Key Verse: Verse 46 - "And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?"
Key Words: why hast thou forsaken me?
The answer to Jesus’ question is found in Psalm 22. First of all, so all the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord (verse 27). So that God can be seen as righteous, providing a plan of escape from hell to heaven through Jesus Christ (verse 31). Indeed, God is holy (verse 3).
God forsook Jesus so He wouldn’t have to forsake us. Amen and amen!
I read about an instant cake mix that was a big flop. The instructions said all you had to do was add water and bake. The company couldn’t understand why it didn’t sell-until their research discovered that the buying public felt uneasy about a mix that required only water. Apparently people thought it was too easy. So the company altered the formula and changed the directions to call for adding an egg to the mix in addition to the water. The idea worked and sales jumped dramatically. That story reminds me of how some people react to the plan of salvation. To them it sounds too easy and simple to be true, even though the Bible says ... God saved you by His special favor when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. (Ephesians 2:8-9). Unlike the cake-mix manufacturer, God has not changed His “formula” to make salvation more marketable. The gospel we proclaim must be free of works, even though it may sound too easy.
What to do:
✞ Remember that salvation depends upon Christ’s work for us while rewards depend upon our work for Christ.
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