Jesus bled for your forgiveness
As I mentioned a few days ago, I want to look with you at each of the seven times Jesus bled during the last 18 hours of His life.
The first time Jesus bled wasn’t from a whip or a nail—it was in the Garden of Gethsemane.
“Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed Him… And being in anguish, He prayed more earnestly, and His sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.” – Luke 22:39,44
Some might wonder, “Is sweating blood even possible?” Yes—it’s a rare condition called hematidrosis, triggered by extreme stress.
The real question isn’t if it happened. It’s why it happened.
What could cause Jesus such overwhelming anguish? The answer is in His prayer:
“Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” – Luke 22:42
Jesus is referring to the cup of God’s wrath that is filled with the sins of all the people.
“This is what the Lord , the God of Israel, said to me: “Take from my hand this cup filled with the wine of my wrath and make all the nations to whom I send you drink it.” – Jeremiah 25:15
Jesus wasn’t dreading the physical pain of the cross as much as the spiritual weight of drinking that cup—bearing every sin, every failure, every ounce of darkness… for us.
Fittingly, Gethsemane means “olive press”—a place where olives are crushed until their oil flows. At that moment, Jesus was being spiritually crushed under the weight of our sins, and His blood began to flow.
friend we all have a bitter cup filled with our sins. But the good news is that Jesus already drank it all in your place!
“God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” - 2 Corinthians 5:21
In exchange for your old cup, He is offering you another cup:
“He took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.”” – 1 Corinthians 11:25
friend, the next time you celebrate communion, remember this and thank Jesus for drinking the cup of your sins on your behalf.
