This Holy Week we will be considering the 7 things Jesus said at the Cross, as recorded in scripture. We will seek to understand what this shows us about Jesus and how we can walk in His way as redeemed and loved children of God.
*We will be pulling out these 7 sayings, one per day. If you want to read the full crucifixion accounts you can find them here: Matthew 27:32-56, Mark 15:21-41, Luke 23:26-49, and John 19:17-37
Day 4
Read from Matthew 27:46 / Mark 15:34
From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land. About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”)
Consider these ideas and questions. Make observations of your own. Journal your response.
- This phrase Jesus cried out is a call back to Psalm 22:1. Those who heard it would know this and that is was a messianic verse; a prophetic verse. In saying it, Jesus was fulfilling prophecy.
- In Psalm 22 David used these words in a time of great distress that felt to him like separation from God.
Jesus has gone through betrayal, false imprisonment, floggings, mocking, a crown of thorns, and the physical agony of crucifixion. This verse tells us the reality of the situation and the greatest distress of all: “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” The sinless Savior took on the sin of the world in the “Great Exchange.”
- When we have received Christ as our Savior, Leader and Forgiver, we don’t have to experience separation from God anymore. Spend some time thanking Jesus for taking your place.
- Jesus knew His purpose and mission. He spent His days in union with God. He was sinless. And yet he cried out feeling forsaken. Our Savior understands deep agonizing pain. He experienced anguish. What does this mean about His heart for you when you are in distress?
- Reflect on this description of Christ, our Suffering Savior, found in Isaiah 53:
Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem. Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
Respond:
Read the scripture passage again. Consider what you journaled. Consider what you noticed about the passage that wasn’t mentioned above.
Find quiet and slow your mind and your breathing. Ask God to meet with you exactly where you are and just be with Him.