My God, why have you forsaken me?
The way of the cross • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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The way of the Cross
The way of the Cross
Title: The way of the cross pt4.
Text: Matthew 27; Psalm 22, Hebrews 4:15
D.T. Christ’s abandonment by God paved the way for humanity's confidence in God.
Introduction:
What defines the human experience?
Love? Loss? Birth? Death? Taxes?
Humans have existed in a variety of socioeconomic status, races, classes amd even where they exist in time
In the midst of this wide array of experience is there anything which can truly be touted as “universal” human experience.
I believe the answer to this question is yes
We are united in feeling fear, doubt, and abandonment in the face of God
Where are you God?
Where was God when
Why does God allow this to happen?
This question is common enough that I believe it’s a central part of the human experience
Why is this question relevant for us in a church setting?
If we believe Christ to be both fully human and fully God, it means he should endure the human experience. This includes asking God why? On the surface it may seem absurd that God himself would ask God. Where are you? and Why is this happening?
However that’s exactly what Jesus did. This is the question Jesus asks.
Like a political representative who is tasked with bringing the concerns of whom the represent before government, Christ, our representative brought this universal experience before God, and he too did it in the form of a question
Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
Fulfillment of prophecy
It’s also something he truly experienced and thought
If you ever have asked this question, you can take comfort that Christ knows what it means to ask this question, because he asked it himself.
However this question did not cause Christ to waver, instead he continued in his mission and was successful in his goal
Christ participated in our sufferings
This is what makes Christianity unique
The one we worship participated in our own suffering, and he bears the scars to prove such.
Just as the writer of Hebrews claims
Hebrews 4:15-16 This statement, the fourth word spoken from the cross should empower us with confidence.
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
We should be confident in our requests
We should be confident in our questions of God
Palm Sunday
Christ enters the city of Jerusalem as a hero
The people placed coats and palms at the feet of Jesus and proclaimed “Hosanna!” Which means “God save us!”
When Christ spoke the words “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” We fulfilled the reasons he is called “Hosanna!”
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” is a proclamation of fear, abandonment, and doubt.
In saying this phrase Christ takes our abandonment, and gives us confidence.
Can we be sure of this confidence?
Yes!
Because God answered Jesus question
Conclusion: After Christ died, the curtain which separated the Holy of holies from the rest of the temple was torn.
When it was torn, it was torn against the grain of the thread.
This was a statement proclaiming this was no accident! Nothing separates us from the love of God.
Christ’s abandonment by God paved the way for humanity's confidence in God.
