A Question Of Suffering Series

Matthew 27:33-54 A Question of Suffering

Psalm 22:1 My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?

Martin Luther “God forsaking God! No man can understand that?”

I. The REQUEST

A. The LANGUAGE. (in Aramaic) NOT “Father,” BUT “My God”

The Father/Son relationship was temporarily broken.

B. The LAMENTATION — “WHY?” — No answer given

Job - Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and holdest me for thine enemy

David - “Why standest thou afar off, O Lord? why hidest thou thyself in times of trouble?” (Ps. 10:1).

C. The LONELINESS - why hast thou forsaken me? abandoned me

II. The REASON

During the first 3 hours on the cross , Jesus said three things: :

1. "Father forgive them…" — A word of PARDON.

2. "Today you will be with me in paradise." A word of PROMISE.

3. "Woman, behold your son… behold your mother..." A word of PROVISION.

4. Now Jesus cries, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” A word of PAIN.

The Emotional pain of … Rejection,

The Excruciating pain of ... Crucifixion

The Extreme pain of ... Separation - He was experiencing hell itself.

III. The RIGOUR

The DARKNESS - The question came after three hours of darkness

The DERELICTION - why hast thou forsaken me? abandoned me

or "leaving entirely alone.”

The DEVELOPMENT - Sacrifice, Substitution, Surrender.

He was forsaken by God so we should never have to be forsaken!

The DETACHMENT - “WHY?” — No answer! Silence.

IV. The RESPONSE

50 Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. 51 And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;

Divine - behold

Direct - the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom;

Dynamic - and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;

V. The RESULT - 54 Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God