Image: The Grotto of the Agony - James Tissot – Brooklyn Museum
Courtesy of: Free Bible Images
For me, one remarkable aspect of the Easter story was Jesus’ sheer grit and determination in saying ‘No’ to temptation in the Garden of Gethsemane.
How extreme must have been His mental torment when Satan tempted him to reject the cup that God was asking Him to drink, the cup of His wrath.
Apart from the physical agony that Jesus knew He was about to endure, the intensity of His mental suffering must have been extreme, unendurable. To take on the sins of the whole world, to be separated from His Father, to be a sin offering when He knew His Father could not bear to look on any sin and would turn away, even from His beloved Son as He bore the disgrace that should have been ours.
No wonder He was sweating blood when isolated, alone, being tempted by His arch-enemy, the devil to reject the cup of extreme suffering, He prayed to His Father, if it was possible, to allow Him to bypass that cup.
However, His famous words, “Yet not my will but thine be done” highlight just how obedient He was to His Father; He accepted that there was no other way to reconcile sinners to God than by His extreme sacrifice, the ultimate sacrificial act of willingly giving his body up to cruel torture and death, of willingly preparing to be separated from His own Father in that dark and violent moment on the cross.
How remarkable that Jesus was prepared to take our place on that cruel cross, that He endured an agonising death He didn’t deserve, and all because He loved us so much and wanted to reconcile us with His Father. How easy it would have been for him to reject that horrifying cup of God’s wrath, to rescue Himself from torture, to preserve His life, to stay close to His Father.
It’s hard to believe that anyone would go through so much unbearable physical, mental and spiritual torment for sinners all over the world. And it’s so sad to think about the billions of people who have rejected Jesus’ sacrifice, His offer of new life and His promise to be with Him forever in His kingdom.
When I reflect on the Easter story, I’m sobered by the thought that nothing can possibly compare with the severity of our Lord and Saviour’s temptation and suffering; the temptations I’ve experienced seem so paltry and insignificant compared to my Lord and Saviour's. I’m ashamed to admit to the countless times I’ve given in to temptation.
However, it is incredibly wonderful that God can and will forgive me over and over again because of the sacrifice of His Son; that I am covered by the blood of Jesus and that God looks on me as if I am pure if I believe in what Jesus has done for me. Because of Jesus’ great sacrifice for me, I can try, in God’s strength, to resist, or even to flee from, temptation when it assails me, especially when I consider these words from Colossians:
No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.
~ 1 Colossians Ch.10, vs31
With this understanding of the Easter story, and in God’s mighty strength, I can indeed resist temptation if I make a habit of reading the Bible, praying daily and pondering on Jesus’ extraordinary example. Gradually, one moment at a time, one day at a time, I am trusting the Holy Spirit to keep transforming me into the likeness of the Son.
I’m hoping that more and more each day, I will have the courage to say “No” to temptation and “Yes” to Christ. May I wish you all courage and strength this year in your battles with temptation, especially as you consider how Jesus triumphed over temptation, sin and death.
