Reading my morning Gospel readings passage in Mark 14 a while ago, I was really struck by the reference to the two cups as I read the verses from 23-36, specifically:
Mark 14:23-24 – ‘Then He took the cup, and when He had given thanks He gave it to them, and they all drank from it. And He said to them, “This is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many.
Mark 14:35-36 – ‘He went a little farther, and fell on the ground, and prayed that if it were possible, the hour might pass from Him. And He said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for You. Take this cup away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will.”
It struck me so powerfully that the Lord Yeshua shared one of the cups among His disciples (vs. 23) and that the second, only Lord Yeshua Himself, the Righteous One, could and would drink – and that in its entirety! The first held the wine that symbolised and pointed to His sinless blood of the new covenant (Jeremiah 31:31-34), shed for us, because of us – our sins. The second was filled with suffering that Yeshua would bear, for us.
Truly, His name is Wonderful (Isaiah 9:6). Yeshua the Messiah has done wonderful things for us. Glory to God! May we never lose sight of the wonder that ‘..God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.’ (John 3:16) and that Yeshua was ‘…wounded for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one to his own way; and the LORD ..laid on Him the iniquity of us all.’ Praise God that after His suffering Yeshua rose from the dead on the third day, according to the Scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:1) and that all who trust in Him through faith and repenting in obedience to God have the righteousness of Yeshua reckoned to them by the grace of God through His resurrection. Romans 4:24-5:2, for example reminds us concerning the righteousness of Yeshua the Messiah, that ‘…It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification. Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.’
Amen.
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