What’s your cup?

I started writing this last year when God placed working on sermon’s on my heart.

“They went to a place called Gethsemane; and he said to his disciples, sit here while I pray. He took with him Peter and James and John and began to be distressed and agitated. And he said to them, I am deeply grieved, even to death; Remain here, and keep awake. And going a little further, he threw himself on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. He said, ABBA, father for you all things are possible; Remove this cup from me; yet, not what I want, but you want.” Mark 14: 32-36

What is your cup?

I would like to start out this message by telling you part of my story.

When I was a young girl of 10, soon to be 11, I was sexually abused by someone who was, supposedly, a family friend. This experience left me scarred with many differing emotions-anger, fear, resentment, hurt, and shame.  Alongside these emotions were thoughts ranging from; what was wrong with me? And Am I less worthy of love?

I relate this part of my story because I was also in a place of choice over theses questions; Where is God? Why did he let this happen to me? Can I even trust and believe in Him?

In James Bryan Smith’s book, “The good and beautiful God”, he describes the cup as anything that we struggle with accepting that is our lot in life. Additionally, he says our cup is usually the thing that makes it difficult to believe that God is good.

Some examples of cups include divorce, a loss, death of a loved one, death of a dream, truly anything that makes it difficult for you to trust God is your cup.

For me, the sexually abuse I survived as young girl is one of the largest cups of my life.

Now let’s turn to an example from the life of Jesus found in Mark 14.

“They went to a place called Gethsemane; and he said to his disciples, sit here while I pray. He took with him Peter and James and John, and began to be distressed and agitated. And he said to them, I am deeply grieved, even to death; Remain here, and keep awake. And going a little further, he threw himself on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. He said, ABBA, father for you all things are possible; Remove this cup from me; yet, not what I want, but you want.” Mark 14: 32-36

Praise God that in 2023 I was blessed to be able to go on a trip to Israel. During that trip our group was able to spend some time in Gethsemane. It truly was a sight to behold. Flowers and olive trees, some that date back thousands of years. From the garden you can see across to Jerusalem where the temple would have been in Jesus day. Where, too, he would face the cross.

One could not help but take in the beauty and the tragedy all at once. Can you even imagine how Jesus felt that night?

In Mark 14; 36, we find Jesus praying and asking God to take this cup from him.

What is this cup that Jesus is praying about?

First, let’s examine the word cup as Jesus was using it.

From Thayer’s Greek Lexicon we learn that the Greek work used in this verse is

Potērion which translates to:

1. A cup, a drinking vessel
2. Metaphorically one’ s lot or experience, whether joyous or adverse, divine appointments, whether favourable or unfavourable, are likened to a cup which God presents one to drink: so of prosperity and adversity

Now let’s continue with the story of Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane.

We find out shortly after Jesus’ prayer in the garden that one of his own disciples Judas arrives. Mark writes in verses 44 through 50, “now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying the one I will kiss is the man; Arrest him and lead him away under guard. So, when he came, he went up to him at once and said, rabbi! And kissed him. Then they laid hands on him and arrested him. But one of those who stood near drew his sword and struck the slave of the high priest, cutting off his ear. Then Jesus said to them, have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest me as though I were a bandit? Day after day I was with you in the temple teaching, and you did not arrest me. But let the scriptures be fulfilled. All of them deserted him and fled.”

Jesus’s arrest is only the beginning. We soon find that not only is Jesus arrested but he is also to be crucified. This is the cup over which he is praying. In simple terms he is praying for the possibility of not having to go through this horrible process in order for the scriptures to be fulfilled.

Pause for a second and imagine if that was your cup. Your cup was a horrendous death upon a cross in order to save humanity. I know I have faced a lot of different cups in my life, I have told you of one of them, but none to the extent of which Jesus faced the night before he was crucified.

Yet we know that Jesus knew of his fate even before this night. For in Mark 8 verse 31 he tells his disciples, “And he began to teach them that the son of man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again.”

We also know just as Jesus knew that all of the prophecies of old spoke of the death of the Messiah.

I, for one, can’t help but question, if he knew the end why did he stop to pray and ask for his cup to be removed?

And then I recall that Jesus was not just the son of God, but he was the son of man. He was fully God and fully human. He experienced all the same emotions we experience. Anger when the people had turned the temple into a den of robbers, rather a house of prayer (Mathew 21:13). Sadness when his friend Lazarus had died (John11:35)

He also teaches us a very valuable lesson when he stops to pray in this hour before his sacrifice. 

What is this lesson that we can learn in this example of Jesus’ life?

For this lesson let’s go back and look at what he says in Mark 14:36, we see he says, “yet not What I want but what you want.”  In very simple terms Jesus is aligning his will with the will of his father. He is asking for acceptance of what is to come in full acknowledgment that his father’s will is better than his own.

Max Lucado gives us a great way to also view this lesson in his book, “Come thirsty.” In it he writes,

“Let’s say a stress stirrer comes your way. The doctor decides you need an operation. She detects A lump and thinks it’s best that you have it removed. So, there you are, walking out of her office. You’ve just been handed this cup of anxiety. What are you going to do with it? You can place it in one of two pots. You can dump your bad news in the vat of worry and pull out the spoon. Turn on the fire. Stew on it. Stir it. Mope for a while. Brewed for a time period won’t be long before you’ll have a delightful pot of pessimism.

How about a different idea? The pot of prayer. Before the door of the doctor’s office closes, give the problem to God. “I receive your lordship. Nothing comes to me that hasn’t passed through you.” In addition, stir in a healthy helping of gratitude. Your part is prayer and gratitude. God’s part? Peace and protection”.

I go back now to my original question what is your cup?

To follow up with that question, what do you do with your cup? Do you Stew on it? Do you let it rule your life? Or do you take it to God in prayer?

If we are to follow the example of Jesus, we will take it to God in prayer. We would even ask God to remove the cup from us. And we would also ask that if he will not do so that he aligns our hearts so that we can be in his will. Better said, so that we can be able to see the good that he can bring from whatever we may be dealing with that is our cups. Remember though Jesus suffered and died, he rose again. Death was not the end of his story.

We must remember the words of Jesus in John 16:33

“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

You see Jesus himself tells us we will face troubles. Christians, followers of Jesus, still have to endure their troubles; their cups, if you will, during their time on earth. Yet, we can face these times with joy as we have an eternal hope in Jesus who has overcome this world.

I leave you with this encouragement this morning. The next time you are faced with a cup in your life, look to Jesus and his prayer in the garden in Gethsemane. Recall how he prayed and sought his Abba…our Abba.

Hold fast to how, though God may not remove your cup completely, He will hold true to the words written by Paul in Romans Romans 8:28

“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”

Oh, and if you are still wondering what I chose, I chose to believe, and still believe, that Jesus was right there with me in my pain. He held me close and carried me through it . I know He is who says He is and that He is good, not because of anyone telling me, but because He turned my mourning, my pain, into joy.