See What God Has Done for You and Me!
The sermon emphasizes the profound significance of Jesus' suffering as foretold in Psalm 22 and calls for a lifelong recognition of His sacrifice and love for humanity.
Erlo Stegen emphasizes the profound significance of Psalms 22, particularly the words of Jesus on the cross where He refers to Himself as 'a worm.' This depiction highlights the degradation He endured for our sins, illustrating how humanity's rejection and sinfulness dehumanized Him despite His divine nature as the Creator. The sermon calls for a deep recognition of the prophecies fulfilled in Christ, urging believers to esteem Him for His suffering and sacrifice. Stegen contrasts the imagery of a worm with the beauty of 'the hind of the dawn,' symbolizing hope and resurrection. Ultimately, he encourages Christians to honor and appreciate the depth of Christ's love and sacrifice for us.
Text
Psalm 22:6-8
But I am a worm, and no man;
A reproach of men, and despised by the people.
All those who see Me ridicule Me;
They shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying,
Here the words written in the Psalm are the very words Jesus spoke on the cross. The whole of Psalm 22 contains prophecies relating to the time when the Lord Jesus came, His crucifixion and resurrection. We take the prophecies so lightly and don't comprehend the weight of what was said. People have studied the prophecies and the proofs that Jesus is the Messiah are so great that they are irrefutable.
In this text, the Lord Jesus calls Himself "a worm". Every Christian's heart should break at hearing such words. For us and our sins He was degraded. It was our sins that made Him like a worm, a reproach of men and despised amongst men.
In coming to earth Jesus was the Son of man and of God. Though, as Son of God, He was the Creator of all things, the world rejected Him as John records in the first chapter of his gospel (vs 10: "He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not"). He was also rejected by His people as their Messiah (vs 11). Hundreds of years before the event Isaiah (53: 3) prophesied, "He was despised, and we esteemed him not."
He wasn't given any human dignity and our sins made him to be but "a worm" - so depraved and corrupted are we. We were the "bulls, dogs and lions that attacked him with our sins.
The title of the same psalm is "the hind of the dawn". It is an attractive and a mild creature; a complete contrast to a worm. He is full of beauty and yet our sin dehumanized Him and reduced Him to a worm. `The hind of the dawn' also indicates the hope of the resurrection.
He has accomplished the impossible as is seen in the miracle of all the prophecies. He suffered beyond comprehension, even calling Himself a worm. If we did not esteem Him in the past, let us do so right now and for the rest of our lives and eternity.
Sermon Outline
- I points: - Introduction to Psalm 22 and its significance - Jesus' identification as 'a worm' - The weight of our sins in His degradation
- II points: - Jesus as both Son of Man and Son of God - Rejection by the world and His people - Prophecies of His suffering and rejection
- III points: - The contrast between 'a worm' and 'the hind of the dawn' - The hope of resurrection - The fulfillment of prophecies and its implications
- IV points: - The call to esteem Jesus - Living in recognition of His sacrifice - Eternal appreciation for His love
Key Quotes
“He wasn't given any human dignity and our sins made him to be but 'a worm'.” — Erlo Stegen
“If we did not esteem Him in the past, let us do so right now and for the rest of our lives and eternity.” — Erlo Stegen
“He has accomplished the impossible as is seen in the miracle of all the prophecies.” — Erlo Stegen
Application Points
- Reflect on the depth of Jesus' sacrifice and how it relates to our lives.
- Commit to recognizing and esteeming Jesus daily for His love and suffering.
- Share the message of hope and resurrection found in Jesus with others.