S) "44 And being in agony He was praying very fervently; and His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down upon the ground."
Luke 22:44 (NASB)
O) Jesus was in the garden of Gethsemane, praying before His arrest. As He was facing betrayal and crucifixion, He had prayed that God would take the cup from Him. He closed His prayer, though, conceding that it is the will of the Father, not His own will, be done. We see His humanity in full display through those words. When Jesus referred to "this cup" (v.42), He wasn't just talking about death. What we see in the above verse, is a level of fervent prayer I'm not sure another human has ever achieved. What really brought it upon Jesus, was that the "cup" He mentioned was not simply death, but it was the cup of God's wrath. There are several Old Testament references to the cup of God's wrath, and Jesus would be completely, intimately familiar with what that wrath meant. The medical condition of sweating blood is called, "hematidrosis" and it is quite rare. It is often brought about by stress, accompanying intense headaches or stomach pains. This highlights the humanity of Jesus.
A) Often, I think of the sacrifice Jesus made, simply as death. Jesus died so I don't have to. But, I'm not sure dying for me would have caused this kind of turmoil. People have sacrificed themselves for others throughout history. It's a noble thing, the stuff of heroes. But, it's not usually met with this kind of... anxiety, is the word that comes to mind. What was really at stake here, wasn't simply death. It was wrath. Jesus' sacrifice took on the wrath that I was due. Jesus took on Himself, the wrath that every person was due. I wasn't just saved from death, I was saved from wrath (1 Thessalonians 5:9). Jesus didn't just suffer the death that was meant for me, He suffered the wrath that was meant for me. If I understood the consequence of sin the way Jesus did, sweating blood because of the wrath incurred through sinful behaviors, would I ever sin again? That is the true knowledge of the fear of God, that would cause a person to sweat blood for the coming wrath. How great is His love for me, that He would take that punishment, that death, that wrath, and offer me mercy instead? Perhaps beyond true comprehension.
P) Father, You are perfect in Your judgment, righteous in Your anger, and justified in Your wrath. Your sovereignty is complete. I am only beginning to glimpse the true consequence of my sins, here. May I continue to gain understanding, and a proper fear of You, LORD. Open my eyes to see, and my ears to hear, that I may better understand the gravity of the gospel. It is both simple, and unfathomably deep. May I feel the weight of that sacrifice, and let it lead me to further obedience. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
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