Feb 07, 2011 The Cry From the Cross: Abandonment
Originally posted on March 25, 2o05
“Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?'” Matthew 27:46
Can anything generate more fear in the human heart than the thought of being abandoned? To be left alone, with no one to love, relate to, help or be helped by would be a terrifying state of existence. Imagine if you can, that everywhere you turned you found no one; if the people you normally saw and spoke with everyday were out of reach; if the ones you depended on were unavailable. Some have said this is what hell is- total abandonment.
What Jesus Was
This is what Jesus experienced on the cross. From noon until 3 p.m. on the Friday of Jesus’ crucifixion, the sky went dark. Darkness was the sign of judgment. Where the sun was to shine, the dark displeasure of God toward sin worked its justice and the Son of God was judged in our place. No sun would shine during those hours of execution. The Innocent would endure the hell of abandonment for the guilty.
During those three hours Jesus was left alone, for He alone could offer up the perfect sacrifice for sin. His cry from the cross tells us that not even the Heavenly Father came to His aid.
And what of the Father? His heart bled as did the body of His Son who was nailed by hands and feet to the cross. The abandonment of the cross was the plan and the pain of Father and Son for our salvation, and both bore it because they loved us.
Jesus was abandoned for us.
What We Will Never Be
Because Jesus took our place on the cross, we need never experience the abandonment He suffered there. For all who have faith in Jesus, a promise is given, “for He Himself has said, I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you’, so that we confidently say, The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. What will man do to me?'” (Hebrews 13:5-6)
Trust Jesus and you will never be abandoned.
What We Must Do
If we value the Savior on the cross, and if we trust His death as the payment for our sin, we will forsake all to love and follow Him. We will still love our families, go to work, and be good citizens, but we will abandon all that competes for the value of Jesus in our hearts. Jesus said, “If anyone wishes to come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.” (Mark 8:34)
Abandon all for Jesus, not Jesus for all.
Pastor Scott