A Daily Devotional with Pastor Doug Crouse October 31, 2018 No Other Way Scripture Reading – Luke 22:42 - 44 "Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.' Then an angel from heaven appeared and strengthened him. He prayed more fervently, and he was in such agony of spirit that his sweat fell to the ground like great drops of blood."

In these last moments before Jesus Christ willingly went to the cross in Gethsemane we are brought into the glorious mystery of the Gospel of God's grace. For Jesus since the beginning had told his disciples that He would give His life on the cross. You remember that He rebuked Peter, calling him Satan for suggesting anything less.

Yet in the garden, three times Jesus prays this prayer. And only Dr. Luke gives us this picture into the agony of His soul, with an angel coming to minister to Jesus, and the Lord praying with such pain that His blood vessels burst forth into sweat on his brow and face.

Friends the reason that Jesus went to the cross is because there was, 'No Other Way'. Of course we understand that the Barabbas's of life are in need of this kind of a sacrifice. But not the... 'good people' (the ones like us).

But there friends is the place that we fall far short of understanding the gospel in any way whatsoever. If there was any other way for any one of us to get to heaven, Jesus would have not had to go to the cross.

But to the cross He did go. For the rapist, murderer, thief, and even for the gossip and proud people that think that maybe, just maybe they will make it by their good works, and look down upon anyone lesser than they!

Of course I jest. The only ones who will go to heaven will come through the cross, on bended knee, accepting the only thing that will forgive their sins, the blood of Jesus. And my friends the more we come to understand this, the further ahead we will be in making His glory known. 

Prayer Nothing but the precious blood of Jesus has made me whole. Thank-You my Lord. Forgive me for my seasons of pride when I see myself better as anyone at all. Help me to reach out with this message, for there is only way. I ask these mercies in Jesus holy name. 

Memory Verse: Exodus 33:11a "_______ the Tent of _________, the ______ would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend."