The Forsaken One

A. C. H. Spurgeon Commented on the Opening of This Psalm

1. "This is most clearly the Psalm of the Cross"

2. "It is a photograph of our Lord's darkest hours"

3. "Oh for grace to draw near and see this great sight"

Psalm 22:1–8 NKJV

1 My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? Why are You so far from helping Me, And from the words of My groaning? 2 O My God, I cry in the daytime, but You do not hear; And in the night season, and am not silent. 3 But You are holy, Enthroned in the praises of Israel. 4 Our fathers trusted in You; They trusted, and You delivered them. 5 They cried to You, and were delivered; They trusted in You, and were not ashamed. 6 But I am a worm, and no man; A reproach of men, and despised by the people. 7 All those who see Me ridicule Me; They shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, 8 “He trusted in the Lord, let Him rescue Him; Let Him deliver Him, since He delights in Him!”

B. David Hears the Fourth Word from the Cross

1. "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" (Ps. 22:1; Matt. 27:46; Mark 15:34)

a. The fourth word from the cross was prophesied before it was spoken by Jesus

b. "To what extreme grief was our Master driven" (C. H. Spurgeon)

2. "God forsaken of God, who can understand that?" (Martin Luther) Let’s look at why Jesus was forsaken...

Christ Was Forsaken That We Might Never be Forsaken

1. This Is a Cry to His Faithful Father a. "My God, my God"

b. Our Father longs to hear our cries during dark days

2. This a questioning cry: "Why"

a. We all go through times of questioning

b. Jesus understands our questioning times

3. There are times when we wonder if God really cares

a. Do you wonder if God cares about you?

b. Our Lord knows how you feel

4. We can be sure He will never forsake us (Heb. 13:5)

Hebrews 13:5 NKJV

5 Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Christ Suffered Alone That We Might Never be Alone

1. "Why hast thou forsaken me?"

a. Christ took the place of sinners, separated from God

b. He bore every punishment due to sinners, even abandonment

2. This prophesied cry was made from the darkness of Calvary (Matt. 27:45)

Matthew 27:45 NKJV

45 Now from the sixth hour until the ninth hour there was darkness over all the land.

a. How frightening to be alone in the dark!

b. Our solitary suffering Savior endured the darkness we deserve

3. Compare this to His promises for dark days

a. "I will not leave you comfortless" (John 14:18)

John 14:18 NKJV

18 I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.

b. "Lo, I am with you alway" (Matt. 28:20)

Matthew 28:20 NKJV

20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

Thirdly...

Christ Suffered Reproach That We Might be Redeemed

1. "I am a worm ... a reproach of men ... despised of the people" (Ps. 22:6)

Psalm 22:6 NKJV

6 But I am a worm, and no man; A reproach of men, and despised by the people.

2. "All they that see me laugh me to scorn" (v. 7)

Psalm 22:7 NKJV

7 All those who see Me ridicule Me; They shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying,

3. The humiliation of Christ made our salvation sure (Phil. 2:5-8)

Philippians 2:5–8 NKJV

5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.

a. He made Himself of no reputation for our redemption

b. He died on the cross that we might have eternal life

Conclusion

A. How Will You Respond to Such Love?

B. Will You Live for the One Who Died for You?