Jesus - Forsaken by His Father (for an hour)

In The Story we are now reading Matthew 26-27: Mark 14-15; Luke 22-23; John 7-8; 11-12.

In many ways this is a part of The Story in the Bible that I both love and hate as we discover what happens to Jesus in his final hours. Like the "Christmas" story, most of us have heard or read the "Easter - Good Friday" story a number of times. Unless you truly understand, there is nothing really "good" about Good Friday when you hear of how Jesus was treated.

I hate the way they treated Jesus on that day. I don't know how he actually endured all that he went through in those dark hours and they were all dark - emotionally, physically and spiritually. None of us have and will probably never experience what Jesus went through in his last hours.

How would you feel when one of your hand picked disciples, Judas, betrays you? I know he knew ahead of time that this would happen, but its still must have hurt!

What about when Jesus was praying in the garden. He knows that he is going to have to suffer and die. He wishes that he didn't have to go through with it. He asks three times to have this "cup" taken away and finally he gives into God's plan for his life and says "Thy will be done!" Meanwhile his disciples who were ask to pray for and support him can't even stay awake during one of his darkest hours.

What about when his # 1 disciple, Peter, who has followed Him whole-heartedly for 3 years and says that he is willing to die for Him, actually denies him and that he even knows him 3 times! Jesus knew that Peter would do this but just the same, it must have hurt and deeply saddened Jesus.

What about the hour when he is standing before the High Priest, who should have recognized Jesus for who he really was - the Son of God, the Messiah - condemns him to death for committing blasphemy. Jesus was telling the truth that he was the Son of God but they didn't want to believe him.

What about when he was beaten, spat upon and crowned with a crown of thorns and mocked.

What about when he was scourged so badly that he was unrecognizable.

What about when they actually nailed his hands and feet to a cross.

These were all difficult hours but the most difficult hour was the 9th hour when Jesus cries out, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Up to this point, God has always been with His son. The Father was in Jesus and Jesus was in the Father.  Jesus only did what the Father was doing. He only said what the Father was saying. He and the Father had always been one.

During Jesus' darkest hour, God in essence left him or abandoned him entirely during a time when he needed his Father the most. Jesus was bearing all our sin and the sin of the world on that cross at that hour. (2 Corinthians 5:21, 1 Peter 2:24) Because God is Holy and His eyes are too pure, He can not even look upon evil or be in the presence of sin (Habakkuk 1:13) God in essence had to turn His back on His Son. Jesus paid the penalty for our sins. He became the sacrificial Lamb of God that was slain to satisfy God's wrath. His shed blood pays the price for our sin. We are no longer guilty. We are justified and declared righteous in God's sight.    

Fortunately, because of Jesus Christ, Emmanuel (God with us), we can now truly thank God for His promise, "I will never leave thee or forsake thee". (Deuteronomy 31:6, Joshua 1:5, Hebrews 11:5). Jesus also says to us, "I will be with you always, to the end of the age." (Matthew 28:20)  We can have full assurance.

We will never, ever be forsaken by our Heavenly Father like Jesus was during his darkest hour. Because of what Jesus Christ did for us on the cross, when we confess our sin and repent, when we believe in Him and Son of God, our sins are forgiven and we are made whole and Holy in Christ. By faith, we are on the road to becoming more and more like Jesus (sanctification) and we also secure the promise of eternal life and of receiving our new glorified body when He returns and / or takes us home.

As you celebrate Easter and "Great Friday", reread the story again and remember what Jesus did for you - John 3:16 - during his darkest hour. Give Jesus thanks and praise. Express your love to Him. Love Him with everything you are and have. Follow Him. Become like Him and don't be ashamed of Him or ever deny Him.