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• The Fourth Word of Jesus from the cross describes his relationship with his Father.

• The five-hour silence of Jesus before the Fourth Word was marked by extreme physical anguish.
• Illustration: Physical pain, such as that associated with open heart surgery, can be a profoundly isolating experience.
• Christ suffered mental agony over how the best elements of society could be twisted to produce revolt against God in the form of the Crucifixion.

• At that moment, Jesus saw clearly the utter horror of human sins, both large and small.
• Illustration: Drinking from a rare museum goblet reveals a sinister surprise.
• Illustration: In the Victor Hugo novel The Toilers of the Sea, the villain is literally snared by the consequences of his sin.
• Although Jesus was not a sinner, he felt the suffocating grip of sin while on the cross.

• Jesus' Fourth Word was drawn from Psalm 22, a passage meaningful to all devout Jews.
• Psalm 22 foretold with great accuracy all Jesus endured on the cross.
• Jesus uttered the words feeling separated from God, while knowing he really wasn’t.

• Illustration: A painting in the National Gallery of Art in London depicts the crucified Christ being physically held up by the Father.
• Illustration: A mother explains which of her three sons she loves the most, and why.
• Even in those dark hours, God carried his Son, and he will carry us in our darkest hours as well.