“My God, My God why have You forsaken Me? Why are You so far from helping Me and from the words of My groaning?” Psalm 22:1
1. Being self-absorbed in approach to suffering
2. Raising of question by David concerning why God had forsaken him
3. Weakening of spirit
4. Understanding suffering as self-caused
THE NEED FOR A CORRECT APPROACH TO SUFFERING
“Now from the sixth hour until the ninth hour there was darkness over all the land. And 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?” Matthew 27:45-46
1. The Lord said these words towards the end of his suffering
2. The Lord’s approach was very different from David’s
3. The Lord’s suffering was far worse than David’s
a. The soldiers pierced His hands and His feet
b. David did not experience this.
4. The Lord was able to cope with much suffering
SEEING THE MESSIAH’S APPROACH TO SUFFERING
1. The gravity of the Lord’s suffering
a. Being despised by the people (Psalm 22:6)
b. Being ridiculed and mocked (Psalm 22:7-8)
c. Experiencing great thirst (Psalm 22:15)
d. Experiencing great pain (Psalm 22:16)
2. Having great strength to cope
a. Trusting in God (Psalm 22:9-10)
b. Depending on God’s grace (Hebrews 2:9)
c. Enduring with purpose (Hebrews 12:2)
CHOOSING TO HAVE JOY AT CHRISTMAS
1. Seeing that we are not alone in our suffering
“Seeing then that we have a great high priest…for we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathised with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin..” Hebrews 4:15
2. Having the Lord help us in our suffering
“Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:16