Our Greatest Challenge

By Joe Chesser     I feel confident that all of you reading this know very well Jesus’ prayer in the Garden the night before his crucifixion: “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will ” (Matthew 26.39). We know as a human in this critical hour, Jesus asked the Father if something else could be done instead of what he knew must be done. The thoughts of betrayal, torture and crucifixion were overwhelming. We can somewhat understand how he felt. Who wouldn’t? How often have you asked God to change dreaded circumstances?      Yet, what we need to remember is that it was also as a human that he chose to do the will of God regardless of how difficult that would be. Yes, as God he knew what was coming. In just minutes he would be betrayed and taken away like a criminal. He would have to endure an all-night illegal trial that would include mockery and torture. He knew he would be nailed to a cross the next day and die six hours later. He knew what doing the will of God meant for him personally.  That makes his decision to do God’s will even more impressive.     My point is this: following Jesus means doing the very same thing Jesus did. It means denying ourselves of what we would prefer and doing what God wants regardless of how difficult that may be for us personally. Let Jesus’s words burn indelibly in your heart and mind: “if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will. ”     We are tempted to resist this by arguing that “we cannot possibly measure up to Jesus’ example to such a degree. Afterall, we are just humans.” Yes, that’s true. But Jesus knew we were just humans who love to justify ourselves when he said, “Not everyone who says to me ‘Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then I will declare to them ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness” (Matthew 7.21-23). Obviously doing good things in the name of the Lord is not the same as doing the will of the Father.     Consider one more statement from Jesus to us: “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” (Luke 9.23).     From what Jesus said, and especially from his example in the Garden, if we truly want to follow Jesus, we must do the will of the Father, even when we had rather do something else. Discipleship is a huge challenge, and our greatest challenge is dying to ourselves. The only way to follow Jesus is by keeping our eyes on him (Hebrews 12.1-2).

-  Joe Chesser worked for years with the Fruitland Church of Christ, Fruitland, MO. Now retired from full time preaching, he may be contacted at joeandareva@yahoo.com