The Cup of Suffering

Verse:

“And Jesus going up to Jerusalem took the twelve disciples apart in the way, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem: and the Son of man shall be betrayed unto the chief priests and unto the scribes, and they shall condemn him to death, And shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify him: and the third day he shall rise again.” (Matthew 20:17-19, KJV)

Devotional:

Jesus knew what awaited Him in Jerusalem, yet He willingly went there. He knew that He would be handed over to the religious leaders, condemned to death, mocked, flogged, and ultimately crucified. But He went anyway. Why?

Because He knew that it was the only way to save us. He knew that His death and resurrection would be the ultimate sacrifice for our sins, and that through Him, we could have eternal life.

But as we read this passage, we must also consider what it means for us. Jesus tells us that if we want to follow Him, we must take up our own cross and follow Him. This means that we must be willing to suffer, just as He did.

Now, this doesn't mean that we will necessarily be physically crucified. But it does mean that we will face trials and hardships as we seek to follow Christ. We may be mocked or ridiculed for our faith. We may face persecution or discrimination. We may even lose friends or family members because of our beliefs.

But just as Jesus was willing to endure the suffering of the cross for us, we too must be willing to endure suffering for Him. And we can take comfort in knowing that just as Jesus was raised from the dead on the third day, we too will share in His resurrection and eternal life.

Daily Challenge:

Take some time to reflect on the sacrifices that Jesus made for you. Are you willing to endure suffering for His sake? Take a moment to pray and ask God to give you the strength to follow Him, no matter what the cost.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, we thank You for the sacrifice that Jesus made for us on the cross. Help us to remember the depth of His love for us, and give us the courage to follow Him, even when it means enduring suffering. Strengthen us by Your Spirit, and help us to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, who endured the cross for the joy set before Him. In Jesus' precious name, we pray. Amen.