Jesus approached His final Passover.
He and His disciples walked to Jerusalem to take part in the festivities and
remembrances that week. The Jews recalled the times when I AM (Yahweh God)
provided food for them in the wilderness. They remembered when the Spirit of
God went from home to home and from one animal stall to another, killing the
first-born of each species. Moses told the Jews to put the blood of a
sacrificial lamb on their door frame to protect them from God’s judgment. The Spirit
bypassed obedient Hebrews when exacting God’s vengeance against Egypt. During
that night the Jews prepared for the journey they would begin the next day.
They packed their belongings and asked their Egyptian neighbors for their gold,
silver, and other assets. During this night, they made unleavened bread for the
journey. Jesus traveled to Jerusalem like obedient Jews did to celebrate the Passover
and the exodus from Egypt.
Jesus and His disciples obediently journeyed
to Jerusalem to thank God. They prepared and ate a meal together. Jesus knew,
though His disciples did not understand fully, that His time had come. Soon He
would be arrested and handed over to the Jewish religious leaders and Roman
leaders. The purpose for His life on earth had arrived. The purpose for Jesus’ birth
as a man was to provide a once-for-all perfect sacrifice for humanity’s sins.
For this reason, He purposefully walked to Jerusalem.
After Jesus celebrated the Passover
and began giving its new meaning of the “Lord’s Supper,” He and His disciples
walked to the Mount of Olives, where they often prayed and He taught them. During
this time, Judas Iscariot prepared to betray Jesus. He took thirty pieces of
silver from the Jewish religious leaders and sought a time to betray Jesus.
Jesus knew who would betray Him. He realized, because He is 100% divine, He
would be given into the hands of men who would crucify Him. The Son, like the
Father, knows all things. That He knew His disciple would betray Him weighed heavily
on His heart. As the Son of Man (100% God and 100% man), Jesus understood He
would experience the pain of being nailed to a cross, having His side pierced
by a spear, and gasping for breath. As a man, Jesus probably felt trepidation
and needed strength to finish His purpose on earth. His human mind and heart possibly
dreaded what He understood must be done. This gives new depth of meaning to
John 3:16. God (Father, Son, and Spirit) loves us so much that He willingly
sent His Son to earth in the form of a man to die the death of judgment for our
each of our sins. Jesus, God with us, came to us and for us, willingly and
knowingly living on earth as a man to die a slow death of asphyxiation for each
person. He did this so whoever believes in Him as the Son of God, the Messiah,
will have eternal life and forgiveness of sins.
Jesus said in Mark 14, “Abba!
Father! All things are possible for You; remove this cup from Me, yet not what
I will, but what You will.” Jesus called out, “Daddy!” That speaks of a close
relationship with the Father. He then states fact; God is Sovereign and can do
anything. Anything, like keeping one from death and from the hands of angry,
evil, and scared men. Anything, like making a way for His created and rebellious
humans to have an eternal relationship with Him. God is the source of all
power. Jesus knows the Godhead is all-powerful. He also knows no other way was
available to provide redemption from sins. A sin sacrifice was required, and it
could not be just anything. This sin sacrifice had to be perfect, without
blemish or stain from sin. The only sinless being is the Godhead-Father, Son,
and Spirit. God provided the perfect sacrifice through the death of the Son of Man
and Son of God, Jesus the Messiah. With this understanding, Jesus made His final
statement in this verse. He said, “Not what I will, but what You will.” The
humanity of Jesus submitted to the perfect, divine will of the Godhead. He
willingly walked to the cross to be crucified, pierced, and to suffocate so humanity
could be saved from their sins and death.
The Father did not leave Jesus to
walk to His mortal death alone. In Luke 22:43, Luke tells us, “An angel from
heaven appeared to Him (Jesus) and strengthened Him.” The Father realized the
mortal flesh was weary and frightened but determined to do His will because of
His overabundant love for each person. Luke continued in verse forty-four by
saying, “And being in anguish, He (Jesus) prayed more earnestly, and His sweat
was like drops of blood falling to the ground.” [NIV] Jesus prayed for the
strength to walk to His death. He prayed for each person to believe in Him.
Jesus prayed so fervently that sweat became profuse, like a river of blood
flowing from an arterial vein. The angel encouraged, strengthened, and upheld
Him for the purpose for which He humbly gave up His place on the throne in
heaven. Jesus’ decision was deliberate before He left heaven, while He walked
and taught on earth, and as He prepared for Judas’ betrayal, the Jewish
religious leaders’ antagonism and unbelief, and Pontius Pilate’s handwashing.
This One who died for the sins of each person was betrayed, mocked, tormented,
and found unworthy for a governor to be held accountable.
Considering what Jesus did and said
in Mark 14:36 and Luke 22:43, are any of us ever willing to make these
statements to God? Have any of us lived out God’s purpose this determinedly?
Have we made a genuine sacrifice of ourselves to God’s plans and purposes? With
Jesus as our model, I realize few people make this ultimate stand for God. This
purpose in life requires a total surrender of heart and will to God’s plans.
Jesus understood this profound surrender. To give oneself in total surrender to
God means giving the right to oneself-one’s whole heart, mind, body, and spirit-to
obey God in His purposes to save every person before he or she mortally dies.
Just as Abba gave strength to Jesus
to walk the road to Calvary, He gives us the strength to walk according to His
plans. Those plans may be to help someone with food, offer shelter for someone
without a home, or donate to a charitable organization. It may also mean leaving
home and country to live where most people have not heard about Jesus and walk
with them telling them about Him. Walking with unbelievers often means being
willing to sacrifice our lives. The key to each of these tasks and others God asks
of believers is God, not us. God created. He sacrificed and redeems. God
cleanses. He calls and strengthens. Then, God walks with those who willingly
offer to Him what He asks of them. God gives each person what she or he needs
to live abundantly in a loving, growing, and eternal relationship with Him.
Jesus didn’t ask for a kiss, but Judas gave it.
He asks us to believe in Him; He paid the price.
Are you willing to give your all-heart,
soul, body, and spirit-to God? He will give you the strength and everything you
need to follow Him. All things are possible with God.
