The Weight of the World

Mar 14:32 And they came to a place which was named Gethsemane: and he saith to his disciples, Sit ye here, while I shall pray. 33 And he taketh with him Peter and James and John, and began to be sore amazed, and to be very heavy; 34 And saith unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death: tarry ye here, and watch. 35 And he went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. 36 And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt.

Gethsemane means "olive press." Sure enough, Jesus felt a pressure there on that night that none other will ever feel, the weight of the world.

He knew that Judas was on his way with the soldiers to betray Him.

He knew that Peter would soon deny Him with a curse.

He knew that all the disciples would be offended because of Him that very night.

He knew that long night would bring false accusations, beatings, scourging and condemnation.

He knew that on the morrow, he would be mocked and spit upon, reviled and tortured. His body would be broken and His blood shed.

He knew that His father would have to forsake Him.

He knew that He would bear my sins and suffer my hell.

And therefore, on that night, in that place He began to be sore amazed (utterly astonished). His spirit took on a great heaviness. He admitted that His soul was made intensely sad, even to the point of dying right there and then.

He stared into that bitter cup, asked the Lord to remove it, but then drank it up for our sakes.

You and I have both felt the pressing weight of tremendous burden. The tears fell, the shoulders heaved, the voice broke and our will crumbled.

We have a High Priest Who is touched with the feelings of our infirmities because He faced that pressure and so much more and stood up to the onslaught. So now He is able and willing to draw us close to His breast and give us grace and peace in the hardest of times.

As the song says, If He carried the weight of the world upon His shoulders, I know my brother that He will carry you.