The Crucified Father

The Crucified Father

by Rocky Fleming

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?”  Matthew 27:46 (ESV)

In my Journey Group this week I had a great question from a relatively new believer who is growing like a weed.  All my guys are as well.  We had just been pursuing a deeper and relevant understanding of our Triune God that we worship.  Trying to understand that He is One God in Three Persons, the Father, the Son and the Spirit, is a hard one.  But trying to fully understand God will always be an impossible task with our finite minds.  We can grow in our understanding, but it is always preceded with believing though we don’t fully understand.  That is called faith and it is required so that we can be given enlightenment about God.

One way my group has been growing is by identifying the individual characteristics of the Three Persons of the Holy Trinity and personalize how we relate to each Person.  As an example, with Father God we have our Papa who gives us a special relationship as sons and daughters.  With Jesus we have our Savior who walked this earth and was tempted in everything we are tempted and yet He did not sin.  He is able to help those who are tempted (Hebrews 2:18).  With Holy Spirit we have Him living inside of us, guiding us, sanctifying us with His constant presence.  As we discussed these Persons and how they are One God, we see that when we worship God, we worship all Three Persons.  This is when my friend asked me an innocent and yet deep question.  It was this, “Why did Father God turn His back on His Son?  Wasn’t He turning His back on Himself when He did this?”

When he asked this, I had to return to the Gospel story and speak of the need that Jesus would be the Lamb of God to be sacrificed for our sins and benefit.  I had to speak to the theology that Jesus had to become a man and, “who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.  (Philippians 2:6-7). This established the theology and gave us a biblical foundation.  But when it went to a personal application of the Persons in the Trinity, the tears began to flow, and this is when it really hit home.  I’d like to share that with you.

The next question from my friend was, “But why did His Father turn His back on Jesus when He was in such agony?  Why did He desert Jesus?”

I replied and spoke of the need for Jesus to carry this burden alone, for it was up to Him and Him alone to save us.  Even so, his question had more to do with a Father’s love for His Son, and how could He do what He did with turning His back on Jesus?  This is when I became emotional when I shared that as a father to my son Gorden, if I were in the same place as Father God watching Gorden who was in the same place as Jesus being crucified, I would have to turn my back, or I would overcome any force to save him.  I wouldn’t be able to watch.  I know that I would step in and save him if I had any ability to do so.  Then it hit me.  Father didn’t have to watch.  He didn’t desert Jesus.  With every blow to Jesus back and ever spike piercing His flesh, His Father felt the pain.  How can this be?  It is because God is One God in Three Persons.  They were all crucified that day and the reason God the Son became a man was to do what needed to be done.  That was His part.  But they all played a part in that crucifixion. They all suffered.  They all had to focus on what was at hand.  They had to save mankind, and they did.

As we celebrate Palm Sunday and the Holy Week next week leading up to Good Friday and Easter, let’s continue to recognize what Jesus the Son did for us that day and the resurrection that would follow.  But let’s also recognize the crucifixion the Triune God experienced that day.  They all hurt.  They all felt pain.  They all had a role to play for us, and if they had not stayed the course for you and me, we would have no hope.

Last night as I lay in bed thinking of this new thought about the Father and His pain, and I asked Him if I was seeing it as it was?  Spoken to my heart were these words, “Yes, I felt it all.”

This next week I want to spend more time with Papa telling Him how deeply grateful I am that He did what He had to do and didn’t stop the crucifixion.  I know it was extremely difficult for Him to do this.  I know that I could not have done it.  I want to worship the Three Persons of the Trinity by recognizing the role that each One played, and is still playing, in my salvation and my relationship with Him.  Will you join me and do the same?