Abandoned for Me

We walked through the idea that we’ve betrayed God…betrayed Jesus…mush like Judas. Judas, in what he was doing, was moving Jesus towards the cross. But wow…if we look at our lives, we, in our sin, betray Jesus each day. And God knows that, its why Jesus died right? Paul talked about that when he wrote that we’re helpless, unrighteous, enemies of God…BUT God proved His love for us in that he had His son die for us.

When we realize that, what we have maybe done …sin…when we realize that, Jesus asks us to repent. Meaning recognizing our sin and then allowing His spirit in us to begin to change us from that “old self.” And sometimes that’s a daily thing isn’t it…amen? Right…sometimes is just like that for us. And it’s not just about moving on…its about asking for help and then willfully allowing the spirit to change our hearts. But that’s possible because of Christ’s love for us…even though our sin betrays him. Even though that’s true…He still died for us. That’s the love of God.

Sometimes, when we’re in a bad spot like that…or when there is something happening around us…the result of sin or evil in the world… whether its from us or its a result of someone else’s choices or mistakes, we sometimes feel distant from God don’t we? Anyone ever feel like that?

Anyone ever get in that spot where you wonder whether God is aware of your situation or your prayers?

I’m sure we’ve all felt like that at times…wandered those things at times.

Lonely, disconnected, forsaken, abandoned. In our world today we see this a lot. You don’t have to go far to hear other people’s stories about how they feel today. There’s a lot of evil in the world and we see that on the news…war, politics, social media. Problems in relationships whether that be family friends coworkers classmates. There are lots of situations that can pop up and do nothing but help us feel alone or abandoned.

Pandemic....not more more to say there right? We saw a lot of loneliness there…and some of that continues today. Health, mental health, spiritual health…I think they were all challenged in a very real way through that time…and yes, some of the fall out of that is still seen and felt.

The digital age. We hear that we’re more connected to each other than at any other time in history. But experts tell us that we are more disconnected relationally than at any other point in history. Lonely…on social media with 500 friends. It happens.

Let’s look at this next idea we’re going to cover today. Lonely, Forsaken, Abandoned, (deserted, jilted, cast aside/off)....I know the English language…and the way we use these words are not quite what the idea of was in the Greek and Aramaic. We just don’t have …or we’re not use to those explanations…their words. So we’ll get as close as we can. And here’s why.

We know that the more we understand God, Jesus, what Jesus walked through for us…the more we’ll understand both God’s love for us, His plan for us, the grace that He gives us. We’ll understand more the life God wants us to have. We’ll understand more what our daily, discipleship walk looks like (some might say, well how is all of this applicable?)…that would be explained in how we walk through life as disciples.

The plan isn’t just walking through this life as though…we just want to make it through. Even though sometimes it feels that way doesn’t it? And we’re going to look at that today. Jesus invites us into a life we’re we can experience Him as much as it is possible this side of eternity…and he also calls us disciples, meaning he’s invited us to be a part of sharing good news with other people. Application of Biblical truth leads to us living an abundant life…but not by ourselves or even for ourselves…it is to help others see God in us…so they can maybe begin to feel God tugging at their heart like he does with ours every day.

We’ve already mentioned where we’re going today. Have you ever looked at the world…I mean just recently there’s been so much going on that it feels like…well, we might even ask the question…Is God far away? Is God hearing us? Is God close? Does God care? From Hollywood and entertainment, to politics, to war, even to day to day life (finances and jobs), even to sickness. It sometimes seems that things are turned upside down and that God is not even paying attention.

Now…that’s what we feel. Correct? That’s what we feel.

However, is that true?

A small boy defined a friend as "Someone who knows all about you and still likes you anyways."

Jesus calls us friends.

What is it that makes you feel comfortable around close friends? What is it about relationships that help you feel that they are there for you?

There are some friends that we just know…they will be there for us if we need them. No matter what happens or has happened, we just know that they are willing and ready to help us…to be there.

We have a friend like that in Jesus…even when it feels…when it feels as though he might be distant…or when it feels like he’s not listening.

We’re going to look at how Jesus was forsaken, abandoned, left “alone” … as we sometimes understand “alone”...so that we could have peace with God. So that we could be brought near to God. Because of what Jesus did, and because of God’s nature and love, we will never be far from Him.

Another minister once said this…Jesus’ darkest hour is our darkest hour.

Jesus had some dark times leading up to this “hour” or this “time” …this part of the salvation story.

A bit earlier in his ministry ---- and lets just pause for a second to consider something first. What is Jesus’ ministry. I think if we can nail that down personally…then we can understand this idea of Jesus being forsaken or abandoned for us.

His ministry. We talk a bit about this at Christmas time…From Isaiah we read that Jesus will be called Immanuel when he’s born. God with us. God with us. Think about that.

In the beginning we had separation from God. Sin caused humanity to have to leave the garden. God could not be around sin simply because of his nature. The separation wasn’t just punishment, it was simply what happened…oil and water cannot mix. Sin and Godliness cannot be together. God was separated from His prized creation.

…and we know…this is what sin does. Separates us. That’s the state we are in now. Separated from God.

Immanuel. God with us. Jesus came to finish his fathers plan to open the way back to God …in our abandoned or forsaken, separated state, Jesus came for us. Which meant something. He himself would be distant from His Father. Not separated, there’s some theological hurdles you have to jump over to pull apart the trinity…not possible. But distant for sure.

We’ll talk about that a bit more in awhile.

Jesus begins his ministry…preaching and teaching the what? Gospel…the good news of God’s Kingdom. Here now and more to come. And look at this from His point of view. He’s here to do what? Open the way for people to have the life they were originally intended to have! Full life…here and into eternity.

On one occasion, when Jesus was discussing, in a very pointed way that He was the way back…that He is the bread of life…He discussed it in a way that was very difficult for some to accept…he was speaking truth. Truth sometimes is hard to hear right? And right there, as he’s talking, scripture (John records this…john 6) records that many of his disciples (not the 12), abandon him. He turns to the 12 and says…are not going to leave too? Peter says , you have the words that bring life! why would we leave?

We have this account where Jesus watched as people, those he came to save, walked away from Him.

Later, in another account, and this is in the Easter account we’ve been touching on so far. Jesus says that disciples would be scattered…that they would leave him alone. Just after his arrest we see this happen. They scatter. They abandon him.

His goal is to save people and here we see again, and He probably witnessed this a lot…people leaving or abandoning him.

In one part of the text we have where he tells the disciples that they will leave him, that he will be alone…but not really alone because the father will be with him. John 16:32 says this. Not really alone…but alone. We then have the account recorded for us by Matthew (this is the other gospels as well)...

People walk away…the reason he came …people, his creation will walk away and abandon HIm…but he will stick to his mission …to die for us.

Let’s read through our text for today…This is again from Matthew 26:36-46.

Matthew 26:36–38 ESV

36 Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit here, while I go over there and pray.” 37 And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38 Then he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.”

John, the apostle John, describes Jesus as the Word…the one who has created everything we see. And yet here, we see Jesus troubled. His words…sorrowful to the point of death. Please stay here and stay awake…and the disciples even have difficulty doing this. Jesus is very alone…and from this point on till his last breath…forsakenness, abandonment…extreme loneliness will be his journey. But He does is for us.

Jesus isn’t having a problem going to the cross for us. The author of Hebrews writes later that Jesus actually does that with joy…This is the reason He came. What he’s experiencing right now is that separation …not because he sinned…but because he is taking on the sin of the world.

Even right now we can see something happening with Jesus. The weight of what is happening is affecting Him. Now, there are all types of assumptions we can make here…but if we just stick with what is said, we can understand. What is making Him feel like death? Sorrow.

Where is this sorrow coming from?

This isn’t from the pain he knew he was going to go through. This wasn’t from jeers he would received from those in authority, sending him to the cross. This was sorrow…the sorry he has had since the time sin took hold of the human heart.

And he now feels utterly alone…separated.

Isaiah 53:3 ESV

3 He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

…other translations say that he was a man of sorrows …rejected by us.

Our sin, on him, the sin of the world on Him...

He was feeling, experiencing, in a very real way…the result of sin. The result of the sin of the world. 2 Corinthians 5:21

2 Corinthians 5:21 (LEB)

21 He made the one who did not know sin to be sin on our behalf...

The separation sin causes was becoming more and more real.

However, was he left alone? Completely alone?

KIDS

Matthew 26…when peter pulls out the sword (after he is in the Garden feeling immense spiritual pain)…Jesus says Peter, are you not aware that I can call out to my Father and he’d send more than 12 legions of angels for me. 66000 angels....roughly speaking. He’s at …his words....sorrowful unto death....and he still knows he can call out to his father.

Now, we also have this next passage. Matthew 27:46

Matthew 27:46 CSB

46 About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Elí, Elí, lemá sabachtháni?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”

…some other translations use forsaken. left....alone.

Have you felt that at times God didn’t hear your prayers? Maybe you didn’t even pray…but thought …just maybe God might see what’s happening and intervene…but you felt like He wasn’t even aware?

KIDS - Separation of SIN on stage

David felt that too. And guess what…this is the passage that Jesus was reciting on the cross. Probably to get everyone’s attention and yet another…please look…I am the one who was sent to save you.

He’s here reciting Psalm 22. This whole Psalm, written by David a long time ago…rougly 1000BC…speaks of David’s awareness that there are times when God seems far away. And it is either because of our own sin, or the world’s sin around us. But this is also a passage of prophecy.

David is pointing to Jesus. Some might say…this is so exact to the crucifixion account it had to be written after Jesus died. Actually, we have copies of this Psalm from the caves at Qumran (the Dead Sea Scrolls)…the copies of Psalm 22 dated to about 100 years earlier than the life of Jesus.

Let me just read this for you...

Psalm 22 (CSB)

For the choir director: according to “The Deer of the Dawn.” A psalm of David.

1 My God, my God, why have you abandoned me? Why are you so far from my deliverance and from my words of groaning?

2 My God, I cry by day, but you do not answer, by night, yet I have no rest.

3 But you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel.

4 Our ancestors trusted in you; they trusted, and you rescued them.

5 They cried to you and were set free; they trusted in you and were not disgraced.

6 But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by mankind and despised by people.

7 Everyone who sees me mocks me; they sneer and shake their heads:

8 “He relies on the Lord; let him save him; let the Lord rescue him, since he takes pleasure in him.”

11 Don’t be far from me, because distress is near and there’s no one to help.

14 I am poured out like water, and all my bones are disjointed; my heart is like wax, melting within me.

15 My strength is dried up like baked clay; my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth. You put me into the dust of death.

16 For dogs have surrounded me; a gang of evildoers has closed in on me; they pierced my hands and my feet.

17 I can count all my bones; people look and stare at me.

18 They divided my garments among themselves, and they cast lots for my clothing.

19 But you, Lord, don’t be far away. My strength, come quickly to help me.

20.....

22.....

24 For he has not despised or abhorred the torment of the oppressed. He did not hide his face from him but listened when he cried to him for help.

and sooo......

25 I will give praise in the great assembly because of you; I will fulfill my vows before those who fear you.

Even when we think God has left us…He is right there.

Jesus gives us this incredible picture of what’s happening literally within our spiritual life.

Our sin has separated us from God. The world’s sin separates us from each other.

Jesus, apart from us…abandoned by us, rejected by us…felt that abandonment when he took on all of our sins…and then felt that same separation…why???

He did it for us. He was abandoned to the full result of sin…on our behalf.

Jesus was abandoned to death…for us.

I think this whole account of Jesus being forsaken for us give us the big picture that He , even when it seems he’s far away…he’s there …and he’s for us. He did those things for us.

Abandoned by us. Abandoned for us. Abandoned to death…with our sin.

Yes, sin separates us from God. But because Jesus took on all of that sin and experienced that immense separation and sorrow, to the point of death…for us…He proved his love for us.

When we feel like this....when we feel like David or Peter or even somewhat like Jesus did…when we feel the sorrow of that separation…what can we do? What does God call us to do? It looks like we’re called to believe, trust, and wait on God in His timing.

Remember David’s formula for life? Sure, I’ll vent and rant about what I feel like…to God…but then I’ll step back, take a deep breath, and remember what is true. I’ll look at reality…not the lies of the Evil one…who masks things to make them look unbearable. I’ll look at reality and then I’ll praise you and live for you publicly.

We can trust in God’s strength like Jesus did. Trust the father like he did. And in the end…win…take the win over death… like he did. It probably won’t be on our terms…but it will be on His terms…and His ways are above our ways. Trust in the one who experienced all of abandonment for us.

I don’t know where you all are in relation to calling Jesus LORD. Last week we saw where the disciples, minus Judas all called Jesus Lord…Judas just called him “teacher.” Never LORD.

Just before Jesus’ time in Gethsemene, Jesus prayed …and John records this for us. John 17:20-21

John 17:20–21 CSB

20 “I pray not only for these, but also for those who believe in me through their word. 21 May they all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us, so that the world may believe you sent me.

I see Jesus praying for what will happen as a result of his sacrifice. He’s one with the Father, and he’s praying that you and I can also experience that reality. That sounds like truth…truth that God hasn’t ever completely abandoned us…he might seem distant…but he’s there…and even closer than ever now that Jesus has died for us.

Where is your relationship with Christ today? Do you need to make a decision? Do you need to cross a line in the sand? Do you need to make a re commitment? Theres a baptistry full of water here if you want to make a public commitment this morning.

We talked at the very beginning about that friend you might have who you know would do anything for you…even though you might have differences or there’s been time since you’ve seen them. How much more is God that kind of friend? He is that friend who gives all for you.

Today....response.