1-800-HEAVEN Proclamation At the Cross

Matthew 26:36–46

Matthew 26:39

“My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” 

  • Mark 14:32–42 — Jesus prays in deep distress.
  • Luke 22:39–46 — Jesus’ sweat becomes “like drops of blood.”
  • John 18:1 — Mentions the garden where He was arrested.

The verses that record what Jesus said before His death on the cross

These are the Seven Sayings of Jesus on the Cross

  1. “Father, forgive them…”

Luke 23:34 Jesus intercedes for His executioners.

  1. “Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.”

Luke 23:43 Spoken to the repentant thief.

  1. “Woman, behold thy son… Behold thy mother.”

John 19:26–27 Jesus entrusts Mary to John.

  1. “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”

Matthew 27:46 and Mark 15:34 The cry of abandonment as He bears sin.

  1. “I thirst.”

John 19:28 The only statement about His physical suffering.

  1. “It is finished.”

John 19:30 The declaration that the work of redemption is complete.

  1. “Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit.”

Luke 23:46 His final voluntary surrender.

THE REAL REASON JESUS SAID THIS — EVEN THOUGH HE KNEW ALL THINGS

  1. Jesus was fulfilling prophecy

He was quoting the opening line of Psalm 22, a Messianic psalm written 1,000 years earlier.

Psalm 22 describes:

  • pierced hands and feet
  • soldiers casting lots
  • mockers surrounding Him
  • His bones out of joint
  • His tongue sticking to His jaws

Jesus was declaring to Israel:

“I am the One David saw. This is the prophecy being fulfilled.”

  1. Jesus was experiencing the full weight of sin — the separation we deserved

Paul describes:

  • “He became sin for us.” (2 Cor. 5:21)
  • “Christ redeemed us from the curse.” (Gal. 3:13)
  • “The LORD laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” (Isa. 53:6)

The Son experienced the judgment of sin — not for Himself, but for us.

He was not forsaken as a Person, but He was forsaken as the Sin-Bearer.

  1. Jesus cried out so the world would understand the cost of redemption

He wanted humanity to hear — audibly — the price of sin.

He was revealing:

  • the horror of sin
  • the justice of God
  • the depth of His love
  • the reality of substitution
  1. Jesus was declaring the turning point of the ages

That outcry on the cross marked His Victory for us :

  • the Old Covenant ends
  • the curse is broken
  • the wrath of God is satisfied
  • the veil is about to tear
  • the way to God is opened

This is the hinge of history.

  1. Jesus said it for us, not for Himself

He knew:

  • why He came
  • what He was doing
  • what the Father was doing
  • what the outcome would be

But He spoke these words so that:

  • Scripture would be fulfilled
  • Israel would recognize the Messiah
  • The church would understand atonement
  • The world would hear the cost of salvation

THE SHORT ANSWER

Jesus fulfilling prophecy, bearing sin, revealing judgment, and announcing the moment the world was redeemed.

1-800-HEAVEN   WHY DOES GOD ALLOW SUFFERING

The short answer to this question is, HE DOESN'T. Attributing man's suffering to God is, in essence, an easy way out of taking responsibility for what we cause in our personal lives. In this writing, I will cover several reasons why suffering happens in our lives. Sometimes we, as humans, fail to examine the circumstances that foster suffering. I have come to understand that if I want the truth about something, I must allow myself to search for the reasons it happens rather than point to God as the culprit. So with that said, let's get into it and discover the truth of the matter.

First, let me cover all the different kinds of suffering;

  1. Physical,          Bodily
  2. Emotional,      Mind
  3. Psychological, Cognitive Suffering,   Stress
  4. Spiritual Suffering,     Guilt
  5. Social/ Relational Suffering   Matters of the heart
  6. Economic  Suffering, Financial-related
  7. Existential / Philosophical Suffering
  8. Moral / Ethical Suffering,   Consciences 
  9. Developmental / Transformational Suffering,   Behavioral
  10. Redemptive / Sacrificial Suffering, Redeeming Actions In Its Purest Form

There are ten different types of suffering listed above. Types 1 through 9 are all interconnected, with one type always being the primary trigger for an individual who finds himself suffering. The last one, Redemptive suffering, is the answer to all the others. This one was given to us at Jesus' crucifixion. He suffered the penalty of death when He took all the sins of the world upon Himself and died. The act of redemption could only be done by Him because He was sinless and the penalty of death had no claim on Him. The purpose of this redemption was to offer humanity the option to surrender to the Love of God or to reject Him. God will never usurp free will to do as you see fit, but He will never cease to offer eternal life.

In the question above, the word “ALLOW” cannot be applied to God, and the reason is simple. The understanding goes back to the Garden of Eden and creation. Adam was made sinless, and Eve was taken from Adam’s rib. She was formed and was perfect because she was taken from and formed by a perfect man. Then Satan came in and fooled the woman, and she rebelled against her creator by taking from a tree she was clearly told not to take from. She gave it to Adam, and he took of it because he did not want to lose her. So he rebelled against God’s commandment and, in doing so, rejected God. In their actions, they entertained the introduction of evil, which is forever present in Satan because he was God’s first creation to rebel and sin against his creator. Doing evil in his heart, he then influenced man to do evil, and Adam, being the father of all humanity, caused all humanity to be in a sinful and fallen state. 

In this explanation of man's fall, we need to understand that perfection existed before the fall, and that evil and destruction came after it. All manner of suffering became a part of humanity. So, when we experience suffering, we have only one person to blame for this condition, and that is Satan. It is Satan who fosters suffering, and man builds on his evil and produces situations where man experiences suffering.

Looking at our world, we see that evil is ever-present. Suffering is always present because of the fallen state of man. Sin deteriorates the body and mind because Satan's activity in our lives is designed to do what he does best. That is to steal, kill, and destroy. He continually steals the joy and peace of man; he kills humanity with all sorts of actions in the body and soul, creating circumstances that eventually bring death. And he destroys all hope that man has to enjoy the life given to them from the Father if humanity does not find the truth. And what is that truth? Satan is not all-powerful; he does not have authority over man, and he cannot take the life of man unless man permits him. That is the truth of Satan's limitations, but men are ignorant. Even those who have entered into a relationship with Christ do not understand. He is limited. We have to permit Satan to affect us, and he does so through temptation. 

Those who have not found shelter in the love of Christ need to hear the truth and come to the cross to gain victory over death and destruction. Will they be permanently sheltered from suffering? Of course not. The reason is clear. We live in a world filled with evil. At the cross, Jesus redeemed humanity, not the earth. So how do we handle the suffering we experience? The answer is clear. We press into God and allow the Holy Spirit to teach us about what is eternal. As we grow in Christ, we come to understand that the suffering that arises in our lives fades in comparison to the rewards found in Christ.

In my life, there has been a boatload of sorrows. Physical and emotional, and I can honestly say all that are listed above have been an unwelcome part of my life. The hardest is the loss of loved ones. Yet that one is both the most comforting and has produced the most spiritual growth in my life. When one of these instances happens, it drives me closer to Jesus for healing and comfort. I am not saying the loss had a short-term effect; no, not at all. It took years to get over my wife’s death, and today sadness still arises from time to time. A 37-year great relationship is not easily brushed aside. But I assure you that God’s presence and loving concern are always there. I find myself rejoicing that, because Conny was a solid believer, I will see her again one day. There will be recognition, but my full attention will be on the God of my salvation. 

I pray that this helps you if you find yourself in a situation where you are suffering. Knowledge of why circumstances happen gives people an idea of how to handle them, and if you have a relationship with Christ, you know where to find cover from the storms of emotion. He is there to protect and always comfort.

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