Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared; Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him. (Hebrews 5:7-9) 

During His earthly sojourn, Christ “learned obedience” in the Garden of Gethsemane. Gethsemane marked the only occasion in His whole earthly life when His will conflicted with the will of the Father. Up until then, Christ could say, “My meat is to do the will of Him that sent me, and to finish His work” (John 4:34). In Gethsemane, however, He prayed in His humanity, “Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done” (Luke 22:42). 

It was essential for Christ to learn obedience as man’s sin substitute and perfect example (1 Peter 2:21). Only by doing so could He become our propitiation on the cross of Calvary and provide us with the perfect example to emulate. His submission to the will of the Father made our salvation possible. It resulted not only in His death on the cross, but also in His resurrection from the dead. The latter—Christ's resurrection—was made possible by the former—His crucifixion—and were it not for Gethsemane there would have been no Calvary. 

There is no way to bypass Gethsemane or Golgotha as followers of Christ. Remember, Jesus said, “Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me” (Mark 8:36). He also taught that His true followers—His “brothers and sisters”—are those “who do the will of my Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 12:50). There is simply no way to follow Christ without a cross, nor is there any way to take up the cross without first kneeling down before God in submission of our will to His.

In today’s crossless “Christianity,” men bow in prayer to plead to God for their ease and comfort. They serve God at their convenience and without cost to themselves. Rather than dying to themselves that they might come alive to God, they believe Christ died and rose again so that He might ever-live in their service. Yet, the Bible plainly teaches that Christ is “the author of eternal salvation” only for those who “obey Him.” 

It is only those like Christ, who are willing to take up the cross, deny themselves, and do the will of God, who will be saved by Christ (Matthew 7:21)! Remember, Jesus warned us that “whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it" (Matthew 16:25). 

HAST THOU NO SCAR? (Amy Carmichael)

Hast thou no scar?
No hidden scar on foot, or side or hand?
I hear thee sung as mighty in the land,
I hear them hail thy bright ascendent star
Hast thou no scar?

Hast thou no wound?
Yet I was wounded by the archers, spent,
Leaned me against a tree to die; and rent
By ravening beasts that encompassed me, I swooned;
Hast thou no wound?

No wound? No scar?
Yet, as the master shall the servant be
And pierced are the feet that follow Me;
But thine are whole: can he have followed far
Who has no wound nor scar?