The Garden

Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder. And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy. Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me. And he went a little farther and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt. And he cometh unto the disciples and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing but the flesh is weak. He went again the second time and prayed saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it,thy will be done. It is doubtful that Christ was praying to be saved from physical death, for He had resolutely set Himself to die for the sins of mankind. It is more probable that He was praying to be delivered from the punishment of separation from God, the ultimate penalty for sin. Christ prayed that His physical death might be accepted as full payment for the sin of sinners. However, He prayed, "nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt." He then committed Himself to undergo both physical death and spiritual separation from His heavenly Father in order to achieve our salvation. His prayer was "heard", for He was strengthened by His Father to drink the appointed cup.PRAISE GOD HE DID, He loved you and I enough to lay down His life that we can walk in newness of life with our sins forgiven. This is not the end but only the beginning.