Church was Cool Today

Not that church isn't always cool.

I just learned something I never knew before. Maybe you know it, but I didn't.

You know when the only begotten Son of God, Jesus Christ the Redeemer, was on the cross and He cried out, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" I had always taken this to mean that Jesus, bearing our sins upon Himself, was now separated from God the Father. I'm not sure how much theological sense this makes, but I won't get into that now.

My pastor, Michael, presented a far different interpretation of Christ's quote in his sermon this morning:
Jesus was presenting the Gospel in His final breaths before His death. Jesus was quoting the first line of Psalm 22, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" (My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?").

In the time of His crucifixion, written passages were referred to by their first line or two, not titles or labels like we have today. It is likely that it was the entire passage of Psalm 22 that Jesus wanted to convey as He was being asphyxiated by His own weight on the cross. When you read the passage, read it as if this is what Christ wanted to get across:

"My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
       Why are you so far from saving me,
       so far from the words of my groaning?
O my God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer,
       by night, and am not silent.
Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One;
       you are the praise of Israel. 
 In you our fathers put their trust;
       they trusted and you delivered them.
 They cried to you and were saved;
       in you they trusted and were not disappointed.
 But I am a worm and not a man,
       scorned by men and despised by the people.
 All who see me mock me;
       they hurl insults, shaking their heads:
 "He trusts in the LORD;
       let the LORD rescue him.
       Let him deliver him,
       since he delights in him."
 Yet you brought me out of the womb;
       you made me trust in you
       even at my mother's breast.
 From birth I was cast upon you;
       from my mother's womb you have been my God.
 Do not be far from me,
       for trouble is near
       and there is no one to help.
 Many bulls surround me;
       strong bulls of Bashan encircle me.
 Roaring lions tearing their prey
       open their mouths wide against me.
 I am poured out like water,
       and all my bones are out of joint.
       My heart has turned to wax;
       it has melted away within me.
 My strength is dried up like a potsherd,
       and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth;
       you lay me in the dust of death.
 Dogs have surrounded me;
       a band of evil men has encircled me,
       they have pierced my hands and my feet.
 I can count all my bones;
       people stare and gloat over me.
 They divide my garments among them
       and cast lots for my clothing.
 But you, O LORD, be not far off;
       O my Strength, come quickly to help me.
 Deliver my life from the sword,
       my precious life from the power of the dogs.
 Rescue me from the mouth of the lions;
       save me from the horns of the wild oxen.
 I will declare your name to my brothers;
       in the congregation I will praise you.
 You who fear the LORD, praise him!
       All you descendants of Jacob, honor him!
       Revere him, all you descendants of Israel!
 For he has not despised or disdained
       the suffering of the afflicted one;
       he has not hidden his face from him
       but has listened to his cry for help.
 From you comes the theme of my praise in the great assembly;
       before those who fear you will I fulfill my vows.
 The poor will eat and be satisfied;
       they who seek the LORD will praise him—
       may your hearts live forever!
 All the ends of the earth
       will remember and turn to the LORD,
       and all the families of the nations
       will bow down before him,
 for dominion belongs to the LORD
       and he rules over the nations.
 All the rich of the earth will feast and worship;
       all who go down to the dust will kneel before him—
       those who cannot keep themselves alive.
 Posterity will serve him;
       future generations will be told about the Lord.
 They will proclaim his righteousness
       to a people yet unborn—
       for he has done it."

Not only was Jesus proclaiming that He fulfilled the prophesy of the Messiah's death on the cross ("they have pierced my hands and my feet"), He was proclaiming the Gospel to the world.

He was proclaiming the way in which he was mocked by sinners unto His death ("He trusts in the LORD, let the LORD rescue Him").

He was proclaiming His Message to me and to you, "a people yet unborn."

He was proclaiming that His righteousness is inherited by faith, not by works.

"For He has done it."