DR. J. HOWARD MILLS

Calvary Baptist Church

Bremen, Ga. 

FORSAKEN

MATT: 27: 45-49

INTRO: This fourth statement introduces mystery, here we have deep waters. We can no more measure the depths of His suffering than measure the heights of His love. Let us see three Mysteries:

(1) THE DARKNESS AROUND THE CROSS:

From noon until three o'clock in the afternoon, darkness was over all the land. This was a supernatural darkness, not a sandstorm or an eclipse... BUT what kind of darkness was it? Why did it come?

A: Darkness of Sympathy:

The Creator was dying on the cross, and all of creation was suffering with the Creator. We have to remember that when the first man and woman sinned, what they did affected all of creation. Now God forgave their sin, But He could not deliver them from the sad consequences of their sin.   Adam had to sweat for his daily bread.   Eve would conceive and bear children in pain and suffering.   The ground would come forth with thorns and briars. Death came on the scene, All creation is suffering because of man's sin.

When Jesus died, He did redeem creation. Man took thorns and made a crown and put that crown upon His head as they mocked Him. But really, that crown of thorns was symbolic of what He did.. He took ours sins to the Cross.... Amen.

B: Darkness of severity:

The just died for the unjust.   I remember that in the Book of Exodus there was a great darkness. The ninth plague that God sent to Egypt was three days of darkness, a darkness so thick it could almost be felt... There was darkness over Egypt before that final judgment of the Passover and the death of the firstborn. Behold the Lord Jesus Christ in three hours of darkness! God was saying this is the hour of severe judgment. Our Lord's death on the cross was a very serious and holy event...John 12:31-32 Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out. 32And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.   I would remind you that in the Bible "outer darkness" is a name for hell. The Cross is a preview of the outer darkness of the dammed in the lake of fire. Some people have the idea that hell is just "heaven with the lights turned out." They think that there will be friendship and fellowship in hell. NO NO NO.... NOT SO.

C: Darkness of Secrecy:

In those three hours Jesus Christ was accomplishing a great work that He alone could accomplish. You will recall that on the Day of Atonement,  when the high priest went into the tabernacle or the temple, he went alone. When Jesus was on the cross during those three hours of darkness, He was carrying on an eternal transaction with His Father... He finished the word He came to do.... John 17:4 I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. (The Word of Salvation...)

(2) THE DESOLATION ON THE CROSS:

He went with His 12 apostles into the upper room. Judas left and only 11 were with Him. He took the 11 to the Garden of Gethsemane; three entered into the garden with Him, and they went to sleep! Then Peter and John went into the courtyard, where Peter denied Him, And then they all forsook Him and fled. He was left alone!  Men forsook Him, but the Father was with Him..John 8:29 And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.  BUT at the Cross the Father left Him! Why was He lonely ... That is what sin does-- sin isolates. Sin separates man from God. Sin separates man from man.. (The Prodigal Son)... Also ( Adam and Eve). God was with Joseph in his trials, with Daniel, and with David, BUT His own Son was forsaken. Why? He was forsaken of the Father that we might never be forsaken of the Father! He went through darkness that we might have light.

(3) THE DULLNESS BEFORE THE CROSS:

 There were many people-- the soldiers and others, before the cross. They heard His cry, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" BUT they were blind. They said, "He's calling for Elijah v:47. They were dull of Scriptures, He was quoting Psalm 22:1... Look also at Psalm 22:7-8 All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head saying, 8He trusted on the Lord that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him. THEN LOOK AT. Psalm 22:18 They part my garments among them, and cast lots  upon my vesture. So they were blind to the Saviour. (He was our Scapegoat on Golgotha...Amen)  They were dull of their Sin. He did not just bear our sins, He became All Sin....If we want God to cover our sins, we must uncover them, confess them to God and to others against whom we may have sinned: Proverbs 28:13 He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.  My hardest job, said the warden of a penitentiary, is to convince delinquents that they have done something wrong.

I trust you are not blind today but that, by faith, you have seen the Lamp of God who died for you. O. Henry the writer of short stories, said as he was dying, "Turn up the lights-- I don't want to go home in the dark."  No Christian ever goes home in the dark...Proverbs 4:18 But the path of he just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.