Why Have You Forsaken Me? Part 2

Janie Greer you must stand amazed at his love for you in his darkest hour, the circumstances of the cross were designed to put God's love for you on display God turn his back on his most beloved son because God so love the world you know smiling that events looking at what is perfectly shocking moment in all of Scripture and God the father turned his face away from his son Jesus. And why did he do that so we can ultimately welcome us into his presence. It's part of our series called the difficult things of Jesus.

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Today's message is titled why have you forsaken me.

John 14 verse 32 day that is, the disciples and Jesus went to a place called Gethsemane, which literally in Aramaic means oil press and Jesus said to his disciples sit here while I pray that Peter and James and John began to be greatly distressed, in trouble going on a little farther, he fell on the ground and prayed that if it were possible, the hour might pass from him when he said, father, daddy, all things are possible for you remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will but what you will hear is the son of God spoke the world into existence created universes as easily as you and I speak words walked on top of angry waves spoke to storms and they dissipated who would speak to a legion of demons and they would flee spoke to people with the greatest diseases and they would be healed, called the dead men in their graves and they got up there is that son of God, crying out under such strain that the capillaries in his face begin to burse what is really verse 36.

Notice what he prays about father. Daddy, all things are possible for you remove this cup from me because God daddy Abba about Betty, which is the term of closest intimacy with God. Polygamist for the first time in his life. For the first time in eternity. There is no response to verse 37 what you don't see in verse 37 silence. She had always thought that what made Jesus death so bad with the physical horrors that went along with it and they were terrible. Cicero said while the Romans goals and crucifixion was complete and utter humiliation. Jesus was nailed up on a cross naked in a public place in the full light of day. So yes the physical horrors of the cross were terrible, but listen, that is not in Gethsemane.

What made Jesus Dr. it was the abandonment by God that he faced that was the horror of the cross for him in Gethsemane Jesus looked full into the cup of God's wrath and overwhelm them so badly that almost killed Jesus stood in the way of the wrath of God. He took the cup, he took it in our place. He drank it to the drags.

He turned it over. Set it down and said it is finished. By the way, what you really what you really curtail the idea that there are multiple ways to God as if God your Jesus is a God, if there's any other way with the capacity got to watch it is another way/a lot of other ways to be a person.

Be sincere to be there five. What greater insole.

Could you possibly give Jesus Christ.

He is in the hour when he calls out for his daddy away, because if there is no other way. God had determined to save us, and this was the only way if you and I have been in my garden and we had stood beside Jesus and said no, no, don't touch this Jesus would've said I have to this cup is your and I'm drinking it in your place so that you will not have to. He was despised and rejected of men. He was in this garden, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. Surely, though he was barren. Our sorrows, yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities. The price of our peace was upon him so that by his stripes we would be healed. All we like CPC had gone astray, turn every one of us. We had turned everyone to our own way to the Lord laid on him in that moment, the iniquity of us all. He drank that cup in my place but not a drop would be left for me.

You see, that's what the gospel is in its purest essence the gospel is one word substitution.

The way we say around here is forwards Jesus in my place. Jesus drank the cup that I deserved it.

Live the life that I should've live… I should've died the drink this cup in my place so that no condemnation will be left for me because now I'm in Christ Jesus is not that God is just feeling merciful to me now. Now that he's in a good mood. Every bit of the condemnation report on the Jesus of the nothing left for me and it's offered to humanize a gift. Here's the question.

Have you received it.

Personally, because of the gift is a gift where he thinks somebody will pay for your sin, you will drink this cup on your own. A couple so bad it almost killed Jesus is looking at, or Jesus will take it in your place you received it is euro that's what Gethsemane meant for you and what it meant for your salvation. Now let me tell you what it means for you as you walk through the dark valleys of pain and loneliness and then I want to tell you really quickly right for the and what it means for us as we think about the mission of God is given to us. There is number one on the bar, the words of another pastor of this first point of the one you must stand amazed at his love for you in his darkest hour, you must stand amazed at his love for you in his darkest hour the cross.

Paul says put on display for us the depth of the love of God.

That's why the Angels Peter said long to look into it because in there they saw something about the love of God that could not be captured in words the Angels look in the God's face every day long to get a greater glimpse into what you and I are looking into right now. Jonathan Edwards asked this question about this is why why is it that the father did. Jesus is glimpse before he got to the cross.

Why show Jesus is in Gethsemane.

Why give them a glimpse of it before he gets there he said you think about its act together dangerous because maybe Jesus could change is not having seen it. Why why did he give Jesus a glare before he went away to securely fasten the cross before giving them a glimpse was his answer.

It was so what's this we could see Jesus to the cross voluntarily, knowing full well what he was about to experience so that his love for us would be put on display even the circumstances of the cross were designed to put God's love for you on display, God turned his back on his most beloved son because God so love the world you the gospel of Luke says the right, toward the end of this encounter in Angel came to minister to Jesus, the angel minister to Jesus and that moment we don't know what the angel said, but I wonder if Hebrews 12 to gives us an I hit it was talked to for the joyless of this, the joy that was set before Jesus. He endured the cross, joy. Maybe he said something that helped give Jesus joy as she went to the cross. Well, the joy of life. What is another way of asking that what was one thing that Jesus would have after the cross that he did not have before. What was the joy set before him that gave him the capacity to endure what would he obtain on that side of the cross that he did not have on this side of the cross was that thing. The approval of God the pleasure of God already have that the kingship of the universe already is. What was the one thing that he would have after the cross that he did not have before you.

You it is doing this to save you is a 43 so she went to the cross because we were precious in his sight precious. I told you that word means you give up anything else on earth, for it was my kids are precious to me. There's nothing on earth that I have that I would not give up for my children if I found out that my children had a disease, a disease that could not be cured except by one medicine. The medicine that had not been approved by insurance. The doctor said to get this medicine you got to sell everything that you ever had everything your ever going to have go into debt for the rest of your life without the slightest hesitation I would turn my back on all of it to obtain that medicine. Why because my children are precious to me as a 43 for the God who created the universe created 10 million more universes with just a word that God thought of you as precious as a 43 before I gave up the world for you.

First on 31 behold what manner of love the father has given unto us we should be called children of God sometimes is not! This was John safe use. Behold, it is behold the wondrous ministry Christ the Lord upon the tree in the state of ruin centers hangs the lambing victory and can it be that I should gain an interest in my Savior's blood died he for me who causes pain for me who him to death pursued amazing love how can it be that thou my God should die for me when over him that we don't sing much anymore. Could we would think the ocean fill more the skies of parchment made where every stalk on earth the coil and every man a scribe by trade to write the love of God above would drain the ocean drive, nor could the scroll containing the whole the stretch from sky sky is there is no explanation, you can feel it's you get a sense of the moments in your life that you have experienced this the most maybe came to another person maybe was alive yet a good father made was a good father's love and you thought this is something like the love of God, to remind nevermind me when I met with my kids at the beach.

You know they're gone they're not great swimmers yet about strong swimmers and so we go out and also the way the columns in it, you comes over their head and they're the kind of distraught and one of them will say to me, daddy too deep to deep. That healthy is just too deep out here and I'm like were in Fort Hatfield one and about not far out that way. It's 6 miles down your thinking for 1/2 feet is deep in the concept of the depth the greatest you've ever experienced.

This is like one of my children saying that when the love of God is deeper and wider and longer and richer than you and I have ever possibly comprehended you stand amazed by his love for you in your in his darkest hour that lead you to number two you believe in his love for you in your darkest hour. You believe in his love for you and your darkest hour. You see, because Jesus faced out aloneness because he was rejected by God in my place. I listen never have to fear really been forsaken by God because that's what the whole idea of substitution if he took my place. He took my condemnation, he took any rejection any aloneness that I deserve.

He took it. So now I can say there is no condemnation for me who is in Christ Jesus.

Why all the kind of major. The entire crop was taken by Jesus for God to give me a couple condemnation. What I thought Jesus hadn't done it cannot go condemnation. It's not that God is favorably disposed to me that there's nothing left to get on my place so that now when I walked about the shadow of death I can say I fear no evil. Why, because you are with me and you took the evil in my place. Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of our life. Why, because evil and wrath were taken by Jesus of goodness and mercy will be left for me. Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life. That's not a nursery rhyme that is a reflection on what happened to Gethsemane, there's nothing left for me but goodness and mercy.

Nothing. I know many of you have gone through some tremendously terrible things and I knew that during those times, it felt like God had abandoned you like you were alone you want. This shows it is even popular among Christians. I heard some say this, I'm just going to my Gethsemane I do not mean to minimize your pain but no you are not you will never have a Gethsemane never because Jesus went to the only one you will never be forsaken because he was forsaken, so that you would never be so when you say where is God wanted me to stop this letting me do something I thought I got this week you said that where was God when my dad died. Where was God when the church and I was a part of, turned his back on my mother now widow where was God. Why wasn't he doing something about that Gethsemane shows you that the one thing you never need to doubt is his love.

This is where he was. John Owen said that in light of the cross. The greatest unkindness you could ever give to God is to doubt the intensity of his love for you. We do not understand all that God is doing in our darkest hour, anymore than the disciples understood what was happening here, but we can never, we must never doubt his love while we slept in sin, he voluntarily went into hell for us there so I got sleep in your life. If I were gonna fly.

He's asleep to a good start shows you exactly the opposite. While you and I were sleeping comfortably in sin. That's the very moment that Jesus was awake all by himself and that's where he went into hell voluntarily while you slept. So when you feel alone when you feel like nobody cares when you feel like you are forgotten.

Look to the God of Gethsemane. If God did not abandon you. At this point, hell was literally squeezing the life out of him. You really think it would abandon you now if you feel abandoned by God, you're wrong.

You have to be a sunny hillside in Galilee.

Jesus taught us to pray our father who art in heaven, and then in the dark garden of Gethsemane. He taught us to pray our father. My father, who is meant to help for me.

Therefore I know that he can never forsake me.

He never could because he didn't do at this moment as they would ask you this way can a mother forget the baby at her breast were have no compassion on the child. She's more is impossible is what I say Zach is impossible for a woman who just gave birth to a baby to be so callous and hard for that baby that she forgets that baby is a answers this question, though she may forget maybe there's a situation where even that tender of a relationship. Maybe there has been a situation where even that relationship had been forfeited yet.

I will not ever forget you see, I've engraved you on the palms of my hands.

You see, maybe you have been forgotten, forsaken by the most tender human relationship. Maybe it was your mother. Maybe it was your father. Maybe it was a spouse. Maybe it was a friend was your child but your God, your father this savior cannot and will not, he went to Gethsemane he went to hell and he is literally engraved you on the palms of his hands see from his head his hand his feet sorrowing while flamingo down there. Such love and sorrow made or joy compose so rich a crown joy joy of obtaining you so when you are discouraged when you feel alone when you feel abandoned when you feel despondent.

You have to come here to come to the garden of Gethsemane and you have to preach the gospel that is presented here to yourself. You gotta tell yourself hot real abandon but I am not the gospel of Gethsemane present we say preach the gospel yourself for talking about David model discourse of Psalm 103. Bless the Lord, O my soul and forget not all his benefits. Some songs are written through God some songs written other people right. Bless the Lord all you people did they write this on to himself right. Bless the Lord all not all my people are oh my God will bless the Lord all my soul don't you forget his benefits. He felt himself what you gotta do is you gotta come and say bless the Lord all my soul and forget his benefits. Like when I was asleep in sin. That's when he went to hell for me when I was condemned. That's when he took my condemnation and you gotta save yourself if you did not withhold his son in this moment I would he not also freely within him all things, is there any good thing he would withhold from those about to know him in anything separate me from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus you gotta preach the gospel to your despond itself, you need to stop listening listen you need to stop listening to your fearful doubting heart and start preaching the gospel to say that like all you gotta get in touch yourself a guy get done. That's the last thing to be get in touch with you only listen what's going on about America, not the fallen hard and it will why do you every single time you gotta stop listening to your fearful heart, and you start preaching Gethsemane to your heart and do not mumble when you do it be long-winded if you have to be longer window than I am. And you defy those feelings of despondency with Dave in the gospel of Gethsemane, and then you start to say things like this with Paul in pain but the outward man perish is the inward man is being renewed day by day, though I am forgetting him, I am rich though I have nothing get it him I possess all things you stand amazed at his love for you demonstrated in his darkest hour than you believe in his love for you in your darkest hour. Number three. What it means for mission. We must read the great commission through the lens of Gethsemane.

We had a really great commission to the lens of Gethsemane, the great commission is that we would go and make disciples of all the nations you can have a chance to be able to engage somebody that is outside of God outside of Christ with the gospel of the invitation to come here and hear the gospel and you need to understand that the God you are asking to give you help is the Savior of Gethsemane. Is there anything that you could ask that would exhaust the limits of his matchless love. Do you realize what Gethsemane shows you by his willingness to save sinners is anything too great to ask him for any help you could not call his name for you and I do not honor Jesus by asking for small things when he is going to Gethsemane. We honor him by asking for large things like John Newton, the writer of amazing grace, that thou are coming to our King. So with the large petitions bring for his grace and power are such that none can ever ask to much. Is there anything that you could not ask him that he would not give you help, you want to see him work in the life your friends want to see work in your school once you come and take the gospel Gethsemane seriously, I want you realize that this is the Savior who said ask of me and I will give you the nations as your inheritance is the Savior not ready. If you are not worthy.

If you not willing to see the nations worship as a 5311, God says, I will see the suffering of his soul, and I will be satisfied. That means is nothing else you need to present the God that who would coerce him to begin to work here on earth. He satisfied in Jesus. One time I heard about one of our unreached people groups that he was a person not one from our church. What a person a Christian serving over there that was martyred and I was praying for that unreached people group.

Shortly after that and I said this to God is a God this person to sacrifice their life. Please on their behalf. Now please pour out your power will those moments where I heard the Holy Spirit of God speak to my heart and he said this understand what you're going for. Do not insult my son back to Mike. It was something else that would move my heart for these people that was greater than the sacrifice. My son gave, I will see the suffering of his soul, and I will be satisfied Jesus Christ shed his blood to the nations would worship my question for you.

Some a church to the size of your prayers mirror the size of his sacrifice. Jesus did not die so that you can ask him small things. He died so that you could ask him a large things they did not die so you could ask him for trinkets he dives. You could ask him for treasures for mingling and to pray fearlessly for God's glory, to be shown here listening to Senate life with Jeannie Greer to join us a little late today. You can listen to this entire message when you visit us online@jeanniegreer.com challenge to share the gospel. That's our mission every day with everyone. We encounter our coworkers or neighbors and their families.

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I have a PhD in theology while getting my PhD the majority preaching I did was to middle schoolers and always want to be like theologian for middle schoolers and so middle schoolers have a pretty short attention span and if you can answer the question in temperature less than the never to make it so really is a pastor. Now if you try to do that with tough theological questions and to set it. How would you answer this question. Not if you had three hours to do deep dive study, but how would you just talk to somebody to coffee shop about it so we have to turn it into a podcast called ask me anything and I was taken some of the best of this podcast, turn it into a book that just has answers to questions that you get asked about politics, ethics, leadership, ministry, theology, answers these questions haven't changed over the centuries, but the way that we talk about them is changing our contacts was trying to take the biblical truth and make it simple and accessible. Would love to get you a copy of this book right now. Just as a thank you for partnering with us you can get.

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