I am writing this morning from the beautiful Tampa Bay area.

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?  Mark 15:34 

John Huss sang hymns of praise while he was burning at the stake. If Huss could sing as he died for his faith, why wasn’t Jesus singing songs as He died too? Why was He instead crying out, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” The answer is because Jesus died a totally different death than Huss died. Huss died knowing he was accepted of the Father. Jesus died feeling forsaken by the Father so we could be accepted. Jesus had always called God his Father. “I and my Father are One.” In my Father’s house are many mansions.” I always do those things that please my Father.” But when Jesus was on the cross, He could not call God His Father, and He cried, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” 

Christ was treated as we deserve, that we might be treated as He deserves. He was condemned for our sins, in which He had no share, that we might be justified by His righteousness, in which we had no share. He suffered the death which was ours, that we might receive the life which was His. “With His stripes we are healed.”  {Desire of Ages, p 25}  

If you are in the Tampa Bay area, I would like to invite you to a special agape feast, and communion service Friday night, January 6, at 7pm, at the Tampa First-Seventh-day Adventist Church.  Pastor Brad Cassell will be leading us in this service.

Please click here to find a church to celebrate God’s agape love anywhere in the world.