Last words of the cross (4)

Matthew 27:46

CRY OF THE SOUL

It was the 9^th hour and darkness covered the land. Spurgeon comments, “Our Lord was then in the darkest part of His way. He had trodden the winepress for hours, and the work was almost finished. He had reached the culminating point of His anguish.”[1] At this point came the cry of His soul: “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” It declares the feeling of rejection. There are three reasons the Son was rejected:

            It was the moment our sin became His. It is not the result of any corporeal pain being endured. He bore at that moment the wrath of God on account of our sins. God rejecting God—who can understand this? It was the ingredient of His atoning sufferings. He was taking on our sin that was may be righteous before God (2 Cor. 5:21).

            God did not interfere on Christ’s behalf to terminate those sufferings and rescue Him from the hands of His enemies. His plan and will had to be carried out. The payment had to be paid. It was the manifestation of God’s regard for the honor of His law and will.

            The Son was left destitute of the sense of His Father’s care and protection. God’s comfort may be withdrawn, but not His presence! The will of men was free to carry out Satan’s desires. It was allowed of God, but not His doing.

How should this endear the Redeemer of the world to us, who was willing to suffer such things for our sakes. In this cry we see the completeness of Christ’s obedience. He paid it all!  

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[1] Charles Haddon Spurgeon, CHRIST’S WORDS FROM THE CROSS, [Grand Rapids, Zondervan, 1965], 51

Snapshot of Jesus in Mark #7

A SNAPSHOT TAKEN BY JESUS

Mark 8:36-37

The job of a photographer is to capture a moment of time on film. In a sense that is what every photograph does, no matter what the subject. However, there are instances where the photograph captures more than just time. It captures not only time, but the character and essence of the subject. It captures not only the subject but the viewer, and lifts him to new heights of perception, feeling, and understanding. These types of photographs are exceptional.

One such snapshot is found in Mark 8. It is a group snapshot, not of Jesus, but by Jesus. In it we see that he gathers a crowd—unbelievers and disciples alike. It is a snapshot of a larger snapshot by Mark of Jesus being confessed as the Christ by Peter. While Mark takes his snapshot of Jesus; at the conclusion Jesus takes his snapshot of the group. It is as if Mark is taking a picture of Jesus taking a picture of the crowd. In this snapshot by Jesus, he captures the character and essence of the crowd, and lifts them to new heights of perception, feeling, and understanding.

The snapshot is found in the words of verses 36 and 37: “For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul? For what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” These are exceptional words that bring us face to face with ourselves. It forces us to look internal and see ourselves the way we are. I believe it was Moody who once said that an untouched portrait of ourselves will show warts and all. The camera does not lie. This portrait forces us to look at our warts and all, to examine our own hearts and minds, to examine our values and priorities, and to come face to face with our own delusions.

·        We delude ourselves by sacrificing honor for profit.

·        We delude ourselves by sacrificing principle for popularity.

·        We delude ourselves by sacrificing the eternal for the temporary.

·        We delude ourselves by sacrificing love for lust.

·        We delude ourselves by sacrificing repentance for reformation.

Jesus’ snapshot of us confronts us with us. Are we sacrificing the moment for the eternal? Jesus is showing us the important, sensible, and most satisfying decision which we can make—to follow Him (cf. 8:34).