Jesus Hurt

I knew Sunday's message would be significant. It’s hard to journey with Jesus toward His cross and not stumble into our own powerful moments with God.

But that detail of the disciples “sleeping for sorrow” has really stayed with me.

Watch Sunday's Message, "Gethsemane" from our I Speak Jesus Series

We’re not made to handle suffering and sin alone.

As the disciples faced the daunting discouragement of the cross, of Jesus leaving them, of their ideals and commitments failing, of the tears and limitations of their leader, and the separation of their community…They couldn’t hold it. It was too much. 

Even the three closest to Jesus fell asleep in sorrow (Luke 22:45).

Jesus Himself confirms, “The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak," (Matthew 26:41)

The flesh is sleepy. Affected. Real.

Our bodies, like the disciples, literally shut us down in the face our own sin and grief, let alone all that Jesus carried in Gethsemane. 

Then, can you imagine this? Jesus, more and more and more painfully aware of the lives of suffering and sin that He carried…

As the world's suffering, sin, and loss pressed upon him, drops of sweat and blood welled from His skin...

He turned again and again to His Father, saying, “Let this cup pass,” and “Not my will, but Yours be done.”

Jesus inhaled our most offensive sins. The ones that tear people’s lives apart. The ones you don’t recover from. As if they were His.

And He intook our sufferings too. Our sicknesses, our divisions, our bitterness, our betrayals, our ommissions …all of it. (see Matthew 8:16-17)

Jesus, hurt.

And, just like the disciples, where our bodies and souls are shutting down or falling apart, Jesus alone had the infinite capacity to carry that thing, and all the things, to the Father.

He literally interceded for us (Romans 8:34). Speaking the words we could never say to God. Staying awake in painfully honest relationship with His Dad, for us. 

And from that deep resource of His Father’s love, He carried our cross.

Wow. All of heaven worships Him for this. 

And we can too, even in our unfinished places.

Sunday, we’ll continue I Speak Jesus with the moment of Jesus' Betrayal.

I wonder what the Holy Spirit will reveal to us about this Jesus, the One on the throne, who would willingly go through all this to have us as His own?

May we know Him more, and catch glimpses of His wonder and worth this Easter season,

Pastor Dave