Can you even imagine how Jesus felt when, as He was being crucified on the cross, He spoke the words in Matthew 27:46, “My God, my God, why have You abandoned me?” That level of despair must have been more excruciating than anything we could ever imagine. The beautiful truth is that we will never have to experience that despair and grief if we place our faith in Christ. He experienced abandonment so that we would never have to.
During His earthly ministry, Jesus explained that He had come to restore humanity’s relationship with God, broken by sin, so that all who trust in Him could experience life with Him forever. John 10 records a time when people surrounded Jesus and asked Him to tell them if He was the long-awaited Messiah, who would save His people from their sin (verse 24). In response, Jesus told them, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me, for my Father has given them to me, and He is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand” (verses 27-28). This answer from Jesus cut to the heart of why Jesus had come to earth. He had come to give eternal life to all who believe in Him so that they could spend eternal life with Him forever rather than face abandonment. Jesus would later show the full extent He would go to in order to rescue humanity from a life of abandonment and separation from God when He died on the cross for the sins of the world. As He did this, He took on our sins and experienced the feelings of being abandoned by God, which He expressed in Matthew 27, all for our sake. Three days after His death, He rose from the grave, defeating sin and death. It is because He defeated sin and death that He offers life with Him forever to all who place their faith in Him.
Jesus emphasized that all who place their faith in Him will never be alone or face abandonment in Matthew 28. In some of His last moments with His disciples before He ascended into heaven, He called them to spread His message far and wide, making more disciples who, in turn, would make more disciples who would make more disciples (verses 18-20). He did not give this command, however, without a promise: “And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (verse 20). Do not miss out on the magnitude of this truth: if we place our faith in Him, we will never be alone or abandoned. Christ will be with us every single day forever!
We have a Savior who experienced the despair of feeling abandoned by God the Father so that we would never have to be alone. This is the greatest example of love that we could ever experience. May we live our lives fully committed to knowing Him and making Him known all around us, the one who laid down His life so we would never experience life apart from God!
The invitation to experience eternal life with Christ forever is extended to every single person here on this earth. Our mission as Christ followers is to spread that good news to everyone around us. Who are you praying for who is far from Christ? Reach out to them today. Invite them to join you for one of our weekend services, where they will hear the hope available in Christ. Your invitation may just have an impact for eternity.
1Early on Sunday morning, as the new day was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went out to visit the tomb.
2 Suddenly there was a great earthquake! For an angel of the Lord came down from heaven, rolled aside the stone, and sat on it. 3 His face shone like lightning, and his clothing was as white as snow. 4 The guards shook with fear when they saw him, and they fell into a dead faint.
5 Then the angel spoke to the women. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen. Come, see where his body was lying. 7 And now, go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and he is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there. Remember what I have told you.”
8 The women ran quickly from the tomb. They were very frightened but also filled with great joy, and they rushed to give the disciples the angel’s message. 9 And as they went, Jesus met them and greeted them. And they ran to him, grasped his feet, and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t be afraid! Go tell my brothers to leave for Galilee, and they will see me there.”
11 As the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and told the leading priests what had happened. 12 A meeting with the elders was called, and they decided to give the soldiers a large bribe. 13 They told the soldiers, “You must say, ‘Jesus’ disciples came during the night while we were sleeping, and they stole his body.’ 14 If the governor hears about it, we’ll stand up for you so you won’t get in trouble.” 15 So the guards accepted the bribe and said what they were told to say. Their story spread widely among the Jews, and they still tell it today.
16 Then the eleven disciples left for Galilee, going to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him—but some of them doubted!
18 Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. 19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
