The Great Exchange: One Forsaken, Many Rejoicing

Psalm 22 The Great Exchange (One Forsaken, Many Rejoicing) Introduction: For centuries Psalm 22 was a great mystery of the Hebrew Scriptures. In vs.6-8 describes a public spectacle and the person is dying… “But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by mankind and despised by the people. All who see me mock me; they make mouths at me; they wag their heads; 8 “He trusts in the Lord; let him deliver him; let him rescue him, for he delights in him!” In vs.14 he’s emaciated, he’s wasting away - He can count all of his bones In vs.15 he’s dying of thirst, his tongue is swelling up to choke him. In vs.16-18 his hands and his feet have been pierced. Here’s the mystery- This is a Psalm of David. Now there are many places in the story of David where we find David being hounded, persecuted. But this is different, this is a public execution being described…you only cast lots for someone’s clothing because they weren’t going to need them anymore, they are dying and this would be the executioner’s spoil, it was part of his pay… we find people staring and gloating and mocking…. This never happened in the life of David, he was the King! Another thing to note is that in all the passages where David is being persecuted or hunted by enemies, he is defiant. He is constantly calling God to rain down wrath on his persecutors. But when you read Psalm 22 the situation is peculiar. There is no call for vengeance. This individual is bowing in submission and accepting this judicial punishment. But the most amazing part of Psalm 22 says that though he is being executed God was going to deliver him and when the nations saw and heard what God had done for him they would turn to the Lord in fear and worship… Peter the Apostle, on the day of Pentecost gives us a clue into this ancient mystery. He says, “David being a Prophet, spoke and foresaw the Christ.” David here speaks not of his own suffering but of his Son’s suffering, the greater David. "If some personal experience of suffering prompted this Psalm, David takes that experience and multiplies it by infinity in order to plumb something of the suffering awaiting his Greater Son.”- Motyer 1. Infinite Suffering 1. Jesus sufferings are infinite -yet when he cries out, he never cries out about his pain but he cries out about his abandonment. He’s being abandoned by God. He’s receiving the penalty for the sins of the world. 2. Why? There are a number of ways that the Bible characterizes sin. One way in which it does so is to describe sin in terms of trying to get away from God so we can live life the way we want to (the parable of the prodigal son). 3. This is the essence of what the human heart feels toward God. But the Bible also claims that since we were created by God and for God, we need God,(our hearts, our minds, our souls, our beings need God) the same way the earth needs the sun, or a car needs gas to run. 4. We simultaneously don’t want God and desperately need the presence of God…Therefore it would be the most horrible and actually be the most fitting and fair thing for God to give us what we want. 5. And that’s what we see up there on the Cross, Jesus Christ is experiencing both what we want, and what we deserve - He’s being abandoned by God. Jesus is experiencing infinite suffering.. He is experiencing abandonment by the Father.. 1. Infinite suffering is what the cross is about. 2. Infinite Faithfulness 1. John Calvin comments on this first verse of Psalm 22, “When the Psalmist speaks of being forsaken and cast off by God, it seems to be the complaint of a man in despair; for can a man have a single spark of faith remaining in him, when he believes that there is no longer any support for him in God? - And yet, in calling God twice his own God, and depositing his groanings into his bosom, he makes a very distinct confession of his faith.” - God is still his God! 2. When he cries out “My God, My God” - He is using Covenant language. This is loving language, this is commitment language. From the depths of God forsakenness he is saying I still love my Father. 3. This is amazing! He feels totally and utterly forsaken, he is being abandoned! … We should expect language like Captain Ahab as he’s going down to his death, riding on Moby Dick. He says, “To the last, I grapple with thee; From Hell's heart, I stab at thee; For hate's sake, I spit my last breath at thee.” - Herman Melville -Moby Dick 4. Or the defiance of Invictus -“Out of the night that covers me, Black as the pit from pole to pole, I thank whatever gods may be For my unconquerable soul. In the fell clutch of circumstance I have not winced nor cried aloud. Under the bludgeonings of chance My head is bloody, but unbowed. Beyond this place of wrath and tears Looms but the Horror of the shade, And yet the menace of the years Finds, and shall find me, unafraid. It matters not how strait the gate, How charged with punishments the scroll, I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul.[1]” 5. But this is where we see that Jesus is living the life we could never live. He is saying like Job, "thou he slay me, yet I will trust him.” 6. And about his accusers, as we noted in the intro, He says in essence, Father, forgive them, they know not what they do.” There is no wrath or prayer of vindication on his enemies… 1. Infinite faithfulness is what the cross is all about. 3. Infinite Rejoicing -vs.21-31 1. In vs 21 of this Psalm we have a turning point. The Man has been heard, he has been rescued by God… and this rescuing bring about a great rejoicing, feasting and merriment for all people…The general meaning of the different people described is that all are alike, summed up in the contrast of the rich and the resourceless, all are welcome. 2. The only time something like this has ever been done in the history of the world is through the work of Jesus resurrection. The power and truth of the resurrection has brought more joy and feasting, equality, love, hope, joy, and peace to the world, than any other event in History! Here in both of these -infinite suffering and infinite faithfulness, we see Jesus truly becoming our substitute - infinite suffering and abandonment and living the perfect life of love and faithfulness to God through it all.. 1. He is our substitute.. living the life we could never live, and dying the death that we deserve! 3. “For if many died through one man's trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many. 16 And the free gift is not like the result of that one man's sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification. 17 For if, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ. 18 Therefore, as one trespass[f] led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness[g] leads to justification and life for all men. 19 For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous.” Romans 5:15-19 1. “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” -2 Corinthians 5:21 2. God appointed that one perfect man might suffer and be abandoned, so that many might receive forgiveness of sin and be brought in to the feast of rejoicing. One Forsaken - Many Rejoicing! 1. See, God appointed it, out of his great love for you and I that we would never have to be abandoned by Him.(This is something that we have to remind ourselves of when we sin, and fail, or when hard times, trials, death, pain and sickness come into our lives) There is only one man in all of human history that was utterly forsaken by God, and he was forsaken, in order that you and I would never have to be. He was put out so we could be brought in; so we could receive the joy, the fullness -of knowing God and being in his presence forever more. 2. Last thing before we conclude. Psalm 22 ends with these words, “Future generations shall serve him; it shall be told of the Lord to the coming generation;31 they shall come and proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn, that he has done it.” These are the same words that Jesus cried on the cross before he died. It is finished, -Paid in Full! Conclusion: Jesus suffered for you, it is finished. He bore all of your sin, all of my sin on the cross, there is nothing you or I can do to add to it. In fact, to add to it would only be to take away from it. It is finished. These are words we need to hear again and again. It is finished, our redemption is accomplished. Self Beaters - Our shame, our inability to measure up has been filled up by Christ. You can’t receive Jesus’ salvation and then add to it. Each of us are tempted in so many ways to add to it, maybe not purposefully or even knowingly. But we do it through beating ourselves up or through trying to prove ourselves….every time you’re criticized you your devastated beat yourself up. You can’t forgive yourself. Things you did in your past you are still living in the guilt and condemnation of that. Jesus says to you, I was beaten up, I paid for your sins. Is that not enough? It is finished. How dare you hate yourself and loathe yourself if you are a Christian, don’t you know what Christ has done for you? Self provers - some of you are so proud of your accomplishments, they give you a sense of worth and identity.. This are just fig leaves (adam and eve’s attempt to hide their shame from God and each other) stop trying to prove yourself to God and to others. You never will. You’ll never be able to keep up the charade. And here is the greatest thing ever, you don’t have to because Jesus measured up for you! He was perfectly faithful to God, he was the Perfect man, the perfect sacrifice. God knows everything about you and still loves you, you are accepted as you are, and any attempt/works to make yourself more lovely by your human accomplishments only takes away from what Christ has done. “We are more sinful and flawed in ourselves than we ever dared believe, yet at the very same time we are more loved and accepted in Jesus Christ than we ever dared hope.” -Tim Keller That is a reason for great rejoicing.