Leading The Way - Devotional for May 18
May 18, 2026
The Sacrifice
By Michael A. Youssef, Ph.D.
When Jesus cried out from the cross, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46), it was not His imagination that the Father forsook Him, as some people teach. No, at that moment of separation, the sin of humanity rained on Jesus like a funnel cloud, so much so that Jesus experienced hell itself. This moment of desertion was the moment when our sin was heaped upon His holy, sinless body, and for the first time ever, Jesus looked up into heaven and saw His Father as a judge. That is why He did not call Him Abba, He called Him Eloi—my God. He saw God the sovereign, God the judge, God the awesome one.
From cover to cover, the Bible tells us that on the cross, Jesus took upon Himself the judgment of everyone who would believe in Him, everyone who would follow Him, everyone who would obey Him. Every human being who has ever lived and will ever live is going to face the judgment of God. Those who will receive forgiveness are only those who have accepted the fact that Jesus took their judgment upon Himself in His body on the cross.
Our Lord Jesus Christ not only bore our sin, He actually became sin. He was never a sinner, but He became sin so that He could save everyone who would come to Him and say, “Forgive me.” He died in darkness so that we may live in light. He died in silence so that we may forever have a word from the Lord. He died forsaken so that we may be accepted. He died rejected so that we may be received.
Take time to reflect on the sacrifice Christ made for your salvation.
Prayer: Lord, thank You for bearing my sin on the cross. Thank You for Your sacrifice. May I live wholeheartedly for You in the freedom You have secured for me. I want to bring You honor and glory, giving all praise and credit to You for any good You work in my heart. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.
“. . . walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God” (Ephesians 5:2).
Learn more in Dr. Michael A. Youssef’s sermon Love Gives, Part 2: LISTEN NOW
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Watch Dr. Michael Youssef on this week's broadcast of Leading The Way at LightSource.com.
