Tallowood Baptist Church
Tallowood Baptist Church
Words from the Cross: Feeling Forsaken
Do you ever feel forsaken? Perhaps you have heard the expression “God-forsaken” used to describe a place or a person. Is anybody really God-forsaken? In our fourth study of Jesus’ words from the cross we see that he chose to use the words of Psalm 22 to express his prayer to his Father. It is sometimes called the “cry of dereliction.” The verse gives us a lens into Jesus’ thoughts on the cross. A song from years ago illumines our thoughts today: “I’m forgiven because You were forsaken.” Message based on Matthew 27:45-47.
Quotes:
Duane Brooks: I know we are not supposed to ask why.
Jeremy Begbie: Lord, you are creator and sovereign, but why did the wind come like a snake and tear our roofs off? Why why did a mob cut short the life of one of our own children when he had everything to live for? Over and over again, Lord, we are in the midst of death.
Tom Long: Elijah wasn't coming. No squadron of angels was about to show up. Peter wasn't going to come and snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. He was nowhere to be found.
Duane Brooks: There are people all over this world, even those who follow Jesus, who may feel forsaken, who may feel forgotten, you may even be forlorn, but I came this morning to to bring you good news that because Jesus on that cross was forsaken for us, You and I will never be forsaken by God.
Duane Brooks: I'm telling you that the price that Jesus paid when he prayed, my God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Was bigger than the national debt. Amen. Jesus paid it all.
Frederick Buechner: As the farthest reach of our love for each other is loving our enemies, as the farthest reach of God's love for us is loving us at our most unlovable and unlovely, so the farthest reach of our love for God is loving him when in almost every way that matters we can neither see him nor hear him ... when the worst of the wilderness for us is the fear that he has forsaken us if indeed he exists at all.
Duane Brooks: His forgiveness which is free to us, but costly to him is full and final and it belongs to us in Jesus Christ. And this is the greatest news of all.
#suffering #abandoned #forgiveness #Jesus #sacrifice #hope #passion #separation
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