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"THE GREATEST EMANCIPATOR" "When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, IT IS FINISHED: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost." (John 19:30) (caps mine)Over one hundred and sixty-three years ago, the final draft of the Emancipation Proclamation was taken to Abraham Lincoln on January 1st, 1863. Twice the President picked up his pen to sign it, and twice he laid it down. Turning to Secretary of State, Mr. Lincoln said, "I have been shaking hands since 9:00 this morning, and my right arm is almost paralyzed. If my name is to be known in history, it will be for this act, and I need my whole soul and spirit in it. If my hand trembles when I sign this proclamation, all who examine the document hereafter will say that I hesitated " The President then took up the pen again and slowly but firmly wrote, "Abraham Lincoln." Thus, it was now FINISHED and that historic signing endeared Lincoln to many as the Great Emancipator.Some 2,000 years ago, the Hero of the Hopeless had been beaten, bruised, and bloodied the day before His crucifixion. It was the third hour now, or 9:00 the next morning. His entire body was enduring a paralyzing like pain as they nailed Him to that cross. His whole Soul and Spirit were shaking under that load of countless sins. Every filthy and rotten sin that mankind could imagine and commit, Jesus willingly took upon Himself. He Who knew no sin and had no sin of His own, now bore the sin of a wicked and wandering world.Our Saviour's seven last sayings while hanging on that cursed tree are recorded for us in the Gospels. One of those final sayings He uttered that day, He uttered not with a trembling heart, but with a tender one. And then we hear Him, and without any hesitation at all, He cried aloud with the approval of His Father, "IT IS FINISHED." And oh, those three words ring loud the song of freedom. Hear again the words of that Song of Salvation written for us to sing in John 8:36: "If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed." And that verse is our Hymn of Him!Friends, that is why the name of Jesus Christ is known to you and I as the Greatest Emancipator one could ever know, because He signed that Permanent Proclamation once and for all, and He signed it that day with His own blood!