When God Seems Silent - My God, My God, Why Hast Thou Forsaken Me? (Mark 15:34; Matthew 27:46) - Good Friday And Easter Sermons

“When God Seems Silent”

(Based on Mark 15:34 & Matthew 27:46)

Introduction:

Grace and peace to you, beloved in Christ.

Today, we reflect on one of the most profound and haunting cries ever uttered—not by a desperate sinner, but by the Son of God Himself. As He hung bruised, battered, and bleeding on the cross, Jesus cried out, “My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me?”

This moment is not just a cry of pain; it is a cry pregnant with meaning, mystery, and majesty. It invites us to step into the depths of divine suffering, human anguish, and the hope of redemption.

1. The Cry of Abandonment

“And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice… ‘My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me?’” – Mark 15:34

This is the only time in the Gospels that Jesus addresses God not as “Father,” but as “My God.” It reflects the depth of separation He felt in that moment. On the cross, Jesus experienced not just physical torment, but spiritual isolation—what some call “the dark night of the soul.”

Why was He forsaken?

Jesus bore the sins of the world (Isaiah 53:5-6).

The Father, who is holy, turned His face away as the wrath due to sin was poured out on His Son.

In this moment, Christ was treated as sin so that we might be treated as righteous (2 Cor. 5:21).

2. The Fulfillment of Scripture

This cry is not only emotional—it is deeply prophetic.

Jesus is quoting Psalm 22, a messianic psalm of David which begins with the same words: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

Though the Psalm begins in despair, it ends in triumph.

Jesus was not giving up; He was pointing us to the ultimate outcome—God’s victory over suffering.

Jesus was showing that He was the fulfillment of Scripture, even in His darkest hour.

3. When We Feel Forsaken

Have you ever felt abandoned by God?

Prayers that go unanswered…

Silence in the face of suffering…

Trials that test your faith to its core...

Jesus understands. The Son of God chose to walk through that very experience so you would never be alone in yours.

Hebrews 4:15 – “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses…”

In Jesus, we have a Savior who not only saves us but understands us.

When God seems silent, He is not absent.

4. The Purpose in the Pain

Though Jesus was forsaken for a moment, it was so we could be accepted for eternity.

Isaiah 53:10 – “Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer…”

Why? For you and for me.

The temporary separation Jesus endured brought eternal reconciliation for us.

The silence of God on Good Friday became the shout of victory on Resurrection Sunday.

5. What We Learn

a. God’s silence is not God’s absence.

Even when He seems far, He is near. Jesus’ cry shows us that God is still “My God,” even in the valley.

b. Pain can serve a divine purpose.

The cross looked like defeat, but it was the pathway to victory.

c. Jesus fully identifies with human suffering.

No matter what we go through, we have a Savior who has been there.

d. Scripture is a source of strength in suffering.

Jesus quoted the Word in His darkest hour. So should we.

Conclusion:

Beloved, the cry of Jesus on the cross is not the end of the story—it is the turning point.

If you are in a season where God feels silent… if you feel forsaken or forgotten… remember the cross. Jesus endured abandonment so you would never have to.

Romans 8:38-39 – “Nothing can separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

He was forsaken… so you could be forever accepted.