16 Apr When you feel abandoned by God

Matthew 27:45-50:

[45] Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour. 

[46] And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” 

[47] And some of the bystanders, hearing it, said, “This man is calling Elijah.” 

[48] And one of them at once ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine, and put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink. 

[49] But the others said, “Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to save him.” 

[50] And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit.

I. LIFE IS UNFAIR 

We are living on earth full of sins and corruption, and don’t expect a fair standard of living.

The world now is the unfair living experiences for us who believe in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior; so we must prepare our heart to be not disheartened by our circumstances. 

Only living our life by the love and grace of our Lord Jesus we can have understanding that everything happen to us is always doing something good for us. 

Romans 8:28:

[28] And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

II. GOD DOES NOT ALWAYS DELIVER US FROM OUR PROBLEMS 

A Psalm of David.

Psalm 22:1-2:

[1] My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning? 

[2] O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer, and by night, but I find no rest.

In psalm 23, king David open with the sureness of the goodness of the great Shepherd that always keeps him and lead him to the green pasture, but in the middle of his psalm he must passing through the valley of the shadow of death 

Psalm 23:4-6:

[4] Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

[5] You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 

[6] Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

God not always help us to avoid or turn aside from problems, but He promised that He will always be with us through out all our problems, leads us to arrive at our eternal destination 

We should have a determination as Job 

Job 13:15:

[15] Though he slay me, I will hope in him; yet I will argue my ways to his face.

III. GOD RARELY EXPLAINS THE REASON FOR OUR SUFFERING 

The reason we are suffering:

1. Consequences of our sins 
2. A testing for going into next level

But we should hold to these principles:

A. GOD’S PURPOSE FOR OUR LIVES IS GOOD 

Psalm 139:13-18:

[13] For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. 

[14] I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. 

[15] My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. 

[16] Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.

[17] How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! 

[18] If I would count them, they are more than the sand. I awake, and I am still with you.

Ephesians 2:10:

[10] For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Romans 8:28:

[28] And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Romans 8:29:

[29] For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.

B. GOD’S PURPOSE FOR OUR LIVES REQUIRES DISCOMFORT 

Since we were born as sinners, when God purifying us, we will experience uncomfortable, heartbreaking and painful times to do the Word and the Will of God

Prophet Isaiah said:

Isaiah 55:8-9:

[8] For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. 

[9] For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

King David said:

Psalm 103:11-12:

[11] For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; 

[12] as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.

C. GOD’S PURPOSE IN OUR LIVES WILL BE ULTIMATELY REALISED

There is no other possible power can cancel the purpose and destiny of God for us, not even God, because He is so faithful to His promises 

Joseph said

Genesis 50:20:

[20] As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.

Job said 

Job 42:2:

[2] “I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.

Peter said:

1 Peter 4:12-13:

[12] Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 

[13] But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.

At the end of the day, God want us be like Jesus in our character, and then we will living in eternity together with Him. 

IV. FOR CHRISTIANS, ALL DISAPPOINTMENTS IS TEMPORARY 

Matthew 27:50:

[50] And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit.

Jesus dead the most brutal, cruel, a human being ever experienced, but no one’s and nothing can kill Him, Jesus Christ dead because He willingly surrendering His own life to His Father 

1 Corinthians 15:54:

[54] When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”

1 Corinthians 15:55:

[55] “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?”

Jesus crucified and dead on Friday 

Jesus buried and stayed on the darkest grave on Friday to Saturday 

Jesus raised up from grave and defeated the power of dead on early Sunday 

John 11:25:

[25] Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live. Amen