“Has God Forsaken Those who Suffer?”
Psalm 22 April 9, 2006 Palm/Passion Sunday Play
video
Insufficient Faith?
• ‘Name and claim’ when unwell: Jesus healed ‘all’,
Lord ‘will’ raise up (Mt 8:16f; Jas 5:13f)
• illness associated with Satan; ‘abuse’ for a
father to discipline with cancer? (Mt 12:22; 17:14ff; Job 1-2)
• God able to heal, but not all healed by Jesus or
apostles (Mk 10:27; Jn 5:1-9; Ac 19:12; Php 2:25; 2Tim 4:20; 1Tim 5:23)
• how to ask God for help without presuming or
demanding
From Prayer to Praise in the Pit
• Distance: God seems far off; no answer (1f)
• Distress: Despised, scorned, insulted, snubbed (6f)
• Dismembered: bones out of joint, hands & feet
pierced (as on cross; 14,16ff)
• torn by wild bulls, dogs, lions (12f, 16, 20f)
Re-framing: History & Hope
• “Yet / but” signal broader perspective (3,9,19)
• History & Memory: God’s help corporately &
personally in the past (3ff, 9f)
• verse 24 summary of Psalm: God heeds the suffering
of the afflicted
• Trust & Hope: commitment to God’s vision for
blessing in future (22,25ff)
• acknowledge God’s Rule & Righteousness: all
under control, for just purposes (10, 19, 28, 30f)
• sinless Jesus dying on cross effects righteousness
for those yet unborn (Rom 1:17)
From Grim Injury to Glorious Intruder
• Packer: God’s happiness not complete until His
loved ones are out of trouble
• Joni: questioning turned to trust, dependence on
Jesus paralyzed by nails
• God helps bear the test; rely on Christ’s power in
our weakness (1Cor 10:13; 2Cor 1:8f, 12:9f)
Back to LWCF Multimedia Page