Mark 14:32-42 Every Step is Joy: Christ Is Condemned For Us
The Text
Mark 14:32–42 (CSB)
32 Then they came to a place named Gethsemane, and he told his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.”33 He took Peter, James, and John with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled.
34 He said to them, “I am deeply grieved to the point of death. Remain here and stay awake.”
35 He went a little farther, fell to the ground, and prayed that if it were possible, the hour might pass from him.
36 And he said, “Abba, Father! All things are possible for you. Take this cup away from me. Nevertheless, not what I will, but what you will.”
37 Then he came and found them sleeping. He said to Peter, “Simon, are you sleeping? Couldn’t you stay awake one hour?
38 Stay awake and pray so that you won’t enter into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
39 Once again he went away and prayed, saying the same thing.
40 And again he came and found them sleeping, because they could not keep their eyes open. They did not know what to say to him.
41 Then he came a third time and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough! The time has come. See, the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.
42 Get up; let’s go. See, my betrayer is near.”
The Devotion
Jesus was determined. Sure. Faithful. Came into our world ready, willing and able to "save his people from their sins." (Matthew 1:21)
He was willing to be the "Worthy Lamb who has come to take away the sins of the world." (John 1:29)
He came into the world not to condemn the world but to save it.
John 3:14–17 (CSB) “Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life. For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
But for that, he must be draped upon the staff like the brazen serpent. To accomplished his mission, he must be lifted up so he will draw all peoples to himself. (John 12:32)
But to do so: he must bear the weight of our sins. He must take on the wrath of God's justice. He must completely obey the law.
To get to that, he must be abandoned by friends. He must be assaulted by his enemies. He must be betrayed by someone whom he loved deeply.
All for us. Just to save us.
2 Corinthians 5:21 (CSB) He made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
For our sake.
Every step that Christ took towards the cross was in complete joy and satisfaction because every step he took was one step closer to completely, satisfactorily, perfectly, definitely, absolutely, forever "save his people from their sins."