The Cup of Suffering!
The cup which my Father hath giveth me...shall I not
drink it? Matt. 26:36-46

by Dr. Edward Watke, Jr.

Consider:
Psa. 11:6; Psa. 16:5; Psa. 23:5; Psa. 116:13; Matt. 26: 26-27; Matt. 26:39
Matt. 26:42; Jh 18:11

In a large hospital were seven huge steam roller presses. They are daily doing the laundry of this large hospital -- 2,000 sheets, 1,000 pillow cases, 2000 towels, 500 spreads were done every day. If these pieces could cry out because of the press, the pressure what would they say?
Just a soldier named Joe was out in battle, the blood was oozing from his body gradually as he lay there on the battle front; he had presence of mind enough to reach for his New Testament. There are on the ground when he was lovingly picked up they heard the sound of paper tearing and noted that one of his fingers was on the verse -- Psalm 23:1.

I. CHRIST EXPERIENCED THE CUP OF SUFFERING! Jh 18:11

His very life was the fulfillment of the purposes for which He came. In His life experiences He found the cup which the Father would have Him drink.
In our text the “cup” represented the suffering of the Lord, the Cross and its shame.

A. It was truly His cup -- None Other Could Drink that CUP! Matt. 20:22-23

If a mortal drank the cup for a 1,000 years he could not drink it all, Christ suffered for a few hours on the Cross, paid the full price of our sin, which man could never do, even if he were to try and drink that cup for eternity.

1. The disciples would indeed drink of that cup, but they could not drink the cup!

2. The Apostles did suffering, each died a terrible death, martyred, but only Christ could take the terrible dregs of the cup of suffering given to Him by the Father and drink for us, in our behalf.

B. It was a cup of judgment:

1. Psa 53:1-5 -- Judgment was taken in our stead; in our place.

2. Isa 53:10 -- God bruised Him, judgment was taken for me for He was my substitute. His soul was given as an offering for my sin -- I Tim. 2:5;
I Pet. 2:24; II Cor. 5:21

3. He died the just for the unjust!

C. It was a cup of horrible suffering:

1. It was a cup of suffering, to be so treated by those whom He hope to help
Jh 1:10,11


a. He taught the Israelites and healed many of them;
b. revealed Himself unto His own, the Jews, but they would have none of Him.

2. A cup of suffering at the hands of a familiar friend.
Psa. 41:9 “He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me.”

a. Judas whom He sought to help betrayed him.
b. Judas who had walked with Him those many months became his enemy. Cf Jh 13:18
c. A familiar friend used the sign of affection, a kiss, to betray the One who loved Him.

3. A cup of suffering for the sins of the whole world. For this cup represented drinking the dregs of the wrath of God upon mankind’s sin. Study these verses.

a. Jh 1:29 b. II Cor. 5:21 c. Heb. 2:9 d. Gal. 3:13
f. I Pet. 2:24 g. Lk 19:10 h. Heb 10:12 i. Acts 3:18

Matthew 26:39. We know that this was a time of great suffering, how else can you explain the trial in the Gethsemane -- “Take this cup from me, nevertheless thy will be done...”

4. It was not what Christ suffered at the hands of men that made an atonement for the soul -- but His soul was made an offering for sins by God the Father. Cf Isa 53.

5. This cup represents Christ’s lot in life--

a. Christ’s lot -- the cup which He drank of deeply,
b. He drank all of it... was a cup of suffering, of sin-bearing for His own.
c. This cup contained the greatest sufferings ever known to man -- mental, physical, and spiritual suffering. And especially the anguish of soul to be
made sin for our salvation.
d. The world abounds in suffering -- but none ever suffered as Jesus did.
e. We can’t fathom the suffering, the weight of our sins upon Him who hated sin perfect.

We can understand the anguish of soul, of heart and life when some terrible wrong has hurt us or someone we dearly love. Some have committed suicide because of some terrible wrong. They could not face life. What if we were bearing the infinite load of all the sins of mankind? What is this like? By One who hates sin perfectly?


II. CHRIST ACCEPTED THE CUP OF SUFFERING! “Shall I not drink it?

Just how did Jesus accept this cup of suffering? We will note the spirit in which He accepted this cup from the hand of the Father, given to the only Begotten Son.

A. He willingly, gladly accepted the cup:

1. This was the cup the Father gave Him; sweetest thing in all the verse is right here. It was because the Father gave it; whole secret of accepting it is that it really came from the hand of the Father.


a. Not from the hand of the Romans,
b. Not from the Jews, or from Judas actually;
c. but it came from the hand of the Father; for He look beyond the immediate to the One who gave it.

2. It is seen in the words of Psa. 40:8 “I delight to do Thy will, of my God.”

a. His delight was to accept the Father’s will... no matter what it included.
b. His meat -- was to do the Father’s will. Jh 4:34

Heb. 12:1,2 Look up to the Great Author, He accepted from the Father’s hand, with thanksgiving the cup of bitterness that God had presented; God offered it to His lips.

3. Having subordinated Himself to do the Father’s will, having come to serve,
to minister -- He willingly accepted the cup of suffering.

B. He resolutely accepted the cup.

1. “Shall I not!” is there one good reason why not?

2. Not wavering; hear His words, “Put up thy sword, shall I not drink it.?”

3. See Him facing Jerusalem some days before, when resolutely He went, knowing all that would happen.

C. He submissively accepted the CUP. Matt. 26

1. It was in connection with this same cup that He said, “Nevertheless not as I will, but as Thou wilt.” “Thy will be done --”

2. Submissive means to “send under”; willing to be sent under, for some testing or trial;

a. As equal with the Father -- He took the suffering,
b. As the One who would set aside His glory, his rights, drank the cup submissively that the Father had appointed to Him.

D. He drank all, accepted all the contents.

1. He did not hide His face from the shame;

2. He took the scourging, the mocking, the railing, the insults, the spitting, the beatings, the shame of it all.

3. Peter tried to save Him from the cup -- but He came to drink it all. He drank it all until He could say -- It is finished!

4. He made possible for us to have the cup of salvation;
• of joy • of fellowship; • of forgiveness

III. CHRIST HAS A CUP FOR US TO ACCEPT!

Is the servant greater than his master? What does this cup mean to the Christian? the saint of God?



A. Your very circumstances, may be a cup which God, the Father has designed for you; which He wants you to accept willingly resolutely, freely, fully.

1. Why is your lot in life? 2. What has God allowed?

B. Your distinctive calling in life must be accepted as the Cup for you from the Lord.

1. To Job that meant all that happened to him.

2. To Daniel; to David; to Joseph, to Jacob it meant many different things.

3. Some may suffer more than others -- affliction; in HIS providence -- what is His cup for you?

C. All the changes in life -- must be accepted as His CUP from Him.

1. We are in His training; We are in His school;

2. His curriculum for life may include much suffering in order to build Christ- likeness in us.

3. He allows many things -- some hard possible to take to mature life, and to build character in us for His glory.

4. Does He allow life to be static, stationary? Known unto Him are all the best ways for us. (Psa 37:23; Psa. 27:1, 14) Will not the God of heaven do right?

D. There are many cups for the saved:

1. These are represented in various trials, afflictions, testings, and troubles,

2. These may even come from a friend; mistreated by someone we love; cups of disappointment; of bereavement; cups throughout life -- they are His appointments for our good. (Rom. 8:28; Phil. 2:13)

E. The Cup must be accepted as From HIM!

1. Don’t accept the cups as from man by whom it may come; but as pressed to the lips by the Father.

2. He knows best for us; the mixture, the content of His design and for our highest good.

3. If we would be in the school of maturity -- of growth, then we must accept the cups of child-training; refuse it not; surely He knows best!

F. It all Comes from the hand of the Infinite, Loving God.

1. How can we refuse that which comes from the hands of God’s providence for us? What He allows is because He loves us.

2. He brings into our lives that which we could not make happen, or change.

3. The tests from the hands of others; of events, problems, situations -- are of His planning. Bow before them, receive them, rest in them, embrace them.

G. What about the cup of service and suffering? Accept it!

1. Acts 9:11-16; (15-16) 17-20) 2. I Cor. 16:13, 15

3. II Cor. 12:7-10 4. II Cor. 5:10-13, 14

Sermon by Dr. Edward Watke Jr. #.