Drinking Deep: Choosing Endurance over Escape

In one paragraph

Brian walked the congregation through three passages covering Jesus in Gethsemane and on the road to Golgotha, and used them to frame a conversation about what he called the two cups. This week covered the first cup, the cup of suffering, with the second cup saved for next week. The core argument was that drinking from the cup of suffering is not something to avoid but something to train for,...

Read together

1. Matthew 26:36-41 Jesus praying in Gethsemane, asking the Father to let the cup of suffering pass, finding disciples asleep
2. Matthew 27:32-35 Simon of Cyrene forced to carry the cross, Jesus brought to Golgotha, soldiers gambling for his clothes
3. Mark 15:21-24 Same crucifixion events from a different gospel perspective, Simon of Cyrene, Golgotha, soldiers dividing clothes
4. 2 Corinthians 12:5-7 Paul boasting only in weakness, given a thorn in the flesh to keep him from becoming proud
5. Mark 10:29-31 Jesus promising a hundredfold return to those who give up houses, family or property for his sake and the good news, along with persecution and eternal life
6. Philippians 2:13 Closing prayer, God working in us giving desire and power to do what pleases him

Talk about it

1. Brian described the cup of suffering using the Greek meaning of the word, pressing and crushing like grapes or olives to produce something valuable. Where in your own life have you seen pressure produce something in you that would not have come out any other way?
2. Brian listed several things that make up the cup of suffering, including discipline, staying engaged in prayer, getting back up when you fall down, and trusting God for timing. Which one of those hits closest to home for you right now, and why?
3. Jay asked whether someone who has been genuinely blessed and has not suffered much is stuck in spiritual immaturity. Brian and others responded that emotional suffering, rejecting passivity, and obeying the Holy Spirit in small things all count. How does that broaden or change the way you think about your own story?
4. Alex shared the story of the Holy Spirit prompting her to pick up a gum wrapper in a parking lot, and Brian called the wrestling in that moment a form of suffering. Can you think of a small moment of obedience or disobedience recently that felt insignificant at the time but might have mattered more than it seemed?
5. Brian closed by reading from Mark chapter 10, where Jesus promises that what is given up for his sake and the good news will be returned many times over, along with persecution. How does keeping that promised reward in view actually change, or not change, how you respond when you are tempted to take the easier path?