What it really means

As we approached Easter, I find this is a good time to take an in-depth look at the book of Matthew chapter 27. In services lately, our pastor has been discussing the entire chapter a few versus at a time. I have found looking at each verse individually really brings out the true meaning of what was going on during Jesus' trial and crucifixion. Today I am looking really at the crucifixion itself. In Matthew 27 verse 45 and 46 it reads 'now from the sixth hour. There was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried in a loud voice, saying "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?" That is to say, my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?' There's a reason why I find this particular verse so powerful. We know that Jesus endured torture, and humiliation, on our behalf. But what a lot of us never really look at is that he actually experienced separation from the Father during this moment. When he calls out asking "God why have you forsaken me?," it's at that moment that all the sins of the world have landed on Him. He has finally experienced that last thing that man experiences: being separated from God. What our pastor has pointed out of the last few weeks, is that the Pharisees and roman governor did not do these things to Jesus. Jesus allowed them to happen. As the son of God, he could have prevented. But then we would still be dead in our sins. He endured all of this for us. I still think that the most frightening part, the worst moment, is that separation from the Father. We should always remember what he endured for us. The most important thing about it, of course, is why he did it. He endured all of these things, including death and separation from God, for us. This was his gift to allow us to one day end our separation from God.