruit. What is one practical "good work" of service you can participate in, either through the upcoming Serve Day or in your own community, as a joyful response to the grace you have received? [57:19]
6. Repentance is described as a turn from one path to another. Is there a specific direction your life is heading that you feel God is calling you to turn away from? What is the first step in making that turn toward trusting Jesus today? [01:01:10]