Today's Passage - Matthew 26:36-39

River of Life Christian Church ︳www.rolcc.net/english Matthew 26:36-39   Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, "Sit here while I go over there and pray." He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me." Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will."    When Jesus went to Garden of Gethsemane to pray, why was the Lord's heart so anxious? Was it because of the fact that He was going to face death, or because He had to face the cruelty of the cross? Actually, it was neither of them. The Lord's heart was anxious because He knew that when He was nailed on the cross, He had to bear all the sins of the world. In that very instant, the Father God whom Jesus loved will hid His face from Jesus.   The relationship within the Trinity is indeed very intimate and it won't be severed; however, when God's lamb Jesus Christ was nailed on the cross for the sins of mankind, He had to experience separation in His relationship with Father God. Later on, the Lord cried out on the cross: "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me." He had never experienced it all His life, and that's why He was "sorrow to the point of death." There was a struggle in His heart: According to His flesh, Jesus didn't want to go through such pain and suffer through separation from Father God; according to God's will, however, Jesus knew that He was sent to the world precisely for this purpose. That's why He said: "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will."   The Lord obeyed Father God and went on the path of the cross for our sake, and that is an action of love. Because of His obedience, the power of love was released, and this truth can also be helpful to us. We often feel that it's difficult for us to love our enemies; if we can love an enemy, then most likely it's not a real enemy, because how is it possible for us to love our real enemy? We think love is a feeling, so if we want to love we must first feeling something. Jesus, however, could love others because He obeyed the commandment of Father God. Therefore, love is not just a feeling; anyone who's willing to obey the will of Father God and pray blessings on an enemy is actually loving the enemy. When we are willing to obey God, the power of love from God will be released through action of obedience. Brothers and sisters, are you willing to learn the lesson of obedience starting today?   Pray with Pastor Tong     Lord, please give all the brothers and sisters an obedient heart so that they will pray for everyone around them. May you release your love from the throne and pour down on all the relationships that they have. I thank you and I pray in the victorious name of Jesus, amen!