New Life Church Teesside Podcast
Love That Hangeth On A Tree - Judith Brignall
What did Jesus mean when He cried from the cross, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” And what deeper significance can be found in the words of Psalm 22, written centuries before the crucifixion? In “Love That Hangeth On A Tree: From Crimson to White,” Judith Brignall explores Psalm 22 as a powerful Messianic prophecy pointing to the suffering, sacrifice and finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross. At the heart of the message is the remarkable imagery surrounding Psalm 22:6 — “But I am a worm, and not a man.” Judith examines the Hebrew word associated with the crimson or scarlet worm and draws out its symbolism as a picture of Christ: attached to the wood, giving its life for its offspring, covering them in crimson and ultimately pointing from scarlet sin to cleansing white as snow. Through Psalm 22, Isaiah 1, Isaiah 53, John 6, Philippians 2, 1 Peter 1 and Revelation 5, this sermon considers the meaning of the blood of Jesus, the blood covenant, forgiveness of sins, healing, redemption and our new identity in Christ. Judith also connects the opening and closing words of Psalm 22 with Jesus’ words from the cross — from “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” to the triumphant declaration “It is finished.” The cross was not a failure or an unfinished work. Jesus accomplished what He came to do: salvation has been paid for, the covenant has been established, and through His blood we can be made righteous before God. This message reminds us that the story of the cross is ultimately a story of extraordinary love: He gave His life so that we might live. He shed His blood so that we might be forgiven.
