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Questions of Jesus

My God, My God, Why Have You Forsaken Me?

Scripture: Matthew 27: 45-50

I. Jesus was abandoned to pay for your sins.

A. We see what happens at the cross in vs. 45: “Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour.” God had promised that there would be a judgment on Israel for her sins in Amos 8:9: “‘And on that day,’ declares the Lord GOD, ‘I will make the sun go down at noon and darken the earth in broad daylight.’” The darkness was not just a sign of God’s judgment on Israel but also a sign of God’s judgment on Jesus. Matthew 28:20 says “even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

B. On Good Friday, what was the ransom that was paid? It was Jesus’ life that was the ransom. Jesus was judged by God on the cross for my sin. He died the death that I should have died for my sin. He paid for my sins on the cross. What was the result? I got to go free. How did Jesus feel on the cross (vs. 46)? Forsaken by God. Abandoned. Deserted. He knew that God would not rescue Him from the cross. He had to die there to pay for my sins. It was the only way. And when Jesus died, God was nowhere to be found. He turned His face away from His Son.

II. Jesus was abandoned to forgive your sins.

A. After Jesus asked God why He was forsaking Him, someone misunderstands what Jesus says. A Jewish tradition said that Elijah would come down from heaven and rescue the righteous in their distress. Some in the crowd thought then that Jesus was calling on Elijah to save Him (vs. 47). And this portion of the crowd said in vs. 49, “Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to save him.” Did this mean that the crowd believed that Jesus was a righteous man of God? No. The context makes it clear that the crowd was mocking Jesus (vs. 41) not believing in Him.

B. It’s possible to read the story of Jesus’ crucifixion and say, “I wouldn’t have mocked Jesus. I wouldn’t have sinned against Him.” But the truth is we can be so blind to our own sin. Jesus told His disciples about the reason for His death in Matthew 26:27-28: “And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.’” Jesus’ blood was poured out on the cross so that we might be forgiven.

III. Jesus was abandoned to bring us acceptance with God.

A. We finish reading the story of Jesus’ crucifixion in Matt. 27:50. When He was abandoned by His Father, when He was being cruelly mocked by the very people He had come to serve, it was at that moment Jesus chose to die. If we look at the next verse in Matthew 27, verse 51, we see another reason why Jesus was abandoned by God on the cross. “And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom.” The curtain of the temple was a thick, heavy curtain that separated the priests from the Most Holy Place where God was said to dwell over the Ark of the Covenant. What happened when Jesus was abandoned by God on the cross and shed His blood as a sacrifice for our sins? What happened to that curtain? It was torn in two. Do you realize what that means? Your sins are no longer separating you from God. You now have complete and open access to God at all times. You can pray to Him whenever you want.

Application:
Rejoice in the love of Christ that caused Him to be abandoned by His Father for you.

Sources:
Commentaries on Matthew by R.T. France, D.A. Carson and Craig Blomberg
Sermon by Donald Whitney

SERMON DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  1. Based on the question Jesus asks God in Matthew 27:46, how did Jesus feel as He hung on the cross? What are some reasons why Jesus had to experience such agony on the cross?
  2. Based on the question Jesus asks God in Matthew 27:46, how did Jesus feel as He hung on the cross? What are some reasons why Jesus had to experience such agony on the cross?
  3. Based on the question Jesus asks God in Matthew 27:46, how did Jesus feel as He hung on the cross? What are some reasons why Jesus had to experience such agony on the cross?