For the past few weeks we have been focusing on the cup from which Jesus drank—the cup of judgment and of wrath. He tasted the bitterness of this cup when he was betrayed and arrested. He sipped deeper from this cup when Peter denied him. The bitterness intensified through the rejection of the Jews and of Pilate. Ultimately, Jesus would finish drinking the cup as he endured the agony of the cross. The physical pain of crucifixion was horrific, but even more bitter was the wrath of God that Jesus endured. We can imagine the horrors of the crucifixion. But the anguish Jesus felt from being rejected of God is one that no man can fully conceive. It was the cup the Father gave His Son to drink. And he drank it all, down to the bitter dregs. What was significant about this cup? For that, we need to go back to the Passover.

A short time prior to Jesus’ arrest in the garden, our Lord ate the Passover with his disciples.
Friday evening we will have an opportunity to learn more of the symbolism of the Passover meal as we observe the Passover Seder. I hope you will take advantage of this opportunity.
Until then, I want to give you a little background information that will help you see the significance of drinking the cup. There were actually four cups of the Passover feast.

The Jews drink the first cup to sanctify the feast. In other words, they were saying that by drinking this first cup of wine we dedicate this service to God. Then they would drink the second cup of wine just before the main meal. This second cup is known as the cup of deliverance, reminding the Jews that God delivered them from slavery. After the main meal—the lamb—they had what is known as the "Grace After Meal” ritual. At the conclusion of this ritual they would drink of the third cup, which is known as the cup of blessing. The third cup was drunk in connection with Exodus 6:6c: “I will also redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments.” So it symbolized redemption by judgment. And finally as the feast drew to a close they would sing the "Hallel" (Psalms 114-118). After the singing of these psalms they would drink from the fourth cup. This fourth cup represents God being together with his people united in the promised land.

But Jesus didn’t drink from the fourth cup. He leaves this fourth cup sitting on the table and he says to his followers, "I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom" (Matthew 26:29). Why did he skip the fourth cup? After all, he was raised a Jew, he'd been celebrating the Passover every year of his life since he was a little boy according to the strictest laws of Moses. They sang the psalms and then they went out into the night, into the garden. And what did Jesus do in the garden? He prayed, because his soul was so distressed. "All things are possible to You. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what You will." Remove this cup. Take away this cup. What is this cup?

This cup, I think, is a connection between the Passover and the completed work of Jesus on the cross. This Sunday we’re going to see the pieces come together in dramatic fashion.