“Now from the sixth hour until the ninth hour there was darkness over all the land. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” Matthew 27:45-46
“And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit. Matthew 27:50
The image I get in my head from this one event is so overwhelming that sometimes I can’t even continue in my thought. To picture my Jesus suffering to the extent that He did for my sake brings me to my knees because so often I feel I did not deserve such an incredible act of love! Maybe you have felt this way at times too. But the truth is that unless this event took place we would not have the assurance that God will never leave us or forsake us no matter what we do or how we live! For He is faithful when we are not!
On that day of Christ’s death God so loved us that He withdrew Himself from His own Son! Do you realize that in that very moment every evil and vile act was placed on Jesus? Every sickness, disease, and pain was laid on Him. Every death whether by natural causes or by an act of murder, was poured out on Him. The effects of every drug ever taken ran through His veins. Every sin from the moment Adam and Eve ate the fruit in the Garden, until the day of Christ’s return overtook His flesh!
We read the stories and sing the songs but I don’t think we take enough time to really meditate on what Jesus meant when He said, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” So much time has passed since Christ’s death and resurrection and so much mixing of God’s truth and man’s interpretation of it, has occurred; that it is hard for many people to fully embrace what really took place on that day!
We know this is true because many Christian’s still question whether or not God can forgive them for certain sins they commit. If they understood that on the Cross Christ died once and for all, for ALL sin, they wouldn’t ask that question. Some people question whether they are really going to heaven after they have said yes to a relationship with Jesus Christ. If they understood that on the Cross Jesus made the only way to get to heaven, and through faith in him, they will be there, they wouldn’t ask this question.
What Jesus did on the Cross, out of His incredible love for us, has been so watered down over the years that a lot of people can no longer envision the blood that He spilled on our behalf! If we could see or smell the actual the blood that poured out of His body like the people who were there that day and then see the empty tomb on Sunday morning; I believe the approach we take to our relationship with Him would be drastically different!
He didn’t have a trickle of blood dripping down the side of His face like some portraits depict. His body was savagely beaten and though not one bone was broken; His body was a horrific site to behold! And He endured this brutality just for us! You might think that He could do this because He was God, but the Bible says that He emptied Himself of His deity when He walked the earth. He was fully man who was filled with the Holy Spirit just like we are! So when those lashes came and when they flogged Him, He suffered just like we would have suffered! Would you have suffered that for me? I hate to say it but I wouldn’t have done it for you. But He did it for both of us!
And then He suffered the pains of the words spoken against Him and the mocking of the crowd. And finally as He hung on the Cross the last act of brutality was when He asked for a drink and they gave Him sour wine! No respect, no compassion, no understanding! Only harsh words and actions against a man who had committed no sin His entire life! And this entire event occurred because He loved us so much, even though we hadn’t yet been born. Are you beginning to see it? Can you begin to comprehend?
The wretched stench of our sin came on Him at that exact moment when He cried out, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” And it was in this act of love for us that made us able to be filled with the sweet aroma of His righteousness! That is the biggest and most powerful act of love known to mankind and yet for some they still cannot comprehend it and they still question their relationship with Him. If this is you please meditate on what He did for you on the Cross and ask Him to reveal the reality of it for you so you can embrace it! If you already understand the intensity of the event and you embrace it; find someone who doesn’t and mentor them in the truth. For God so LOVED YOU that HE died for you so that you could live forever!
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