A Suffering Savior

N.T.#285 "A Suffering Savior"

April 15, 2024 

Matthew 26-Part 9

LET IT GLOW 

Think of the most painful thing you have felt. It doesn't compare one smidgen to what pain Jesus felt as He prayed in the Garden at the Mt. of Olives. When we stood outside the fence looking inside at the huge olive trees, I fell on my knees and prayed right there in front of my peers, asking Jesus to forgive my sins that hung Him on the cross. Jesus is a Forgiving Savior.

Jesus told His disciples that they would all desert Him that night. Peter replied that even if everyone else deserted Jesus, he will never desert Jesus. The bad news was given to Peter-this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny 3 times that you even knew Jesus. And it was so. (verse 33-4)

No! Even if I have to die with you, I will never deny You. And all the other disciples vowed the same. (verse 35) Peter said this in New Living Translation.

Peter promised to be more faithful than the others, so later Jesus asked Peter, Lovest thou Me more than these? (John 21:15) Jesus was referring to the other disciples.

Do we love Jesus more than family and friends? Is He number one in our life. 

LET IT GROW 

Then Jesus had His disciples came to Gethsemane. He told them to sit there while He went and prayed yonder. It was a grove of olive trees, a garden up the hill east of Jerusalem. He took His inner circle of men (Peter, James, John), closest to Him a little further with Jesus. His instructions for the 3 was to tarry and watch with Jesus. At this point, Jesus was sorrowful and very heavy. 

Jesus admitted His soul was exceeding (grieved all around; intensely sad) sorrowful, even to the point of death.

Why? Billy Graham explains in his Wisdom For Each Day devotional: 

• Sin must be punished. If God were simply to forgive our sins without judging them, then there would be no justice, no accountability for wrongdoing. God would not be truly holy and just.
• But if God were simply to judge us for our sins as we deserve, there would be no hope of salvation for any of us. His love would have failed to provide what we need. 
• The cross was the only way to resolve the problem of sin. At the cross God's love and justice came together. Jesus took the punishment we deserved, and now we are clothed in His perfect righteousness. 

The weight of the world's sins became heavy to bear. It was a battle between the flesh and spirit in Jesus, I think. He knew what was ahead as Jesus was God in the flesh. No one likes to suffer pain. He had no sins of His own, just grief for our sins. Can we even understand one smidgen of the anguish Jesus went through before the beatings, ridicules, and pain of the nails? 

LET IT GO

Such a Gracious God, such a Loving, such a Forgiving God!

Jesus, You blood has washed away my sin, Jesus thank You.

The Father's wrath completely satisfied, Jesus thank You.

Once Your enemy, now seated at Your table, Jesus thank You.