From Forsaken to Risen: Psalm 22 Fulfilled

Resurrection Sunday unfolds around covenantal signs, corporate sacraments, and the central drama of Christ’s death and rising. The congregation installs deacons and receives new members, then administers baptisms as visible marks of covenant belonging and household faith. Corporate confession and the recitation of the creed frame the service, grounding the assembly in Scripture and the promises that bind parents, children, and the church together.

Psalm 22 and Matthew 27–28 provide the theological spine: Psalm 22 anticipates the humiliation and mockery that Christ endures, down to the piercing of hands and feet and the casting of lots for garments, while Matthew portrays the historical fulfillment of those images at Golgotha. The three hours of darkness, read against Amos’s prophecy, register a decisive turning point—the end of the old order and the inauguration of a new covenantal reality. Christ’s cry, “My God, my God,” functions not as abandonment but as public citation, drawing the crowd’s eyes back to Scripture that both laments suffering and proclaims vindication.

The narrative then moves from death to deliverance. The empty tomb, the angelic proclamation, and the risen Lord’s appearance to the disciples confirm that the God who heard the cross also raised Jesus from death, thereby breaking death’s finality and establishing universal kingship. The torn temple veil stands as a theological hinge: the barrier between God and humanity splits, signaling that access to God now comes through the reconciling work of Christ. The resurrection authorizes mission; the post-resurrection commission issues a call to make disciples of all nations under Christ’s sovereign rule.

Practical application threads through the liturgy: baptism as sign and seal of cleansing and union with Christ, the congregation’s pledge to nurture children in the faith, and the call to repentance that responds rightly to God’s mercies. The whole account insists that history pivots on Christ’s passion and resurrection, that Scripture coherently ties suffering to vindication, and that the church receives both the privilege and responsibility to declare and live out the gospel until all nations acknowledge the risen King.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Scripture foretells Christ’s suffering precisely Psalm 22 records details—mockery, pierced hands and feet, garments divided—that the Gospels later narrate at Golgotha. This precise correspondence shows Scripture functioning typologically: earlier laments both reflect real human agony and point forward to the decisive atoning event in Christ. Believers should read difficult texts as parts of a single redemptive story in which God shapes suffering toward vindication. [43:18]
• 2. Darkness marks covenantal turning point The three hours of noon-day darkness echo prophetic announcements (Amos) and the plagues of Egypt, signaling that a decisive end and new beginning occur at the cross. Such cosmic signs disclose divine action that restructures covenant relations rather than merely dramatizing pain. Worshippers must attend to these symbols: they show that God’s judgment and mercy meet at the crucifixion to inaugurate a renewed people. [41:14]
• 3. Resurrection defeats death’s finality The empty tomb and angelic proclamation do not merely reverse a tragic death; they demonstrate God’s power to remove death’s claim and to vindicate the righteous sufferer. Resurrection reframes suffering as part of God’s economy that leads to life, not as ultimate defeat. Hope therefore rests not in moral improvement but in participation with the risen Lord who secures new creation. [47:24]
• 4. Veil torn: direct access to God The tearing of the temple curtain signals that the mediating barrier between God and humanity has been removed through Christ’s work. This covenantal opening redefines priesthood and worship: approach to God now flows through Christ’s atoning presence rather than ritual separation. The church must live and minister from that granted access, embodying reconciliation and tending the means of grace. [51:52]
• 5. Risen King commands global discipleship The post-resurrection commission anchors mission in the risen Lord’s universal authority: disciple-making extends to all nations because his rule touches every corner of existence. The mandate links baptism, teaching, and the promise of presence, binding sacrament and instruction to sustained witness. The church’s global calling flows from kingship, not cultural preference, shaping vocation, liturgy, and witness alike. [49:42]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [04:26] - Ordination and Installation
• [08:04] - Reception of New Members
• [09:44] - Call to Worship & Confession
• [19:10] - Baptisms and Covenant Theology
• [31:24] - Psalm 22 Read Aloud
• [39:44] - The Darkness on the Cross
• [43:18] - Psalm 22 Fulfilled in Christ
• [47:01] - Resurrection and the Empty Tomb
• [49:42] - The Great Commission and Kingship
• [51:52] - Veil Torn: Access to God
• [53:55] - Call to Repentance and Response
• [55:44] - Closing Prayer and Benediction

1. In Psalm 22, what specific details are given about the suffering of the one speaking? How do these details show up in Matthew 27?
2. What happened to the temple curtain at the moment of Jesus’ death, and what was its location in the temple? [40:26]
3. According to Matthew 28:18-20, what authority does Jesus claim, and what does He command His followers to do?

1. Jesus’ cry, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” from the cross directly quotes Psalm 22:1. Why would Jesus choose to quote this specific psalm in His moment of greatest suffering? [42:46]
2. The three hours of darkness over the land (Matthew 27:45) echoed Old Testament prophecies like Amos 8:9. What did this darkness signify about what was happening covenantally at the cross? [41:14]
3. The tearing of the temple veil (Matthew 27:51) signaled the end of the old system of worship. How does this act change the way believers now relate to God? [52:16]

1. Baptism is a sign of being cleansed from sin and united with Christ. How does remembering your baptism (or your commitment to Christ) help you fight against sin, the world, and the devil in your daily life? [19:55]
2. Because the temple veil was torn, we now have direct access to God through Jesus. How does this truth affect the way you pray or approach God when you feel distant or guilty?
3. The resurrection proves Jesus has authority over everything—every corner of creation and every part of our lives. What area of your life feels most out of control or beyond His reach? How does His authority over “all” change your perspective? [50:00]
4. Jesus’ commission sends His followers to make disciples of all nations. Who has God placed in your life—neighbors, coworkers, family—that you can begin praying for and sharing the hope of Christ with?
5. The sermon described how Jesus’ cry from the cross was not just a cry of agony but a public citation of Psalm 22—pointing to Scripture’s fulfillment. When you face suffering, how can you follow His example by turning to God’s promises in the Psalms? [43:18]
6. The church is called to support parents in raising children in the faith. How can you, personally, help nurture the faith of the next generation—whether your own children, grandchildren, or children in your church family? [24:21]