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Sermon Supplement, Kihei Baptist, Kihei, Maui, Hawaii

Morning Worship Services, Lord's Day, March 12, 2006

THE SEVEN LAST WORDS OF JESUS FROM THE CROSS

Four: Desertion- "Why Has Thou Forsaken Me?"

Glenn Armstrong D.D. Pastor

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Review: The first words of Jesus were spoken as nails were being driven into His hands. They were words of FORGIVENESS, "Father forgive them for they know not what they do."

The second words were words of SALVATION, "Today shalt thou be with me in Paradise."

The third words were words of affection, "Woman, behold thy son."

The first words involved ignorance. They did not know the eternal condition of the crucifixion. The second words were a result of the thief's repentance and faith. The third words demonstrated the care and compassion of Jesus for Mary. Since His own earthly brothers were in rejection of Him, He placed Mary in the trust of the Apostle John.

INTRODUCTION TO THE TEXT:

The crucifixion of Jesus and His death on the cross is the final word of God about man's redemption from sin. While there is simplicity in receiving the gospel, faith and asking, there is also complexity. Any attempt to tamper with the truth of the substitutionary sacrifice of the Son of God nullifies the whole redemptive message. When the theological liberals and others deny the death of Jesus on the cross and teach that He was given drugs that put Him into a state of a suspended animation coma from which He revived in the cool tomb, they have changed the message into a lie and God into a liar. The clear teaching of the text is that Jesus refused the drug, Matthew 27:34, and only later accepted vinegar to quench His thirst. Worse, by rejecting the evidence of Christ's death, the gospel would be based on error and sinful mankind would remain hopelessly in an impossible eternal struggle for self-redemption.

The complexity of the crucifixion involves at least two seeming paradoxes. One, how is God just in permitting the innocent to be condemned in place of the guilty? Two, how can the trinity be even temporarily separated? The first is not so hard to explain, the second is impossible! The suffering and death of the innocent is clearly shown in the earliest of divine/human conditions. It is the whole of the biblical explanation of redemptive terms throughout Holy Scripture. It is also clear that Jesus chose to do the will of the Father with the understanding that no alternative conditions were acceptable to either Himself or God the Father, Luke 22:24. God has no plan "B" in salvation circumstances! There is no substitute for salvation and there is no salvation without a substitute.

The best I can do with the complex paradox regarding separation within the trinity is to point out that humans were created in the likeness of God and have a body, soul, and spirit. It is possible for the soul, the immaterial part of man, to function in seeming contradiction to the body, material part. Everyone knows that the emotions at times function by over riding the mind and body. The trinity is best understood in the terms that God is united in one primary essence but diversified in three personas, (persons, the Father, the Son, and Holy Spirit). While the trinity is a seeming paradox it is not a contradiction. In fact, it is an essential foundational doctrine of the Christian faith.

I. CHRIST'S CRY OF ANGUISH AND DESERTION BY THE FATHER FOLLOWED FORGIVENESS OF A CRIMINAL, Luke 24:43

A. God's nature is to provide redemption rather than retribution or even restitution. Retribution from God could be possible to a degree; however restitution is beyond human capability.

B. Justice usually operates on the concept of punishing the guilty in order to protect the innocent.

C. To provide redemption to a fallen universe, including humanity, God punished the innocent in order to forgive the guilty.

D. The judgment of the innocent to forgive the guilty was no new idea. It was promised to Adam following the original sin and fall, Genesis 3:15. It was also demonstrated by God in their covering by a coat made from the skins of innocent animals, Genesis 3:21.

E. The list of promises of a substitutionary sacrifice is too numerous to list--it is the bulk of the promises of the Old Testament.

F. Without the death of the Son of God, all religions, including liberal Christianity, becomes a desperate act of justifying the unjustifiable and the irrationality.

G. The forgiven criminal was forgiven without any self-redemptive activity. His past life was unpardoned and his present life was without redemptive capacity. All he could do was ask for forgiveness but acknowledging Christ's right to forgive his sins. What he could do is also all that anyone can do.

H. It is unfortunate that many today do what the unpardoned thief did, namely, ridicule the only one who can save them. Thousands curse our only Lord and savior daily without remorse. The Bible anticipates that the fear of God will be gone and not coming back!

II. CHRIST'S CRY OF ANGUISH AND DESERTION BY THE FATHER FOLLOWED VISIBLE PHENOMENA, Matthew 27:45; Luke 24: 44, 45

A. There are two visible phenomena that accompanied the Father's rejection of His innocent Son.

1. The sudden darkness.

a. The sudden darkness cannot be attributed to night since the sun was at its highest nor was it an eclipse. It became mid-night at mid-day. The darkness continued for three hours, certainly sufficient time for everyone to observe it and realize some form of supernatural activity was taking place. God the Father served sufficient notice to all to call them to repentance.

b. The timing of the darkness identifies the very time in which the Son of God became the sin bearer for lost humanity, "For He hath make Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him." II Corinthians 5:21 Darkness became the sign of the Father's turning away from the Son and leaving Him alone for three hours.

2. The destruction of the temple veil.

a. The veil in the temple was designed to separate man from the back third of the temple, called the Most Holy Place or Holy of Holies, which represented the place that housed the presence of God.

b. Only the High Priest was permitted to enter this part of the temple and then only on the one day of atonement each year.

c. The curtain measured 30 feet wide by 60 feet high and was woven 3 inches thick. It did not tear on its own. It was deliberately torn by God to make the point that man could now fellowship with God directly through His Son! Sin no longer needed to separate man from God. It could be pardoned because it was now being paid for at the Cross, Isaiah 59:2.

d. Christ, by His death, now represents us to God without the aid of a human priest, Hebrews 4:16; 10:19-22.

3. The resurrection from the grave.

a. A third sensual phenomena, the resurrection of some local people who had died, is connected the redemption plan of God. Matthew 27:52,53. This is the third visual demonstration of the supernatural actions of God verifying His Son as the sole payment for sin.

b. No one who saw their decease relatives and acquaintances walking in the streets of Jerusalem could discount the work of God in the crucifixion of Christ.

c. The text records that the centurion and others who watched the crucifixion and death of Jesus became believers as a result of what they witnessed with their eyes and ears, Matthew 27:54.

B. Sense phenomena are a valid method of grasping an understanding of reality. This is true even if science tends to ignore it. In fact, science itself would be impossible without sensual observations.

III. CHRIST'S CRY OF ANGUISH AND DESERTION BY THE FATHER FOLLOWED A LOUD CRY FROM THE CROSS, Matthew 27:46

A. The two loud cries from Jesus while on the cross is a clear testimony that He did not die from effects of his beatings and crucifixion.

B. Death by crucifixion was accompanied by muscular spasms, asphyxia, prolonged agony, hermodynamic effects of the scourging, fatigue, dehydration stress, congestive heart failure, etc. The two most common causes of final death by crucifixion were hypovolemic shock and exhaustion asphyxia.

C. The Latin word, "excruciatus" has its meaning from death by crucifixion. Our word for extreme pain, excruciating, come for the Latin word describing the suffering of individuals nailed to the cross and means, "out of the cross."

D. Jesus was on the cross less time than normal for death by crucifixion. He rejected the offer of a drug to reduce suffering and make the crucifixion more bearable. He did take vinegar when it was offered.

E. The willful death of Jesus followed a second loud cry from the Lord, Matthew 27:50.

IV. CHRIST'S CRY OF ANGUISH AND DESERTION BY THE FATHER FOLLOWED A DISASSOCIATION WITHIN THE TRINITY, Matthew 27:46

A. It is clear why others forsook the Lord. Fear, sinful disregard, willful rejection and the like caused many to reject Him. He had just turned down the crowd who wanted to make Him their king in an act of rebellion against Rome.

B. However, the rejection of the Father was not just one person rejecting another in an act of selfish desertion. This was the Son of God rejected by God the Father! It was an action of God that is contrary to His promise to believers, Hebrews 13:5.

C. When our sin was placed on the Lord, the eternal unbroken fellowship within the trinity was temporarily interrupted.

D. Only when the Father rejected the Son, did Jesus complain about the effects of the Cross. Being abandoned by God was the real price of redemption. It is incongruous to even think that the Father will accept any other plan for the payment of sin. Certainly, He will not accept religious rituals for anyone's redemption.

V. CHRIST'S CRY OF ANGUISH AND DESERTION BY THE FATHER IS FOLLOWED BY THEOLOGICAL CHANGE, Matthew 27:26; Luke 24:45

A. When our Lord was rejected by the Father, divine love and justice merged.

The claims of truth and righteousness were modified by mercy. Guilt met grace and the payment produced pardon.

B. The eternal question, "How can holiness, truth and justice ever find agreement with love, grace and mercy?" is answered. They meet at Calvary and God is satisfied with the payment of His Son's death.

C. While this was settled in a contractual agreement within Godhood in eternity past, it was not appropriated until it became an historical fact, I Peter 1:2-4; Ephesians 1:4-6; Romans 8:18-25;

D. At the cross Jesus was, "made sin for us", II Corinthians 5:21. This was the will of the Father and in perfectly agreement of the Son, Matthew 26: 36-39.

E. For every believer, the Son of God becomes our advocate, He speaks for us, I John 2:1,2. However, no one could speak in the defense of Jesus when He willingly became the substitute payment for sin.

F. The eternally agreed upon contract, made between the Father and the Son, was finalized as a testimony upon the death of Jesus. This contract was clear, God the Father would accept as paid for and pardoned, anyone who offered their trust in His Son as payment for their sin. Everything else would be rejected.

G. What was promised in the Garden of Eden was provided in the garden of

Calvary, John 19:41.

CONCLUSION: The following are observations, which need to be acknowledged, even if this article does not have as its purpose the analysis of each observation:

1. Liberal theologians universally reject the universal offering of Christ on the Cross as the sole payment for sin. This is true simply because of their rejection of the absolute justice of God, the universal total depravity of all humanity, and substitionary sacrifice of the innocent for the guilty.

2. The preaching of the cross is still foolish to the unregenerate, I Corinthians 1:18. What is foolish to the unsaved is that a personal God exists, that He is absolutely holy and wholly apart from sin, that He is creator of everything and everyone is accountable to Him as the moral governor of the universe.

3. The rejection of the cross is often argued against by saying that the innocent should not suffer for the guilty. In Christianity, this they conceive, is immoral, yet in combat, and other situations, the innocent one who willing dies for another is honored.

4. Coming to Christ for the purpose of personal financial, health and gains (greed) is different from coming to Christ for redemption (grace).

5. Sinful humanity is without any means of self-redemption. Religion and personal righteousness can never equal God's demands for redemption. If liberal theology is carried out to the completed logic, the only conclusion would be that all are eternally lost and without hope for change.

6. God's love does not function apart from the rest of His attributes, such as righteousness, holiness, justice, truth, etc, which argue that God cannot overlook sin.

7. There is no moral objection to the death of Christ in place of sinful people if He did so as a demonstration of His personal will, John 10:18. Which is precisely what Jesus did!

8. To assume that God had a plurality of plans for the redemption of sinful mankind is absurd. If there were other possibilities, He would not have required the death of His son.

9. Any other replacement of Christ and the cross for salvation is a contradictory concept. Opposite ideas can never both be right. To teach that contradictory precepts can both be true is logically an impossibility.

10. Nothing can be as serious than to foster the theological teaching that something other than Calvary is equal to God's just demand against sin. To teach that we are saved by the life of Christ rather than by His death is a fatal deviation from the gospel. The result of the deviation is that people, religious people, assume they are headed to heaven by some other means that Calvary.

11. Any replacement of the work of Christ on Calvary is both anti-Christian and antichrist, II John 2-11. The clear application of this passage is that no believer should give one minute of his time, one cent of his money, one nod of his head in agreement, or one moment of his presence in agreement to any system of theology that is in contradiction to Calvary. Yet, many, so very many, do and couldn't care less! In doing so, they add support to the theological error of falsifying the death of Jesus as God's only payment for sin.

GAA/3/12/06 (f)

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Review: The first words of Jesus from the Cross were words of FORGIVENESS, "Father forgive them, for they know not what they do." The second words were words of SALVATION, "Today shalt thou be with me in Paradise." The third words were words of AFFECTION, " Woman behold thy son." The fourth words were words of ANGUISH, "My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me?"

INTRODUCTION TO THE TEXT:

The fifth saying of Jesus from the cross is found only in the Gospel of John.

The fact that not all the gospel writers included the same material is evidence of revelation. It clearly verifies that the Holy Scriptures were not the result of collusion among early believers, but rather the result of each one being guided by the Holy Spirit in their records and writings as Jesus predicted, John 14:26. John was the last of the gospel writers and may have had access to the others writing; yet he did not write with the same purpose. They recorded a synoptic of the life of Jesus. John wrote to prove a thesis, that Jesus was the eternally creative God in human flesh and form. As such, He could rearrange the laws of nature to fit His own purposes. John's conclusion was that Jesus and God the Father were of the same nature and Jesus could be trusted as the promised Messiah/Redeemer, John 20:30,31.

I. FROM CHRIST'S CRY OF SUFFERING WE LEARN OF HIS DEEP REVERENCE FOR THE INSPIRED HOLY SCRIPTURES.

A. The cry of Jesus from the cross, "I thirst", is recorded only by the Apostle John.

B. The context in John is from the prophetic announcement of the Christ's death as recorded in Psalms 69:21, "They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink."

C. The following are only some of the Old Testament prophecies fulfilled at the crucifixion of Christ at Calvary:

1. the betrayal of a friend

2. being forsaken by the disciples

3. false accusations

4. silence before the judges

5. proven and declared guiltless

6. numbered with transgressors

7. crucified

8. mocked by the crowd

9. garments gambled for

10. prayed for his enemies

11. forsaken by God

12. buried in a borrowed tomb

D. Jesus bowed to the authority of the Holy Scriptures. So should all believers. The complaint that the Word of God is too restrictive is invalid even if it comes from the best of sources.

E. Jesus believed in the verbal (word perfect), plenary (all scripture), inerrant (truth with out mixture of error) inspired (Holy Spirit guided revelation) formation of the Holy Scriptures, II Timothy 3:16; II Peter 16-21.

II. FROM CHRIST'S CRY OF SUFFERING WE LEARN OF HIS DIVINE/HUMAN NATURE.

A. Christ's cry of thirst reveals the human part of Jesus.

B. The incarnation of Jesus is a singularity, in which God became man. This is in complete contradiction to other concepts of divine beings that assume man can become God. Surprisingly, this error is being taught by some of the current Christian leaders!

C. Jesus was not a divine man. God did not manifest Himself through a man, but became a man, I Timothy 3:16, "And without controversy great is the mystery of Godliness; God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory."

D. Jesus was, very God of very God and at the same time very man of very man forming a perfect hypostatic union of natures into one person.

E. At no time did Jesus cease to be God, nor did he ever lose a single attribute associated with His Godhood. He emptied Himself of His glory and chose to limit the use of His non-moral attributes without ceasing to be what He always was, Philippians 2:6,7, "Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God. But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross."

F. The Gospel of John was written to demonstrate that all nature was subject to the words and will of Christ as its creator.

G. There was no way to show God the Father separate from showing God the Son, compare John 1:18 with John 14:9.

H. God became man for the very purpose of experiencing the human condition, Hebrews 4:14-16. Because of the incarnation of Christ, we now have a great high priest in heaven who represents us, having experienced our struggles of life and asks us to come directly and boldly to Him without the need for a human priest to represent us.

I. Today's sloppy theology has reduced the eternal person, power and character of Christ to little more than a familiar friend that we treat often with disrespect or use for our personal gain and greed.

III. FROM CHRIST'S CRY OF SUFFERING WE LEARN THAT HE SUFFERED AS A MAN WITHOUT USING HIS DIVINE NATURE.

A. In seeming anticipation of Christ's death on Calvary, Jeremiah wrote a descriptive account of the rejection of Christ. He knew the world would not have time for the Savior, Lamentations 1:12 "Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by?"

B. Matthew records they gave Jesus vinegar to drink for His thirst, Matthew 27:47-49.

C. The cry of suffering immediately followed the three hours of darkness in which the Father had turned His back on the Son. Jesus was crucified on the third hour, Mark 15: 24. The darkness was from the sixth to the ninth hours, Matthew 27:45. Jesus was on the cross for at least six hours.

D. During this time it appears that He had a clear mind and still a strong body. He was able to cry out with a loud voice on two occasions before He died as an act of His own will.

IV. FROM CHRIST'S CRY OF SUFFERING WE LEARN THAT HIS DESIRE WAS TO DO THE WILL OF GOD THE FATHER.

A. Jesus declared He was given "all power" in heaven and on earth, Matthew 28:18. He could turn water into wine, offered water to the woman at the well, yet He hung on the cross with parched lips.

B. Jesus warned that in hell there would be no water, Luke 16:24.

C. The suffering and death of Christ on the cross was for the expressed purpose of providing a deliverance from the eternal sufferings of hell.

Review: (1) To the Father, Jesus asked for forgiveness for the men nailing Him to the Cross, "Father forgive them for they know not what they do." (2) To the thief, Jesus spoke words of salvation, "Today thou shalt be with me in paradise." (3)To His mother He spoke words of consolation and comfort, "woman behold they son". (4) To God He spoke words of anguish and desertion, "My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me?" (5) To the crowd, He spoke words of suffering, "I thirst". (6) To the universe, He spoke words of accomplishment, "it is finished."

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REVIEW: (1) To the Father, Jesus asked for forgiveness for the men who nailed Him on the Cross, "Father forgive them for they know not what they do." (2) To the thief, Jesus spoke words of salvation, "Today thou shalt be with me in paradise." (3) To His mother, he spoke words of consolation and comfort, "Woman, behold thy son." (4) To God He spoke words of anguish and desertion, " My God, My God, why has thou forsaken me?" (5) To the crowd, He spoke words of suffering, " I thirst." (6) To the universe, He spoke words of accomplishment, "It is finished." (7) To the Father He spoke words of resignation, "Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit."

APPLICATIONS:

1. While all the words of the Lord are the voice of God and of equal authority, His last words take on additional importance since they are His dying words.

2. The last words of Jesus demonstrate His dying concerns, forgiving grace, redemption, comfort, compassion, suffering, death and trust.

3. The statements from the cross are final and fixed for eternity. To attempt to alter them is to nullify them.

4. When God finished His work for the redemption it is not negotiable.

5. What is finished by God cannot to be changed, altered, improved, added to or anything taken away for it.

6. What God made simple religion tends to make complex.

7. Substitution of anything in place of God's Son for salvation is an automatic rejection.

8. Trying to improve the work of Christ on the cross is like trying to improve a miniature portrait by giving a baboon paint and five-inch brush.

9. Any attempt to bypass Christ and His finished work on Calvary on the way to heaven is foolish and futile.

10. At Calvary the total debt of sin was sufficiently paid for by the Son of God.

11. The only thing an unsaved person can do with Christ's substitutionary death on the cross is either to accept it or reject it.

12. The only thing a believer can do with Christ's substitutionary death on the cross is to protect it or neglect it.

FATHER, INTO THY HANDS I COMMEND MY SPIRIT, Luke 23:46

The first and last recorded words of Jesus are words of complete dependability on God the Father. His first words were, "I must be about my Father's business." Luke 2:49. His last words were the finish of the Father's business. "Into thy hands I commend my spirit." Christ's only concern should also be our first task, namely, sharing the gospel by reaching the lost.

I. THE LORD'S LAST CRY FROM THE CROSS WAS A PROPHETIC FULFILLMENT WITH THE FATHER.

A. The cry was anticipated in Psalms 31:5

B. The cry was with a loud voice, not a weak dying voice.

C. The cry was an indication that the Lord was back in communication with the Father. This communication was temporarily disconnected the moment Jesus took sin upon Himself.

D. Jesus was on the cross six hours with three of them forsaken by the Father. (see earlier study)

E. Calling God Father is the exclusive right of His children. One of the benefits of the believer is to be given the same right that Jesus had in calling God, Father. We are called the "sons of God", I John 3:1,2.

F. Believers are instructed by God to come to Him in prayer as their Father, Matthew 7:11.

II. THE LORD'S LAST CRY FROM THE CROSS WAS A PLACE OF PROTECTIVE PROTECTION WITHIN THE HANDS OF GOD.

A. Jesus was no longer in the hands of men, but firmly committed into the hands of God. Luke 24:6,7; Acts 2:23.

B. The believer must be equally committed to the constant care of the Father, II Timothy 1:12.

C. Commitment implies total submission and full dependency.

D. Being totally committed into the hands of God is the greatest place to be and the only place of total security, John 10:29.

E. The hands of God are the power behind the creation of design of the universe, Psalms 8:1-6. The heavens are hand made.

F. The believer is kept by the power of God, I Peter 1:5.

III. THE LORD'S LAST CRY FROM THE CROSS WAS TO POSITION HIS SPIRIT INTO THE ETERNAL CARE OF GOD.

A. The spirit is the highest part of a person. The complexity of the person involves the interaction of the body (physical), soul (the immaterial part of a person), and spirit (the principle of life ascribed to animals, humans both human and divine).

B. The spirit of man is the seat of his intelligence and ability for abstract thought, I Corinthians 2:11 cf. Psalms 32:9. With the spirit we can know God. The soul of man is the seat of emotions and drive mechanisms. With the soul we can worship God. Man's soul connected to the spirit and often acts on an interchangeable manner. The soul of man never dies since man was made a "living soul."

C. All three parts of man are listed in I Thessalonians 5:23.

D. While spirit means, "breath" it does not mean that man is non-existent when his breath is gone. Man was created with an eternal existence by being created in the image of God.

E. Jesus was satisfied with placing His spirit into the care of the Father and so must we be satisfied. Nothing can be better for us.