Scriptures: Psalm 22; Isaiah 53; Math 27:46; Luke 39-46; Hebrews 5:7-10: Jesus cries of intercession and suffering for our whole salvation.
Intro: This is the first of 3 sermons on Ps 22, 23and 24 that help us to identify with the death, resurrection and triumph of Jesus. These psalms help us to face trials and troubles with Jesus; to face fear and death with Jesus and to triumph in battle with Jesus.
(1) GOD IS WAITING FOR YOU TO GET DESPERATE AND CRY OUT TO HIM: Total salvation through Christ’s blood.
Ps 22 begins with perhaps the deepest cry of the human heart.
It brings us to the darkest hour of Jesus agonising 6 hour ordeal of crucifixion when he used the opening words of Ps 22 to cry out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
The sky was darkened for 3 hours and Jesus allowed all the evil of the world and of the devil to come against him. He willingly drank the cup of suffering and innocent sacrifice to the depth so that he could completely face the worst agony. He did this to pay the full price for our salvation and healing. He did this to totally identify with the worst suffering, that humans face. He did this so that you and I will always know that whatever pain, abuse and trials we face he understands and can meet us there.
eg My black pot experience when I felt I would be overwhelmed by darkness and mental illness. Jesus assured me that He would meet me there in a deeper way than he had ever met me before.
Healing Prayer of Fr John Rae’s book, ‘Healings and Miracles today’ Page 148
“My God , my God, why have you forsaken me?”
Lord Jesus, you prayed these words when you were dying on the cross. And so we begin our prayer by thanking you. We thank you for your passion and your death. Your Holy Spirit teaches us through the prophet Isaiah, that in those last hours of your earthly life… you took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows… you were pierced for our transgressions… you were crushed for our iniquities… by your wounds we have been healed. (Is. 53: 4-5) We believe that on the cross you saved us, spirit, soul and body. You saved us not only from sin but saved us by healing every part of our being. You saved us for bodily resurrection and everlasting life. Thank you, Lord Jesus for this universal healing which cost you every drop of your most precious blood. Thank you that on the cross you broke the power of any curses we have come under. As it is written in Galatians 3, Christ became a curse for us, for it is written; “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.” Accordingly, in your name, in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, I break every curse all in this church have come under, no matter how far back in history those curses were invoked on there families and whether they were invoked directly or indirectly. I break them now in the name of Jesus and in the power of his cross through which he redeemed the world. Amen.
(2) GOD ACCEPTS YOU AND HEARS YOUR CRY: Healing of relationships.
“My God, my God why have you forsaken me. Why are you so far from helping me, from the words of my groaning? I cry day and night but find no rest.”
The Hebrew people had no hesitation to cry out to God when they were in trouble as a nation or personally. Many Psalms start with such cries. Ps 142 is an example(read)
The prophets wept before God for the people. Jeremiah was called ‘the weeping prophet.’
Jesus wept at the death of Lazarus and over Jerusalem. He cry out in agony in Gethsemene and on the cross.
I believe it’s healthier to share your pain when you are going through trials like Maori people at a tangi rather than always being so cool and so shut up that we suffer more. Often we don’t resolve grief and hurts for years because we don’t share them and particularly because when we don’t share them with God who is like a compassionate Father and is waiting for us to come to Him. Don’t hide your hurts and pains from God! Let him hear your cry and as with the psalmist He can bring resolution and comfort in time of need. The individualism of our society is not healthy and all the consumer goods in the world cannot meet the needs of the human heart.
eg. When I was facing the feeling of abandonment and rejection and shame in the unemployment bureau and I cried out in my spirit to God and felt Him say “Remember I’m still your Father and you’re still my son….”
eg. Aileen hitting the wall as a cry to God for her husband. He was saved from alcoholism and their marriage was healed.
Healing Prayer of Fr John Rae continued pg. 149.
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me/ Why are you so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning?”
Lord, most of those close to you abandoned you when you were arrested. Your own nation did not accept you. The leaders wanted to kill you so they gave you to the Romans who nailed you to the cross. All these rejected you, and as you hung there dying you felt as though God had also abandoned you. We believe that on the cross you took our place. In Isaiah’s words… you took our infirmities and carried our sorrows… and the Lord laid on you the iniquity of us all. You exchanged the absolute fullness of life and love you enjoyed from eternity for our emptiness and lack of fulfilment in order to save us. In virtue of this exchange we ask you to heal all the rejection we have suffered throughout our lives - the loneliness we have endured, the isolation, the alienation from others particularly from members of our own family. Bring your cross to bear, we pray, on all these inward hurts so that not even a scar remains. So heal us now, that we may know, deep within ourselves, that even in those moments when we felt most alone you were always lovingly close to us. Heal our hearts broken when we were rejected. Heal the relationships that were damaged at those times. Amen
(3) JESUS SUFFERED IN HIS BODY. SO WE CAN EXPERIENCE HEALING OF OUR BODIES. Physical healing
Ps. 22 14-16 followed by Fr John Rae’s Healing Prayer pg.150.
I am poured out like water and all my bones are out of joint. My heart has turned to wax; it has melted away within me. My strength is dried up like a potsherd , and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth; you lay me down in the dust of death. Dogs have surrounded me; a band of evil men has encircled me, they have pierced my hands and my feet, I can count all my bones…
Lord you spent yourself utterly on our behalf. Let it be that in virtue of the amazing gift of yourself to us in your suffering and death that we be released from every sickness and disease of body, mind and spirit.
Heal our fingers and our toes, our hands and our feet, our arms and our legs. Heal head and neck and torso. Bring healing and health to our nervous system; to our blood and its circulation through our bodies, to our muscles, ligaments, tendons and sinews. From this day forward let all our internal and external organs function perfectly for people of our years. I pray healing for those couples who long to have a child but are unable to conceive, that you Lord, would bless them with family within the coming year. Bring wholeness to those who suffer a disability either from birth or because of an accident. Bless us all, this day, with physical well being. Amen
Conclude together with prayer based on Ps 22 v 22- 24
We will declare your name, Lord, to our sisters and brothers. In the congregation we will praise you. We will praise and honour and revere you. For you have not despised nor disdained the sufferings of your afflicted ones. You have not hidden your face from us. You have listened to our cry for help. We give you glory and bless you for who and what you are and for your goodness to us. Amen.
