One Cry Series

Series: One Thing

Illustration:

Years ago the movie “City Slickers” came out and there is a scene in the movie where one old cowboy and a city slicker are discussing, what is the main focus of life. In other words “What is the meaning of life?” and the old cowboy holds his finger up and says, “Life is about one thing and one thing only and everything else means nothing when you discover the one thing!” (paraphrase) The city slicker impressed and awed by the old cowboy’s wisdom says “What is the One Thing?” the old cowboy looks at him and says, “That’s what you have to figure out!”

So tonight and on Easter I am going to challenge you to discover the true meaning of life – discovering that “One Thing” which puts everything else into perspective in your life.

Please, hold up your one finger and then look at it – that finger represents to everyone one of us here that “One Thing” your purpose for life, or your mission in life, or what matters most in life! Look to the person next to you and say “I am going to figure out what that One Thing is!”

Last Sunday’s message focused on One Man – One Mission! That One Man is Jesus! Now remember when you discover the “One Thing” then everything else in life comes into clear perspective.

Tonight I want to focus on the One Man and His One Mission and the most incredible moment of the completion of His Mission when we hear One cry!

“One Cry”

Thesis: Jesus cry, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me!” is a desperate cry of loneliness. I believe this was the worst and the most horrible moment of the crucifixion for Jesus. When sin invaded His life and the Father walked away! He felt totally alone! His one cry reveals to us the depth of His suffering for us!

Scripture Text: Mark 15:33-39

33At the sixth hour darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour. 34And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?“—which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

35When some of those standing near heard this, they said, “Listen, he’s calling Elijah.”

36One man ran, filled a sponge with wine vinegar, put it on a stick, and offered it to Jesus to drink. “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to take him down,” he said.

37With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last.

38The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. 39And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, heard his cry and saw how he died, he said, “Surely this man was the Son of God!”

Introduction:

We are fast approaching Easter and I would like to remind you about what was the worst part of the crucifixion for Jesus. Today is Good Friday and one that day about 2,000 years ago we heard a one cry from Jesus, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me!” I hear a desperate cry of loneliness in this one cry from Jesus. I believe this was the worst, the most horrible moment of the crucifixion for Jesus. His one cry reveals to us the depth of His love and His suffering for us!

I. Jesus’ one cry on the cross reveals the loss of His personal relationship with “Abba’ Father

a. Peter’s records the account of that Friday through John Mark and shares this moment in time and reveals to us Jesus’ One Cry!

b. In the Gospel of Mark which we just read Jesus cried out and Peter who was not even at the cross heard His cry! Peter was forever impacted by this cry that he never heard with his natural ears.

i. Jesus one cry - It pierced to His heart and soul!

ii. Jesus one cry - It struck Him so deeply that he records it in his telling of Jesus story and gives no other details.

1. When we read Mark 15:33-39 we discover that it records only one cry by Jesus at the crucifixion.

2. Mark’s Gospel is written from Peter’s view point and it only emphasizes one agonizing lonely cry.

iii. Have you ever wondered why?

1. Why would Peter only include in his account the one cry of Jesus on the cross? Could it be that Peter could relate to this point of the crucifixion. It stands to reason from what the other Gospel writers recorded that Peter was deeply impacted by this moment in time. His re-telling of what he heard about the crucifixion centers in on Jesus’ One cry. We know that He was not there because he had denied Christ the night before. He had fled and maybe he had already started heading back to his home town and back to his old trade of fishing. Maybe he remembers this time on the cross because of what he was doing at that same time. Could it be that he was at this horrible moment for Jesus walking back home in utter defeat. He was upset crying, weeping and having to face the separation between Him and Jesus? He had denied Jesus the one he loved! How could he have done that? Could it be this moment in time sticks out to him because he would have known the pain of being alone with sin rushing through over his life. He was facing it at the same time! Could it be that Peter knew how special Jesus relationship with ‘Abba” Father was? Peter being close to Jesus would have known how deeply the Father’s separation from Jesus would have hurt His Lord. He knew how lonely and hurtful it would have been for Jesus at this point in time. Peter knew the feeling when you are separated from the one you love the most? Remember Peter experienced what happens when you reject the Lord and fall into sin. He was even warned by the Lord but he fell prey to temptation and denied the Lord 3x and then the rooster crowed. He knew the pain and agony of it all. So he chooses to put in one lonely cry at the crucifixion. Maybe when he heard about the “One cry” from the others his mind reflected back to his nightmare of denial and the lonely feeling of rejection?