The pain of the world’s sin hurts more than the nails in the flesh

Now from the sixth hour darkness fell upon all the land until the ninth hour. (46) About the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "ELI, ELI, LAMA SABACHTHANI?" that is, "MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?"

Mat 27:45-46 NASB

Darkness came over the whole land

Humanities greatest crime

Excruciating

• From the Latin EX Crucis meaning “from the cross”

Setting

Abandonment

Utter desolation

Deserted child of God

Alone

Does Jesus fear he has failed?

Did he live his life in vain?

I trusted the Father, but now it is so dark.

Looking on this scene we see

“ This Jesus, whose heart has been big enough for every beggar, every ruffian, every outcast he meets, is slowly abandoned by those who once thronged him.”

-Peter Story

Mat 26:37-41 NASB And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be grieved and distressed. (38) Then He *said to them, "My soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death; remain here and keep watch with Me." (39) And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying, "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will." (40) And He *came to the disciples and *found them sleeping, and *said to Peter, "So, you men could not keep watch with Me for one hour? (41) "Keep watching and praying that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak."

The pathway of loneliness

Jesus always goes a little farther

Jesus goes it alone

This is His calling, His vocation

A little farther

Jesus had endured testing and temptations

Jesus had faced the rejections of humanity, of friends, of family

Now His very relationship to the Father, to God is being tested.

• Sin separates us from God

Relationship with God

2Co 5:21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

Sin and wrongdoing separate us from God and our fellow human. Sin makes us lonely.

Silence

Spiritual Discipline