Mark 15:25-34

Mark 15:25-34  It was the third hour when they crucified him.  The written notice of the charge against him read: THE KING OF THE JEWS.  They crucified two robbers with him, one on his right and one on his left.  Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, “So! You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, come down from the cross and save yourself!”  In the same way the chief priests and the teachers of the law mocked him among themselves. “He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself!  Let this Christ, this King of Israel, come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe.” Those crucified with him also heaped insults on him.  At the sixth hour darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour.  And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” — which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” 

In this passage, we hear our Lord crying out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?”  We see the final emptying out of his physical and emotional strength.  He has been made sin for our redemption.  As with the scapegoat in the Old Testament, the sins of the people have been placed on his head.  Therefore, He is now separated from God by the judgment of God on sin.  He is now the complete sacrifice for sin, that which satisfies God's wrath on sin.  By being the Lamb for sinners slain, Jesus emptied out his right to be in the presence of God.  Otherwise, Jesus was completely alone.  Jesus said He always does what the Holy Spirit tells him to do, for He was filled with the Holy Spirit, but now even the Holy Spirit's voice is silent.  He is abandoned.  With no strength of his own, no supernatural power resting in his being, He is now totally in the hands of God, the Merciful One, with no rights of his own.  But by faith Jesus said through David's lips: "For I know all will be well with me in death -- You will not leave my soul in hell or let the body of your HOLY SON decay.  You will give me wonderful joy in your presence."  (Acts:2:26-28 Living Bible)  

God raised Jesus from that grave; Jesus did not raise himself.  Jesus was not sitting in his crucified body, waiting for three days and then miraculously resurrecting himself.  No, God sent angels to roll away the stone, depicting that God raised his beloved one from the dead, “Where, O death, is your victory?  Where, O death, is your sting?”  (1 Corinthians 15:55)  Sometimes we feel abandoned.  As we march through life, many difficult circumstances fall upon us.  We pray and nothing happens.  Others who are less spiritual seem to get ahead or not to have the troubles we face.  We feel God has left us.  We feel abandoned by the only one that we want to sing a song to, the only one that we want to praise wholeheartedly, the only one that comforts our souls in the middle of the night.  We feel alone, for we don't seem to hear his voice anymore; we don't feel his presence within our being.  In addition, the world seems to mock us.  Why do you believe in this Jesus?  What has your belief in him done for you?  You'll die just like the rest of us.  

BROTHER, SISTER, GOD WILL NOT ABANDON YOU.  Yes, your situation may look grim, even hopeless.  At this time you feel you're alone, but you are not.  Just as Jesus went to the cross alone, in the flesh we sometimes face difficult circumstances alone, for sure we will face death alone.  In such difficult times or on our journey, we must have faith.  We must look up, for Jesus promised never to leave us or to forsake us.  We must believe God will give each of us wonderful joy in his presence someday.  Even though we feel alone, even though our spirits cry out, My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?  He has not.  We are not left alone without the possibility of redemption.  We do not bear the sins of the world.  He is with us; He knows where we are.  Yes, our spirits may become forlorn, disappointed, desperate, but God is not ashamed of us, just as He was not ashamed of Jesus on that day.  He understood where Jesus was that day, and He knows where you are this day.  You are his child; He will not abandon you.  God will raise you up on that day.  He has given you life, and that more abundantly.  Your present struggle might be answered today, tomorrow, or a week from now, but maybe it won't be answered until you pass through the grave to HIM.  BUT IT WILL BE ANSWERED, FOR GOD INTENDS TO BRING YOU WONDERFUL JOY.  But right now, right this very minute, the Comforter abides within you, and He will give you peace and rest in the midst of anything and everything.  Most of you might not need today's breakfast, but for some of you, it will give you needed strength.  Eat up, let the Lord strengthen your spirit with his Word, FOR GOD IS YOUR ABBA FATHER AND HE IS GOOD.  Amen!