To prepare our hearts and minds for Christmas, we are tracing the Old Testament predictions of the Messiah. These are often called the Messiah predictions. I invite you to turn in your Bibles to Psalm 22.
Today, we continue a series entitled The Essence of Christmas, which just happens to be the title of a small book I wrote earlier this year.
We are giving it away to guests, so please swing by to see me after this service.
After church, yes, I would love to meet with our first-time guests in the hallway, where I have a small gift for you. So, please take a moment to come by to say hello.Today’s Scripture
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?
All who see me mock me;
they make mouths at me; they wag their heads;
“He trusts in the LORD; let him deliver him;
let him rescue him, for he delights in him!”
my strength is dried up like a potsherd,
and my tongue sticks to my jaws;
you lay me in the dust of death.
For dogs encompass me;
a company of evildoers encircles me;
they have pierced my hands and feet—
they divide my garments among them,
and for my clothing they cast lots.
I will tell of your name to my brothers;
in the midst of the congregation I will praise you” (Psalm 22:1, 7-8, 15-16, 18, 22).
Christmas may sneak up on you. Even the first Christmas surprised many people. But God has been preparing for Christmas for a long, long time. God had been getting His people ready for the first Christmas.
Psalm 22 is a Messianic Psalm. The early believers returned to this psalm to confirm their suspicion that Jesus was indeed the Christ. Experts point to 300 references to Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection, and, yes, His birth is even predicted in the Old Testament.
Two Horizons
Psalm 22 has two horizons. On the first horizon, you’ll quickly see it refers to King David, who wrote the psalm around 3,000 years ago.
The first 18 verses depict a plight so dire (Psalm 22:1–13) that the psalmist despairs of life itself (Psalm 22:14–15). Then you have an unidentified group of enemies has surrounded him and attacked him (Psalm 22:16–18).1 Truth be told: we know of no time in the life of David that even comes close to the events described here. If David wrote Psalm 22 about his experiences, the language of the psalm is probably poetic in places.2
But the second horizon for Psalm 22 is the life of Jesus. Psalm 22 is quoted 13 times in the New Testament. But, the highest concentration is around Jesus’ death and His suffering where Psalm 22 is quoted 9 times alone.
Psalm 22 has been referred to as the Old Testament Calvary. It’s a psalm that was written around 1,000 years before Jesus. But it sounds as if it was written at the foot of the cross.
The psalm has a rich history. African churches sang Psalm 22 during the celebration of Easter in the late 300s.3 This psalm is associated more with Easter than Christmas.
Maybe you’ll think I’m like the man who was asked to play the bagpipes for a graveside service in the backwoods of Texas for a pauper’s cemetery. The man wasn’t familiar with the backwoods, so he got lost; and being a typical man he didn’t stop for directions. He finally arrived an hour late and saw the funeral guys had evidently gone, and the hearse was nowhere in sight. There were only the diggers and crew remaining, and they were eating lunch. He felt badly and apologized to the men for being late. He went to the side of the grave and looked down to see that the vault lid was already in place. Not knowing what else to do, He started to play. The workers put down their lunches and began to gather around. He played out my heart and soul for this man with no family and friends. He played like He’d never played before for this homeless man. As He played “Amazing Grace,” several workers began to weep.
When he finished, he packed up his bagpipes and started for his car when he finished. As he opened the door to my car, he heard one of the workers say, “Good Lord, have mercy. I’ve never seen anything like that before, and I’ve been putting in septic tanks for 30 years.”4 Yes, I know it’s Christmas. But Christmas won’t mean that much without Easter.
Over the next few moments, follow Jesus on His journey from the cradle of Bethlehem to the cross of Golgotha. I want to use three words to guide us this morning. You can think of these three as pictures.
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1. Abandoned
2. Mocked
3. Pierced
Marvel at how the prophecies predict not only Jesus’ actions, but the Old Testament also predicts the actions of the bystanders and even His enemies.
1. Abandoned
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Psalm 22:1a).
“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?’” (Matthew 27:46).
This shout from the cross itself is known as the Cry of Dereliction.
1.1 Jesus and Psalm 22
Jesus Himself connects the dots between Psalm 22 and His life. At the most climactic moment in Jesus’ life, He cries out the first words of this psalm. Jesus shouts the first verse of Psalm 22 in desperation. The Gospel of Matthew approximates the time when Jesus shouted to be around 3 pm.
1.2 No Chapters and No Verses
You need to know that in those days, they didn’t have chapter numbers in the scrolls. They didn’t have verses and numbers either. They didn’t even have titles for the books such as Psalms. The way you referred to a book or a chapter was you simply quoted the first words of it. So, when Jesus cried out Psalm 22 on the cross, that first verse, He was saying, “This WHOLE psalm is about me. When you read Psalm 22, think of me.”
1.3 Jesus and Scripture
Jesus would have memorized Psalm 22 with His mother, Mary, and His stepfather, Joseph. A quick look at Jesus’ life shows He bleeds Scripture when you cut Him. Jesus breathed out Scripture at every turn of His life. He just thought Scripture at such a level that the Word of God was instinctual for THE Word of God. Jesus mined the poetry of Psalm 22 and used the words here to describe His excruciating experience on the cross.
1.4 Intimacy
Jesus' pain and misery on the cross are operating on multiple levels. Yes, He’s hurting physically. But Jesus’ words here are focused on His relationship with His Father. Jesus said, “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30). The intimacy between these two “is off the charts.” Jesus often spoke of this intimacy, “All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him” (Matthew 11:27).
Jesus is and was many things. One of the things Jesus spoke about the most was how He had the closest possible relationship with the Father. So here, Jesus is conscious of being abandoned by His Father. And Jesus uses David’s words in Psalm 22 to cry out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46c). For one who knew the intimacy, the abandonment must have been agony.
1.5 The Irony
“My God” is repeated three times in Psalm 22:1. The irony of this is straightforward: how could “My God” abandon me? Jesus is asking, “Why Are You Treating Me This Way?”
Look at verses 4 and 5 with me for a moment: “In you our fathers trusted;
they trusted, and you delivered them.
To you they cried and were rescued;
in you they trusted and were not put to shame” (Psalm 2:4-5).
It’s as if Jesus is saying to His Father, “I’m completely loyal and faithful to you, but you’re treating me as if I am faithless.” “Many people have counted on you before me, and you came through for them. I’m in need. Come through for me!” How could the Father treat His most loyal, most obedient Son this way?
1.6 Christmas Flashback
The Father had shown how proud He was of His Son so many times in Jesus’ life. At Jesus’ birth, God dispatched angels so Shepherds would greet Him in the manger (Luke 2:8-20). The Father placed a star ever so prominently in the sky so the Wise Men would make their way to Bethlehem (Matthew 2:1-12). Repeatedly, the Father even spoke from Heaven to tell the Disciples, “This is My Son, and I am so pleased with Him. Listen to Him” (Mark 1:11). The Father was so proud of the Son at every step of the way.
Now, Jesus’ system is shocked to feel this abandonment. Jesus senses this abrupt loss of communion with the Father all of a sudden hanging on the cross. I won’t pretend to understand ALL of this.
1.7 He’s Abandoned for Me
Jesus’ cry of dereliction reveals the horror of the world’s sin and the cost of our salvation. When Jesus was abandoned by God, He accomplished our salvation. “Jesus drank down the sewage of all our sin and our guilt.”5 He actually became sin for us (2 Corinthians 5:21). Jesus was abandoned for us. He was abandoned, so God would never abandon you. You may feel abandoned, but a genuine child of God is never truly abandoned.
1. Abandoned
2. Mocked
“All who see me mock me; they make mouths at me; they wag their heads; ‘He trusts in the LORD; let him deliver him; let him rescue him, for he delights in him!’” (Psalm 22:7-8).
“And the people stood by, watching, but the rulers scoffed at him, saying, ‘He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God, his Chosen One!’” (Luke 23:35).
2.1 David and Bystanders
We move from Jesus Himself to the bystanders watching Jesus. Part of the jaw-dropping nature of Psalm 22 is that we have no experience in David’s life that lines up with this psalm. The psalm goes way beyond David’s experience.6 King David functions like a prophet when he pens Psalm 22 (Acts 2:30).
So, watch the camera turn from Jesus on the cross to the bystanders watching Jesus. Today, we call this rubbernecking when people watch a wreck. The Bible predicts the bystanders’ reaction to Jesus in verses 7-8: “All who see me mock me; they make mouths at me; they wag their heads; ‘He trusts in the LORD; let him deliver him; let him rescue him, for he delights in him!’” (Psalm 22:7-8).
I like how the Christian Standard Bible translates verse 7: “Everyone who sees me mocks me; they sneer and shake their heads” (Psalm 22:7).
2.2 Roman Crucifixion
The cross was explicitly designed by the Romans for people to view. Roman Quintillian wrote, “Whenever we crucify the guilty, the most crowded roads are chosen, where the most people can see and be moved by this fear.”
Many of you will recognize the name Cicero. He described the whole process of crucifixion as the “most cruel and horrifying punishment.”7 The Roman Empire executed people publicly for all to see in hopes of deterring crime. So, now the bystanders are echoing the words of Psalm 22. They say, “He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God, his Chosen One!” Luke tells us the people gawked, but the rulers mocked.
2.3 He Saved Others
The evidence for His saving others was massive! Jesus had incredibly healed a paralytic in Capernaum. He miraculously restored the sight of a blind man in Jericho. And He’d raised a widow’s son only to then raise Lazarus from the dead. Not to mention how He calmed the sea! Yes, the evidence for His saving others was massive! Now, if He could loosen the nails supernaturally. If He could remove Himself from the cross magically, then they might believe He’s the Messiah. Thank God Almighty that He didn’t remove those nails that day!
2.4 A Remarkable Prediction
Isn’t it remarkable how David predicts all this? It’s one level to predict Jesus’ actions, but to incorporate bystanders and the Jewish rulers’ actions as well is on another level. The cross was so shameful that many could really believe God would permit His Son to experience this humiliation. Even the Qur’an says as much, “They did not kill [Jesus], nor did they crucify him, but he was made to resemble another for them” (Qur’an 4:157).
2.5 The Irony (Christmas Flashback)
The suffering of Jesus isn’t an accident. God had David predict the Messiah’s suffering around 1,000 years ahead of it.
Born not to a king, but a carpenter.
Born not in robes, but rags.
Born not into gold, but hay.
Born not in renown, but obscurity.
Born not in splendor, but a trough.
Born not to live, but die.
O, come let us adore Him!8
1. Abandoned
2. Mocked
3. Pierced
“they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots” (Psalm 22:18).
“so they said to one another, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it shall be.” This was to fulfill the Scripture which says, “They divided my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots” (John 19:24).
The camera turns from the bystanders now to the rulers. David’s predictions include all the characters around the crucifixion.
3.1 Gambling for His Clothes
The Romans are dividing Jesus’ garments at the foot of the cross. Every Jew wore five pieces of clothing —sandals, a turban, a belt, an inner tunic, and an outer robe. A Roman execution squad comprised four soldiers. Realizing it would be foolish to divide the robe, they then gambled for this last piece that couldn’t have been shared among the four.
These were cold-blooded men, to say the least. It is bad enough to take a dead man’s belongings, but they were gambling over them while He, in His dying moments, gazed on. Men were normally crucified naked, just as this gambling for His clothes tells us. At times, we have records that the Romans would permit a loin cloth for Jewish sensitivities.
3.2 Dying Naked (Christmas Flashback)
Would it have been fitting for the One who was destined to die naked on the cross to be robed in purple at His birth?9
Would it have been appropriate for the One who was buried in a borrowed tomb to have been born in Buckingham Palace?
This divine King was born not in a mansion but in a manger.
For all of His transcendence, He’s lowly.
And He would be all the way to cross.
3.3 A Perfect Plan
When these cruel Roman soldiers gambled for Jesus’ clothing, they had no idea that God was moving to these evil men to accomplish even the smallest of details. The gospel of John says, “This was to fulfill the Scripture.” Even the smallest of details in Jesus’ life matters. The Father’s plan is being executed perfectly.
3.3.1 The Census (Christmas Flashback)
“In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 And all went to be registered, each to his own town. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. 6 And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth” (Luke 2:1, 2-6)
This census is mentioned four times in our text (Luke 2:1, 2, 3, 5). What is significant about a Roman decree some two thousand years later? It’s because of where the decree took Joseph and Mary.
“And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem…” (Luke 1:4).
Today, a census will be mailed to your home, and you will complete it and return it. In those days, you would return to your ancestral homeland – the place where your family is from.
3.3.2 Caesar Augustus
“Caesar Augustus” would be the official title of all the leaders of the Roman Empire after 27 BC, but it was the proper name of Gaius Octavius (31 BC-AD 14). Once the grandnephew of Julius Caesar. The senate made him Augustus in 27 BC after defeating Mark Antony, ending Rome’s civil war. But for all of his power, he serves as the unwitting agent of God. “Caesar Augustus” is ignorant of how his decision to collect more taxes was used by God. “Caesar Augustus” would have never knowingly pushed the birth of Jesus to the city of David. The last thing he would have done was to strengthen Jesus’ claim to the title of Messiah.10
God moved Roman soldiers at the cross to gamble just as He moved the Roman Caesar at Jesus’ birth to enact a census.
3.4 Everyone Agrees He Cannot be The Messiah
As they view a naked, beaten Jesus hanging on the cross, everyone agrees, “This cannot be the Messiah.” The rulers sneer at Jesus (Luke 23:35). The soldiers mock and make fun of Him (Luke 23:36). Even the criminals mock Him, saying in effect, “You, the Christ? You can’t be the Christ!” (Luke 23:39).
There’s something very striking about all of this. The Jewish religious leaders and the brutal pagan Roman oppressors never agreed on anything else, but they agreed on this: “This can’t be the Messiah. A dying man can’t be the Savior of the world. Salvation can’t come like this.” They all agree – even the criminals agree!
3.5 He was Intentionally Weak
Jesus came as One who was weak to save those who admit they are weak. Jesus’ followers consistently asked Him one question again and again: “Jesus, when are you going to take power and save the world?” At the climax of Jesus’ life and when others encouraged Him to declare Himself king, he turned loose of all His power to go to the cross. Jesus keeps saying, “You don’t understand. I’m going to lose all my power and die—to save the world.”11 At the climax of His life, He ascended not a throne but to a cross. Jesus came as our substitute to bear evil, suffering, and death—the consequences of our turning from God.
3.6 Dead Sea Scrolls
Maybe you are one that is highly skeptical of pastors and churches. I understand. Many Americans have switched from getting their news in mainstream media and have turned to podcasts and social media. If you are skeptical, listen to this.
Psalm 22 is part of the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls. Archeologists have carbon-dated the Dead Sea Scrolls and shown they were sitting in a cave south of Jerusalem when Jesus was alive. Science proves this was written hundreds of years before Jesus existed. Many say, “They rewrote Psalm 22 to make it sound like Jesus after the fact.” This psalm was sitting in a cave at the same time all these events were taking place.
3.7 A Tale of Two Cities
Do you know Charles Dickens’ novel, A Tale of Two Cities? It’s about Sydney Carton and Charles Darnay. They both love the same young woman (Lucie Manette), but she marries the wealthy Charles. Now, the two men have an uncanny resemblance to one another. Sydney is a brilliant lawyer, but he’s a depressed drunk. He grows to hate Charles Darnay because he’s everything Sydney is not – successful, wealthy, and has Lucie’s love. Charles and Lucie are married and start having children, but this is the French Revolution, so Charles Darnay is arrested, taken to prison, and awaits execution. I’m paraphrasing, but on the night before his execution, Sydney Carton, who again, looks quite a bit like Charles Darnay, steals into the prison. He says, in effect, “Look, Charles. You have a wife. You have a child. Let’s switch places. Let’s change clothes. I’ll die in your place.” Charles Darnay says, “No way! Are you kidding? I will never let you do such a thing!”
So, what does Sydney Carton do? He smacks him over the head and knocks him out cold. He puts his clothes on him.
Sydney’s peace passes to Charles. Charles’ punishment passes to Sydney.
He has some people take Charles (who is now out cold) out, and he assumes his place in the prison, waiting to be executed. Now, there’s a young woman, a seamstress, who is also about to be executed, and she knew Charles Darnay previously. When she hears he’s there, she seeks him out and starts talking to him. She starts asking if he remembers this, and if he remembers that. Of course, Sydney Carton is looking away, hoping she doesn’t look too closely, and suddenly she sees. She realizes it’s not Charles Darnay, and her eyes get big, and she says, “Are you dying for him?” Sydney says, “Shhh. Yes, and for his wife and children.” She says, “Stranger, I have been feeling I am not going to be able to face my death, but could I hold your hand? Because if someone as brave and as loving as you holds my hand, I think I’ll be okay,” and Sidney Carton says, “All right.” He wasn’t even dying for her, but his substitutionary sacrifice strengthened her to her roots. How much more will the substitutionary sacrifice of Jesus Christ for you absolutely change you and strengthen you if you would just let it have its way with you?”
3.8 What Held Him There?
Do you remember when they mocked Jesus, and they wanted Him to magically come of the cross to save Himself? Do you have any idea the magnitude of Jesus refusing this? What could have bound the limbs of the Maker of the universe to the cross? What would be strong enough to hold down the arms of the One who created the stars? What would be strong enough to bind the limbs of the Maker of the universe to the cross? Nails? No. Chains? No. Nothing but His love for you.
3.9 Conclusion: The Invitation
I love how a young Chicago pastor encapsulated the irony of Jesus’ story:
Jesus was born of a virgin with a stable for a crib.
In eternity He rested on His Father without the benefit of His mother.
But in time, He rested on His mother without the benefit of an earthly Father.
He is as old as His Father and ages older than His mother.
Time cannot age Him and ages do not time Him.
He didn’t work for Walgreen’s or CVS, but in the “hem of His garment” is more medicine than all the medicines in town.
He never rode in a Presidential motorcade but He did ride on the back of donkey as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
He’s bread when you are hungry, He’s water when you’re thirsty, and a bridge over troubled water when you are hurting.
He’ll make a way where there is no way and He’ll share your heavy-load.12
But because of His rejection, you are accepted by God. Because He was alienated, you are brought near to God. Because He experienced pain, you are healed. And because He was punished, you escape judgment.
EndNotes
1 G. K. Beale and D. A. Carson, Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament. (Grand Rapids, MI; Nottingham, UK: Baker Academic; Apollos, 2007), 99.
2 Allen P. Ross, A Commentary on the Psalms 1–89: Commentary, Kregel Exegetical Library, vol 1 (Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Academic, 2011–2013), 527.
Allan Harman, Psalms: A Mentor Commentary, Mentor Commentaries (Ross-shire, Great Britain: Mentor, 2011), 215.
4 https://vocal.media/humor/the-bagpiper-and-the-septic-tank; accessed December 15, 2024.
5 James A. Johnston, Preaching the Word: The Psalms: Rejoice, the Lord Is King—Psalms 1 to 41, ed. R. Kent Hughes, Preaching the Word (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2015), 235.
6 Alec Motyer, Psalms by the Day: A New Devotional Translation (Christian Focus Publications, 2016), 57.
7 M. Tullius Cicero, The Orations of Marcus Tullius Cicero, Literally Translated by C. D. Yonge, ed. C. D. Yonge (Medford, MA: George Bell & Sons, 1903), 2.5.165.
8 https://x.com/DustinBenge/status/1865198351089553444; accessed December 11, 2024.
9 Charles H. Spurgeon, The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons, vol 8 (London: Passmore & Alabaster, 1862), 698.
10 David Gooding, According to Luke: A New Exposition of the Third Gospel (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1987), 52.
11 I am grateful to Timothy Keller, Hidden Christmas: The Surprising Truth Behind the Birth of Christ (New York: Viking, 2016), 74-76
12 This poem was shared by Charlie Dates’ sermon at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, http://equip.sbts.edu/audio/can-real-joy-unlikely-circumstances-motivation-joy-not-circumstances/; accessed March 7, 2017.
