Calvary Church

Bloodlines – Part 2

There were seven blood sheddings of Jesus from the Garden to the Cross, and when we see them the cross becomes more than sentimental - it’s powerful.

The first of Jesus’ seven blood sheddings took place in the Garden of Gethsemane, the night before he was crucified.

Luke 22:41–44
And he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. And being in agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

Three questions to consider to make sense of this scene:

1. How is it possible that Jesus’ sweat is like drops of blood?
2. Why is Jesus in agony if He’s not yet been arrested, whipped or crucified?
3. What does any of this have to do with me?

Question One - How is it even possible that Jesus’ sweat is like drops of blood?

Jesus experienced a condition known as hematidrosis.

“Hematidrosis is a condition in which capillary blood vessels that feed the sweat glands rupture, causing them to exude blood; it occurs under conditions of extreme physical or emotional stress.”
- The U.S. Government’s National Library of Medicine

The Bible describes Jesus as being in agony, consumed with sorrow to the point of death, and deeply distressed (literally, horror struck).

It’s a mistake to assume the distress Jesus experienced was solely because of the imminent physical pain or social rejection.

Question Two - Why is Jesus in agony if He’s not yet been arrested, whipped, or crucified?

“Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me.”

Jesus is in agony because He wants the Father to remove a ‘cup’ from Him.

Anyone familiar with the Old Testament Jewish writings knows the imagery of the cupis meaningful.

Scripture speaks of the ‘cup’ in two ways. Either as a picture of diving blessing and friendship, or as a picture of the cup of divine wrath and judgement.

Those who obeyed God enjoyed the cup of blessing and friendship. Those who disobeyed God, prepare for themselves the cup of wrath and judgement.

Job 21:20
Let their own eyes see their destruction; let them drink the cup of the wrath of the Almighty.

Jeremiah 25:15
Thus the LORD, the God of Israel, said to me: “Take from my hand this cup of the wine of wrath, and make all the nations to whom I send you drink it.”

We all know what it is to feel ‘fed up’ by evil and injustice. It only makes sense that God would also.

The Cross was Jesus drinking the cup of God’s wrath that had been stored up against sinful humanity, even though He didn’t deserve it.

Jesus is the only One who deserved to drink the cup of God’s blessing and friendship. We are the ones who deserved to drink the cup of divine wrath and judgement.

In Gethsemane, Jesus chose to switch cups with us. He resolved that he would drink the cup of God’s righteous wrath, which we deserved. In turn, He would give us the cup of blessing and friendship, which we did not deserve.

The agony Jesus’ felt was the spiritual agony and horror of bearing the sins of the world - of enduring the divine judgement which sin deserved. He felt it to such an extent, that it forced blood from his body.

Question Three - What does any of this have to do with me?

A. Because Jesus’ personally experienced extreme distress, we can go to Him when we experience stress and anguish.

If we see Jesus as always being serene, at peace, care free, He seems ‘unreal’ and unable to relate to our human experience.

Hebrews 5:7
In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence.

1 Peter 5:7
Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

Not only does Jesus care for us, He understands us, even in our stress.

B. Because Jesus chose obedience to the Father’s will, we also are empowered to choose a life of obedience.

Part of Jesus wanted to obey the Father, but another real part of him wanted to not obey. Anyone who’s been a Christian for more than a few weeks would relate to this feeling of competing desires.

Philippians 2:13
“God is working in you to make you willing and able to obey Him.”

Core to Christianity is the idea that the Christian finds within themselves competing desires, but by indwelling Holy Spirit is empowered to put to death the desires of the flesh and walk in obedience, and in this way becoming more like Jesus.

C. Because Jesus’ chose to drink the cup of God’s judgement and wrath, we can experience the cup of God’s friendship and peace.

Jesus drank the cup of God’s wrath down to the very last drop. That’s why, when we put our faith in Him, there is no more condemnation or fear of judgement.

We now experience the cup of friendship and peace with God, because Jesus swapped cups with us in Gethsemane.