In our modern culture of comfort and convenience, our assumption is that Jesus was so distressed before being betrayed by Judas because he was terrified by the prospect of crucifixion.  I don’t mean to diminish Jesus’ physical sacrifice or suffering in the least; crucifixion, doctors say, is one of the most painful ways to die.

However, it was not the prospect of physical pain that caused Jesus so much agony in the Garden of Gethsemane.  Rather, it was the fact that God the Father had separated himself from Jesus and was preparing to pour out the cup of his wrath on him.  Mahaney notes, “That’s why there’s shuddering terror and deep distress for Him at this moment.  In the crucible of human weakness, he’s brought face-to-face with the abhorrent reality of bearing our iniquity and becoming the object of God’s full and furious wrath” (80).

What caused Jesus such agony?  Not the prospect of physical pain, though surely that caused him distress as well.  Jesus was most agonized by the terrible reality that God’s wrath for the sins of the world – past, present, and future – would be placed upon him, and that would cause God the Father to forsake him for us.  Here are a few questions for discussion:

1. Does the prospect of the physical pain of the cross or the separation from God sound more painful to you?  Why?

2. Jesus’ suffering on the cross included God crediting him with every sin, though he never committed any (Heb. 4:15–16) and bearing  the full wrath of God against sin (Rom. 1:18).  Why are these aspects absolutely necessary for our salvation?

3. In many good churches, people talk about “meditating on the cross.”  What is meant by that phrase?  Do you “meditate on the cross?”  If so, when and why?

4. Mahaney notes that God the Father did not answer Jesus’ passionate entreaties in the Garden of Gethsemane.  He says, “Listen to this verse again for the very first time:  For God so loved the world…that he is silent to his Son’s agonizing appeal” (81).  How does this demonstrate God’s incredible love for us?

Next week we will study chapter seven, “Your Face in the Crowd:  Our Part in the Savior’s Death.”

I encourage you to check his blog regularly over the next several weeks for the other posts.  In light of our study of the Sermon on the Mount (where “only hearing” is regularly contrasting with “hearing and doing”), I believe we need to:

1. Honestly study and reflect on the Bible’s teaching regarding areas that are uncomfortable to Americans, including financial stewardship, justice for the oppressed, the orphan, the widow, and the foreigner, to name a few.

2. Honestly evaluate our lives to see whether or not they match the Bible’s teaching and our own profession.

3. Change our practices  (by God’s grace) and hold one another accountable to biblical living – just as we would hold each other accountable to biblical theology.

Jesus will contrast the foolish builder (who builds his house on the sand by only hearing Jesus’ words) and the wise builder (who builds his  house on the rock by hearing and doing Jesus’ words.

We hope that you will join us tonight at 5pm and that God will challenge and change you through his Word.

If you want to participate (and I can’t imagine that you don’t), you’ll just need to:

1. Dress up in sweet 80s attire.

2. Meet us on Bird Pond Road off of Rock Prairie Road at 6:30 a.m. (we’ll have a table with drinks and a makeshift stage for our musicians that will be playing live 80s music).

3. Come ready to have a blast encouraging and serving the half-marathon runners by handing out drinks and picking up trash around our stop.

We will have a person at the end of the race that will collect votes from the runners.  We are competing for prize money that will be donated to the charity of our choice in the greater Bryan/College Station area.

This is going to be a great opportunity for us to serve others and build community.  Whether you are a member at New Life or are planning to visit soon, this would be a great place to meet others and have fun.  If you have any questions, email me.  Otherwise, we’ll see you bright and early tomorrow morning!

If you just found out about the workday or accidentally overslept, that’s ok!  Please contact Living Hope — Bryan at 979–209-9900 or a friend at the workday and find out where you can plug in.

We hope you’ll join us in serving the greater Bryan/College Station Community!

In answer to this question, Mahaney quotes R.C. Sproul, who says, “The glory of the gospel is this:  The one from whom we need to be saved is the one who has saved us.”  That is indeed the Good News.  In God’s perfect plan, he is the righteous judge, but also the merciful Savior of all who believe.  Here are some questions for further thought and discussion:

1. In the last chapter, “the divine dilemma” was identified as the problem God faced when he decided to save undeserving sinners.  Being merciful, He desired to forgive, but being just, He could not allow sin to go unpunished.  How does Paul explain God’s solution in Romans 3:21–26?

2. Mahaney opens chapter five with the account of a young woman who cut her arms when upset with herself or with others over their offenses.  What does this story teach you about your own need for Christ’s work on the cross?

3. Mahaney argues that a “unique man” would be needed to secure salvation for sinful man (pp. 70–73).  In what ways did this Mediator need to be unique and why?

4. On page 73, Mahaney outlines what Christ’s death means for us.  Which truths does he identify, and how should they impact your life on a daily basis?

5. Because Jesus stood condemned in our place, we are no longer under condemnation. Still, many believers do not practice this truth.   When do you tend to struggle with condemnation, and what action should you take to fight against it?  How do you determine the difference between conviction and condemnation?

Next week, we will consider chapter six, “Staring into the Cup:  The Shock of Gethsemane.”

The church building is being used by the local government as a polling place (don’t forget to vote!), so please park in the back of the building and use the rear entrance when you come.  We hope to see you this evening!

“If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith” (Philippians 4b-9).

“By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks. By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God. And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him” (Hebrews 11:4–6).

These verses tell us that you can say and do all the right things and still not be known by Christ.  God desires to reveal himself to undeserving sinners like you and me.  Have you come to him by repentance and faith?