THE FIRST THREE WORDS FROM THE CROSS
1. "Father, forgive them." Shows His pity for men
2. "Today, thou shalt be with me." Shows His power to save
3. "Woman, behold thy son." Shows His provision for those He loved
THE DIFFICULT WORD
1. My God, My God why hast thou forsaken me?
2. This is the word that identifies Jesus with sinners
I. Jesus Identifies With The Sinner's Darkness (V.45)
A. Darkness descends over the entire earth for three hours. (from noon to 3:00pm)
1. Many explanations for this, but this is supernatural
2. Tertullian records a worldwide darkness which the statesmen of Rome could not explain
3. Eclipse impossible: The time of the full moon - too long
B. Pictures for us the supernatural darkness brought by sin
1. The mind of man is darkened (Rom. 1:2 1)
2. The deeds of men apart from God are called the works of darkness (Rom. 13:12-14; Eph. 5:1 -11)
3. Man yields himself to Satan who is called the prince of darkness (Eph. 6:12)
4. Sin in its end brings eternal darkness (Matt. 8:12; 22:13)
C. Jesus, the light of the world, dies in darkness to deliver us from darkness (Col. 1: 12-14; John 8:12)
II. Jesus Identifies With The Sinner's Uncertainty (V. 46)
A . My God! My God! Why????
B. Jesus who was always so certain about everything
1. The experience with the doctors at age 12
2. At the wedding in Cana and at feeding of 5,000
3. When the storm was raging on the Sea of Galilee
C. The lost man lives in a world of uncertainty
1. Why am I here?
2. What is life all about?
D. This uncertainty leads to agony of soul
1. Isaiah: "The wicked are like the troubled sea" (Isa. 57:20-2 1)
2. The spiritual agony of sin: the drunkard, the thief, the liar, the adulteress, the gossip
E. Do you feel the agony of soul today that comes from sin?
F. Jesus feels it with you ... endured your uncertainty
III. Jesus Identifies With The Sinner's Separation From God (v. 46)
A. "Why hast thou forsaken me?"
B. impossible for the Father to look on Him as He took the sinner's place
C. Note: 2Co. 5:21, "For He made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin..."
D. Does not say "Father" but takes the place of a lost soul
E. He was forsaken that you might never be forsaken (Heb. 13:5)
It is not necessary for you to continue in darkness and uncertainty. Will you identify with him? Turn from sin to christ and trust him as your savior.