OPENING SCRIPTURE: Matthew 28:1-6 NLT

Early on Sunday morning, as the new day was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went out to visit the tomb. ² Suddenly there was a great earthquake! For an angel of the Lord came down from heaven, rolled aside the stone, and sat on it. ³ His face shone like lightning, and his clothing was as white as snow. ⁴ The guards shook with fear when they saw him, and they fell into a dead faint. ⁵ Then the angel spoke to the women. “DON’T BE AFRAID!” he said. I KNOW YOU ARE LOOKING FOR JESUS, WHO WAS CRUCIFIED. ⁶ HE ISN’T HERE! HE IS RISEN FROM THE DEAD, just as he said would happen. Come, see where his body was lying.

TODAY WE CELEBRATE AN EMPTY TO BECAUSE OF HIS FINISHED WORK ON THE CROSS

A Glass of Milk – Paid In Full

One day, a poor boy named Howard Kelly who was selling goods from door to door to pay his way through school. He had only one dime left and he was hungry. He decided he would ask for a meal at the next house. However, he lost his nerve when a lovely young woman opened the door. Instead of a meal he asked for a drink of water. She thought he looked hungry so she brought him a large glass of milk. He drank it slowly, and then asked, “How much do I owe you?” “You don’t owe me anything,” she replied. “Mother has taught us never to accept pay for a kindness.” He said, “Then I thank you from my heart.”

As Howard Kelly left that house, he not only felt stronger physically, but also in his faith in God. He had been ready to give up and quit.

Years later that same young woman became critically ill with a rare disease. The local doctors were baffled and they finally sent her to the big city to be seen by a specialist. Dr. Howard Kelly was called in for the consultation. When he heard the name of the town she came from, a strange light filled his eyes. Immediately he went to see her in the hospital. He recognized her at once. He went back to the consultation room determined to do his best to save her life.

After a long struggle, the battle was won. Dr. Kelly requested the business office to send the final bill for his approval. He looked at the bill, then wrote something on it, and sent it to her room. She feared to open it, for she was sure it would take the rest of her life to pay it all. Then on the side of the bill, she read the following words: “PAID IN FULL WITH ONE GLASS OF MILK”

What does this story have to do Easter? JESUS ALSO PAID IT IN FULL. Nailed to that cross, Jesus screamed; “It is finished” This is translated from a Greek term meaning: PAID IN FULL. On that cross Jesus paid a debt that no one could ever pay! Today there is an empty tomb because of HIS FINISHED work on the cross.

• “it is finished” is a good starting point for anything in life
• As believers, everything that we have, we hold to, we believe, we experience, we enjoy, we do comes from the finished work of Jesus. Paid in full by his blood!

PAID IN FULL: OUR REDEMPTION

¹² WITH HIS OWN BLOOD—not the blood of goats and calves—HE ENTERED THE MOST HOLY PLACE ONCE FOR ALL TIME AND SECURED OUR REDEMPTION FOREVER. (Hebrews 9: 12 NLT)

• With His own blood our redemption was paid in full
• Our redemption is secured FOREVER because it was PAID IN FULL

God saved you by his grace when you believed. AND YOU CAN’T TAKE CREDIT FOR THIS; IT IS A GIFT FROM GOD. ⁹ SALVATION IS NOT A REWARD FOR THE GOOD THINGS WE HAVE DONE, so none of us can boast about it. (Ephesians 2:8-9 NLT)

• Our salvation was not earned, not merited, not deserved but a gift paid in Full just like the glass of milk and what Jesus did not the cross
• Our salvation is not a reward for the good things you’ve done
• YOU DON’T DO GOOD TO GET GOD. YOU GET GOD TO DO GOOD

PAID IN FULL: ACCESS TO GOD

¹² WITH HIS OWN BLOOD—not the blood of goats and calves—HE ENTERED THE MOST HOLY PLACE ONCE FOR ALL TIME (Hebrews 9: 12 NLT)

• After Jesus said it is finished- Paid in Full, He entered the Holy of Holies and He tore that veil that separated us with God.
• PAID IN FULL- Once and for all was direct access to God. No longer do we need a priest. No longer do we need someone to petition for you and me. WE CAN JUST WALK IN!
• ^“Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16 NKJ)

PAID IN FULL: OUR VICTORY OVER THE ENEMY

^” And they OVERCAME HIM (THE ENEMY) by the BLOOD OF THE LAMB and by the word of their testimony” (Revelation 12:11 NKJ)

• Because Jesus overcame, you and I can also overcome
• VICTORY over sin and death, sickness and disease
• YOUR VICTORY has been PAID IN FULL by the blood of the lamb

CONCLUSION:

• What is the Holy Spirit saying to your through this message?