“Son, I don’t want anything to do with you!” These are the most devastating words a son can hear. It’s worse when the father says nothing, but simply turns his back and walks away. Jesus faced this rejection from His Father as He breathed out His life on the cross.
“Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
The scourging, beatings, and ridicule were unbearable, but this rejection by His Father was worse. Darkness over Jerusalem from 12:00 till 3:00 p.m. dramatically underscored the chaos and devastation of this rejection. But Matthew did give us an answer to Jesus' question. Remember the name the angel gave to Joseph at the beginning in the birth narrative? "You will call His name Jesus for He will save His people from their sins" (Matthew 11:21).
God rejected His Son so that we could be forgiven. Because God turned away from His Son at Calvary, He will never turn away from those of us who trust His Son's payment for our sins. The Apostle Paul put it like this, “He who knew no sin, became sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)
LORD, I know how much it hurts me when I’m rejected, but I’ll never begin to know your agony when You screamed out as your Father turned away. Challenged about your identity as God’s Son and ridiculed as powerless to do anything about your shame--if proof is needed that we humans deserve eternal punishment, it was proved by those who mocked and watched at the foot of the cross. Why You took our death sentence, I will never understand, but help me never stop singing, “He left His Father’s throne above, So free, so infinite His grace! Emptied Himself of all but love, And bled for Adam’s helpless race.
Amazing love! How can it be That Thou my God, shouldst die for me!”
For more from Dave Wyrtzen please visit TruthEncounter.com!
No comments:
Post a Comment