Strength to Complete the Mission

Luke 22:42-43 “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him.

None of us can fully comprehend what Jesus went through on the cross. We may think can imagine the physical pain of torture, but I am sure the whipping, the beating, and the gradual suffocation of crucifixion is far worse than anything any of us have ever experienced. Yet, Jesus’ suffering was much more than physical.

The cup Jesus refers to in Luke 22:42 is the wrath of God that should have rightly been the lot of sinners like me, you, and all other people. Yet, the sinless Son of God willingly took on our sins. It was not an easy decision. Jesus sweat blood in agony aware of what was about to happen. He did it because there was no other way your sins and mine could be forgiven. It took one without sin bearing our sins in his body on the cross (II Corinthians 5:21). Jesus was the only one in all of human history who could have accomplished that mission. I hope you have set your sins on him by faith. There is no other way to eternal life.

Once Jesus said yes to his mission – to God’s will, an angel came to strengthen him. His mission did not change. His suffering did not go away. He was given strength to complete it.

Sometimes our mission in life can be hard. We may want to escape the pain, but that is not always the best choice. Yet, when we say, “Not my will, but yours be done,” God gives us strength to accomplish what he wants us to do.