Resolutely Toward Jerusalem

Image courtesy of Photo Bucket

As the world spenda this week looking toward the Resurrection, we first must allow the Lord to show us the Cross. Our friend Doug gave the thoughts before Communion and he spoke of Gethsemane. As Christ prepared Himself through prayer for what lay ahead, Scripture speaks of His anguish.

Matthew 26:36-39:
Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to His disciples, "Sit here while I go over there and pray."

And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be grieved and distressed.

Then He said to them, "My soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death; remain here and keep watch with Me."

And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying, "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will." 

Doug talked about hearing a teaching years ago on these verses where the teacher said that the Lord was asking for His Father to let Him avoid the cross, if possible. But that just didn't make sense to Doug. 

Luke 9:51 says: Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. 

The whole reason Christ, incarnate God, came to earth was to bring Glory to His Father by redeeming the Father's Creation from sin. Does it make sense that Christ would be tempted to waver from His Purpose? Does it make sense that Christ, who did nothing except through His Father, would come to the point of crisis and ask to be excused? Every one of His thoughts, words, and actions on this planet had been pointing to the Cross. Was Christ actually shrinking from the horror of the physical suffering facing Him?

Or did "this cup" mean something else?

The Son and the Father and the Spirit are One. The Son had never been separated from the Father. Ever. But when Christ, the Sacrificial Lamb, was covered with my sin on the Cross, the Father, the Holy God was forced to turn His Face away from His Beloved. And in that separation Christ cried out: "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" He called Him God. Not Father.

Nothing could have kept Him off that Cross. He was the One causing the soldier's heart to beat and lungs to draw breath so that he could nail Him to that tree. He never wavered from His Purpose. But the anticipation of separation from His Father caused Him to sweat drops like blood falling to the ground as He prayed in Gethsemane. 

So as we anticipate the focus on the Resurrection this Sunday, celebrating God accomplishing His Victory by resurrecting Jesus, may we also contemplate the true agony of what happened on that Cross so that Jesus might accomplish His Purpose as God Incarnate. He endured the separation required by becoming sin so that sin could be defeated forever.

May His Name be Glorified . May every tongue lift praise to Him. May we give Him our all.