Good News!
What is the most pressing, serious problem that every person alive on the planet faces today?
It is not hunger, global warming, injustice, health issues, the search for meaning and significance, finances, friendship, or love. Those may be very real problems that we wrestle with, but they are not the most serious problem that affects each of us. No, the most pressing problem that everyone must face is that our Creator God is Holy and Just and we are not. At the end of our lives we will each stand before the Holy and Just God to be judged. That is really bad news because none of us have lived life following our Creator’s standards, in fact, if we are honest, we have not even been able to follow our own standards. How many times have you let yourself down, regretting both your thoughts and your behavior?
But do not despair, because the message, called the Gospel, that God has given us in the Bible, is good news. The good news is that Jesus lived the perfect life, that we could not and do not live, and that he has offered to stand in our place at judgment, before God the Father, at the end of our lives.
Will you accept that offer?
Psalm 22 is a prophesy written by King David about how Jesus would take upon Himself the judgment, the punishment, that we deserve.
| Psalm 22
For the director of music. To the tune of “The Doe of the Morning.” A psalm of David. |
The Psalm Foretelling the Cross
David was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that He … would raise up the Christ. – Acts 2:30 That whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. – John 3:16 |
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1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? 2 My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, |
A. Christ Endured Suffering for Us
Because of our sin and rebellion against our Holy God we do not deserve to be, indeed we cannot be in God’s presence. However, Christ stood in our place of judgment experiencing our punishment, forsaken by God, the source of life. Mark 15:34 |
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3 Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One; 4 In you our ancestors put their trust; 5 To you they cried out and were saved; |
Study all of the world’s religions and you will find they all emphasize your being good enough to merit your way into heaven. You must try to earn heaven by your good deeds, which is impossible. All religions, that is except one, Christianity, understands that only God can save, only God can deliver. We cannot save ourselves we must trust in Christ alone. |
| 6 But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by everyone, despised by the people.7 All who see me mock me; they hurl insults, shaking their heads.8 “He trusts in the Lord,” they say, “let the Lord rescue him. Let him deliver him, since he delights in him.” |
You would think that people would appreciate Christ’s offer of eternal life but instead Christ was mocked. Isaiah 53:3 despised and rejected Matthew 27:39-44 insulted Mark 15:31-32 mocked Luke 23:35 How can He save others when He can’t even save Himself? But that was the point He didn’t save himself so He could save us! |
| 9 Yet you brought me out of the womb; you made me trust in you, even at my mother’s breast.10 From birth I was cast on you; from my mother’s womb you have been my God. |
For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him. – Colossians 1:16 The Creator humbled Himself on our behalf, coming to live among us, to offer us life everlasting. |
| 11 Do not be far from me, for trouble is near and there is no one to help.12 Many bulls surround me; strong bulls of Bashan encircle me.13 Roaring lions that tear their prey open their mouths wide against me. |
This is the overarching story of the whole Bible from beginning to end, Jesus came into a world of hostile rebels who had rejected God, rebels who could not ever save themselves, and offered them life. That is why God said, “This is my son in whom I am well pleased.” – Matthew 3:17 |
| 14 I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart has turned to wax;it has melted within me.15 My mouth is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth; you lay me in the dust of death.16 Dogs surround me, a pack of villains encircles me; they pierce my hands and my feet. 17 All my bones are on display; 18 They divide my clothes among them |
The events of Christ’s crucifixion occurred just as David had prophesied. John 19:29 John 19:31-37 Isaiah 53:5 John 19:23-24 |
| 19 But you, Lord, do not be far from me. You are my strength; come quickly to help me.20 Deliver me from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dogs.21 Rescue me from the mouth of the lions; save me from the horns of the wild oxen. |
In the grand story of the Bible, time and time again the great enemy of life, Satan was thwarted in his attempts to overthrow God. Here in the death of Christ, thinking he finally had victory, Satan faced his greatest defeat. Christ’s prayer to be delivered was answered in His resurrection from the dead. Mark 8:31 |
| 22 I will declare your name to my people; in the assembly I will praise you.23 You who fear the Lord, praise him! All you descendants of Jacob, honor him!Revere him, all you descendants of Israel!24 For he has not despised or scorned the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help. 25 From you comes the theme of my praise in the great assembly; |
B. Christ Offers Life to the World Though we were rebels against God, Christ, nevertheless offered us undeserved salvation and now, “Jesus is not ashamed to call us brothers and sisters: “I will declare your name to my brothers and sisters; We are offered adoption into the family of God. Ephesians 1:5 |
| 26 The poor will eat and be satisfied; those who seek the Lord will praise him— may your hearts live forever!27 All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations will bow down before him,28 for dominion belongs to the Lord and he rules over the nations. |
“Come, all you who are thirsty, The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and foretold the gospel to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.” – Galatians 3:8 |
| 29 All the rich of the earth will feast and worship; all who go down to the dust will kneel before him — those who cannot keep themselves alive.30 Posterity will serve him; future generations will be told about the Lord.31 They will proclaim his righteousness, declaring to a people yet unborn: |
“The poor will eat and be satisfied; 27 All the ends of the earth It is our privilege to proclaim this Good News to future generations. Acts 1:8 |
| It is finished! | “It is finished” – John 19:30 |
Our most pressing problem, standing before our God in the final judgment has been solved by Christ because…
If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from death, you will be saved. – Romans 10:9
1 And can it be that I should gain
An int’rest in the Savior’s blood?
Died He for me, who caused His pain?
For me, who Him to death pursued?
Amazing love! how can it be
That Thou, my God, should die for me?
Refrain:
Amazing love! how can it be
That Thou, my God, should die for me!
2 ‘Tis mystery all! Th’Immortal dies!
Who can explore His strange design?
In vain the firstborn seraph tries
To sound the depths of love divine!
‘Tis mercy all! let earth adore,
Let angel minds inquire no more.
3 He left His Father’s throne above,
So free, so infinite His grace;
Emptied Himself of all but love,
And bled for Adam’s helpless race;
‘Tis mercy all, immense and free;
For, O my God, it found out me.
4 Long my imprisoned spirit lay
Fast bound in sin and nature’s night;
Thine eye diffused a quick’ning ray,
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;
My chains fell off, my heart was free;
I rose, went forth and followed Thee.
5 No condemnation now I dread;
Jesus, and all in Him is mine!
Alive in Him, my living Head,
And clothed in righteousness divine,
Bold I approach th’eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own.
(Charles Wesley 1738)
By Richard Loper
Hymn – “And Can It Be”
Return to “The Psalms”