The following sermon is by John MacArthur, pastor, author, and Bible teacher with Grace

to You.

If you've never contacted Grace to You, we want to send you a free booklet by John that

unpacks fifteen Greek words in Scripture that explain a stunning paradox, how a God

of perfect justice can show mercy to sinners who deserve only punishment.

Request your free booklet titled 15 Words of Hope by writing to Hope at gty.org.

This offer is good in North America and Europe through June 2023.

And now unleashing God's truth one verse at a time.

Here's Grace to You, Bible teacher John MacArthur.

I would invite you to go back in your Bible to the fifteenth chapter of Mark.

There are so many elements in the crucifixion story as told by the writers of the four

gospels.

But I want to draw your attention in particular back to verse 33.

Mark 1533, when the sixth hour came, darkness fell over the whole land until the ninth hour.

At the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, Eloi, Eloi, Lama, Sabakhtani, which

is translated, my God, my God.

Why have You forsaken me?

That is a profound statement.

That is not usually understood.

Did God not show up at Calvary?

We know that the death of Christ was the most effective act on behalf of condemned sinners,

the most effective act ever rendered because it was the atonement for our sins that satisfied

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