Key Verse: He took Peter, James, and John with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled. He said to them, “I am deeply grieved to the point of death. Remain here and stay awake.” He went a little farther, fell to the ground, and prayed that if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. And he said, “Abba, Father! All things are possible for you. Take this cup away from me. Nevertheless, not what I will, but what you will.” (Mark 14:33-36 CSB)
Most people tend to avoid pain at all costs. But not so with Jesus. As He gathered in the Garden of Gethsemane with His disciples in what would be their final few hours together, Jesus knew the path that lay ahead of Him. In just a few hours, He would be betrayed by Judas, one of the Twelve, and then arrested and taken away into custody. He would then be falsely accused, mocked, beaten, flogged, and ultimately nailed to a wooden cross where He would eventually suffocate and die. The physical pain that was about to occur for Jesus would be unbearable.
Even more so, Jesus knew that He was about to endure immense spiritual suffering as well. The “cup” that He was about to drink was the cup of God’s fury against sin (Isaiah 51:22), a cup of devastation and desolation (Ezekiel 23:33). As the prophet Isaiah foretold, Jesus would be “pierced because of our rebellion, crushed because of our iniquities” (Isaiah 53:5). Jesus would be the one to bear God’s judgment against sin, instead of us.
Knowing what awaited Him, Jesus fell to the ground in anguish. He was “deeply distressed and troubled” (v.33). He told His disciples straight up that He was “deeply grieved to the point of death” (v.34). He cried out to the Father in heaven for the strength He needed to endure, and submitted Himself to the Father’s will.
Knowing how painful and intense the next hours would be for Him, why did Jesus follow through? Why didn’t He just walk away? Ultimately, this is why He had come. This was the mission He had been given to complete – to rescue sinners and reconcile them with God. There was no other way apart from the work He was about to do on the Cross. The path that Jesus was about to walk would change the course of history and ultimately the eternal destiny of those who would place their faith in Him.
At the end of the day, what motivated Jesus to follow through was the incredible depth of His love for you and me. He saw us in our helpless state and willingly laid down His life for us. He knew that apart from the suffering He was about to endure, we would have no hope. We would remain in our sin and be unable to spend eternity with Him. So He walked the road to the Cross and gave up His life for us. There is not greater love than this (John 15:13). Aren’t you glad?
Prayer: Jesus, where would I be apart from the love you showed through the Cross? Thank you for enduring the pain and suffering on my behalf. As I remember your sacrifice, fill my heart with gratitude and joy because of all that you have done for me. Amen.
Author: Jonathan Miller has served in pastoral roles for more than 13 years in churches in Barrie, Oakville and Burlington, Ontario. He currently serves as the Chief Operating Officer at Prison Fellowship Canada, a ministry that mobilizes and equips local churches to engage in the restorative work of prisoners, ex-prisoners, their families, and victims across Canada. Jon holds degrees from McMaster University and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He and his wife Adrienne have been married since 2004, and live in Burlington, Ontario with their 4 children. Jon’s greatest passion is to know Jesus and to see lives transformed by Him and for Him.
