What Jesus Has Done For Us

Luke 22:39-44 (NKJV)
³⁹ Coming out, He went to the Mount of Olives, as He was accustomed, and His disciples also followed Him. ⁴⁰ When He came to the place, He said to them, "Pray that you may not enter into temptation." ⁴¹ And He was withdrawn from them about a stone's throw, and He knelt down and prayed, ⁴² saying, "Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done." ⁴³ Then an angel (appeared) to Him from heaven, strengthening Him. ⁴⁴ And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

  God had to send an angel to strengthen Jesus. We are not told, but certainly the angel would have shared how His death...•   was an act that glorified and honored God because it was doing exactly what His Father wanted. It was an act of obedience, of love and adoration for God. It was an offering, the perfect offering to God. His life would be for the salvation of all mankind.

His death was to result in His own glory and honor and exaltation, and was the only way man could be saved eternally.

Also, the angel probably did some very practical things. We can imagine the angel embracing His Lord, just holding Him ever so tightly, and perhaps infusing strength into His being. The scene of our Lord being so weak that He had to be embraced and engulfed in the arms of an angel should break every believer's heart. Perhaps the angel wiped the perspiration and blood and tears off His brow. Whatever the scene, we need to see the awful weight and intensity of our Lord's agony.  

He prayed "more earnestly," more intensely. The reason is seen in the Greek words for "being in an agony.” The Greek (aorist participle) means Jesus experienced a growing agony. The weight upon Him was not only intense; it grew more and more intense. The pressure and sense of suffering became heavier and heavier. The picture is that of His becoming engrossed and embodied in agony. Thus, He prayed more and more earnestly. His prayer grew and increased in intensity even as His agony intensified.

  He sweat great drops of blood. The words "great drops” mean thick clots of blood. Apparently Jesus was under so much pressure the capillary veins right under the skin burst and the blood mingled with sweat and poured through the enlarged pores. What Jesus was experiencing can never be known.

And He did it all for you and I. When He was in the garden, we were on His mind. And now He is on our mind and we worship and praise for His Supreme sacrifice that saved you and I from the penalty of hell. He gave us the right to become children of God so we could live with Him and the Father forever.

John 19:17-19 (NKJV)
¹⁷ And He, bearing His cross, went out to a place called the Place of a Skull, which is called in Hebrew, Golgotha,
¹⁸ where they crucified Him, and two others with Him, one on either side, and Jesus in the center.

 The crucifixion was the summit of sin and love. The crucifixion itself was the most horrible of deaths. There was the pain of the driven spikes forced through the flesh of Jesus' hands and feet or ankles. There was the weight of His body jolting and pulling against the spikes as the cross was lifted and rocked into place. There was the scorching sun and the unquenchable thirst gnawing away at His dry mouth and throat. In addition, just imagine the aggravation of flies, gnats, and other insects that tormented Jesus as He gave His body in death for us. On and on the sufferings could be described. There has never been a more cruel form of execution than crucifixion upon a cross. Remember His body broken for you as you partake of the bread.

There was the blood oozing from His scourged back, His thorn crowned brow, His stick beaten head and scarred face. Then there was the shedding of Jesus blood as a soldier pierced His side. John 19:34 (NKJV) But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out.

Remember these things as you partake of the juice that rep. His shed blood!

John 19:28-30 (NKJV) ²⁸ After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, "I thirst!" ²⁹ Now a vessel full of sour wine was sitting there; and they filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on hyssop, and put it to His mouth. ³⁰ So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, "It is finished!" And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.

Everything needed for the salvation of mankind was finished on the cross at Calvary. We will praise, honor, and glorify Jesus for all eternity for all He has done for us.

 Revelation 5:11-14 (KJV)
¹¹ And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands;
¹² Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.
¹³ And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.
¹⁴ And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever.

Invitation: Jesus suffered horribly for you so you could be saved. If you have not already taken advantage of His salvation, today is the right time! Confess your sins to Jesus and Ask Him to forgive you. Then invite Him into your heart to take charge of your life. Then live in the power, love, and sound mind that Christ gives!