The Cross

 Temple Baptist Church - 9-1-2024

Psalm 22:1-21

 

Introduction:

 

A.  Tonight, we begin a study of a Trilogy of Psalms.  These three Psalms go together and are in the right order.

 

1.  Psalm 22 – The Cross of the Saviour

 

2.  Psalm 23 – The Care of the Shepherd

 

3.  Psalm 24 – The Coming of the Sovereign

 

B.  Though there are many Psalms that are Messianic, which are pictures of Christ, His life—and work. 

 

1 Peter 1:9-11  Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.  (10)  Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:  (11)  Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.

 

C.  Psalm 22 stands alone and far above all others because it shows the physical sufferings of Christ on the Cross and also gives us a look at the thoughts of Christ while on the Cross. 

 

1.  Psalm 22:1-21 is a beautiful picture of Calvary.

 

2.  Psalm 22:1-21 is the reality of a broken heart.

 

D.  Psalm 22 has been called “holy ground” by some theologians which requires the removal of the spiritual shoes of those who approach it.  It is here that we view the Cross, not as an observer, but as a participant.

 

“This psalm is called the Psalm of the Cross. It is so named because it describes more accurately and minutely the crucifixion of Christ than does any other portion of the Word of God. It corresponds, of course, to the twenty–second chapter of Genesis and the fifty–third chapter of Isaiah.” (J. Vernon McGee)

 

E.   We have seen our Lord’s physical suffering as much has been preached on the subject, but it is here that we see the anguish of His soul as He cries out to the Father. In the Gospels is recorded the historical fact of His death, and some of the events which preceded and attended His crucifixion; but only in Psalm 22 are His thoughts revealed.

 

F.  It has been said that our Lord quoted most, if not all of Psalm 22 as He hung on the cross.  The seven sayings of the Cross are either quoted here are implicated within the Psalm.

 

G.  As we begin with Psalm 22, we find a division within the Psalm, and I will take two nights so as to look at both parts separately.

 

1.  Verses 1-21 – Jesus Christ is on the cross dying for the sin of the world.

 

2.  Verses 22-31 – Jesus Christ rose again from the dead thus finishing the Gospel.

 

3.  There can be no salvation without the death of Christ and application of the blood, nor can there be salvation without the resurrection of Christ from the dead.  The Gospel is a finished work.

 

H.  We cannot add to the Gospel, and neither can we take away from the Gospel.  To do either destroys the Gospel as it is totally the work of God.

 

J.  In the Cross of Christ, we find:

 

1.  The Why of the Cross.  Verse 1.  “Why?”  Sin!

 

a.  Because of Sin – Without sin, there would be no need for the Seed of the Woman, the Cross of Christ, or salvation as man would have remained in a state of innocence.  Because of sin,  whole world lies in a state of Adamic and personal sin that required judgment of God and that judgment is death.

 

Romans 5:12  Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

 

b.  Because of Sin, there must also be Divine Penalty.

 

Romans 6:23  For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

 

c.  Both physical death and spiritual death are end results of sin.

 

2.  Verses 1b-2.  “ Forsaken … far … hearest not”  Separation – Because Christ became sin for us and the Father cannot look upon iniquity.  Our sin separated us from God and also, on the cross bearing them, separated the Son from the Father.

 

Psalms 22:1  My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?

 

Mark 15:34  And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

 

Isaiah 59:2  But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.

 

Habakkuk 1:12-13  Art thou not from everlasting, O LORD my God, mine Holy One? we shall not die. O LORD, thou hast ordained them for judgment; and, O mighty God, thou hast established them for correction.  (13)  Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity: wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously, and holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he?

 

3.  Verse 6.  “a worm … a reproach … despised”  Shame – the shame of being accursed and crucifixion.  Christ hung between two thieves.

 

a.  The Shame of the Cross - Galatians 3:13  Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:

 

b.  The Shame of our Sin - Hebrews 12:2  Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

 

c.  That Jehovah God should be put to shame is both amazing and a thing of sorrow to me.  He bore my shame when He had no shame!

 

4.  Verse 7.  “laugh … shoot out … shake”  Sorrow – Christ Jesus was man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. 

 

a.  They laughed at our Lord, they mocked our Lord, and they shook their heads in unbelief that this Man who called Himself “I AM” suffered and would die.  “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do!”

 

Isaiah 53:3-4  He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.  (4)  Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

 

b.  The sorrow of sin enveloped and consumed Christ while on the cross.

 

c.  A sorrow because of His humanity and a Godly sorrow because of His understanding of what sin was and the pain and suffering it caused. 

 

d.  When He was on the cross, we were on His mind; when He was on the cross, He was bearing the weight of the sins of the world; when He was on the cross, He was manifesting the unfathomable love of God for sinners!

 

5.  Verses 11-18.  Suffering – Jesus Christ was scourged, mocked, and nailed in His hands and feet.

 

a.  Physical suffering.  From the Garden to the Grave, they did everything that they could do to cause physical pain, and they were good at it!  Thousands of years of perfecting their trade of punishing their enemies. 

 

b.  Mental suffering.  Suffering of the worst kind!  Our minds control our bodies and can feel every nerve ending, but the suffering of the mind is by far the worst of all suffering.

 

c.  They hated the Son of God!  The Son of God allowed them to cause His pain!

 

Hebrews 12:3  For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

 

d.  The great “I AM” allowed the lowest of sinners to have their way with Him that day.

 

6.  Verses 19-21.  Satisfaction.  “be thou not far … haste thee to help … Save me from the lion’s mouth”  God’s satisfaction for sin’s debt paid through the sacrifice of His Son. 

 

Genesis 22:7-14  And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?  (8)  And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.  (9)  And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood.  (10)  And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.  (11)  And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I.  (12)  And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.  (13)  And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.  (14)  And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen.

 

Isaiah 53:11-12  He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.  (12)  Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

 

Galatians 6:14  But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.