David expressed the way I feel
about attempting to preach the message I would like to preach
tonight. He said, so foolish was I and
ignorant. I was as a beast before thee. Nevertheless. I am continually with thee thou
has told me up by my right hand. It is my prayer that the Lord
would bless us. We're dealing with something
that is so infinitely beyond what any of us can grasp, but
we can believe. And I feel. very much like a
ignorant beast trying to deal with this subject. Why was he
forsaken? Look back in our text in Mark
chapter 15. And when the six hour was come, he had been nailed to the cross
at 9 a.m. and at 12 noon, that's the six
hour. When the six hour was come, there
was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. Not that
this needs to be verified. We don't need to have anything
in the scripture verified by something else, but it is recorded
in other histories that didn't even know about the cross of
this event actually taking place on this day. The sun stopped
shining at noon and at the ninth hour. 3 p.m., Jesus cried with a loud
voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani,
which is being interpreted, my God, My God. Now you will notice at this time,
he does not address him as father. He didn't say my father, my father. That's enough to let us know.
We just really are in waters way deeper than we can understand
the fact that there was darkness. lets us know that there's so
much of this we can never enter into, but still this is recorded
in the scripture for our learning. He cried out, my God, my God,
why hast thou forsaken me? Darkness has covered the land.
This was not a solar eclipse. The sun had stopped shining. Luke's account says darkness
covered the whole earth. And there's no record of what
is said during this three hour period. I'm sure people were
terrified. People didn't know what to think.
I'm sure I would have been terrified. Can you imagine looking at the
noon sun and all of a sudden it's dark? The sun stops shining and at 3 PM, the Lord had been
on the cross now for some six hours, three hours in darkness. And at 3 PM, he cries out, my
God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Now this is a quotation from
Psalm 22, what's known as the Psalm of the cross. Would you
turn with me there? This was written a thousand years before
the Lord was nailed to the cross. Psalm 22, look at the detail
that is given in verse 16. For dogs have compassed me, the
assembly of the wicked, Have enclosed me. They pierced my
hands and my feet. I may tell all my bones. They look and stare upon me. They part my garments among them
and cast lots upon my vesture. Now that is obviously speaking
of the cross. And that's what this Psalm is
about. It's called the Psalm of the cross and look how it
begins. Verse one, my God, my God, why
has thou forsaken me? Why art thou so far from helping
me? And from the words of my roaring. Now the Lord had lived for 33
years in perfect communion with his father. There was no sin
to mar that communion. Perfect fellowship with his father. He could say with regard to his
own action, I do always those things that please the father. What a testimony. And what did
the father say of him? This is my beloved son. This is the son of my love in
whom I am well pleased. I love to think of the father
watching his son for those 33 years when he was an infant,
when he was a little boy, perhaps working in the carpenter shop
that 30 years of obscurity where no one knew him, but the father
did his three years of public ministry. Oh, how he pleased
the father. He could say, which of you can
convince me of sin? Can you imagine that? Which of
you can convince me of sin? None of them could. This is the one of whom it is
said in John chapter one, in the beginning was the Word and
the Word was with God. And the word was God. He's a distinct person. The word
was with God and he is God. The word was God. There isn't
anything I enjoy saying more than Jesus Christ is God. I love
to say that. I love to hear somebody else
say it. Jesus Christ is God. This one who is God, when he
cries out, and I say this fearfully, I'm scared when I say this. When he was forsaken by God,
he was no longer with God. Somebody says, explain that to
me. I can't possibly do it. But he
who was with God was forsaken by God. He was abandoned by God. He was left alone. My God, my God, Why have you
forsaken me? And why are you so far from helping
me? And the words of my roaring. His friend, Judas, betrayed him. and his father did not help him. All of his disciples forsook
him and fled, and his father did not help him. He's brought before the high
priest, falsely accused, mocked, and mistreated, and his father
did not help him. He's brought before Pilate, before
Herod, and back to Pilate, ridiculed, scorned, abused, tortured, and
his father did not help him. He's nailed to a cross. I want
you to try to think of what, and this doesn't get it done,
I realize that, but what if one of your children were nailed
to a cross? He was nailed to a cross and
his father did not help him. The son ceases to shine at this
time after three hours. And that lets us know that we
will never really understand what was going on. This was a
transaction between the father and the son that you and I could
never enter into. Believe, yes. Understand, no. But this was the Savior's darkest
moment And this was the apex of his obedience. Now I've got
three points to this message. Very simple. The reality of him
being forsaken, the reality. Second, the reason he was forsaken and third, the results of him
being forsaken. When David said in Psalm 22 verse
one, my God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Did he know
that he was speaking prophetically of the Lord Jesus Christ? Maybe,
I don't know, but I know this, he felt forsaken by God. He felt like God had removed
his hand from him. He felt like he had been left
to himself, but Did God forsake David? No, God did not forsake
David, but God did forsake his son. The physical suffering was horrific,
but the soul surfing, the soul suffering was infinitely worse. He was forsaken by his friends.
The scripture says all the disciples forsook him and fled. And you know, they were not saying,
even though he was doing this for them, they were not saying,
we realize you're doing this for us and we love you for it. No, they forsook him and they
fled. He was forsaken by his father.
And his father was not saying, I know these sins are not really
yours, that they belong to my people and they're just imputed
to you. No, the father didn't say that to him. You know, he
could take some solace in that if that were the case. He couldn't think, he didn't
think these sins are not mine. These are Todd's sins or any
of the elect sins imputed to me. They're not really mine.
He thought nothing of that kind. Those sins became his sins and
he was forsaken by God. I feel so like a beast knowing
I don't know what I'm talking about when I say this, but he
was experiencing what a damned soul experiences. All felt wrath is what he was
experiencing. And in his experience of the
wrath of God, it was unlike anyone else's experience. Here's why
everybody who feels the wrath of God hates him. They despise
him for what he's doing to them. They hate his very existence. And if they could, they would
make him not to be. But when the son was feeling
this wrath, he had never stopped loving his father. He loved his
father infinitely at this time. My God, my God, why hast thou
forsaken me? He couldn't even call him father
at this time. Martin Luther said this, God
forsaking God, who can understand that? I certainly can't and you
can't. but we would not be saved without
this. My God, my God, why hast thou
forsaken me? Now here's the next question. We see the reality of him being
forsaken. He really was forsaken by God.
He really was abandoned by God. He was separated from God. Oh, the pain that created for
him. Why was he forsaken? And when I give this answer,
I know it's true, and I don't feel it like I ought to. I don't
believe it like I ought to. I don't understand it like I
ought to. And the only reason I know this
is true is by looking to him and looking at what, that he
was forsaken. He was forsaken because that's what I deserve. That's why he was forsaken. Now,
do I enter into the depths of that? No, I don't. Do I believe that enough? No, I don't. Here's the only
thing that really confirms this to me, to see him being forsaken
by God. That is what I deserve. That is why he was forsaken. You see, he bear our sins, 1 Peter 2,
24. He bear our sins in his own body
on the tree. Now, David said in Psalm 37,
I've never seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging
for bread. When he was forsaken by a just
God, it was not as God forsaking the righteous. God's never forsaken
the righteous. It was God forsaking the guilty. He was guilty. He's not being treated as if
he was guilty. He was guilty. Second Corinthians 521 says,
for he hath made him sin for us who knew no sin that we might
be made the righteousness of God in him. Now I'd like you
to turn to Psalm 40. I want to look at two Psalms
to show you how real these sins actually became his sins and
that's why he was forsaken. In verse six of Psalm 40, sacrifice
and offering thou didst not desire. Mine ears hast thou opened. Burnt
offering and sin offering hast thou not required. Then said
I, lo, I come. In the volume of the book, it's
written of me, I delight to do thy will. Oh my God, yea, thy
law is within my heart. Now is there any doubt who's
speaking? This is quoted in Hebrews chapter 10 as the very words
of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now look what he says in verse
12 of this same psalm. For innumerable evils have compassed
me about mine iniquities, have taken hold
upon me so that I am not able to look up. They are more than
the hairs of mine head. Therefore, my heart faileth me."
Now turn to Psalm 69. Psalm 69, look in verse 20. Reproach hath broken my heart,
I'm full of heaviness. I look for some to take pity,
But there was none for comforters, but I found none. They gave me
also gall for my meat. And in my thirst, they gave me
vinegar to drink. Now, is there any doubt as to
who's speaking at this time? This is the Lord speaking from
the cross. And look what he says in the
first verse of this 69th Psalm. Save me, O God, for the waters
are coming to my soul. I sink in deep mire where there's
no standing. I'm coming to deep waters where
the floods overflow me. I am weary of my crying. My throat
is dried. My eyes fail while I wait for
my God. They that hate me without a cause
are more than the hairs of my head. They that would destroy
me being mine enemies wrongfully are mighty. Then I restored that
which I took not away. Oh God, and listen to this. Oh God, thou knowest my foolishness
and my sins are not hid from thee. For his righteousness to become
my personal righteousness, Not in word only, but in reality. My sin had to become his personal
sin. Not in word only, but in reality. And that is why God forsook him. He's treated as a damned soul,
made a curse. The wages of sin is death. And the gift of God is eternal
life by Jesus Christ, our Lord. Now, if God wouldn't have forsaken
him, he would have violated every one of his attributes as a just
God, as a holy God, as a righteous God who will punish sin. Why was he forsaken? It's because
of what I deserve. And the only way I can really
see that is by seeing what took place with him. I can't see how
I deserve this, as I know I should. I can only see this by what he
experienced, being forsaken by God. He was forsaken because
this is God's eternal purpose. I hope I don't go hardly amiss,
which is what, Quote in this scripture, the lamb slain, the
lamb having been slain from the foundation of the world. You
know what that means? He was forsaken before the foundation
of the world. And he's always also the lamb
raised from the foundation of the world. This is God's eternal
purpose to bring his son to do this. This has always been God's
purpose. This is the reason he created
the universe. So this might take place. This
is the reason he purpose for Adam to fall. So this might take
place. Him being delivered by the determinant
counsel and for knowledge of God. That's why it took place. He
said, the cup, which my father gave me to drink, shall I not
drink it? He was forsaken that the scriptures
might be fulfilled. David said, my God, my God, why
hast thou forsaken me? He said this prophetically, whether
he knew it or not, I don't know, perhaps he did, but I know this,
Christ must be forsaken that the scriptures be fulfilled. Why was he forsaken? That he might glorify his father. In God forsaking His Son on the
cross, every attribute of God is glorified, without any exception. This is the most glorious, God-like
thing God has ever done, in forsaking His Son on Calvary's tree. Romans 8.32 says he spared not
his own son. How that glorifies his holiness
and his justice. He spared not his own son. How that glorifies his love,
his mercy, and his grace that he would do that for folks like
me and you. He spared not his own son. How that glorifies his
wisdom in making a way for God to be just and justify. The ungodly. He spared not his
son. How that glorifies his sovereign
purpose. He purposed to do this before
time and now he does it. He spared not his son. How this
glorifies Christ's willing obedience to his father. He spared not his son. How God is glorified in the forsaking
of his son. Why was he forsaken? Because
of his love to his bride. Now I've heard preachers say,
with regard to Adam's transgression, that he looked at Eve after She
ate of the fruit and he knew what was going to happen to her.
And he loved her so much that he said, I'm going to eat of
the fruit too. And I'm going down with her. Did that happen? Be honest with you. I don't feel real comfortable
with that because it makes what he did appear almost noble. I mean, that seems like a great
act of love in him doing that. And this was rebellion against
God. It was sin against God. And I
don't really feel comfortable saying Adam did this in this
noble fashion to go down with Eve. Maybe he did, but I don't
think so. This was evil. But I do know
this, when the Lord took my sin, He knew the consequence
and he did it out of love for me. He did this out of love for every
one of his people. Love so amazing. I love the hymn,
I stand amazed in the presence of Jesus the Nazarene and wonder
how he could love me, a sinner condemned, unclean. Why was he
forsaken? Love for his bride. Finally, the results of him being
forsaken. Now, this is real clear. In the
very opening page of the New Testament, we're given this promise.
Thou shalt call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people
from their sins. It is now thou shalt call his
name Jesus for he hath saved his people from their sins."
That's the result of him being forsaken. He now says, I will
never leave thee nor forsake thee. Why? He has no reason to. Every one of his people are Holy,
unblameable, unreprovable, beautiful in his sight, justified, perfectly
righteous. He has no reason to forsake his
beautiful bride that he's made without spot or blemish or any
such thing. You see, the scripture says by
one offering, he had perfected forever them that are sanctified.
Now listen to this. I love saying this because if
you know me, you know that it can only be possible by this.
You're looking at a perfect man. I'm looking at some perfect men
and women. Perfect in God's sight. And how God sees is the way it
really is. Not only will he never forsake
his people, his people will never forsake him. Jeremiah 32, 40
says, I will make an everlasting covenant with them that I will
not turn away from them to do them good, but I will put my
fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from me. God's people will never forsake
him. Now, if I could, I would. But I can't, so I won't. God's people shall never forsake
him. He said, I give unto my sheep
eternal life. There was a missionary that was
in some tribe with a very limited language. very few words in their
vocabulary and he was trying to preach the gospel in their
language. What a difficult thing that must
have been to do to try to communicate the gospel with their language
with a very limited amount of vocabulary that he had to bring
the gospel to these people. And he asked a woman if she understood
what he'd been saying after he gave the story of the cross in
their language. What did you understand? She
said, he die or me die. He died, me no die. She heard the gospel, didn't
she? She heard the gospel. Now, if
you're a sinner, can you say yes to that? He died for you, and if he died, you will never
die. Aren't you thankful he was forsaken? That's great. Lord, we're amazed at the thought
of you forsaking your son. We're amazed at the thought of
your son willingly putting himself in the place to be forsaken. But Lord, it is what only God
would do. And Lord, while we are amazed
by this, we see your glory. We see your otherness and you're unlike anything
that can be compared to in this world. And we thank you that
you forsook your son, that we might not be forsaken. How we thank you for that. Lord, our thanks falls far short
of what it ought to be. We're so dull in our understanding,
but we're thankful for the light we have that because you forsook
your son, you will never forsake us. And we ask that you would
deliver us from looking anywhere at any time to anything or anyone
but what your son has done for us. In his name we pray. Amen.