Holy Week Devotional: Jesus in the Garden

SCRIPTURE:  MARK 14:12-72

In the garden of Gethsemane, we find Jesus with a heavy heart, “greatly distressed and troubled.” Going to pray, Jesus confided in His disciples that His soul was “very sorrowful, even to death.” (Mark 14:33-34) Luke tells us our Lord was in such anguish that while praying in the garden He began to sweat blood. (Luke 22:44)

What caused Jesus such anguish? It wasn’t the physical pain that He would soon endure on His way to the cross.  Sproul reminded us that sin is “cosmic treason.” Indeed, God is so holy and just that sin is an outrageous affront to His good and eternal character.  Even one sin deserves eternal condemnation and separation from God.  There have lived on the earth billions of men and women and billions more likely to come. Each one deserving of eternal justice.

As Jesus prayed in the garden, He knew God’s righteous anger for the sin of mankind burned with unfathomable fury. His wrath for the sins of all men – from eternity past to the future end of creation – was to be poured out onto one man, Jesus Christ, once and for all. The reality of hell for our own sins should cause us immense grief and horror. Jesus was preparing to bear the rage of God for ALL men in one moment on the cross, and the knowledge of that coming wrath turned His sweat to blood.  The most amazing aspect of the Gospel is that Jesus accepted this task freely. 

Focus

The singular, driving purpose in history is the redemption of God’s people through the incarnation, life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Christ.  May we magnify the glory of our triune God for He is worthy!