"And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will" (Matthew 26:39).
What was in the cup? What made the Lord sweat drops of blood? The stage here is set. "{The} betrayer is at hand." Judas is coming. Jesus will be betrayed by a serpent's kiss. His future is a cross. Is that the cup? The Cross?
I have heard many a preacher claim that it was. "Jesus saw the nails, the crown of thorns, the cross. He knew he had to go, but he was afraid. He asked the Father to take away the cross if it was his will, but it wasn't" they preach.
BLASPHEMY!
The Son of God cowering in fear because of the cross is just that - blasphemy. There have been thousands and thousands of Christians that have joyfully been killed for the sake of Christ. To suggest that Jesus feared what countless of his followers willingly endured is ridiculous. It's beyond ridiculous; it's blasphemous.
What was in the cup?
The fullness of God's righteous and holy and just wrath, that's what. Can you even begin to try to imagine what that is?
Try to picture standing in front of a dam that is a mile high, and behind it is molten rock. As you stare at this awesome sight, to your horror, it breaks. Rushing toward you is a mile high tsunami of lava with an insatiable appetite for destruction. There is no use in running. You stare helpless, hopeless at your impending doom. You finally understand Gethsemane. Terror is raging toward you and you begin to sweat drops of blood.
The Father has tipped his cup, and he bids you to drink it all.
Jesus drank every drop from the cup of wrath.
He faced the fury of my enemies so I could receive his table in peace and victory. His head was crowned with thorns so mine could be anointed with oil. He drank the bitter cup of the fullness of God’s wrath for my sin so my cup can overflow with joy. He experienced wrath and judgment so I can experience goodness and lovingkindness. He was forsaken by the Father so I can dwell in the house of the Lord forever. What about you?
Love in the Truth.
6 comments:
A wonderful blog to read worthy of any challenge, most enjoyable and thought provoking to read.
Happy Easter.
Yvonne
Thank God He drank the Cup. Unbelievable that God the Father would be so pleased to bruise and crush His Son in order to satisfy His wrath against my sin.
Great post! Thanks!
It is refreshing to see the many approaches that have been take which each letter.
Your post has made me think of the topic of "the cup" in a very different way. It is so helpful to get different perspectives on things from those who have a different knowledge than I. Thank you for an appropriate post for this sacred season of death and resurrection.
Lee
Thanks for the words of encouragement. How thankful we should be that Jesus accomplished what we could not!
Love in the Truth.
I've never looked at it from this perspective. I suspect that many Christians have not. Thanks for opening up my eyes of understanding with this post.
Blessings for a beautiful Easter day with your family.
Lisa
Beautiful, encouraging, SAVING words here. MY cup most certainly runneth over thanks to my King.
A beautiful perspective shared here.
Have a blessed Easter!
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