Jesus, the one who loves us most, used his last breath and his last words to address our deepest needs.

In the middle of great pain,I can’t see the whole story. But God is with me, doing things I don’t understand now. He will go to any lengths to have a relationship with me. The suffering of Jesus shows the extent of the Father’s love.

Message Notes

At noon, darkness fell across the whole land until three o’clock.Then at three o’clock Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lemasabachthani?” which means “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”
Mark 15:33-34

The suffering of Jesus shows how far God will go to have a relationship with us.

We were not sick—we were DEAD in our sins.

As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins,in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our fleshand following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath.But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy,made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.
Ephesians 2:1-5

Jesus paid a debt no one else could pay.

He took on every single sin.

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
II Corinthians 5:21

He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.
I Peter 2:24

Whoever comes to me I will never drive away.
John 6:37

Our sins separated him from his Father. This is what hell looks like.

They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might.
II Thessalonians 1:9

You and I are the reason he endured the cross.

Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Hebrews 12:2

He not only gave us forgiveness for our sins, he showed us how to face our own darkest days:

The Scripture we hide in our hearts gives us traction when the climb is hard.

We overcome despair by rushing to God in the middle of it.

Look at the cross to understand God’s love. He is for you, not against you.

He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?
Romans 8:32

There is no Plan B.

How shall we escape if we ignore so great a salvation?
Hebrews 2:3

Bottom Line

God will go to any lengths to have a relationship with me.

Next Steps:
1.) Accept the forgiveness and life offered by Jesus,
2.) Give my WHY to my Father.
3.) Run to God in my pain.