Title: Let's Drink the Cup of My Suffering
Content Sharing: When and how did you take up your cross?
Text Commentary/ The last chapters of John 18 to 21 are related to the events of Jesus' passion and resurrection. Jesus spoke of the cross he would bear as the cup of suffering. Jesus asked, “Shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?” and walked the path of suffering.
Question 1: What did Jesus pray about? (Verses 1-2)
Answer: (1) Jesus, knowing that the cross is an unavoidable suffering, boldly walks the path of suffering (verse 1). This was a place that Judas Iscariot knew well as Jesus often visited with his disciples (verse 2).
(2) Let's take a look at what Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane in the Gospel of Matthew (Matt.
Jesus said that his heart was so troubled that he was about to die (Matthew 26:37-38). However, the reason Jesus was troubled and grieved is the shame that Jesus will now be treated as a complete sinner by God on behalf of all sinners in the world from the process of carrying the cross (Hebrews 12:2). Another thing, it must have been Judas Iscariot who tormented Jesus to the end. He suffered because of the betrayal of the disciple he loved (John 13:1). However, the Lord realized that Judas Iscariot was the son of perdition and decided to take up the cross (John 17:12).
Question 2: How was Jesus arrested? (vs. 3-11a)
Answer: (1) Judas Iscariot led a crowd to the place where Jesus was with his disciples (verse 3).
(2) Jesus, knowing the hardships to come, boldly said to the army that had come to arrest him, whom he was looking for (verse 4). When they said they were looking for Jesus of Nazareth, Jesus immediately replied, “I am” (verse 5). On the surface, Jesus’ answer to this seems to indicate that he is Jesus of Nazareth, but on the inside, Jesus Himself is a manifestation of His divine existence It was a revelation. Because when Jesus revealed Himself, everyone fell to the ground (verse 6). Jesus revealed his divine being once more (vv. 7-8a). How can we reveal our identity to be victorious in the field of suffering? It is time to put our consciousness of existence on God. We can overcome hardships when we connect with God (John 16:33).
⑶ When Jesus is arrested, he tells the soldiers to release all his disciples (verse 8). It was Jesus' loving consideration for his disciples. This is because Jesus died on the cross, but the disciples who would take his place had to remain on this earth. And they didn't disappoint either. Although I do not understand the cross of Jesus now and leave and betray Jesus, I had the expectation that I would bear the cross that the Lord bore in the end, so I wanted to give him an opportunity to take up his own cross. With the exception of Judas, who betrayed Jesus, the reason that none of the disciples were arrested and protected was because Jesus protected them by putting his life as collateral for them (verse 9).
⑷ When Jesus asked the arresters to release them to protect them, Peter drew his sword and cut off the right ear of the high priest's servant Malchus (verse 10). But Jesus rebuked Peter. Why was Peter not recognized despite his passion for Jesus? The reason is that he has not been transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Question 3: What does Jesus decide at the moment of his arrest? (v. 11b)
Answer: (1) Jesus entered the path of suffering on the cross (verse 11b). If you are a true Christian and missionary, you must be able to rightly read the pain and suffering of the age we live in, and choose the suffering of the cross to bear it right. Also, if it is my cross that I must bear, I must obey the most difficult and painful things with joy. When your heart is troubled by the sufferings you have, please quietly meditate on the cross of Jesus. Please look to Jesus, who endured all kinds of pain and contempt on the cross to give us peace (Isaiah 53:3-4).
(2) Christians who have been saved from the cross are to drink the 'Cup of the Lord'.
Decision message:
Do you not feel that it was God's amazing love that Jesus died on the cross for you? How thrilled are you at the fact that the Son of God drank the bitter cup that I was supposed to drink in this way? Is there anyone who has not yet accepted Jesus as their Savior? If you do not believe in Jesus, you have to drink the cup of the curse that the Lord drank on your own. You must drink the cup of judgment alone. However, if you believe in the name of Jesus, who drank the cup instead of you as your Savior, you can now drink the cup that shares in the cup of suffering. Just take up your cross and follow the Lord.