"Why Have You Forsaken Me?" Series

Yes, Jesus won victory over Satan through the cross, but for a time on the cross, He suffered at the hands of Satan, enduring his wrath.

2. The Loneliness Upon The Cross - v. 46

The penalty for sin is death (Romans 6:23), spiritual death. Death is the absence of life. Spiritual death is, therefore, the absence of spiritual life. Since God is the author of life, it follows that to suffer spiritual death is to suffer the absence of God.

That’s what happened to Jesus on Calvary during those three hours. As the sins of the world were poured out upon Him, Jesus found Himself separated from the Father. Hence the cry, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"

In 2 Thessalonians 1:9 (NIV), Paul describes the eternal punishment of the lost this way, "They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord . . ."

That is what Jesus suffered upon the cross during those three hours. You see, the spiritual suffering of our Savior not only involved enduring the wrath of Satan; but the rejection of the Father!

An English doctor conducted an experiment to study the effects of isolation on people. He built a soundproof room 9’ x 9’ - in size and suspended it by nylon rope. Each participant wore padded fur gloves and heavy woolen socks to eliminate the sensations of touch. Special translucent goggles limited their vision. After Just 1 hour of isolation, some people found it impossible to concentrate. This was followed by feelings of anxiety and panic. Many could not stay in the room more than 5 hours.

Imagine the aloneness experienced by the Lord! In the awfulness of those hours, Jesus endured a suffering worse than even the agonizing physical pain of crucifixion: He was forsaken by the Father.

When I was a child, I used to walk home from school each day to have lunch with my mother. One day, however, she packed my lunch and told me she was going shopping in a nearby town. I forgot about it and walked home fro lunch as I was in the habit of doing each day. When I found that no one was home, I panicked.

It was one of the most traumatic experiences of my childhood. Thankfully, a neighbor lady drove by and saw me crying my eyes out on the front porch of our home. She took me to her house, called the principal, and fed me lunch. She knew my mother was out of town and reminded me of it. I returned to school late, feeling rather foolish.

But I will never forget the feelings of abandonment I had that day!

Can you recall a time when you felt abandoned? Now, multiply those feelings a hundred million times! You might in some small way, begin to understand the suffering Jesus endured as a result of our sins!

3. The Blindness Before The Cross - vs. 47-49

Jesus not only endured the wrath of Satan and the rejection of the Father; but he had to endure the ridicule of men! Through-out His experience on the cross, Jesus suffered the ridicule of men.

“Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads. In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him. ‘He saved others,’ they said, ‘but he can’t save himself! He’s the King of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, “I am the Son of God.”’” - Matthew 27:39, 41-43 (NIV)