On the night before His crucifixion, Jesus and some of His disciples went to a garden on the Mount of Olives, known as the Garden of Gethsemane.

Jesus knew He was going to be betrayed, arrested, and ultimately sentenced to death. So while He was at the garden, He asked His disciples to keep watch while He prayed to His Father in heaven.

He asked His Father to take away the cup of suffering from Him, but ended His prayer by submitting to His Father’s will. “My Father,” Jesus prayed, “if it is possible, take this cup of suffering away from Me. Yet not what I want, but what You want" (Matthew 26:39, paraphrased).

The willingness that Jesus displayed to die on the cross in our place, to pay the price for our sins, is amazing!

“Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends” (John 15:13 NKJV).

You can read the full story in Matthew 26:36–45 and Mark 14:32–36.