Text: Matthew 27:46, Mark 15:34
46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
About three in the afternoon the entire sky went dark. This time of darkness was a symbol of the judgment that Jesus endured when He was “made a cursed” for us. It has been dark and silent for three hours before Jesus lets out this horrific statement. It was testimony to the spiritual anguish that Jesus was going through. You see it is not merely that God turned his back on his only son, but God actually unleashed all of the wrath stored up for sin. Jesus in these moments suffered, he suffered the penalty of you lying, your self righteousness. He suffered the penalty for the adulterer, murderer, homosexual, pedophile. Christ was forsaken by God for those he loves.
Have you ever been lost? Just last summer I was lost for the first time in my life, deep in the woods of Northern California. Harbor House asked me to speak at their Youth Retreat. And on the second to last night, about six guys ran off before our campfire time into the woods by themselves. As I came down to the campfire I was elected by some of the counselors to go after these young men. Being somewhat naive, and very foolish, I immediately ran off into the woods by myself. I went with all I had in hand, a fleece jacket, my flashlight, and even my Bible. It was approximate 7:00 when I left, if felt like I was in the woods only a few minutes and it was nearly 8:00 and no sign of the kids. As I turned around to return back to camp, it seemed like it took moments before it was pitch black. After following one part of a stream, I realized I was not going back the way I had come. I began to worry, so I darted up a hill, nothing looking familiar, I went up another hill, by the third hill I was hyperventilating (which I had never done before in my life), I stopped and prayed. IT was at that moment I thought about ditching my Bible and then I thought that if I am still lost tomorrow I would need something to read. Hoping that God would show me a path, or that some fireflies would bunch up and let me follow them back. Instead God allowed me to think clearly. I knew our camp was next to a lake. I knew that streams will run into that lake and I knew that if I wanted to get back to camp I would have to follow the stream. These woods were thick and there was no way that I simply walk beside it. So I had to throw myself into the stream. And I walked turning both my ankles on wet rocks, falling face first at times once breaking my flashlight, having to wade through waist deep water, and climb up and down waterfalls. I eventually made it back to the camp. I was lost for at least three hours. Having heard that utter chaos had broken out at the camp I walked to the shower unsure what to do as just about everyone was around the campfire. After all I had been through the part of my Bible that I was speaking from was not wet. I walked down to the campfire and asked that all the guys who had run away to raise their hand. I walk around and pulled from my pocket absolutely soak camp money. This was funny money that we let kids by snacks with during the afternoon. I walk around giving out large sums of this money, after giving out all that money. I said for you guys who didn’t get any money I will take you to the store and buy you whatever it is you want. And by this point people are screaming about how unfair this is, people are lying saying they had run away. And I asked the question, What do you call this? Some kids called it stupid, one said generosity, I said that was close, and finally I heard on of the kids who ran away say quietly, that is grace. I went on to talk about the return of the lost son to the camp. Christ was forsaken, he was lost, punished, and cursed by God so that we might experience His grace.
46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
About three in the afternoon the entire sky went dark. This time of darkness was a symbol of the judgment that Jesus endured when He was “made a cursed” for us. It has been dark and silent for three hours before Jesus lets out this horrific statement. It was testimony to the spiritual anguish that Jesus was going through. You see it is not merely that God turned his back on his only son, but God actually unleashed all of the wrath stored up for sin. Jesus in these moments suffered, he suffered the penalty of you lying, your self righteousness. He suffered the penalty for the adulterer, murderer, homosexual, pedophile. Christ was forsaken by God for those he loves.
Have you ever been lost? Just last summer I was lost for the first time in my life, deep in the woods of Northern California. Harbor House asked me to speak at their Youth Retreat. And on the second to last night, about six guys ran off before our campfire time into the woods by themselves. As I came down to the campfire I was elected by some of the counselors to go after these young men. Being somewhat naive, and very foolish, I immediately ran off into the woods by myself. I went with all I had in hand, a fleece jacket, my flashlight, and even my Bible. It was approximate 7:00 when I left, if felt like I was in the woods only a few minutes and it was nearly 8:00 and no sign of the kids. As I turned around to return back to camp, it seemed like it took moments before it was pitch black. After following one part of a stream, I realized I was not going back the way I had come. I began to worry, so I darted up a hill, nothing looking familiar, I went up another hill, by the third hill I was hyperventilating (which I had never done before in my life), I stopped and prayed. IT was at that moment I thought about ditching my Bible and then I thought that if I am still lost tomorrow I would need something to read. Hoping that God would show me a path, or that some fireflies would bunch up and let me follow them back. Instead God allowed me to think clearly. I knew our camp was next to a lake. I knew that streams will run into that lake and I knew that if I wanted to get back to camp I would have to follow the stream. These woods were thick and there was no way that I simply walk beside it. So I had to throw myself into the stream. And I walked turning both my ankles on wet rocks, falling face first at times once breaking my flashlight, having to wade through waist deep water, and climb up and down waterfalls. I eventually made it back to the camp. I was lost for at least three hours. Having heard that utter chaos had broken out at the camp I walked to the shower unsure what to do as just about everyone was around the campfire. After all I had been through the part of my Bible that I was speaking from was not wet. I walked down to the campfire and asked that all the guys who had run away to raise their hand. I walk around and pulled from my pocket absolutely soak camp money. This was funny money that we let kids by snacks with during the afternoon. I walk around giving out large sums of this money, after giving out all that money. I said for you guys who didn’t get any money I will take you to the store and buy you whatever it is you want. And by this point people are screaming about how unfair this is, people are lying saying they had run away. And I asked the question, What do you call this? Some kids called it stupid, one said generosity, I said that was close, and finally I heard on of the kids who ran away say quietly, that is grace. I went on to talk about the return of the lost son to the camp. Christ was forsaken, he was lost, punished, and cursed by God so that we might experience His grace.
posted by michaelstevensrev at 9:33 AM
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