I Learned Something New This Easter

by Janet from FL on April 5, 2015

I have heard years of sermons about Easter.

Most of them have been similar,

on the death and resurrection of Jesus, and saving us all from sin.

I love the message, even having heard it so many times.

But this weekend, I heard a sermon that was new to me.

This sermon was about Psalm 22.

If you are not sure which Psalm that is,

it begins with “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

Now that is probably familiar to you.

Many Christians know all the words Jesus Christ said on the cross.

But why did Jesus say those exact words?

He knew that by the age of 12 – 14, most Jewish boys,

would have memorized Psalm 22,

because in fact, in Jesus’ day, boys in school memorized the entire Old Testament.

When they were told what Jesus said on the cross,

they would have immediately known it was a quote of the 1st line of Psalm 22.

They would then have gone over in their mind,

what the rest of the Psalm said.

Jesus was pointing out that the prophecy in Psalm 22,

was about him, the Messiah!

Many of the Jewish people have missed the connection,

between Old Testament prophecies, and Jesus Christ.

Jesus was asking them to have ears that hear and eyes that see.

If they did actually see and hear,

they would know that Jesus was the Christ, the long awaited Messiah!

Here are portions of Psalm 22:

1) “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?”

6) “But I am a worm, not a human being; I am 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.”

9a) “Yet you brought me out of the womb;”

10b) “From my mother’s womb you have been my God.”

14a) “I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint.”

15b) “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; people stare and gloat over me.”

18) “They divide my clothes among them and cast lots for my garment.”

19) “But you, Lord, do not be far from me. You are my strength;

come quickly to help me.”

20a) “Deliver me from the sword,”

23) “You who fear the Lord, praise him!…

Revere him, all you decendants 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.”

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,”

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;

He has done it!”