WEBVTT 00:00:00.880 --> 00:00:05.080 Hello folks, my name is George Sinclair, Pastor Church of the Messiah here in Ottawa. 00:00:05.299 --> 00:00:08.359 We're going to be opening the Word at this point in time. 00:00:08.820 --> 00:00:11.939 So if you don't have your Bibles, I encourage you, hopefully you already do, 00:00:12.300 --> 00:00:19.320 Psalm chapter 22 is what we're going to be looking at this morning together. 00:00:19.519 --> 00:00:22.940 So let's just pray before we get into it. 00:00:22.940 --> 00:00:31.600 Father, we're all separate, obviously, today by great distances connected through the internet. 00:00:32.260 --> 00:00:36.679 Father, we give you thanks and praise that you are equally present wherever we are. 00:00:37.299 --> 00:00:43.500 And we ask, Father, that the Holy Spirit would come with might and power and deep conviction upon each one of us. 00:00:44.240 --> 00:00:48.880 Father, bringing this psalm, bringing your Word very deep into our hearts, 00:00:48.880 --> 00:00:54.460 and this we ask in the name of Jesus, your Son and our Savior. Amen. 00:00:55.660 --> 00:01:00.880 We live right now in a prediction-driven society, don't we? 00:01:01.580 --> 00:01:04.320 We live in a prediction-driven society. 00:01:05.680 --> 00:01:13.260 The Government of Ontario just released a couple of days ago their own particular statistical predictions 00:01:13.260 --> 00:01:19.219 projections, predictions, in terms of governing how they're asking us to behave and to live. 00:01:19.840 --> 00:01:24.820 The University of Toronto, about a week or so ago, gave its own type of model, 00:01:24.960 --> 00:01:28.520 which actually sort of goes against the government model a little bit. 00:01:29.040 --> 00:01:32.400 Those of you who are following this at all, sort of at a deeper level, 00:01:32.600 --> 00:01:37.439 you know that much of the world is following the modelling of the Imperial College in London. 00:01:37.439 --> 00:01:43.340 But that about four or five days, about a week or so ago, a group of scholars at Oxford 00:01:43.340 --> 00:01:48.219 challenged that whole model, have a very, very different model. 00:01:48.780 --> 00:01:49.780 But here's the point. 00:01:50.539 --> 00:01:54.739 Maybe for the first time in many of our lives, we're reading about these models. 00:01:55.180 --> 00:02:02.420 And it's definitely the case that models and basically predictions are driving how we're living our lives. 00:02:02.420 --> 00:02:06.120 So what I thought we would do today is actually look at a prediction that came true. 00:02:07.439 --> 00:02:08.620 We have no idea. 00:02:09.099 --> 00:02:11.420 We hope the bad predictions are wrong. 00:02:11.780 --> 00:02:12.860 That's what we're all hoping. 00:02:13.560 --> 00:02:16.340 But I want to share with you a prediction that came true. 00:02:16.539 --> 00:02:18.939 A thousand-year-old prediction that came true. 00:02:19.060 --> 00:02:21.139 And it's seen in Psalm 22. 00:02:22.199 --> 00:02:27.060 And it's not just that we're looking at this as sort of a point of intellectual curiosity. 00:02:27.300 --> 00:02:28.159 Oh my, look at that. 00:02:28.240 --> 00:02:29.520 There's a prediction that came true. 00:02:29.520 --> 00:02:37.020 This is actually a very significant prediction because it touches on issues that are very, very, very, very relevant. 00:02:37.740 --> 00:02:39.219 We fear abandonment. 00:02:40.560 --> 00:02:44.620 And this psalm talks very much about abandonment. 00:02:44.980 --> 00:02:46.280 We fear death. 00:02:47.060 --> 00:02:48.540 This psalm talks about death. 00:02:49.379 --> 00:02:52.140 We fear being mocked and shamed. 00:02:54.060 --> 00:02:57.960 And this psalm talks about being shamed and about being mocked. 00:02:57.960 --> 00:03:01.180 We fear the rise of the mob. 00:03:02.980 --> 00:03:07.520 That's at the heart of all those pandemic and contagion movies is the mob. 00:03:08.060 --> 00:03:11.560 And this psalm talks about the fear of the mob. 00:03:12.319 --> 00:03:14.700 And we fear being powerless. 00:03:15.340 --> 00:03:16.980 And this psalm talks about powerless. 00:03:16.979 --> 00:03:25.239 So it's very, very interesting that in the context of deep existential concerns that each and every one of us have, 00:03:25.579 --> 00:03:29.719 this psalm is also a prediction that actually came true. 00:03:30.899 --> 00:03:35.039 And so if you turn to it, it's Psalm chapter 22. 00:03:35.379 --> 00:03:39.339 And I'm going to begin with the little notes because those are important. 00:03:39.340 --> 00:03:40.800 If you look at it, it goes like this. 00:03:41.180 --> 00:03:45.920 To the choir master, according to the Doe of the Dawn, a psalm of David. 00:03:46.640 --> 00:03:49.039 According to the Doe of the Dawn, we don't know what that means anymore. 00:03:49.219 --> 00:03:51.500 It was obviously a tune setting. 00:03:51.699 --> 00:03:56.800 And so this psalm was meant to be sung in the original language, which would have been ancient Hebrew. 00:03:57.379 --> 00:03:58.520 And it's a psalm of David. 00:03:58.599 --> 00:04:01.840 In other words, King David is the one who wrote this. 00:04:01.840 --> 00:04:07.020 And this is going to be very, very important as we go into the rest of the psalm, that this is written by David. 00:04:07.840 --> 00:04:12.759 And the words of the psalm, they begin in a very, very striking manner. 00:04:13.900 --> 00:04:17.060 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? 00:04:17.759 --> 00:04:21.780 Why are you so far from saving me from the words of my groaning? 00:04:22.300 --> 00:04:25.500 Oh, my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer. 00:04:25.639 --> 00:04:28.399 And by night, but I find no rest. 00:04:28.399 --> 00:04:35.679 Those of you who are at all familiar with the Christian faith know that Jesus cried these first words from the cross. 00:04:36.379 --> 00:04:50.239 And in fact, if we were, if this was being made into a movie, it would be one of those movies that the very, very opening scene would show Jesus hanging from the cross, crying out, my God, my God, why have you forsaken me? 00:04:50.240 --> 00:04:57.600 And then it might be one of those movies that goes, you know, three days earlier or a week earlier or, you know, and it jumps around. 00:04:57.720 --> 00:05:00.360 But it begins and just grabs you right off the bat. 00:05:00.460 --> 00:05:02.540 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? 00:05:03.060 --> 00:05:05.079 And another thing which is really important for this. 00:05:05.240 --> 00:05:12.620 And by the way, just just so you know, no Christian can read this without thinking of the of the crucifixion of Jesus. 00:05:13.220 --> 00:05:16.600 No Christian can read this song without thinking of the crucifixion of Jesus. 00:05:16.699 --> 00:05:17.660 And I'm going to show you why. 00:05:17.660 --> 00:05:25.180 And it's just it's very interesting thing to know up until about 150 to 200 years after the death and resurrection of Jesus. 00:05:25.680 --> 00:05:29.180 All Jewish thinkers thought that this was a psalm about the Messiah. 00:05:30.020 --> 00:05:33.920 All Jewish thinkers thought that this was a psalm about the Messiah. 00:05:34.960 --> 00:05:39.820 But Jewish people and I have many, many Jewish friends and I'm not picking on anybody. 00:05:39.819 --> 00:05:54.120 They had to change the interpretation a little bit because it just becomes so overwhelmingly clear that this is a psalm that perfectly describes, so powerfully describes what happens in the crucifixion and what the crucifixion means. 00:05:54.120 --> 00:06:00.379 And so, you know, Jesus on the cross says, my God, my God, why have you forsaken me? 00:06:00.879 --> 00:06:12.519 And one of the things about Hebrew poetry, it would be like me if I was to say, for those of us as a certain generation who like a certain type of what I call Austrian art movies, in other words, film starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. 00:06:12.519 --> 00:06:16.620 When you say, I'll be back, I can't do an Austrian accent. 00:06:16.899 --> 00:06:17.959 I just have to say that. 00:06:17.979 --> 00:06:21.719 And you think of Schwarzenegger, you think of the different movies, you think of the different scenes. 00:06:22.419 --> 00:06:28.859 And in biblical, the way the Bible works is that when Jesus is saying, my God, my God, why have you forsaken me? 00:06:28.860 --> 00:06:36.860 Not only is he describing something that he's actually experiencing, he's sending a signal to us to think of the whole psalm. 00:06:38.180 --> 00:06:42.480 Like for all of the Jewish hearers and for us, we think of the whole psalm. 00:06:42.560 --> 00:06:48.120 It's not just that he's quoting this one bit, but he he he's pointing us in this direction. 00:06:48.240 --> 00:06:49.660 It's a very, very powerful thing. 00:06:50.100 --> 00:06:52.699 But then it moves in a very, very funny direction. 00:06:52.699 --> 00:07:02.699 In fact, it's a bit of a going back and forward because here he now, remember I said it's a little bit maybe like a movie where you you have the shock and then you maybe move back and forward to different moods. 00:07:02.740 --> 00:07:05.680 But maybe it's describing what's going on in Jesus's heart as well. 00:07:05.779 --> 00:07:06.560 In fact, I think it is. 00:07:07.000 --> 00:07:08.139 But look what happens next. 00:07:08.219 --> 00:07:08.919 It goes like this. 00:07:09.680 --> 00:07:11.519 Now he's speaking to God, the Father. 00:07:12.779 --> 00:07:20.199 I'm not going to get into the Trinity, but one of the things really I when I as a Canadian, I almost always really should say the triune God rather than God. 00:07:20.199 --> 00:07:29.779 Just so people understand, I'm talking about the God revealed by Jesus, the God of the Bible, the God of Canadians, but the God of the Bible. 00:07:30.279 --> 00:07:35.879 And anyway, he says, yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel. 00:07:36.139 --> 00:07:37.659 In you, our fathers trusted. 00:07:37.819 --> 00:07:40.439 They trusted and you delivered them to you. 00:07:40.500 --> 00:07:43.360 They cried and were accused, rescued in you. 00:07:43.419 --> 00:07:45.419 They trusted and were not put to shame. 00:07:45.579 --> 00:07:47.300 This is verses three to five. 00:07:47.439 --> 00:07:49.959 It's a very, very it's sort of an interesting thing, right? 00:07:49.959 --> 00:07:52.659 He's speaking there as if he's completely and utterly forsaken. 00:07:52.739 --> 00:07:53.239 And he is. 00:07:53.739 --> 00:07:55.279 And he's forsaken by God. 00:07:55.819 --> 00:07:59.739 Because in the same breath that he says, my God, my God, why have you forsaken me? 00:07:59.799 --> 00:08:08.759 Then he talks about you, God, as being holy, as being transcendent, as being other, as being the God of history, the God of peoples throughout the years. 00:08:08.759 --> 00:08:16.420 And then, and this, this, by the way, is often how many Canadians think of God and how many of us think of God. 00:08:16.500 --> 00:08:21.620 Maybe not as holy, but as sort of very, very far away, very high, very distant. 00:08:21.620 --> 00:08:25.540 And then it moves in verses six to eight. 00:08:25.600 --> 00:08:31.280 And this is a very important, especially verse eight is one of the keys to interpreting and understanding the entire psalm. 00:08:31.500 --> 00:08:38.679 And not just to understand it at an intellectual level, but to actually be able to enter into it emotionally in terms of what it means for us. 00:08:38.779 --> 00:08:41.519 Listen to what happens in verse six, eight, verse six to eight. 00:08:41.519 --> 00:08:42.960 But I am a worm. 00:08:44.079 --> 00:08:49.199 I am a worm and not a man, squirmed by mankind and despised by the people. 00:08:49.919 --> 00:08:51.539 All who seek me mock me. 00:08:51.879 --> 00:08:53.360 They make mouths at me. 00:08:53.439 --> 00:08:54.600 They wag their heads. 00:08:55.079 --> 00:08:56.159 He trusts in the Lord. 00:08:56.259 --> 00:08:57.259 Let him deliver him. 00:08:57.379 --> 00:08:59.960 Let him rescue him, for he delights in him. 00:09:00.860 --> 00:09:01.939 Now, just sort of pause. 00:09:01.940 --> 00:09:14.180 In verse eight here, you get perfectly described the essence of religion, spirituality, and those who've completely and utterly rejected religion and spirituality. 00:09:14.660 --> 00:09:18.940 You see, at the very, very heart of all religion and spirituality, and it doesn't matter what it is. 00:09:19.000 --> 00:09:27.360 It doesn't matter if it's, as I've talked about before, a curated, you know, bespoke spirituality or if it's one of the classic historic faiths. 00:09:27.360 --> 00:09:34.539 At the very heart of all of them is this basic notion of a type of a quid pro quo that, well, actually, there's two versions. 00:09:34.639 --> 00:09:43.200 One of them is sort of like a very modern, magical type of thing where you just figure out how to use the gods or use the powers or use the forces to get things for yourself. 00:09:43.539 --> 00:09:45.180 That's perfectly expressed in here. 00:09:45.680 --> 00:09:53.379 Listen, if you're really, you know, get God to do what you want right now because that's what religion and spirituality is all about, isn't it, for you? 00:09:53.480 --> 00:09:54.820 Get him to rescue you. 00:09:55.759 --> 00:09:56.080 Duh. 00:09:56.080 --> 00:09:56.879 Not happening. 00:09:56.879 --> 00:09:57.439 Duh. 00:09:58.539 --> 00:10:07.500 And for all of us, for most of people, it's the far more basic human experience is that it's a quid pro quo. 00:10:07.700 --> 00:10:12.779 Like, okay, I give my tithes, I give some money to the church, and good things are going to happen to me. 00:10:12.879 --> 00:10:16.480 Like, I pray and I expect good things to happen to me. 00:10:16.539 --> 00:10:18.200 I don't expect bad things to happen to me. 00:10:18.220 --> 00:10:19.419 It's a bit of a quid pro quo. 00:10:19.799 --> 00:10:20.799 And it's the same type of thing. 00:10:20.860 --> 00:10:24.639 Well, you know, you've been following God and, you know, quid pro quo, so now have him show up. 00:10:24.639 --> 00:10:31.699 And the other type of mockers expresses perfectly why people have rejected religion and spirituality in our age. 00:10:31.759 --> 00:10:34.120 They say, why on earth are you bothering with prayer? 00:10:34.259 --> 00:10:36.699 Why on earth are you bothering with religious ceremonies? 00:10:36.700 --> 00:10:40.240 Why on earth are you bothering with crystals or anything like that? 00:10:40.300 --> 00:10:41.280 Like, just live your life. 00:10:41.379 --> 00:10:42.120 Be yourself. 00:10:42.740 --> 00:10:43.820 Be true to yourself. 00:10:44.360 --> 00:10:45.460 This stuff doesn't work. 00:10:45.540 --> 00:10:46.520 You do all that stuff. 00:10:46.580 --> 00:10:47.960 It just bends you out of shape. 00:10:47.960 --> 00:10:57.720 In other words, they expect that the call of verse 8, he trusts in the Lord, let him deliver him, let him rescue him, free the lights in him. 00:10:57.780 --> 00:10:58.900 He expects no answer. 00:11:00.160 --> 00:11:02.220 Now, it's very interesting how the psalm moves. 00:11:02.700 --> 00:11:04.740 Look what happens in verses 9 to 11. 00:11:04.740 --> 00:11:09.039 Yet you are he who took me from the mother's womb. 00:11:10.560 --> 00:11:13.759 You made me trust you at my mother's breasts. 00:11:14.100 --> 00:11:18.019 On you was I cast from my birth and from my mother's womb. 00:11:18.519 --> 00:11:20.639 You have been my God. 00:11:21.039 --> 00:11:24.659 Be not far from me, for trouble is near, and there is none to help. 00:11:25.200 --> 00:11:26.759 Just sort of pause here for a second. 00:11:26.879 --> 00:11:31.779 I don't know, you know, here's a very, very interesting thing about this psalm. 00:11:31.779 --> 00:11:35.639 And it's one of the reasons why psalms are so important for many people. 00:11:36.259 --> 00:11:38.659 I could tell you that God is transcendent and imminent. 00:11:39.279 --> 00:11:44.100 And for some of you, when I say God is transcendent and imminent, you go, oh, okay, really good ideas. 00:11:44.199 --> 00:11:46.000 I can really get a hold of that. 00:11:46.079 --> 00:11:48.480 But for others of you, it's like, duh. 00:11:50.659 --> 00:11:55.720 I might as well have been speaking Egyptian hieroglyphics. 00:11:55.720 --> 00:12:03.460 But when you read verses 3 to 5, and then you read verses 6, 7, 8, and then you read verses 9, 10, and 11, 00:12:03.580 --> 00:12:12.240 what you actually enter into is the experience of God being transcendent and the experience of God being imminent. 00:12:13.019 --> 00:12:14.060 That God is holy. 00:12:14.399 --> 00:12:18.040 God is the God who links different people in different times. 00:12:18.180 --> 00:12:19.139 He's beyond time. 00:12:19.200 --> 00:12:20.879 And you enter into that in those words. 00:12:20.879 --> 00:12:28.039 And then this idea of God being close, you enter into it in verses 9 to 11 in the context of your real life when you pray. 00:12:29.000 --> 00:12:31.039 But you are he who took me from the womb. 00:12:31.179 --> 00:12:32.960 You made me trust at my mother's breast. 00:12:33.019 --> 00:12:34.919 On you was I cast from my birth. 00:12:35.320 --> 00:12:38.679 Verse 11, be not far from me, for trouble is near and there is none to help. 00:12:39.720 --> 00:12:45.559 You enter in to these doctrines with the words of the psalm and the prayer. 00:12:46.299 --> 00:12:47.360 Or a song. 00:12:47.360 --> 00:12:55.759 It perfectly expresses why Christianity has both produced geniuses, theological geniuses and systematizers like Calvin, 00:12:56.019 --> 00:13:02.940 and also powerful poetic singers like Andrew Peterson who allow you to enter into things emotionally. 00:13:03.120 --> 00:13:05.259 And it's deeply Christian to have both of them. 00:13:06.539 --> 00:13:09.800 But now the psalm takes a very, very different bend. 00:13:09.799 --> 00:13:16.939 It's now at this point in time, apart from the opening words, that you can actually see how this is talking about Jesus' death upon the cross. 00:13:17.059 --> 00:13:23.639 What happened on a spring day just outside of Jerusalem in either the year 30 or the year 33, 00:13:23.799 --> 00:13:30.240 depending on how you juxtaposode all of the eyewitness accounts with other historical things that we know. 00:13:30.339 --> 00:13:37.219 Sometime in the spring of 30 or 33, on a Friday, these things happen. 00:13:37.339 --> 00:13:38.099 And you can see them. 00:13:38.179 --> 00:13:39.059 It enters into them. 00:13:39.059 --> 00:13:42.619 A thousand years in advance, David describes it. 00:13:43.500 --> 00:13:46.459 I'm going to read it, and then I'm going to say something, and then I'm going to go back and read it again. 00:13:46.599 --> 00:13:47.039 Look at it. 00:13:47.079 --> 00:13:47.639 Verse 12. 00:13:47.639 --> 00:14:13.819 Just pause there. 00:14:13.820 --> 00:14:17.300 This is one of the reasons that we know it's not referring to David's own experience. 00:14:18.300 --> 00:14:20.700 Because David died of old age. 00:14:22.620 --> 00:14:24.860 This does not describe the death of David. 00:14:26.040 --> 00:14:27.080 But it continues. 00:14:27.260 --> 00:14:27.960 Verse 16. 00:14:27.960 --> 00:14:49.019 All of a sudden, we realize we're not hearing David being sick or just David being made fun of. 00:14:49.019 --> 00:14:50.579 We are seeing David. 00:14:50.579 --> 00:14:53.399 We are seeing David describe an execution. 00:14:55.699 --> 00:14:59.299 David is describing an execution. 00:14:59.299 --> 00:15:00.299 Continue on. 00:15:00.299 --> 00:15:04.299 Verse 17. 00:15:04.299 --> 00:15:21.059 Now you go back and you realize Jesus was pierced. 00:15:21.059 --> 00:15:22.659 Look, you just go back and you read it. 00:15:23.199 --> 00:15:23.679 Verse 12. 00:15:23.679 --> 00:15:25.019 Many bulls encompass me. 00:15:25.119 --> 00:15:27.059 Strong bulls of Bashan surround me. 00:15:27.119 --> 00:15:30.679 They open wide their mouths at me like a ravening and roaring lion. 00:15:30.679 --> 00:15:37.120 And this perfectly describes the scene of the crowd mocking Jesus. 00:15:37.299 --> 00:15:52.739 Jesus is the enemies of Jesus that comprises both the state and the spiritual elite and the religious elite and the intellectual elite and the cultural elite and the powers of both the local community and of a worldwide, of a huge empire. 00:15:52.740 --> 00:16:00.060 They're all arrayed against Jesus in anger, looking forward to his death that they have been plotting. 00:16:01.360 --> 00:16:03.680 Described in very, very powerful words. 00:16:03.860 --> 00:16:04.480 Verse 14. 00:16:04.580 --> 00:16:07.460 I am poured out like water and all my bones are out of joint. 00:16:07.560 --> 00:16:08.820 My heart is like wax. 00:16:08.899 --> 00:16:10.200 It is melted within my heart. 00:16:11.860 --> 00:16:12.299 Crucifixion. 00:16:12.600 --> 00:16:20.560 Those of you who look at the eyewitness accounts is that one of the ways that people die from crucifixion is the buildup of fluids around the heart, 00:16:20.559 --> 00:16:24.799 which can eventually stop the heart from working or you die from asphyxiation. 00:16:25.059 --> 00:16:33.039 And the terrible stretching of the body, of the slow diminishment of strength, of the crushing of the heart as if it is merely but wax. 00:16:33.359 --> 00:16:37.919 The flow of water that comes out of Jesus' side when he is pierced by the spear. 00:16:38.099 --> 00:16:40.699 All described in poetic language here. 00:16:42.099 --> 00:16:47.979 My strength is dried up like a pot shirt and my tongue sticks to my jaw as you lay me in the dust of death. 00:16:48.059 --> 00:16:49.019 Jesus dies. 00:16:49.019 --> 00:16:56.879 That Jesus is slow developing of thirst, the swelling of the tongue as he hangs on the cross. 00:16:57.899 --> 00:17:01.860 For dogs encompass me and evil company of evil doers encircle me. 00:17:02.460 --> 00:17:04.400 They have pierced my hands and my feet. 00:17:06.299 --> 00:17:08.039 It's exactly how Jesus died. 00:17:08.180 --> 00:17:09.099 It's crucifixion. 00:17:10.519 --> 00:17:12.099 I can count all my bones. 00:17:12.220 --> 00:17:13.319 None of his bones were broken. 00:17:13.319 --> 00:17:20.720 And he's so completely and utterly stretched out and, in a sense, broken and dehydrated. 00:17:20.819 --> 00:17:22.439 You can, in a sense, count his bones. 00:17:23.980 --> 00:17:25.679 They stare and gloat over me. 00:17:26.259 --> 00:17:28.379 People around the cross, they mock him. 00:17:28.460 --> 00:17:29.200 They say, you know what? 00:17:29.220 --> 00:17:30.299 You know what they say around the cross? 00:17:30.419 --> 00:17:31.960 You know, show us that you're really the Messiah. 00:17:32.099 --> 00:17:33.659 Come down from the cross and we'll believe you. 00:17:35.059 --> 00:17:36.759 Come down from the cross and we'll believe you. 00:17:36.759 --> 00:17:41.920 They divide my garments among them and from my clothing they cast lots. 00:17:41.980 --> 00:17:47.160 And that literally happened at the foot of Jesus as he's dying of crucifixion. 00:17:47.160 --> 00:17:50.960 See, no Christian can read this. 00:17:51.540 --> 00:17:56.480 And nobody can really read this with understanding and not see the crucifixion described. 00:17:56.700 --> 00:18:00.060 But it was written a thousand years before the death of Jesus. 00:18:00.279 --> 00:18:03.060 It was, in fact, written before crucifixion was invented. 00:18:04.680 --> 00:18:07.420 And David can't be talking autobiographically. 00:18:10.300 --> 00:18:12.480 But then there begins to be a bit of a change. 00:18:13.240 --> 00:18:15.519 Look at what happens in verses 19 to 21. 00:18:15.519 --> 00:18:18.639 In verses 19 to 21. 00:18:20.420 --> 00:18:22.660 But you, O Lord, do not be far off. 00:18:22.920 --> 00:18:24.019 Here we hear Jesus. 00:18:24.920 --> 00:18:26.960 O you, my help, come quickly to my aid. 00:18:27.099 --> 00:18:31.839 Deliver my soul from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dog. 00:18:33.299 --> 00:18:35.740 Save me from the mouth of the lion. 00:18:36.680 --> 00:18:40.059 You have rescued me from the horns of the wild oxen. 00:18:41.539 --> 00:18:43.900 Interestingly enough, they use the word oxen. 00:18:43.900 --> 00:18:49.300 They're actually describing an auroch, a huge beast that is now extinct. 00:18:49.560 --> 00:18:52.680 That was very common throughout Europe and throughout the Middle East. 00:18:53.300 --> 00:18:58.120 The skeletons that they found of these beasts, at the shoulder, they were six foot tall. 00:18:58.240 --> 00:19:00.120 At the shoulder, they were six foot tall. 00:19:00.500 --> 00:19:01.540 They were huge. 00:19:01.539 --> 00:19:05.599 So think of a bull that's, the shoulder is six foot tall. 00:19:05.700 --> 00:19:07.200 The head is even higher than the bull. 00:19:07.319 --> 00:19:10.480 It's a fearsome, terrifying, wild animal. 00:19:11.039 --> 00:19:11.920 And it's interesting. 00:19:12.019 --> 00:19:14.359 In the original language, it says, you have rescued me. 00:19:14.440 --> 00:19:18.299 It's like this one word in Hebrew which says, you have rescued me. 00:19:18.299 --> 00:19:27.839 And it's very interesting because the notion here of rescuing is also, in a sense, it means, in fact, literally it says, you've answered me. 00:19:28.079 --> 00:19:36.399 And in the original language, there's three types of ideas that are all going along in this single Hebrew word which is shouted out. 00:19:36.400 --> 00:19:45.640 Which is that you've answered me because, in fact, and therefore you've vindicated me, you've rescued me, you've delivered me, I'm alive. 00:19:45.700 --> 00:19:51.460 And it's all captured in this one Hebrew word which is let out with a shout, so to speak. 00:19:53.519 --> 00:19:57.460 And then we see the resurrection. 00:19:57.460 --> 00:20:07.559 In a sense, what happens in verses 22 to 31, and we'll unpack it a little bit in a moment, talks about what happens on Easter Sunday. 00:20:09.880 --> 00:20:11.000 Look at verse 22. 00:20:11.000 --> 00:20:13.279 I will tell of your name to my brothers. 00:20:13.819 --> 00:20:16.779 In the midst of the congregation, I will praise you. 00:20:17.620 --> 00:20:21.559 All you who fear the Lord, praise him. 00:20:21.700 --> 00:20:24.160 All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him. 00:20:24.160 --> 00:20:29.759 And stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel. 00:20:29.940 --> 00:20:35.259 For he has not abandoned or he has not despised or abhorred the affliction of the afflicted. 00:20:35.820 --> 00:20:38.120 And he has not hidden his face from him. 00:20:38.540 --> 00:20:40.660 But he has heard when he cried to him. 00:20:41.200 --> 00:20:43.779 From you comes my praise in the great congregation. 00:20:43.960 --> 00:20:46.620 My vows I will perform before those who fear him. 00:20:46.700 --> 00:20:48.540 The afflicted shall eat and be satisfied. 00:20:49.240 --> 00:20:51.160 Those who seek him shall praise the Lord. 00:20:51.160 --> 00:20:54.160 May your hearts live forever. 00:20:55.000 --> 00:20:57.740 Now I'm going to unpack this a little bit more in a moment. 00:20:58.200 --> 00:21:02.480 But what you really see here is this, not only is now we see him alive. 00:21:02.600 --> 00:21:04.680 The servant who has been laid in the dust of death. 00:21:04.820 --> 00:21:08.060 The servant who begins with being forsaken. 00:21:08.240 --> 00:21:15.620 The servant who is described as being surrounded by these fearsome beasts and enemies. 00:21:15.759 --> 00:21:19.360 Who just wanted to devour him and have succeeded in killing him. 00:21:19.359 --> 00:21:22.399 And now we see that this same psalmist is alive. 00:21:23.259 --> 00:21:24.939 And he's not only alive. 00:21:25.139 --> 00:21:28.759 It's obvious that God has heard him and vindicated his life. 00:21:28.919 --> 00:21:31.119 Vindicated in fact that he really was innocent. 00:21:31.779 --> 00:21:35.359 That his suffering was of some particular type of value. 00:21:35.439 --> 00:21:36.819 Which I'll explain to you in a moment. 00:21:37.319 --> 00:21:40.159 And notice here in verse 26, the very last line. 00:21:40.299 --> 00:21:41.699 May your hearts live forever. 00:21:42.139 --> 00:21:47.039 It's somehow or another, this is going to have an impact on ordinary human beings. 00:21:47.039 --> 00:21:48.319 By which they live forever. 00:21:50.460 --> 00:21:57.519 And then it goes something which is really well beyond anything that could even possibly be imagined about it. 00:21:57.659 --> 00:22:00.740 Describing David or his experience in 1000 BC. 00:22:01.279 --> 00:22:03.579 Look what happens in verses 27 to 31. 00:22:04.119 --> 00:22:07.180 All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord. 00:22:07.259 --> 00:22:10.460 And all the families of the nation shall worship before you. 00:22:10.460 --> 00:22:16.440 There is no faith in the world that has more people groups who are Christians. 00:22:17.220 --> 00:22:19.440 I mean, there's no, I'll say that again. 00:22:19.799 --> 00:22:24.700 There is no faith in the world that has more adherents in more people groups. 00:22:25.740 --> 00:22:29.900 It's just astounding the number of people groups that have Christians in them. 00:22:29.900 --> 00:22:33.940 And so this is a universal type of picture. 00:22:34.060 --> 00:22:38.080 That somehow or another, what has happened in the servant being forsaken. 00:22:38.759 --> 00:22:41.400 And what has happened with the servant being mocked. 00:22:41.440 --> 00:22:42.580 And the servant dying. 00:22:43.100 --> 00:22:45.960 That somehow or another, this is going to have some type of fruit. 00:22:46.040 --> 00:22:47.759 Not just that people can live forever. 00:22:48.120 --> 00:22:50.360 But beyond the borders of Judaism. 00:22:50.360 --> 00:22:52.980 To go to the very, very, very ends of the earth. 00:22:53.100 --> 00:22:54.360 And for those of you who are Christians. 00:22:54.640 --> 00:22:57.460 And you know we've had people from our church go to be missionaries. 00:22:57.560 --> 00:22:59.200 We have people serving as missionaries. 00:22:59.200 --> 00:23:01.200 This is the evangelistic call. 00:23:01.299 --> 00:23:08.220 It's why we are called to share what happens in things like what Psalm 22 is describing with people of any people group. 00:23:08.319 --> 00:23:09.000 Any ethnicity. 00:23:09.200 --> 00:23:10.180 Any language. 00:23:10.819 --> 00:23:12.720 Any subculture within Ottawa. 00:23:13.680 --> 00:23:15.759 We are called to have a heart for them and pray for them. 00:23:16.460 --> 00:23:17.059 It goes on. 00:23:17.420 --> 00:23:18.059 Verse 28. 00:23:18.539 --> 00:23:21.400 For kingship belongs to the Lord and he rules over the nations. 00:23:21.580 --> 00:23:22.240 All the... 00:23:22.240 --> 00:23:24.279 29 is a bit of an awkward verse. 00:23:24.660 --> 00:23:25.319 I'm going to read it. 00:23:25.920 --> 00:23:29.019 The version that I'm using ESV is a very, very literal version. 00:23:29.200 --> 00:23:31.279 And that can be very, very helpful for some things. 00:23:31.360 --> 00:23:33.019 But sometimes it means it's a bit confusing. 00:23:33.840 --> 00:23:34.559 And so I'll read it. 00:23:34.620 --> 00:23:40.019 And I'll tell you in an ironic way if you read the NLT that gives a very loose translation. 00:23:40.160 --> 00:23:42.100 It actually helps you to understand the meaning more. 00:23:42.660 --> 00:23:43.360 But I'll read it. 00:23:43.360 --> 00:23:45.880 All the prosperous of the earth eat and worship. 00:23:46.120 --> 00:23:48.559 Before him shall bow all who go down to the dust. 00:23:48.980 --> 00:23:50.980 Even the one who could not keep himself alive. 00:23:50.980 --> 00:23:52.460 What it's basically saying is this. 00:23:53.000 --> 00:23:54.099 Who will come to know Jesus? 00:23:54.819 --> 00:23:55.860 Those who are vital. 00:23:56.200 --> 00:23:57.099 Full of strength. 00:23:57.940 --> 00:23:59.160 The elite athletes. 00:23:59.819 --> 00:24:02.880 The elite intellects at the top of their power. 00:24:03.720 --> 00:24:07.599 And people all the way down the food chain to the poorest of the poor of the poor. 00:24:07.920 --> 00:24:09.980 Even those who are on the edge of death. 00:24:11.460 --> 00:24:12.120 All people. 00:24:13.099 --> 00:24:14.240 The gospel is for them. 00:24:14.240 --> 00:24:16.420 Then verse 30. 00:24:16.859 --> 00:24:17.980 Posterity shall serve him. 00:24:18.099 --> 00:24:20.299 It shall be told of the Lord to the coming generation. 00:24:20.440 --> 00:24:25.440 They shall come and proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn. 00:24:25.680 --> 00:24:27.700 David's now saying this hasn't happened to me. 00:24:28.200 --> 00:24:29.079 This is down the road. 00:24:29.079 --> 00:24:36.779 And they're going to proclaim that God has done something right to make people right with him. 00:24:37.099 --> 00:24:37.799 His righteousness. 00:24:38.819 --> 00:24:41.019 And then it says the last words. 00:24:41.599 --> 00:24:42.700 He has done it. 00:24:42.700 --> 00:24:45.860 Now this is very, very, very, very powerful. 00:24:46.340 --> 00:24:47.220 It's one word. 00:24:47.720 --> 00:24:50.120 It can also be translated as he has wrought it. 00:24:50.360 --> 00:24:51.440 He has accomplished it. 00:24:51.740 --> 00:24:52.860 Why is this very significant? 00:24:53.000 --> 00:24:56.680 What is virtually the last word that Jesus says on the cross as he dies? 00:24:57.080 --> 00:24:57.900 It is finished. 00:24:58.059 --> 00:24:58.779 What does that mean? 00:24:59.580 --> 00:25:02.340 The end has been accomplished. 00:25:02.580 --> 00:25:04.039 The purpose is fulfilled. 00:25:04.259 --> 00:25:05.380 It has been done. 00:25:05.500 --> 00:25:06.340 It is finished. 00:25:06.440 --> 00:25:11.000 The final, in a sense, words of Jesus from the cross are not strive without ceasing. 00:25:11.160 --> 00:25:12.440 Not be more religious. 00:25:12.700 --> 00:25:15.620 Not harness your spiritual powers. 00:25:15.779 --> 00:25:16.840 Not never give up. 00:25:16.940 --> 00:25:17.980 Not never surrender. 00:25:18.779 --> 00:25:23.779 Jesus says, just before he dies on the cross, it is accomplished. 00:25:24.080 --> 00:25:25.000 It is finished. 00:25:25.220 --> 00:25:26.460 And how does this psalm end? 00:25:27.140 --> 00:25:28.160 He has wrought it. 00:25:28.240 --> 00:25:29.319 He has accomplished it. 00:25:29.319 --> 00:25:30.460 It's one word in Hebrew. 00:25:31.839 --> 00:25:32.399 A verb. 00:25:32.400 --> 00:25:39.320 So, here's the, and by the way, the sermon, I have sermon points. 00:25:39.380 --> 00:25:40.320 It's one of the things I do. 00:25:40.759 --> 00:25:42.400 They're going to be seen in the chat. 00:25:42.500 --> 00:25:43.680 I think I'm saying it the right word. 00:25:43.780 --> 00:25:44.600 The live chat. 00:25:44.740 --> 00:25:46.660 You're going to see this, the points recorded. 00:25:46.660 --> 00:25:52.519 If you want to sort of think about them and meditate upon them, they'll be available on the web page tomorrow. 00:25:53.920 --> 00:25:56.040 And probably tomorrow. 00:25:56.480 --> 00:25:57.480 And here's the first thing. 00:25:57.480 --> 00:26:02.860 David predicted the death and resurrection of Jesus Messiah 1,000 years in advance. 00:26:03.660 --> 00:26:10.279 Jesus predicted the death and resurrection of Jesus Messiah 1,000 years in advance. 00:26:10.279 --> 00:26:18.660 Jesus said, remember I said at the beginning that we live in a prediction-driven age. 00:26:20.779 --> 00:26:26.139 And so nobody can say that predictions don't matter. 00:26:28.099 --> 00:26:32.980 And here we have a thousand-year-old prediction that we see came true. 00:26:34.139 --> 00:26:35.500 So why doesn't it matter? 00:26:35.940 --> 00:26:36.660 It should matter. 00:26:36.660 --> 00:26:40.660 And it's even more amazing because, you see, it matters in the context. 00:26:40.759 --> 00:26:43.040 Remember, it matters in the context of suffering. 00:26:43.200 --> 00:26:45.300 It matters in the context of being forsaken. 00:26:45.440 --> 00:26:47.460 It matters in the context of mob rule. 00:26:47.880 --> 00:26:51.160 It matters in the context of these very, very deep fears we have. 00:26:51.640 --> 00:26:55.360 And so that's why you need to, we need to think about this a little bit, a moment. 00:26:55.460 --> 00:27:02.040 Because, you see, it isn't, go back and look at verse 8 again of chapter 22. 00:27:03.080 --> 00:27:04.640 Chapter 8 of verse 22. 00:27:06.660 --> 00:27:15.420 Remember I said how it perfectly ascribes religion and spirituality and those of us who've rejected religion and spirituality because it doesn't work. 00:27:16.820 --> 00:27:19.880 Now, the psalm shows that they were wrong. 00:27:19.880 --> 00:27:31.520 You know, for those of us who've said, you know, listen, I prayed and I prayed and I prayed and I tried to be as good as I possibly could and I tried to obey the rules and all that happened is I got sick. 00:27:32.260 --> 00:27:35.120 All that happens is that I didn't get the promotion. 00:27:35.620 --> 00:27:37.940 All that happens is that my life still sucks. 00:27:37.940 --> 00:27:49.279 For those of our same-sex attracted or transgender friends, there's many of them who say, you know, I tried to pray and I tried to obey the Bible and I tried to do all of those things. 00:27:49.360 --> 00:27:51.660 I was still just unhappy and I was still just miserable. 00:27:52.320 --> 00:27:59.860 And so I had to just turn my back on that whole thing and just said the whole thing's just a pile of crap that's just pouring me down. 00:27:59.940 --> 00:28:01.059 Just be myself. 00:28:01.059 --> 00:28:05.440 Well, they end up being wrong in this text here as well, don't they? 00:28:06.759 --> 00:28:23.700 For every single one of you who've tried to be religious and spiritual and given up on it, this psalm shows that those claims, in a sense those criticisms, end up being proven wrong by how the psalm ends, by what happens with Jesus. 00:28:24.419 --> 00:28:27.539 But here's something which is very, very important for us to know. 00:28:27.539 --> 00:28:39.700 So, this psalm isn't written so that at the end of it, I can say to you, gotcha, whoo-hoo, beat ya, tricked ya, you're wrong, whoo-hoo, good for us. 00:28:41.119 --> 00:28:46.420 I mean, there's some Christians who try to talk that way and just pray that they have some humility. 00:28:47.539 --> 00:28:49.200 That's not the purpose of the psalm. 00:28:49.680 --> 00:28:54.799 The purpose of the psalm is not to say, gotcha, nah, nah, nah, nah, you're all wrong and we're right. 00:28:54.799 --> 00:28:57.139 It's not a power encounter at all. 00:28:57.539 --> 00:29:08.639 You see, the thing which is so significant is if you look through the flow of the psalm, you see, if verse 8 was earlier on, 00:29:09.680 --> 00:29:14.759 and talking about all of these things, perfectly describing both the religious spirit, the spiritual spirit, 00:29:14.759 --> 00:29:18.000 and the spirit of those who reject religion and spirituality. 00:29:18.000 --> 00:29:26.039 And if after that, my God, my God, why have you forsaken me, happened, then maybe that's what the psalm is saying. 00:29:26.319 --> 00:29:28.140 You know, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, you're all wrong. 00:29:28.799 --> 00:29:32.279 But the psalm begins with, my God, my God, why have you forsaken me? 00:29:33.079 --> 00:29:34.299 It begins with that. 00:29:34.299 --> 00:29:53.460 You see, what this is saying is that the fundamental spirit, Jesus dies, he is forsaken, not just by the crowd, but he's forsaken for the crowd. 00:29:53.460 --> 00:29:57.900 He does it for his enemies. 00:29:59.240 --> 00:30:01.220 He does it for you and me. 00:30:01.220 --> 00:30:17.279 And that becomes even more clear that not just whatever this forsakenness means, that he's doing it for those who basically try to understand that life is all about a quid pro quo, 00:30:17.620 --> 00:30:19.660 quid pro quo with God. 00:30:19.779 --> 00:30:24.400 I do these things and you do these things and I do these things and then you do these things. 00:30:24.400 --> 00:30:25.820 And it goes back and forward. 00:30:29.440 --> 00:30:31.440 He's showing that that way is wrong. 00:30:34.780 --> 00:30:37.660 He's showing something which is very, very, very different. 00:30:38.880 --> 00:30:47.040 He's showing that it begins God's move, that the gospel is completely different than religion and spirituality. 00:30:47.620 --> 00:30:50.940 And for those who have given up on religion and vindicated in Jesus, 00:30:50.940 --> 00:31:00.720 that even before we turn to him, Jesus came and was in union with us, in union with those who mocked him. 00:31:01.779 --> 00:31:08.380 If you look at verse 22, the turning point of the psalm, remember I said the very end of verse 21 is that this, in a sense, there's the resurrection. 00:31:09.360 --> 00:31:12.380 He says, I will tell of your name to my brothers. 00:31:13.400 --> 00:31:15.100 You would also say here of my sisters. 00:31:15.099 --> 00:31:21.959 You see, what we see here is that, well here, let's put the point and then you can maybe see it clear. 00:31:22.059 --> 00:31:23.619 Here's a point that will be in your notes. 00:31:24.339 --> 00:31:31.099 Jesus is the Messiah who was forsaken and died to give ordinary people who trust in him a new eternal status. 00:31:32.319 --> 00:31:33.939 His sister, his brother. 00:31:33.940 --> 00:31:53.180 See, there's a very famous story in Acts chapter 9 when Paul, who used to be called Saul, when he had been persecuting Christians. 00:31:53.980 --> 00:31:56.720 And Jesus appears to Paul alive. 00:31:56.720 --> 00:31:59.640 And Paul has been persecuting Christians. 00:31:59.779 --> 00:32:05.860 But when Jesus, who's now, who's resurrected, appears before Paul, and what does Jesus say to him? 00:32:05.960 --> 00:32:07.640 Why are you persecuting me? 00:32:08.660 --> 00:32:12.299 See, at the heart of the Christian faith is this profound idea of union. 00:32:13.100 --> 00:32:19.360 That God, the Son of God, well the death he dies is my death. 00:32:19.559 --> 00:32:20.559 He dies for me. 00:32:20.559 --> 00:32:29.240 The forsakenness, we are casually or very adamantly in alienation and in rebellion against God. 00:32:29.339 --> 00:32:35.359 And while we were still enemies, Jesus becomes one in union with me and with you. 00:32:35.819 --> 00:32:42.940 See, all well-instructed Christians would understand that verse 8 is not describing other people, but describing each one of us. 00:32:43.639 --> 00:32:49.720 The persistent problem of Christianity is that it forgets the gospel and sinks into another quid pro quo religion. 00:32:50.559 --> 00:32:57.039 But the very, very heart of the gospel is that it begins with Jesus being forsaken. 00:32:57.259 --> 00:33:00.679 He takes upon himself the doom that you and I deserve. 00:33:01.179 --> 00:33:07.159 He takes upon himself all of that stuff within us that makes us look down at God, 00:33:07.539 --> 00:33:11.940 that makes us want to have God as being some type of a project that we have. 00:33:11.940 --> 00:33:16.079 All of the things that we do to shame people and all of the things that we do to mock people, 00:33:16.159 --> 00:33:17.619 all of the things that we do that are wrong, 00:33:17.619 --> 00:33:20.159 Jesus comes in union with us. 00:33:20.259 --> 00:33:24.259 And when he dies on the cross, he's dying the death, 00:33:24.719 --> 00:33:28.500 the doom, the shame, the sin that you and I deserve. 00:33:30.899 --> 00:33:33.699 And this psalm doesn't describe how we become brothers. 00:33:33.899 --> 00:33:36.500 We need to find that from other places in the psalm. 00:33:36.559 --> 00:33:38.199 But we know from the gospels, 00:33:38.279 --> 00:33:39.519 from Jesus' own lips, 00:33:39.579 --> 00:33:41.399 that it comes from putting trust in him. 00:33:41.400 --> 00:33:44.600 And then, you see, the entire Christian life then begins with union. 00:33:45.880 --> 00:33:47.920 And out of union with Jesus, 00:33:48.560 --> 00:33:49.900 the Christian life flows. 00:33:50.140 --> 00:33:52.640 It's the opposite of the quid pro quo approach. 00:33:53.420 --> 00:33:57.019 There's nothing in my hands that I can bring Jesus. 00:33:57.880 --> 00:33:59.180 When I was still your enemy, 00:33:59.580 --> 00:34:00.800 when I was far from you, 00:34:00.840 --> 00:34:02.160 when I had no interest in you, 00:34:02.580 --> 00:34:04.040 that was when you died for me. 00:34:04.039 --> 00:34:08.360 But it has more to do with it than that. 00:34:08.460 --> 00:34:11.539 You see, if we understand that we now are in union with Christ, 00:34:11.659 --> 00:34:13.639 that's, you see, why he calls his brothers. 00:34:14.019 --> 00:34:15.360 We become part of his family. 00:34:15.820 --> 00:34:17.279 We put our faith and trust in him. 00:34:18.940 --> 00:34:20.960 And what he's done upon the cross 00:34:20.960 --> 00:34:23.880 has turned us from enemies into his family, 00:34:24.480 --> 00:34:25.440 into union with him. 00:34:26.380 --> 00:34:28.519 So here's some things to wrap it all up. 00:34:30.360 --> 00:34:31.440 Life is hard. 00:34:31.440 --> 00:34:35.280 So for those in union with Christ by faith, 00:34:36.159 --> 00:34:37.860 and these will be some points you can look up, 00:34:38.340 --> 00:34:40.420 he was forsaken to save you, 00:34:41.039 --> 00:34:42.679 so he will never forsake you. 00:34:43.800 --> 00:34:45.539 You see, if you understand 00:34:45.539 --> 00:34:48.360 that his cry from the cross, 00:34:48.980 --> 00:34:52.700 he experiences our separation from God, 00:34:52.820 --> 00:34:54.340 and he deals with it. 00:34:54.380 --> 00:34:57.099 He deals with all that keeps us separate from God. 00:34:57.280 --> 00:34:58.980 He, in a sense, offers us 00:34:58.980 --> 00:35:01.139 that if we put our faith and trust in him, 00:35:01.139 --> 00:35:02.420 as we reach out our hand to him, 00:35:02.500 --> 00:35:03.319 he will take us, 00:35:03.400 --> 00:35:05.039 and we are united to him. 00:35:05.619 --> 00:35:07.980 And that means that everything he accomplished 00:35:07.980 --> 00:35:08.779 on the cross, 00:35:08.879 --> 00:35:10.279 his cry of vindication, 00:35:10.440 --> 00:35:11.559 his cry of victory, 00:35:11.699 --> 00:35:12.759 his cry of life, 00:35:12.819 --> 00:35:13.900 now becomes ours 00:35:13.900 --> 00:35:15.900 when we put our faith and trust in him. 00:35:17.480 --> 00:35:19.139 Because we are in union with him. 00:35:19.460 --> 00:35:22.039 It means that we can actually pray this psalm 00:35:22.039 --> 00:35:23.659 in different ways, 00:35:23.739 --> 00:35:24.679 because there are going to be times 00:35:24.679 --> 00:35:25.779 that you feel forsaken. 00:35:26.759 --> 00:35:28.239 There's going to be times that you feel abandoned. 00:35:28.239 --> 00:35:29.019 There's going to be times 00:35:29.019 --> 00:35:30.479 that you feel the threat of the mob. 00:35:30.579 --> 00:35:31.799 There's going to be the times 00:35:31.799 --> 00:35:32.759 that you feel the threat 00:35:32.759 --> 00:35:34.619 of being mocked and feeling shamed. 00:35:38.539 --> 00:35:40.099 But this psalm describes 00:35:40.099 --> 00:35:41.399 how Jesus knows that 00:35:41.399 --> 00:35:42.939 at such and such a deep level. 00:35:43.699 --> 00:35:44.579 And that's why I'm using 00:35:44.579 --> 00:35:45.539 these four little points. 00:35:45.619 --> 00:35:46.439 The first one being that 00:35:46.439 --> 00:35:48.659 he was forsaken to save you. 00:35:49.059 --> 00:35:50.739 So he will never forsake you. 00:35:50.739 --> 00:35:54.239 Because your relationship with him 00:35:54.239 --> 00:35:56.379 is based on his union with you in love, 00:35:56.679 --> 00:35:58.919 not your ability to make him 00:35:58.919 --> 00:36:00.039 do what you want. 00:36:01.379 --> 00:36:02.779 And here's another point. 00:36:03.279 --> 00:36:04.199 Life is hard. 00:36:04.539 --> 00:36:05.539 So for those of us 00:36:05.539 --> 00:36:07.319 who are in union with Christ by faith, 00:36:07.699 --> 00:36:09.500 he was forsaken to save you. 00:36:09.979 --> 00:36:11.339 So when you are shamed, 00:36:11.579 --> 00:36:12.559 mocked, and abandoned, 00:36:12.859 --> 00:36:14.679 you can pour out your heart to him. 00:36:15.119 --> 00:36:16.179 In fact, you can use the words 00:36:16.179 --> 00:36:17.559 of these psalms as your own. 00:36:18.199 --> 00:36:18.959 You don't have to think 00:36:18.959 --> 00:36:19.839 of your own words. 00:36:19.840 --> 00:36:20.500 You can say, 00:36:20.680 --> 00:36:22.160 I feel so forsaken. 00:36:22.280 --> 00:36:23.280 I feel so abandoned. 00:36:23.539 --> 00:36:24.920 I feel people mocking me. 00:36:25.000 --> 00:36:26.380 I feel people shaming me. 00:36:26.780 --> 00:36:27.900 I don't know where to go, Lord. 00:36:27.960 --> 00:36:29.500 I pour out my heart to you. 00:36:29.620 --> 00:36:30.579 This prayer, which was, 00:36:31.039 --> 00:36:32.500 you're dating the inner life 00:36:32.500 --> 00:36:33.380 and the outer life 00:36:33.380 --> 00:36:34.079 and the experience 00:36:34.079 --> 00:36:34.760 and the meaning 00:36:34.760 --> 00:36:36.220 of what Jesus does on the cross. 00:36:36.360 --> 00:36:38.320 And because we are in union with Christ 00:36:38.320 --> 00:36:39.620 and he is our brother, 00:36:41.079 --> 00:36:43.140 big parts of this prayer 00:36:43.140 --> 00:36:45.140 can become ours and goddesses we pray. 00:36:45.640 --> 00:36:46.820 But we can do it knowing 00:36:46.820 --> 00:36:48.860 that because he was forsaken 00:36:48.860 --> 00:36:49.820 to save you, 00:36:49.840 --> 00:36:52.900 you can pour out your heart to him. 00:36:53.100 --> 00:36:53.780 Here's another one. 00:36:54.400 --> 00:36:55.180 Life is hard. 00:36:55.320 --> 00:36:56.120 So for those in union 00:36:56.120 --> 00:36:57.200 with Christ by faith, 00:36:57.700 --> 00:36:59.420 he was forsaken to save you. 00:36:59.860 --> 00:37:00.760 So in him, 00:37:01.160 --> 00:37:03.059 your suffering will have meaning. 00:37:05.000 --> 00:37:06.720 Your suffering can have meaning. 00:37:07.280 --> 00:37:08.300 You see, we see this, 00:37:08.360 --> 00:37:09.760 that in this profound mystery, 00:37:09.880 --> 00:37:10.860 the forsakenness, 00:37:10.920 --> 00:37:11.740 the abandonment, 00:37:11.820 --> 00:37:12.340 the mocking, 00:37:12.519 --> 00:37:13.079 the shaming, 00:37:13.260 --> 00:37:13.800 the death, 00:37:13.800 --> 00:37:16.019 the horrible death, 00:37:16.240 --> 00:37:17.580 Jesus is vindicated 00:37:17.580 --> 00:37:18.539 in his resurrection. 00:37:19.280 --> 00:37:20.620 His ultimate innocence, 00:37:20.860 --> 00:37:22.080 his act for others 00:37:22.080 --> 00:37:23.360 to bring you in union with him, 00:37:23.420 --> 00:37:24.600 that's all vindicated. 00:37:25.060 --> 00:37:26.080 And it means now 00:37:26.080 --> 00:37:27.480 that even when we suffer, 00:37:27.600 --> 00:37:28.760 we can call out to God 00:37:28.760 --> 00:37:29.080 and say, 00:37:29.180 --> 00:37:29.340 Lord, 00:37:29.440 --> 00:37:31.340 how is it that you are going to use this? 00:37:31.740 --> 00:37:35.560 I don't understand all the time 00:37:35.560 --> 00:37:37.420 why my suffering has meaning, 00:37:37.500 --> 00:37:38.380 but I know it has meaning. 00:37:38.460 --> 00:37:40.740 I know that when I stand before God 00:37:40.740 --> 00:37:41.559 at the last day, 00:37:41.660 --> 00:37:42.619 he will make the meaning 00:37:42.619 --> 00:37:43.579 of my life clear. 00:37:43.960 --> 00:37:44.980 Sometimes my suffering, 00:37:45.099 --> 00:37:45.880 it will become the clear 00:37:45.880 --> 00:37:46.519 the meaning is 00:37:46.519 --> 00:37:47.740 that I've been doing something wrong, 00:37:47.820 --> 00:37:48.700 that I need to repent. 00:37:49.539 --> 00:37:49.860 Others, 00:37:49.980 --> 00:37:51.119 it might be that I have gone 00:37:51.119 --> 00:37:51.980 through this suffering 00:37:51.980 --> 00:37:53.480 of this period of suffering 00:37:53.480 --> 00:37:54.780 so I could draw close to him 00:37:54.780 --> 00:37:55.680 so I could die 00:37:55.680 --> 00:37:57.700 to my whole worldview 00:37:57.700 --> 00:37:58.880 of quid pro quo. 00:37:59.260 --> 00:37:59.579 You see, 00:37:59.720 --> 00:38:01.300 here's the fundamental point 00:38:01.300 --> 00:38:02.380 about all of this 00:38:02.380 --> 00:38:04.320 is that if you look at Psalm 8 00:38:04.320 --> 00:38:05.260 and you look at the brothers 00:38:05.260 --> 00:38:06.160 and you look at the fact 00:38:06.160 --> 00:38:07.519 that in verse 31, 00:38:07.680 --> 00:38:07.960 he says, 00:38:07.960 --> 00:38:09.019 he has accomplished it. 00:38:09.039 --> 00:38:09.900 If you look at the whole flow 00:38:09.900 --> 00:38:10.340 of the Psalm, 00:38:10.440 --> 00:38:12.119 beginning with verse 1, 00:38:12.240 --> 00:38:13.599 with my God, 00:38:13.659 --> 00:38:14.000 my God, 00:38:14.039 --> 00:38:14.720 why are you forsaken? 00:38:14.780 --> 00:38:15.880 With the mocking of the crowd 00:38:15.880 --> 00:38:16.539 in verse 8, 00:38:16.659 --> 00:38:19.720 with the fact that he is now alive, 00:38:19.820 --> 00:38:21.300 that he is in verse 21, 00:38:21.480 --> 00:38:22.780 with this idea of the brothers, 00:38:22.960 --> 00:38:23.360 with the idea 00:38:23.360 --> 00:38:24.599 that he has accomplished it, 00:38:24.940 --> 00:38:26.740 is that God wants you and me 00:38:26.740 --> 00:38:28.940 to die to quid pro quo 00:38:28.940 --> 00:38:30.619 thinking of God 00:38:30.619 --> 00:38:33.139 so that we can be open to grace. 00:38:33.139 --> 00:38:38.199 He wants us to die to all aspects 00:38:38.199 --> 00:38:40.440 of quid pro quo thinking 00:38:40.440 --> 00:38:41.819 in terms of God, 00:38:42.420 --> 00:38:43.739 the triune God, 00:38:44.219 --> 00:38:45.639 to die to it, 00:38:46.179 --> 00:38:48.259 to continually put it to death, 00:38:48.799 --> 00:38:50.960 that we might be understanding 00:38:50.960 --> 00:38:53.639 and enter into the deep truth 00:38:53.639 --> 00:38:56.559 of the grace that is offered in Jesus 00:38:56.559 --> 00:38:58.779 that comes from union with Christ 00:38:58.779 --> 00:39:00.379 when we put our faith in him. 00:39:00.380 --> 00:39:10.059 And so we can know 00:39:10.059 --> 00:39:11.280 he'll never forsake us. 00:39:11.880 --> 00:39:12.900 And so we know 00:39:12.900 --> 00:39:14.420 that we can pour out our heart to him. 00:39:14.840 --> 00:39:15.579 And so we know 00:39:15.579 --> 00:39:16.440 that our suffering, 00:39:16.599 --> 00:39:17.360 our abandonment, 00:39:17.400 --> 00:39:18.680 or the things that happen in our lives 00:39:18.680 --> 00:39:19.539 can have a meaning, 00:39:19.820 --> 00:39:20.780 which he knows, 00:39:20.860 --> 00:39:22.640 which he might reveal sometimes to us 00:39:22.640 --> 00:39:24.099 and sometimes we get a sense of, 00:39:24.619 --> 00:39:26.360 even if the meaning is just to show, 00:39:26.440 --> 00:39:26.900 yeah, Lord, 00:39:27.440 --> 00:39:28.380 I mean, I went through it this week. 00:39:28.420 --> 00:39:30.180 I have to die to quid pro quo thinking. 00:39:30.380 --> 00:39:32.059 I need to trust in grace. 00:39:32.320 --> 00:39:33.780 I need to trust in grace. 00:39:34.300 --> 00:39:35.059 One final thing. 00:39:35.860 --> 00:39:37.420 He was forsaken to save you. 00:39:37.599 --> 00:39:40.440 So no matter how hard life gets, 00:39:40.960 --> 00:39:43.800 the final word about you will be life. 00:39:44.400 --> 00:39:44.740 Right? 00:39:44.880 --> 00:39:46.500 This is what he's saying here 00:39:46.500 --> 00:39:48.460 is that life is hard. 00:39:48.599 --> 00:39:51.440 So for those in union with Christ by faith, 00:39:52.000 --> 00:39:54.160 for those of us in union with Christ by faith, 00:39:54.760 --> 00:39:56.579 he was forsaken to save you. 00:39:56.579 --> 00:39:59.380 So no matter how hard life gets, 00:40:00.259 --> 00:40:02.259 the final word about you and me 00:40:02.259 --> 00:40:03.960 in union with Christ 00:40:03.960 --> 00:40:07.199 is life. 00:40:08.779 --> 00:40:09.900 It's life. 00:40:11.559 --> 00:40:13.139 That's partially why I can say 00:40:13.139 --> 00:40:14.920 that the meaning to your life 00:40:14.920 --> 00:40:16.000 will be made clear to you 00:40:16.000 --> 00:40:16.739 in the context 00:40:16.739 --> 00:40:18.619 that the final word about you 00:40:18.619 --> 00:40:21.799 is not shame, 00:40:22.679 --> 00:40:23.599 abandonment, 00:40:23.880 --> 00:40:24.599 forsaken, 00:40:25.000 --> 00:40:26.000 defeatedness. 00:40:26.460 --> 00:40:27.719 It's life. 00:40:30.940 --> 00:40:33.339 Friends, if you haven't given your life to Jesus, 00:40:33.559 --> 00:40:35.179 there is no better time now 00:40:35.179 --> 00:40:36.339 than to call out to him 00:40:36.339 --> 00:40:37.559 and say, 00:40:37.559 --> 00:40:37.960 Jesus, 00:40:39.019 --> 00:40:40.820 you were forsaken. 00:40:42.039 --> 00:40:43.380 You willingly 00:40:43.380 --> 00:40:45.239 came in union 00:40:45.239 --> 00:40:46.639 with somebody like me 00:40:46.639 --> 00:40:47.860 and died upon the cross 00:40:47.860 --> 00:40:49.480 and experienced forsakenness 00:40:49.480 --> 00:40:50.199 and abandonment 00:40:50.199 --> 00:40:51.179 and all of those things 00:40:51.179 --> 00:40:52.179 that I might be 00:40:52.179 --> 00:40:54.139 your brother and sister forever 00:40:54.139 --> 00:40:55.000 for eternity, 00:40:55.139 --> 00:40:56.199 to have eternal life, 00:40:56.880 --> 00:40:57.219 to never, 00:40:57.820 --> 00:40:59.500 to be made right with God. 00:41:00.960 --> 00:41:01.059 I, 00:41:01.320 --> 00:41:02.480 Jesus, 00:41:02.820 --> 00:41:03.579 take me 00:41:03.579 --> 00:41:05.440 and never let me go. 00:41:05.679 --> 00:41:07.199 Thank you that you will never let me go. 00:41:08.559 --> 00:41:09.000 And 00:41:09.000 --> 00:41:11.299 help me to live my life 00:41:11.299 --> 00:41:13.139 not by quid pro quo, 00:41:13.619 --> 00:41:15.039 which I repent of, 00:41:15.739 --> 00:41:16.820 but out of the grace 00:41:16.820 --> 00:41:18.559 that comes from you 00:41:18.559 --> 00:41:20.460 through union with you by faith. 00:41:20.579 --> 00:41:21.719 There's no better time than now 00:41:21.719 --> 00:41:22.900 to just call out to God 00:41:22.900 --> 00:41:24.719 and make that prayer your own. 00:41:25.059 --> 00:41:26.440 For those of us who are Christians, 00:41:27.059 --> 00:41:28.820 this is another reminder. 00:41:29.699 --> 00:41:30.019 Lord, 00:41:30.139 --> 00:41:31.179 you know the different ways 00:41:31.179 --> 00:41:32.179 that we've been working out 00:41:32.179 --> 00:41:34.699 of a quid pro quo worldview with you, 00:41:34.799 --> 00:41:35.679 how we've sunk 00:41:35.679 --> 00:41:37.039 to our flesh 00:41:37.039 --> 00:41:38.300 and a forgotten grace. 00:41:38.300 --> 00:41:39.579 Thank you for this song. 00:41:40.119 --> 00:41:41.199 Thank you that we can be together. 00:41:41.400 --> 00:41:42.320 Thank you that your word 00:41:42.320 --> 00:41:43.800 make us disciples of Jesus 00:41:43.800 --> 00:41:46.340 who are gripped by this wonderful good news 00:41:46.340 --> 00:41:48.980 so that we might begin to live 00:41:48.980 --> 00:41:50.099 patient, 00:41:50.480 --> 00:41:51.000 joyful, 00:41:51.340 --> 00:41:52.460 confident lives 00:41:52.460 --> 00:41:53.400 for your glory. 00:41:53.920 --> 00:41:54.659 Confident in you, 00:41:54.779 --> 00:41:55.480 joyful in you. 00:41:56.259 --> 00:41:57.380 Just bow our heads in prayer. 00:41:57.380 --> 00:41:58.380 Father, 00:41:58.380 --> 00:41:59.579 Father, 00:42:00.000 --> 00:42:02.000 we thank you so much 00:42:02.000 --> 00:42:05.480 that you could move through 00:42:05.480 --> 00:42:06.640 this king 00:42:06.640 --> 00:42:09.019 writing in the year 3000, 00:42:09.260 --> 00:42:09.720 thereabout, 00:42:10.119 --> 00:42:11.700 to predict what would happen 00:42:11.700 --> 00:42:13.039 to your son 00:42:13.039 --> 00:42:14.140 and our savior 00:42:14.140 --> 00:42:16.760 a thousand years later. 00:42:17.920 --> 00:42:19.460 And we thank you for this. 00:42:19.500 --> 00:42:20.240 And we thank you 00:42:20.240 --> 00:42:21.019 that it's not just 00:42:21.019 --> 00:42:21.880 that you show off 00:42:21.880 --> 00:42:22.840 as to what you could do, 00:42:22.840 --> 00:42:23.480 but you do it 00:42:23.480 --> 00:42:24.280 in the context 00:42:24.280 --> 00:42:25.600 of our forsakenness, 00:42:25.720 --> 00:42:26.740 our abandonment, 00:42:27.240 --> 00:42:28.079 our shame, 00:42:28.200 --> 00:42:28.800 our fears, 00:42:28.920 --> 00:42:29.600 that you do it 00:42:29.600 --> 00:42:30.600 because you did it 00:42:30.600 --> 00:42:31.579 because you love us. 00:42:31.660 --> 00:42:32.360 You want us to be 00:42:32.360 --> 00:42:32.940 your children 00:42:32.940 --> 00:42:33.660 and your friends 00:42:33.660 --> 00:42:34.460 and to live 00:42:34.460 --> 00:42:35.260 out of the grace 00:42:35.260 --> 00:42:36.440 that comes from you, 00:42:36.940 --> 00:42:37.800 to have a confidence 00:42:37.800 --> 00:42:38.760 in the gospel, 00:42:38.880 --> 00:42:39.980 a joy in the gospel 00:42:39.980 --> 00:42:41.740 as we deal with the tough 00:42:41.740 --> 00:42:43.160 and the good things in life. 00:42:43.660 --> 00:42:43.860 So, 00:42:43.960 --> 00:42:44.059 Father, 00:42:44.140 --> 00:42:45.300 we thank you for grace. 00:42:45.420 --> 00:42:46.720 We thank you for this psalm. 00:42:46.880 --> 00:42:47.720 Burn the words 00:42:47.720 --> 00:42:48.600 of this psalm 00:42:48.600 --> 00:42:49.880 in light of Good Friday, 00:42:49.880 --> 00:42:51.400 deep and Easter Sunday, 00:42:51.700 --> 00:42:52.900 deep into the very center 00:42:52.900 --> 00:42:53.619 of who we are. 00:42:54.200 --> 00:42:55.019 And we ask this 00:42:55.019 --> 00:42:55.880 in the name of Jesus, 00:42:56.019 --> 00:42:57.000 your son and our savior. 00:42:57.360 --> 00:42:57.640 Amen.