Message from Scripture: 5/28/2021

 

Our message from Scripture today is Mark 15:34. “And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, ‘Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?’ which means, ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’”

 

How could God forsake His Son at any time, especially at this time?  Yet, this is what Jesus cried from the cross. Why would this be true?  During the hours of crucifixion, Jesus became sin for us.   “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Cor. 5:21).  Sin separates one from God (Isa. 59:2).  So, for the first and only time, Jesus was separated from the Father.  It wasn’t due to personal sinfulness on His part, but because He took our sins on Himself, that we might have life in Him.

 

What a price was paid for us!  Shouldn’t we, in all humility, thank God constantly, that He allowed His Son to die for us, taking sin’s penalty for Himself?  Rejoice that, through His death, though He was separated from the Father, we can be joined in fellowship with Him.  What kind of lives should we live, in view of the price paid for redemption?

 

It is possible we can separate ourselves from God. We can forsake Him by not assembling to worship Him, by not consciously living for Him, by taking for granted everything He has done for us in Christ, by the gospel not touching our hearts, and in living to please ourselves instead of dying to self to live for Christ. Why would we choose to live life from a carnal perspective, rather than in submission and devotion to Him? “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree; so that, having died to sins, we might live for righteousness (1 Pet. 2:24).

 

Today, let’s reevaluate our priorities, and give ourselves wholly and freely in submission and service to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Christ was separated to give us forgiveness of sin; may we not be separated because of our sins. God bless.

 

Robert