Psalm 22:1-18

¹ “To the choirmaster: according to The Doe of the Dawn. A Psalm of David. My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning? ² O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer, and by night, but I find no rest. ³ Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel. ⁴ In you our fathers trusted; they trusted, and you delivered them. ⁵ To you they cried and were rescued; in you they trusted and were not put to shame. ⁶ But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by mankind and despised by the people. ⁷ All who see me mock me; they make mouths at me; they wag their heads; ⁸  “He trusts in the Lord; let him deliver him; let him rescue him, for he delights in him!” ⁹ Yet you are he who took me from the womb; you made me trust you at my mother’s breasts. ¹⁰ On you was I cast from my birth, and from my mother’s womb you have been my God. ¹¹ Be not far from me, for trouble is near, and there is none to help. ¹² Many bulls encompass me; strong bulls of Bashan surround me; ¹³ they open wide their mouths at me, like a ravening and roaring lion. ¹⁴ I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax; it is melted within my breast; ¹⁵ my strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to my jaws; you lay me in the dust of death. ¹⁶ For dogs encompass me; a company of evildoers encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet — ¹⁷ I can count all my bones— they stare and gloat over me; ¹⁸ they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.”

This is the 9^th Easter Sermon that the Lord has allowed me to preach to you! Easter is the highlight of the year for Churches and their Pastors. I am no exception to that rule!

Over the previous eight sermons, I have tried to present you with major aspects of the Easter Story. I am not worried; if the Lord allows me to preach 99 more Easter Sermons here… don’t panic, HE won’t… but, if HE did, I could still not exhaust the goldmine of theological truth contained in God’s Word about this event!

All four of the Gospels cover these events in great detail! And each of them adds some distinct observations… For example:

Matthew and Peter (Peter’s observations are preserved in Mark’s Gospel) give us the most comprehensive overview of these events!

Only Luke gives us the account of Jesus speaking to the weeping women and the conversion of the thief on the cross!

Only John gives us the conversation between the soldiers who gambled for HIS garments; the fact that the accusation written over HIM was in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek; that the Chief Priests tried to get Pilate to change the wording of it; and, the account of Jesus giving the care of HIS mother to him.

The one thing they do all have in common is that they are all eyewitness testimonies of what was said and done!

But, both they – and we – have the actual thoughts of Jesus on the cross because God inspired King David to write them in Psalm 22.

As the Lord allows, this coming Easter Morning, I will preach from Psalm 22 on the subject: “The Crucifixion through the Eyes of Jesus!”

I hope you will read over, think over, and pray over this Psalm in the coming days as you prepare your mind and spirit to hear the Living Word of the Living God!

Here are some things to ponder…

Why would Jesus cry out that HIS Father had forsaken HIM?

What did Jesus think about the fact that HIS Father has delivered others but would not deliver HIM?

How did HE describe HIMSELF on the Cross?

What on earth does that mean?

Did Jesus remember all of the many times HIS Father had delivered HIM before this event?

Why was God the Father unmoved by the desperate cries of HIS SON?

Did Jesus really suffer the pains of hell on the Cross?

Why?

What happened later that changes everything?

As the Lord allows, I hope to answer each of these questions biblically on Sunday. I hope to see you with your Bible in your hand, a smile on your face, and your family and friends by your side!

REMEMBER! A much higher percentage of people you invite this week will attend church with you than on any other Sunday of the year!