Matthew 26:39 (NLT)
He [Jesus] went on a little farther and bowed with his face to the ground, praying, “My Father! IF IT IS POSSIBLE, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”
We often say that nothing is IMPOSSIBLE for God, and rightly so. Luke 1:37 says, “For with God nothing shall be impossible” (The words of the Angel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary). But, in the Garden of Gethsemane, as Jesus travails in prayer on the night of His betrayal, knowing the suffering he is about to face, He prays the words, “Father, IF IT IS POSSIBLE, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me.” Jesus knew that He had to suffer for mankind to be redeemed, but His prayer revealed a hope in His heart that there might be some other way. Was there any other way for mankind to be saved? Was there anything else that could be done besides Jesus dying for our sins? Was that really the only solution?
Some in today’s society seem to think there are other ways that mankind can get “right” with God besides through Jesus. If that were the case, though, surely God would have honored Jesus’ prayer for the cup of suffering to pass from Him. Jesus asked God point-blank, “IF IT IS POSSIBLE let this cup pass from me.” You know the rest of the story. Jesus went on to be mocked, tried and crucified within the next 24 hours after that prayer was prayed, showing that there has only ever been ONE IMPOSSIBILITY with God… it was IMPOSSIBLE to redeem mankind any other way than through the death of His Son Jesus.
Thank you Jesus, for being obedient to the Father’s plan to redeem mankind the only way that was possible… through Your sacrifice.
Acts 4:12 (NIV)
Salvation is found in NO ONE ELSE, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.
