Read Matthew 27:32-46 + Psalm 22:1-5, 25-31 in your personal Bible or at the link provided.
Review
1. Why didn’t Jesus save Himself from the cross?
2. What did Jesus quote right before His death?
3. What hope does Psalm 22 promise?
Reflect
Crucifixion was a terribly painful and public method of execution. The Romans crucified thousands of people in the first century, and they often mocked those sentenced to death. The onlookers mocked Jesus, too, declaring that He couldn’t be the Son of God if He didn’t save Himself.
Today we know that Jesus didn’t save Himself because He is the Son of God: He knew His purpose was to obey God the Father’s will, to die for our sins. Using one of His final breaths, He quoted the first line of Psalm 22, a testimony of the suffering He endured for us.
Psalm 22 begins with the bleak feeling of separation from God. David, the author, wrote that no matter how much he cried out to God, he heard nothing in return. Yet he reminded himself of God’s character and prior faithfulness, and he ended the psalm with praise. Let the final verses encourage you and remind you of why Jesus endured the suffering on the cross. He died for you and for everyone around you. God is redeeming the whole world.
Respond
How do you react to Jesus’ obedience on the cross? When your circumstances get challenging, where do you turn for comfort and encouragement? How can you remind yourself of God’s character in the midst of difficult seasons? To go deeper, read all of Psalm 22. What similarities do you see between David’s words and what happened to Jesus?