HIS FATHER'S CUP

Luke 22:41-43
41 He was withdrawn from them about a stone’s throw, and he knelt down and prayed, 42 saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” 43 An angel from heaven appeared to him, strengthening him. (WEB)

When we think of the struggle that Jesus had in the Garden of Gethsemane, the imagery of a loving Father handing His beloved Son a horrendous cup of the most worst suffering imaginable is how we see this portrayed. The Father's plan to reconcile the world to Himself could come no other way. Any parent would rather suffer than to see their children suffer, so imagine how our Heavenly Father felt, hearing the pleas of His most loved boy to take this cup away.

No matter how painful the moment was, both Father and Son did not relent but fulfilled what was planned before the foundation of the world. In Isaiah 53:10, the Bible actually says that it pleased God to bruise His own Son. I believe the reason why He knew this was necessary was because He knew what was at stake.

The fate of humanity hung in the balance. Hebrews 12:2 says that Jesus endured the cross for the joy that was set before Him. I believe the joy that He saw was the day when He would bring many sons to glory to His Father (Hebrews 2:9-10). It was this joy that gave Him the strength to become the only sin offering that could set mankind free.

Though it was the most devastating of all decisions for both Father and Son, they held true to their commitment to make a way for us to be saved. Through the pain and agony of the cross, the Godhead kept their eyes on the prize... and that prize was you and me.

My prayer today is that we would all receive a deeper revelation of the cost of our salvation. It cost the Trinity (Father, Son & Holy Spirit) everything they had for Jesus to drink His Father's cup. Hallelujah! What A Savior! I could not think of a more appropriate Scripture passage to end with than the description of the sacrifice of the spotless Lamb of God found in Isaiah 53. Thanks be to God for His unfathomable gift to us!

Isaiah 53
1 Who has believed our message? To whom has the arm of Yahweh been revealed? 2 For he grew up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of dry ground. He has no good looks or majesty. When we see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. 3 He was despised, and rejected by men; a man of suffering, and acquainted with disease. He was despised as one from whom men hide their face; and we didn’t respect him. 4 Surely he has borne our sickness, and carried our suffering; yet we considered him plagued, struck by God, and afflicted. 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions. He was crushed for our iniquities. The punishment that brought our peace was on him; and by his wounds we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray. Everyone has turned to his own way; and Yahweh has laid on him the iniquity of us all. 7 He was oppressed, yet when he was afflicted he didn’t open his mouth. As a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and as a sheep that before its shearers is mute, so he didn’t open his mouth. 8 He was taken away by oppression and judgment; and as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living and stricken for the disobedience of my people? 9 They made his grave with the wicked, and with a rich man in his death; although he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. 10 Yet it pleased Yahweh to bruise him. He has caused him to suffer. When you make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed. He shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of Yahweh shall prosper in his hand. 11 After the suffering of his soul, he will see the light and be satisfied. My righteous servant will justify many by the knowledge of himself; and he will bear their iniquities. 12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he poured out his soul to death, and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. (WEB)