March 20, 2016

it was about maybe a quarter century ago makes me feel really old before I went to my aunt's funeral in South Carolina. And because they knew I was studying to be a minister or was he a minister? They said we're going to have you help out with the funeral service at the graveside, but she already had someone doing the funeral and it was kind of a freelance Minister that had met her in the family had no real connections with and it turned out to be an unusual gentleman, but he found his way to me during the evening service the day before the graveside and said are you the young man that's going to help at the graveside? And I said, yes, and he said I think you're just going to do a prayer at the graveside. And I said, yes, I'll be happy to do that. They said well, I want you to know in preparation for that prayer you're going to do tomorrow that what I'll be talkin about during my comments is death that's what he said to me. You know what I'm thinking. It's a funeral. I was not expecting a tax relief seminar, you know to be part of your talk. I could tell you more about that weekend and how unusual he was as a minister, but I just want to say this morning what I want to talk to you about is death. I want to put that on the table right out front. I want us to look squarely at the death of Christ Morgan read the passage earlier about the death of Christ. And I want us to look at the meeting of that death and lessons that we learn as we look at that passage in Matthew 27. This verse is in that passage you read about the ninth hour. Jesus cried out with a loud agonized voice eloi eloi Lama sabachthani. That is my God my God. Why have you forsaken me now? That's the Amplified version which accurately adds that in the original Greek. It's it's it's a dramatic moment where he he screams out a lot of translations don't know what to do with that. And so it always just says a loud voice but the reality is it is this deep got screaming that comes out of Christ on the cross my God my God why? Have you forsaken me? It's an amazing pathogen and sometimes like a lot of passages. If you've been in the church a lot of years your familiarity with passages kind of dulls the impact you kind of get used to. Oh, yeah. I know that passage, but let it hit your ears fresh. It is an amazing Passage. That we get this historical record of Christ from the cross crying out. My God my God. Why have you forsaken me and I think if we look at this passage a little more fully that that sound that loud agonize cry. I think it communicates, you know, if this was a class you were taking a quiz would you say communicates fear or anger or sadness?

Why is Christ calling out that way and I'm tempted to say the answer is all of the above because it's such a deep got cry this this moment from the Cross of Christ calling out to his father. Why have you forsaken me? When you keep looking at this passage a couple things stand out and in this morning sermon is almost like teaching a lesson almost like Sunday school. I want us just to go to the passage and make some observations almost like a commentary on this text. But when you look at this passage one thing that stands out as the authenticity of the account of Jesus death one because of that Honesty about his cry from his gut that that's full of anger and sadness and pay my God my God. Why have you forsaken me and the reality is scholar skeptical Scholars would recognize that if the gospels were orchestrated account, they would not place the founders death in this negative. Like, you know, those who are skeptical and say well the early church made Christianity they made Christ into a God and I really wasn't that way. This is one of many reasons that the gospels and their Dickerson's record record speak of the authenticity the realities of factual reality of Christ's death the factual reality of the Gospel witnessed because if this was being orchestrated by those who are trying to create a legit religion, Or turn Christ into some sort of figured that it was not they would have never orchestrated it this way. They would have never said all let's include this moment where he says God you have failed me. If you look at man-made religions that you if you look at Buddhism, if you look at the end Muhammad the death of these religious figures are always desk that put them in a good light there always dance when when when there's a victim of someone else but they're there with their loved ones in their their final words Muhammad cause his favorite wife ending and puts his head on her lap and his final words are these words calling out to Allah in a moment of trust in Allah in that moment Buddha announces his own death. He says, I think it's time for me to go to the next level and has his favorite Chef prepare his favorite meal. If this was a man-made religion, so to speak no one would have said let's put these words. In the lips of Christ God father why have you failed me? You never orchestrate this as his final words. It speaks to the authenticity of the account of Jesus death the fact that it's written in Aramaic, even though Matthew and Mark address Greek speakers points to the source being eyewitness accounts. That's another testimony to the authenticity of this passage of the account of Christ's death that is that is recorded Aramaic, even though the audience for these books are Greek speakers, but it speaks to the fact that this account came from eyewitnesses. They they could not forget that moment. We're suddenly Christ called out in Aramaic my God my God. Why have you forsaken me? The second thing that this passage of the death of Christ points to is the actuality of God's will because you can't just stop there and say there's this heart-wrenching moment where Christ calls out from the cross my God my God. Why have you forsaken me you have to go deeper. You have to go through the whole passage and one thing you notice you study. This passage is Jesus is quoting Psalm 22. So even though he is authentically calling out with this emotional pain and this hurt my God my God. Why have you forsaken me? He's quoting Psalm 22, he knows what is happening? He's not lost his bearings. He's not unaware of what's going on. He's fully in the moment and he knows what's happening. And this is in actuality. The working out of God's will will you look at Psalm 22 unlike many other songs written by David Psalm 22 does not really connect to or point to or reflect a point in Davis like many of the Psalms in his writing. You can connect back to point his life Psalm 51, he writes after the passing of his son and you can connect those words in Psalm 51 to that event in his life, but the images and themes of Psalm 22, and if you read that whole song that talks about being forsaken surrounded by enemies poured out like water the bones being out of joint the hands and feet being pierced his enemies casting lots for his garments when you look at that passage, it describes execution. And that's something that David did not go through that something. You cannot find in King David's life. And so In This Moment In This Moment of Agony when Christ calls out my God my God. Why have you forsaken me? He's pointing to this song this prophetic song hundreds of years earlier that's predicting this day when one who trusts God the Father will be the victim of execution and Christ points to that song and says here's what's going on in this moment. This is something that I'm not surprised by this is something that God the father is not surprised by this is the Father's will.

Also realize In this passage, it speaks about the darkness over the land and the Darkness over the land like execution all through the Old Testament speaks to the idea of punishment or judgment from on high. Until Christ not only acknowledges that sense of being forsaken by God at the same time. He says this is part of what God is doing and it's not just me being a victim. It's more than that. I'm being executed. I'm being punishment. There is being punished. There is judgement falling on me. Which intensifies is suffering?

He Embraces and understands and accepts his role in this moment as not simply a victim but one who is justly receiving punishment. being judged being executed now the idea that there is judgement coming from on high that is deserved is something true about Humanity in general, but it's an unpopular idea we resist that but it's essential to life. Let me just have a little moment to do a little aside here. We think that we are evolving in a good sense of that word evolving as a culture as we go further and farther away from the idea of guilt. And so we keep wanting to say you don't want no one has the right to judge me. No one has the right to make me feel guilty until we teach our kids that again again again, we beat that drum. You should never feel guilty. Don't let anyone make you feel guilty. You should never feel bad about yourself. You should never never it we go on and on and on now, it is true that there is such a thing as unhealthy get even scriptures talk about in Corinthians. Paul talks about there is a guilt that is man-made that simply push pushes up down to the ground like a boot on our neck and he said that is not from God. But he said none the less there is such a thing as healthy guilt conviction. That conviction Vic's us about wrong and turns us toward God for the help we need. That's why sometimes we think we are going forward as a culture as a people. But in actuality we are going backwards the more we move completely away from ever accepting the fact that there such a thing as good guilt that we need guilt the further away. We move from being human from having life and having life to the fullest because they're out is if I start to live with the worldview that says there's no such thing as guilt. There's no such thing as Justified guilt. I never going to feel guilty about anyting then I'm saying that there is nothing greater in this universe than me. But I'm the ultimate judge that nothing stands above me in my emotions and my feelings and that sort of Life a life. So focused on self as the ultimate and only measurement is a dead-end in Paul talks about that in Romans. until we need to recognize the reality of something greater than ourselves of God the creator of the universe. We need that in order to function in order to have life beat what it's intended to be. We need the sacred and the ultimate if we reject that if we choose our lives so fully so I just ourselves and nothing more that is actually deaf. Enterprise pleated again. And again, look, if you want to save your life, you've got to give your life up and turn toward me the one who holds onto their life as the only in Ultimate think we'll end up discovering death, but the one who lets go of themselves as their life as the ultimate and only thinks and instead turns to something greater than themselves to God the Father to goodness to righteousness to Justice. So that we understand. We serve something greater than herself that ends up being this rich life. But in this moment, we see Christ calling out with this authentic suffering my God my God. Why have you forsaken me? And we see what's happening in this moment that he is part of God's will. The heat is receiving judgment and Punishment In This Moment. And that leads to Watts accomplished on the cross notice that he says my God my God known as he doesn't say my head or my side. He's being tortured. He's suffering. He has a fuss. Inside is the crown of thorns on his head. He's been beaten and with there are Nails in his hands and feet and yet in this moment, he doesn't cry off my hands my feet instead. He cries out my God my God, he doesn't cry all my friends my friends. My disciples betrayed me. He doesn't call call out about the physical paint. He doesn't cry out about the pain of betrayal instead. He cries out my God my God. He's really remain somewhat controlled up to this moment. When you think about it Stephen in the garden. He said they put your sword down and other places he would have conversations when he was in the midst of a trial. What is truth? Why are you doing this? Why you seek me during the dark? Is this your hour? Be kind of kept his senses about him during all this evening. But in this moment somehow it's not the physical pain. It's not even the Betrayal of the disciples in this moment. The pain is so heavy and he says my God my God. Why have you forsaken me John 1:18 tells us that Jesus and the heavenly father were close together. Jesus is in the bosom of the father. It says they had relationship from all eternity band in this moment that relationship that was connected and full and full of life and good and holy and righteous in this moment that relationship is broken.

Until my God my God. Why have you forsaken me price calls out? This is a moment of infinite suffering for Christ. Because he's not just the victim of the historical circumstances that led to his crucifixion. He has taken on the role of embracing the suffering for all of us. He's taken on the role of paying the price for every sin in the garden when he said can this cup pass for me father that cup was the Wrath of the father that cup was the sense of humanity and he says None the last not my will but yours be done. So In This Moment he's taken on not just his own Brokenness and separation from God the father but everyone's Brokenness and separation from God the Father

love relationship I mean we tweeting might build imagine what it would be like to have our children reject us or those closest to us our spouse come to us and say I'll never speak to you again. We can imagine a little bit of that. But you have to multiply it millions of times over to imagined this moment of Christ on the cross.

when there's fear and pain and anger and sadness And composure gone and he says my God my God. Why have you forsaken me because in that moment he is enduring he has embraced. He is taking upon himself the suffering that was do you and I if you ever think about your own sins, if you ever feel broken over your own said if you ever feel guilty for the way you betrayed God the Father for your feel guilty about promises that you've broken about people that you've heard about things that you've done intentionally that you knew were wrong about moments of incredible selfishness about moments of Self Indulgence that ignored everyone else. If you've ever felt the guilt and the pain of that, you know a little bit of this moment, will you think there is something has to be done? This is wrong. How can I consider myself clean? I've done these things and Christ comes into that moment and he takes the sins of all on himself.

takes our suffering

But there's more to this moment notice also that he saying my God my God. He's still calling out to God. He's not saying God. Why is this happening? He's still saying my God.

He still calling out from the context of a relationship with God. It's that same thing to do is real new and the Hebrew people knew that God offered a covenant you follow me. You'll be my people and I'll be your God and you can call out to me. You can say my God. And so this Covenant was established. And then that Covenant God was to be faithful if the people were faithful and there be consequences if they were Unfaithful yet in this moment Christ has been faithful he has been perfect and holy and In This Moment none, the less God has forsaken him. Until from this position haven't having done his part. He cries out both my God my God. Why have you forsaken me and you at the same time? He's still holding on. To my my God my God, he's still calling out to him as one in relationship. He's still trusting God In This Moment. It makes me think of Joe where he says though. He slay me yet. I will trust him. In This Moment he is still trusting God still depending on him. Say on the cross. There's not only Christ embracing infinit suffering that we deserve on our behalf. There is also Christ displaying perfect obedience displaying righteousness trusting the father even in that moment. Even as he says why have you forsaken me? He still says I commit my spirit to you.

I commit my spirit to you father. It is finished. Even from that moment of darkness. He still trusts. And so he displays for us both this infants suffering on our behalf.

Percent for all sin for our sin and he also offers trust in God perfect obedience righteousness for all who receive him all who will trust him. Now that's the lesson this morning. That's the theology lesson of what happened on the cross. Set the record of Christ's death on the cross is authentic the factual reality of his death, but it also reveals as he quote Psalm 22 this knowledge between God the father and Christ of what they were doing and why they were doing it this intentionality not simply being a victim of the Roman government who crucified him but understanding himself to being punished as judgment. And so Jesus knowingly took our judgement upon himself. Suffered what we should suffer so that we would not suffer so that we would not be judged. So that we could be offered his righteousness. Display. Always suffering in that moment, but that perfect obedience so that that could be offered to you. And I and that's what Paul impacts again again in the doctors are do Testament in the Theology of the New Testament in Romans. Another book while we were yet sinners Christ died for us or 2nd Corinthians recess if you know what God made him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf so that we might be reconciled to God. There's this eternal theological moment happening on the cross where Christ and the father have worked out this deal where he takes our punishment. For us and the offers to us his perfect obedience. Is anyone here and able to offer perfect obedience to God? Do you imagine that you're going to be able to do it before you die? If you work really hard do you Aspire that moment where you're going to say today was a perfect day or even this hour was a perfect hour. We not only need our sins provided for we need righteousness imparted to us. And that's what Christ did on the cross embraced our suffering and did it with perfect obedience and offers us that righteousness. if we trust him. If we do what he did in that moment, he trusted God the Father. In that moment when circumstances looked otherwise when he was overwhelmed, he still said to himself none the less. I know my father is good. I know I can trust my father and so even in the midst of the pain and the suffering why have you forsaken me he still in his words on the cross with Father into your hands. I commend my spirit. It is finished. He still trusts the father in that moment and he invites you and I to trust him. To trust me. I'm because of what we see in the factual reality of history that Christ died on the cross that we have this honest revelation of both his crying out to God forbid feeling Forsaken and also his pointing back to Psalm 22 to say all this was God's plan that I might be punished for the sake of others. And so he asked us to trust him. Will you trust Jesus? Will you trust his death on the cross to cover your sins?

Will you trust his death on the cross to give you righteousness?

Will you stop having false guilt that Paul talks about in Corinthians?

Were you just kind of have this Mantra in your head that says I'm no good. I'm no good. I'm no good. I'm no good. The answer to that is yes. That's correct. You are no good just like I'm no good. But through Christ we are made righteous. And so the Mantra to dwell on our head is the work of Christ. What he did on the cross Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus scripture says the author and the Perfecter of our faith. So the challenge is to trust in him.

Jesus said in John 10:18. I'm going to bike to worship team to come forward as we closed here. He said no one takes it for me speaking of his life. But I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to let down and authorities take this command. I received from my father. It's a once again he sang, you know, what's going on here. I'm not the victim other people aren't taking my life. I'm laying my life down and this is something the father and I agree upon this is something we're on the same page on that. I am willingly. I'm choosing to lay down. My life Hebrews talks about he does it for the joy set before him other passages talk about him wanting Sons and Daughters to Glory through this work on the cross that he's bringing glory to God the Father are going out there safe. Think about it. Jesus could have continued to bring glory to God the father and remained in heaven. right

We talk consistently about what Jesus did being this thing to bring glory to the father and indeed it was but it was more than that because he did not lead need to leave heaven in order to glorify the father. You could have done that. Haven't what's the one thing Jesus got by leaving Heaven that he could not get my leaving heaven.

you and I

he came to rescue us.

He came to get us.

You've never been unloved.

No matter how parents may have failed you. or human church at times or friends or neighbors children's brothers and sisters employers the world around us. The deepest truths reality is that you've never been unlocked. God the father is your maker and is loved you from the beginning. And Christ out of love for God the father and love for you and I his brothers and sisters. They worked out this plan. I'll go.

And the punishment that should be laid upon them lay on me father. So that they no longer need to fear punishment. They no longer need to be separated from you. I will pay that price. And the righteousness that I live out the obedience that I display father give that to them the tribute my righteousness to them.

No one takes his life right now. He lays it down of his own free will. in agreement with the father But he might accomplish our salvation.

This Is Why We Gather and sing songs to Christ as to a God as the early church was described Because of what he did for us. And that reality is new Every Morning new every moment. He paid the price for our sins and the heat attributes his righteousness to us.

this morning if you've never heard the gospel if you've never understood it or you've never accepted it I challenge you to trust Jesus. Why he trusted the father I challenge you if you've never said Jesus, I want to put my sins on you. I want to accept your offer. Of your death being on my behalf. I don't want to trust you for my righteousness and give up any sort of works righteousness that I'm trying to cheat on my own. I want to trust in you I want my eyes to be fixed and focused upon you I want you to be my righteousness. I want you to be my savior not myself not my words not my accomplishments not any the mean things that I could feel good about myself for a season, but all those things will dissipate over time one thing. Even if you're in a season, which you can say, hey I'm doing alright, it won't last. The rock that we depend on is Christ. And the more fully we Embrace that more quickly. We realize we're dependent on him and that he has provided that Grace and that he merits our worship not out of fear, but out of adoration that he merits are following him again, not out of some sort of bargain, but out of wisdom to say this is the way to life. This is the way to the heavenly father. This is the way to a rich life. This is the way the guy the father has made for me to know him is to love him and to love and serve my neighbors. The way he designed me to be the closer I get to Christ the more I become like Christ the more I become who God designed me to be which includes loving my neighbors loving my family Seeking Justice doing good in the World axe talks about Christ going around doing good and one author said too often. We just settle for going around don't we? The more we give ourselves to him the more we Embrace that what he does in our life is to work that good into our lives so that we become more like him. It starts will be coming like him and trusting the father. And then it spreads out into all of our lives. If you've not made that decision to trust his blood on your behalf, I invite you during the song. I'll be in the back come come to me and I'll be happy to talk to you about any decisions. You have to pray with you about any concerns. You have Bell also be a prayer team some in the back and some in the front if you simply have a prayer need or any concern a question you come to any of us during this time for all of us. Let's celebrate.

The completed work of Christ what he has accomplished As we sing the song?

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