Can you hear me? - March 8
In the Garden of Gethsemane when Jesus prays, “Take this cup (of suffering) from me.” I have often wondered if Jesus is showing apprehension about going to the cross. Is this fear? Is it weakness? Mark 14:32-42
Well… Jesus did not come to show power in the sense we often think about power and popularity; he came in the weakness of human flesh to serve. The cross was the ultimate example of selfless sacrifice and humiliation.
What strikes me as I read the Gethsemane narrative today is the gravity of what Jesus is going to carry. Let me paraphrase what I’m hearing....
Daddy (the literal translation for Abba), you can do anything—whatever you want. If you wanted to remove the punishment for sin in some other way… you could do it! You could eliminate the suffering from me daddy! But if you chose to do it this way then I will accept it.
God the Father had chosen to use the most excruciating torture at that time to pass on the punishment for sins to his Son.
Thank you Jesus for taking my sins and for accepting the punishment I deserve.
Scripture Reading: Mark 13-14 (ESV)
Asking God to take the cup of
Asking God to take the cup of suffering only confirmed Christ's humanity. Who as a human being would not have been apprehensive at the knowledge of such suffering to come? The presence of fear or apprehension does not negate Christ's courage at all. As the last Adam, Christ goes forward to his death, in spite of His fear. He is fully obedient to his Father regardless of his apprehension. He shows us the way to follow. Without fear, there can be no courage. Courage is only proven and perfected in the face of fear.
Great point Al. Jesus was
Great point Al. Jesus was 100% God and 100% man. That didn't equal 200%. In Jesus case it made him uniquely both God and Man, able to experience everything we experience and yet being God and fulfilling only what God can do--be perfect for us.
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