Sermon Central
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A Cry In The Dark
Contributed by Frank Lay on Nov 28, 2017 (message contributor)
Summary: After three hours on the cross something amazing happened. The Bible tells us that, “from the sixth hour until the ninth hour there was darkness over all the land.” That would be from noon until 3:00 PM in our way of keeping time. It was a deep darkness
The Bible says that God “made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Cor. 5:21). Isaiah said it this way, “The Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all” (Isa. 53:6). You see, God is holy and cannot look upon sin. For this reason, the Father turned away from the Son in that awful moment when the Son was made to be sin in our behalf. For the first time in all eternity, the Son of God knew the horror of being separated from His Father. No wonder that after six long hours on the cross, and especially after those three long agonizing hours of separation from the Father, Jesus cried out in anguish, “My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me.” Our sin in all its ugliness was laid on Jesus. Moreover, His righteousness was imputed to us.
By His amazing grace, Jesus did something for us at Calvary that we were unable to do for ourselves. Jesus knew that the final result of sin was to be abandoned by God. He was abandoned by the Father so that we might not have to be abandoned. Jesus was judged at the cross so you and I won’t have to be judged. Someone has said that Jesus Christ was the most God forsaken man who ever lived. Because of what He did for us on the cross, you and I who have believed in Jesus will never be God forsaken. Because of the precious blood which Jesus shed on the cross, you and I don’t have to pay the penalty for our sins. The price has already been paid. Because of the Blood Jesus shed at Calvary, you and I can be forgiven of every sin. Because of the cross, we who believe in Jesus will never have to cry out in anguish, “My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me.”
Listen to the words of the following poem entitled, “A Cry from the Dark.”
Not a sound was heard
But the shuffling of anxious feet,
As frightened people
Groped their way up the darkened street.
Even strong men trembled,
Afraid they might die,
And they struggled in vain
As they tried not to cry.
Women sniffled softly
As they fought to hold back the tears,
But there was nothing anyone could do
To relieve them of all their fears.
The darkness had come on suddenly
In the middle of the day.
Some remembered Amos had said
That it would happen that way.
For three long relentless hours
Not a sound was heard.
The Man on the cross suffered in silence
And spoke not a word.
Suddenly from the cross
Came an agonizing plea,
“My God, My God,
Why have you forsaken me?”
God forsaken of God,
How can it be?
Jesus had born the penalty for all our sin
That you and I might be free.
3/18/03 © wfl
Jesus’ final four words from the cross all came rather close together. Following His desperate plea, He said, “I thirst.” His lips were parched and His tongue clave to the roof of his mouth. He needed to be refreshed so he could give His final two words.
After receiving a bit of sour wine, Jesus uttered a word which I consider the greatest word in history. It is the word Tetelestai” which means, “it is finished,” His word was not a cry of resignation or defeat. It sounded more like a shout of victory.