Holy Week: A Walk to the Cross预览

The Night Everything Changed

This was the night everything flipped upside down. For three years, Jesus had been with His disciples, teaching, healing, and preparing them for what was coming. But now, it was time.

It started with the Last Supper. Jesus sat with His disciples, broke bread, and shared the cup, telling them that His body would be broken and His blood would be poured out for them. This wasn’t just a meal—it was a new promise of salvation. And then, in the middle of dinner, Jesus dropped a bombshell: one of them—one of His own—was going to betray Him.

Later that night, Jesus went to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray. But this wasn’t just a simple prayer—it was a struggle. He knew what was about to happen. The beatings, the betrayal, the cross. But the hardest part wasn’t the physical pain. It was being separated from God the Father for the first time ever.

When Jesus prayed, “Father, if there’s any other way, let this cup pass from Me” (Matthew 26:39), He wasn’t trying to back out. He knew what He had to do. He understood the assignment. But for the first time, He would take on the weight of the world’s sin, and it was heavy. Still, He surrendered: “Not My will, but Yours.”

Meanwhile, His disciples—His closest friends—fell asleep while He was praying. They didn’t get how big this moment was. Then, out of nowhere, Judas showed up with soldiers, giving Jesus a fake-friendly kiss to betray Him. Peter tried to fight back, but Jesus stopped him. He didn’t resist. He let himself be arrested—because He knew this was the only way to save us.

As Jesus was taken away, Peter, His ride-or-die disciple, denied even knowing Him. Not once, not twice, but three times. Fear took over, and he ran.

It looked like everything was falling apart. But really, everything was falling into place.

Reflection Question:

How does Jesus’ surrender in the garden challenge the way you trust God when life gets hard?

Prayer:

Jesus, thank you for following through with the plan, even when it meant suffering. Help me to trust You when life feels overwhelming. I don’t want to run like Peter—I want to stand with you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.