Forsaken for Me

1. Introduction

It was an extremely cold and snowy day on a small two-lane road where a young lady sat in her stalled car on the side of the road cold and in pain due to a baby that was moments away from birth. Her boyfriend left her months ago and her parents wanted nothing to do with her. She had no friends to speak of, so she was forced to find the nearest hospital on her own. Frantically, she looked for anyone who could help her out, yet there was no one insight. As the contractions increased, so did her worry. A business man on his way to an extremely important meeting was running late due to the severity of the roads. He noticed this young lady on the side of the road. As he passed her by, he was weighing the thought of turning around and helping this poor lady who was in desperate need of help. Knowing that it could cost him a promotion, the significant commission that would come from this meeting, and maybe even loosing him his job, he decided that this woman and her baby who have been forsaken may not servive the bitter cold. So, he turned back around, forsaking his opportunity for material prosperity and success. He was willing to sacrifice everything to help someone else in their time of great need.

What is the greatest sacrifice someone has made for you?

Today we are going to look at the great sacrifice Jesus made for us. Not only did He lay his life down at the young age of thrity-three, The perfect Son of God chose to take on our sins. Worse yet, the sins He took on caused His Father to turn His back and forsake His own Son for a time, so that we may have eternal life with Him. We were the ones stranded on the road, dying from the brutal cold of sin. Jesus came down from the comforts of heaven, became a man, lived in this messed-up world, chose to be mocked, tortured and crucified and was willing to be forsaken by His Father so that we can have life with Him. Jesus rescued us in our greatest hour of need.

Today we are going to look at Jesus’ prayer in Gethsemane in Matthew 26:36-46 and Luke 22:39-46. We are going to see how His friends would not support Him and how His Father seemed to be beginning to abondon His own Son. Similar to how the businessman was willing to sacrifice his career, his income and his way of life to save a woman and her unborn baby from dying of the bitter cold, Jesus was willing to be forsaken so that we may find acceptance and friendship in Him.

Body

Jesus: Afraid, Alone and Anxious

Explanation

Forsaken by His friends (vv. 36-38, 40)

Took those closest to Him - Peter, James and John

Explained to them that His soul was sorrowful even to the point of death (v. 38)

Told them to remain and watch with Him.

Jesus found them asleep (v. 40)

Asked them again to pray with him (v. 41)

Gave up after the second time (v. 43-44)

Note: He sweated great drops of blood, but the disciples continued to sleep (Luke v. 44) Did they truly care? Did they ever pray?

Hematidrosis:

is an extremely rare condition in which you sweat blood. It’s also known as hematohidrosis and hemidrosis. It’s so rare that many people don’t know it exists or if it’s real. But sweating blood has been seen throughout history. The Bible mentions Jesus sweating blood while praying before the crucifixion. Leonardo Da Vinci wrote about soldiers sweating blood before battle.

hematidrosis generally happens when a person feels intense fear or stress. Someone facing death may have this kind of fear or stress. can trigger the rupture of capillaries in the body. Capillaries are tiny blood vessels located throughout tissue. They carry essential nutrients to different parts of the body. Capillaries are also located around the sweat glands. In cases of severe fear or stress, these tiny blood vessels can burst and cause blood to exit the body through the sweat glands.

Illustration -

Application

Have you ever felt forsaken by others?

Jesus understands what it is like to have no one. Even on the cross Jesus was forsaken by his friends except His mother, Mary and John, the disciple whom He loved (John 19:26)

It seemed that his disciples didn’t truly understand what Jesus was going through (they were sleeping from sorrow Luke 22:45)

Sorrow: A state of mental pain and anxiety

worn-out

didn’t truly understand the anguish of Jesus or what He was about to go through or would they have responded this way?

There are times it seems we have no one, even when we are surrounded by friends (do not understand what we are going through)

We feel lost and alone, vulnerable, we experience spiritual dryness

Yet, Jesus promises never to leave us or forsake us (Heb. 13:5)

Illustration: John Risner

Forsaken by His Father

Explanation

Did not have direct communication by His Father

He prayed three times

An angel had to come minister to Him

He knew this was necessary

Illustration

Application

What Easter is about: Jesus. In. My. Place.

He died in your place

He experience seperation from His Father in your place

We were designed for a relationship with God. Jesus’ death gives us back what we lost.

Conclusion

What Jesus being separated in our place means for us:

We should not take our relationship with God for granted

spend daily time with Him

Pray without ceasing

Make our relationship wtih God a priority

Listen first to God’s voice

We should learn the significance of God being our Father

In our actions:

NLG: Serving one another and our community (stepping out of our comfort zones)

In our personal lives:

Our 64

How we live on mission “finding our P.L.A.C.E. in this world.”

In our words

To unbelievers Col. 4:6 “Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.”

To those of “the household of faith”

Encouraging words and actions: “Supporting one another in our New Life Groups in successes and struggles as well as holding one another accountable to living out the Great Commission.”

Gospel message