Luke : Day 37

Read Luke 22:24 – 22:62

Just a few days before the Passover, crowds of Jesus’ followers had cheered and shouted, “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!” But now, the mood had changed. Jesus had spoken about His death, and now talked about betrayal, and how Simon Peter would deny Him. No wonder the disciples became exhausted by sorrow! (verse 45)

In verse 27, Jesus said, “I am among you as one who serves”. Mark recorded something else Jesus said: “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45).

Giving your life for someone else is the greatest act of service. We think about this every year on Remembrance Day. But Jesus not only gave His life for His friends and fellow Jews – many people who eventually become Christians start out hating Jesus – but even those people can be forgiven.

You can see Jesus’ resolution to complete the task His Father had entrusted to Him. He knew that terrible pain, shame and isolation lay ahead, but this is what He prayed in verse 42:

“Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.”

In the Old Testament, a cup often symbolized God’s judgement. The person or nation who had done wrong ‘drank from the cup of God’s anger’. That’s what Jesus was referring to. He knew He would be taking the sin of others and receiving God’s judgement against that sin. But His priority was to obey His Father.

This is what the apostle Paul wrote about Jesus:

“In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.

And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death – even death on a cross!”

In other words, Jesus is God, equal with the Father. But He willingly humbled Himself to take on human form and die for sinners. And according to the Bible, that includes you and me.

“Yet not my will, but yours be done.”

Luke 22:42