Matthew 27
December 29, 2022
“From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land. About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, ‘Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?’ (which means ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’).” (v45-46)
The darkness over the land symbolizes the God-forsakenness that Jesus feels and declares from the cross. It is this, the Father’s abandonment (not the pain of the nails), for which Jesus was pleading for another way in Gethsemane (Matt 26:39). Never before, in all eternity, had Jesus ever experienced anything other than fellowship with the Father - until this moment, when Jesus willingly took upon Himself all of our sins - and with them, the just judgment of God. This is the moment Paul has in mind when he writes: “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Cor 5:21). No wonder Luther called this “the sweetest exchange.” Jesus took our sin, and gave us His righteousness. Hallelujah!
Lord Jesus, thank You for experiencing the forsakenness of God, so that we, who are in You, never will. Thank you for experiencing the Father turning His face away from You, so that we, who are in You, never will. Thank You for experiencing the abandonment of the Father, so that we, who are in You, never will. Remind me that even in the midst of circumstances that feel like I’m in a furnace, You are with me in the fire - just like You were with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego (Daniel 3). And if You are with me, then who can come against me? If You are with me, then what do I have to fear?!
— Pastor Joshua Brooks
Use the following steps to guide your daily time with the Lord…
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Start with prayer. Ask God to open your heart to help you understand and receive His Word.
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Read and observe the passage carefully. As needed, read a second Bible version to help with understanding.
➡️ What does it say?
What does this passage teach me about God? What does it say about my sinful nature and my need for God’s grace? How does this passage point to Jesus?
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➡️ What am I going to do about it?
Does this passage include a promise to claim, an action/attitude to avoid/embrace, or a principle to apply? How can this truth apply to my life? What could my next step be? How can I share this with others? Is there a verse or section of Scripture I need to memorize?
