I. There is no mere man that uttered this cry.

A. It was the God-man, Jesus Christ.

1. The one "beloved Son" of God who pleased him, when Christ was baptized.

2. Matthew 3:17 states, And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

B. To better understand the torment Christ was under, look at the word "forsaken".

1. God had not merely refused to shine brightly upon Christ, but had actually forsaken him.

2. Literally, Jesus had been with God in his every endeavor.

3. Remember the creation, the creation of the family, the nation of Israel, the church, the excellent plan of salvation, which no mere man could have dreamed up.

C. It is well realized that the trinity cannot be separated, but in God’s own majesty and power, the trinity is now divided.

1. Jesus Christ had no place with his Father.

2. Actually, God was separated from God.

3. The impossible had happened.

4. Great was the grief of Christ as he hung all alone upon Calvary’s tree.

5. Who could ever understand the loss Christ was experiencing?

II. Christ had uttered not a word when his disciples forsook him.

A. The times Christ has, up to now, spoken on the cross.

1. Luke 23:34 - Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.

2. Luke 23:43 - And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.

3. John 19:26 - When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son!

4. All these times, Christ spoke for the benefit of particular others.

5. Now, Christ cries in anguish for all his chosen people, not himself.

B. Other times Christ was silent.

1. When the soldiers mocked him.

2. When they undressed him and nailed him to the cross.

3. When they gambled for his garment, or when the thieves had railed on him.

4. When all his earthly friends had vanished from helping him, Christ had uttered not a word.

C. But now his Father had forsaken him.

1. Then and only then did Christ cry out in anguish.

2. Christ looked to his Father for all of his strength.

3. Is this not what we should do?

4. To be a Christian, we should not mind when earthly friends forsake us.

5. Hebrews 13:5 states, …I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

III. Notice in Matthew 27:45, that there was a darkness over the face of the earth for three hours.

A. This was not a natural darkness, but a super natural darkness.

1. This was not an eclipse of the sun!!

2. The darkness was there because God had forsaken his Son.

B. John 3:19,20 declares the darkness a lost person is in is a spiritual darkness.

1. This spiritual darkness of lost mankind was made manifest in actual darkness when Christ was crucified.

2. Genesis 1:3 that there was light upon the face of the world on the first day, but the sun and moon and stars were not created until the fourth day, Genesis 1:14-18.

3. Why was the light possible?

4. Because God is the light of the world! John 3:19,20

C. Since God is the light of the world, and Jesus was bearing the sins of the world, God refused to look upon his only begotten Son.

1. Jesus was crucified at mid-day, but God heard not.

2. Psalms 22:1,2 states, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring? 2 O my God, I cry in the daytime, but thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent.

3. This shows the awful truth of Romans 6:23, which states, For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

4. Man may be able to stand when all his friends forsake him, but he will not be able to find any comfort when he is forsaken by the God of the universe.

5. People who die without Christ as their own personal Saviour will not be able to call upon the name of God for anything.

6. God cannot look upon sin.

7. There is a difference in spiritual death and physical death.

8. The first death is the physical death.

9. This is when the spirit and the soul leaves the body.

10. The second death is when that lost soul is cast into the Lake of Fire that burns forever and forever.

11. Revelation 20:14,15 declares, And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

IV. When God says something, He means just that.

A. Many people today say that God is a God of mercy, and would not forsake any of his creation.

1. These people say that God will not let anyone go to hell.

2. But they are mistaken.

3. If God was such a God of mercy that he could not harm human beings regardless of what they did, why did God turn his back on his only begotten and beloved Son?

4. Vengeance was poured out upon Jesus, even though he was the Son of God.

5. God is indeed a God of mercy, but he is also a God of vengeance.

6. Romans 12:19, Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.

7. God poured out his vengeance upon Jesus because he was bearing our sins.

8. Jesus had no sins of his own, but we do have sins.

9. Jesus bore our sins.

10. God will pour out His GREAT vengeance upon all those who refuse to accept the sacrifice Christ has made for them on the cross of Calvary.

B. To get a small idea of the torments Christ went through on the cross, think of an eternity in the Lake of Fire.

1. During this time, a lost sinner will be in the process of paying for his share of sin.

2. But he will never be able to pay the cost.
The lost person in hell will never be able to pay for his share of sin because he is still a sinner in the Lake of Fire, and continually sins.

3. Therefore he has more and more sins to pay for.

4. But Jesus paid for all the sins of all saved people in three hours.

5. Now, just how much torment from God did Jesus endure that we might live?

6. Jesus died that grasshoppers, as Isaiah 40:22 describes us, might have everlasting life.

V. Also notice Jesus asked a question in his cry, My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?

A. Some might think that Jesus didn’t understand why God had forsaken him.

1. But Jesus was not asking a question he didn’t know the answer to.

2. He desired that we study and find out.

3. Psalm 22:1-3 – Jesus has already asked and answered that question.

4. Here Jesus asked the very same question, adding that he cried out in the "supernatural" night.

5. But notice verse 3.

6. Jesus says, But thou art holy, O Thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.

7. Jesus knew the answer to his question before he asked it, because his Father is holy.

B. When we read Matthew 27:47-49 (Some of them that stood there, when they heard that, said, This man calleth for Elias. 48 And straightway one of them ran, and took a spunge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink. 49 The rest said, Let be, let us see whether Elias will come to save him.) We might ask the question, Did anybody believe Jesus was dying for their own personal sinfulness?

VI. Some will hear, and some will believe.

A. Will you be among those that believe, or will you be among those that reject?

1. Acts 17:22-31 gives the story of Paul preaching the gospel message at Mars Hill.

2. Acts 17:32-34 gives three types of hearers. And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said, We will hear thee again of this matter. 33 So Paul departed from among them. 34 Howbeit certain men clave unto him, and believed: among the which was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.

B. If you are lost, be sure to heed the warnings given by our Saviour.

1. Jesus was forsaken of his Father, that we might not have to be.

2. Jesus paid our sin debt, we don’t have to pay the cost.

3. Just as surely as the Israelites were healed from the snake bite when they looked upon the brazen serpent, you can be saved if you look to Jesus for salvation.

4. But remember, a head belief is not enough.

5. You must believe in Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour from your heart.

I. There is no mere man that uttered this cry.

A. It was the God-man, Jesus Christ.

1. The one "beloved Son" of God who pleased him, when Christ was baptized.

2. Matthew 3:17 states, And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

B. To better understand the torment Christ was under, look at the word "forsaken".

1. God had not merely refused to shine brightly upon Christ, but had actually forsaken him.

2. Literally, Jesus had been with God in his every endeavor.

3. Remember the creation, the creation of the family, the nation of Israel, the church, the excellent plan of salvation, which no mere man could have dreamed up.

C. It is well realized that the trinity cannot be separated, but in God’s own majesty and power, the trinity is now divided.

1. Jesus Christ had no place with his Father.

2. Actually, God was separated from God.

3. The impossible had happened.

4. Great was the grief of Christ as he hung all alone upon Calvary’s tree.

5. Who could ever understand the loss Christ was experiencing?

II. Christ had uttered not a word when his disciples forsook him.

A. The times Christ has, up to now, spoken on the cross.

1. Luke 23:34 - Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.

2. Luke 23:43 - And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.

3. John 19:26 - When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son!

4. All these times, Christ spoke for the benefit of particular others.

5. Now, Christ cries in anguish for all his chosen people, not himself.

B. Other times Christ was silent.

1. When the soldiers mocked him.

2. When they undressed him and nailed him to the cross.

3. When they gambled for his garment, or when the thieves had railed on him.

4. When all his earthly friends had vanished from helping him, Christ had uttered not a word.

C. But now his Father had forsaken him.

1. Then and only then did Christ cry out in anguish.

2. Christ looked to his Father for all of his strength.

3. Is this not what we should do?

4. To be a Christian, we should not mind when earthly friends forsake us.

5. Hebrews 13:5 states, …I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

III. Notice in Matthew 27:45, that there was a darkness over the face of the earth for three hours.

A. This was not a natural darkness, but a super natural darkness.

1. This was not an eclipse of the sun!!

2. The darkness was there because God had forsaken his Son.

B. John 3:19,20 declares the darkness a lost person is in is a spiritual darkness.

1. This spiritual darkness of lost mankind was made manifest in actual darkness when Christ was crucified.

2. Genesis 1:3 that there was light upon the face of the world on the first day, but the sun and moon and stars were not created until the fourth day, Genesis 1:14-18.

3. Why was the light possible?

4. Because God is the light of the world! John 3:19,20

C. Since God is the light of the world, and Jesus was bearing the sins of the world, God refused to look upon his only begotten Son.

1. Jesus was crucified at mid-day, but God heard not.

2. Psalms 22:1,2 states, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring? 2 O my God, I cry in the daytime, but thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent.

3. This shows the awful truth of Romans 6:23, which states, For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

4. Man may be able to stand when all his friends forsake him, but he will not be able to find any comfort when he is forsaken by the God of the universe.

5. People who die without Christ as their own personal Saviour will not be able to call upon the name of God for anything.

6. God cannot look upon sin.

7. There is a difference in spiritual death and physical death.

8. The first death is the physical death.

9. This is when the spirit and the soul leaves the body.

10. The second death is when that lost soul is cast into the Lake of Fire that burns forever and forever.

11. Revelation 20:14,15 declares, And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

IV. When God says something, He means just that.

A. Many people today say that God is a God of mercy, and would not forsake any of his creation.

1. These people say that God will not let anyone go to hell.

2. But they are mistaken.

3. If God was such a God of mercy that he could not harm human beings regardless of what they did, why did God turn his back on his only begotten and beloved Son?

4. Vengeance was poured out upon Jesus, even though he was the Son of God.

5. God is indeed a God of mercy, but he is also a God of vengeance.

6. Romans 12:19, Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.

7. God poured out his vengeance upon Jesus because he was bearing our sins.

8. Jesus had no sins of his own, but we do have sins.

9. Jesus bore our sins.

10. God will pour out His GREAT vengeance upon all those who refuse to accept the sacrifice Christ has made for them on the cross of Calvary.

B. To get a small idea of the torments Christ went through on the cross, think of an eternity in the Lake of Fire.

1. During this time, a lost sinner will be in the process of paying for his share of sin.

2. But he will never be able to pay the cost.
The lost person in hell will never be able to pay for his share of sin because he is still a sinner in the Lake of Fire, and continually sins.

3. Therefore he has more and more sins to pay for.

4. But Jesus paid for all the sins of all saved people in three hours.

5. Now, just how much torment from God did Jesus endure that we might live?

6. Jesus died that grasshoppers, as Isaiah 40:22 describes us, might have everlasting life.

V. Also notice Jesus asked a question in his cry, My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?

A. Some might think that Jesus didn’t understand why God had forsaken him.

1. But Jesus was not asking a question he didn’t know the answer to.

2. He desired that we study and find out.

3. Psalm 22:1-3 – Jesus has already asked and answered that question.

4. Here Jesus asked the very same question, adding that he cried out in the "supernatural" night.

5. But notice verse 3.

6. Jesus says, But thou art holy, O Thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.

7. Jesus knew the answer to his question before he asked it, because his Father is holy.

B. When we read Matthew 27:47-49 (Some of them that stood there, when they heard that, said, This man calleth for Elias. 48 And straightway one of them ran, and took a spunge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink. 49 The rest said, Let be, let us see whether Elias will come to save him.) We might ask the question, Did anybody believe Jesus was dying for their own personal sinfulness?

VI. Some will hear, and some will believe.

A. Will you be among those that believe, or will you be among those that reject?

1. Acts 17:22-31 gives the story of Paul preaching the gospel message at Mars Hill.

2. Acts 17:32-34 gives three types of hearers. And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said, We will hear thee again of this matter. 33 So Paul departed from among them. 34 Howbeit certain men clave unto him, and believed: among the which was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.

B. If you are lost, be sure to heed the warnings given by our Saviour.

1. Jesus was forsaken of his Father, that we might not have to be.

2. Jesus paid our sin debt, we don’t have to pay the cost.

3. Just as surely as the Israelites were healed from the snake bite when they looked upon the brazen serpent, you can be saved if you look to Jesus for salvation.

4. But remember, a head belief is not enough.

5. You must believe in Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour from your heart.