Sermon Central
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Agony In The Garden Series
Contributed by Gary Stebbins on Mar 29, 2009 (message contributor)
Summary: Based on the poem, Footprints in the Sand by Mary Stevenson, this series follows the footprints of Jesus from the Upper Room to His Ressurection.
Pt2.doc 3/28/09
Scripture References
(Mtt 26:36-46, Mk 14:32-42, Lk 22:39-46)
Series Introduction
Last week- started a new series- Footprints.
Want to follow the footprints of Jesus in the last days leading up to His crucifixion, death, resurrection.
Series- based on- poem written by Mary Stevenson …
Footprints in the Sand (read)
Jesus was on a journey to Jerusalem and the cross.
As he journeyed- left footprints in-in the sands of time
Footprints that …
left an impression on-eternal conscience of man
tell us about what kind of man Jesus was,
also speak to what kind men we should be.
What type of prints are we leaving in- sands of time?
foot prints, face prints, or butt prints?
As we walk in obedience to God, we leave clear footprints for others to see and even follow.
There are times we will stumble/fall- leave our face print in the sand, but Jesus is ready to pick us up.
At other times, as we struggle against the purposes of God, we leave butt prints as He drags us along.
Butt prints in the Sand (read)
Our Journey Continues
We started journey-Jesus entering- Upper Room.
He washed their feet/they ate- Passover meal together.
In that Upper Room He revealed to them the deeper meaning of Passover and instituted- Lord’s Supper
Today- continue- journey- as Jesus leaves the upper.
Drinking My Cup!
Mtt 26:36
Jesus/disciples- leave Jerusalem- enter into a garden called- Gethsemane or Mount of Olives.
It was in a garden that …
the first man, Adam, fell by yielding to the temptations of Satan and disobeying God,
now in another garden Jesus will overcome and defeat Satan by His obedience God.
A clear picture of what is required of us to live successful lives- Your will God, not my will.
Mtt 26:37
This is the third time Jesus takes Peter, James, John with Him apart from the other disciples …
Mount of Transfiguration- Mtt 17:1
Home of Jairus- Lk 8:49
Why? Perhaps …
to be a support and encouragement
to learn from what they would observe
to have men of faith w/Him-
unbelief hinders the work of God.
As we saw last week- when Judas got up and left the dinner table, Jesus leaned into the disciples and
shared truth w/them He had not shared w/them while the man of unbelief was in the room.
Faith opens the door to the incredible mysteries and adventures of heaven- become a people of faith.
Mtt 26:38-39
Why was Jesus deeply grieved?
Was it a fear of the beating He was to receive/death?
Jesus was both man and God.
His flesh wrestled w/same weaknesses we do.
Heb 4:15 For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. NASU
However, it was not fear that Jesus agonized over.
Jesus understood He was about to drink the cup the Father had prepared for Him- embrace God’s will.
Jn 18:11 So Jesus said to Peter, "Put the sword into the sheath; the cup which the Father has given Me, shall I not drink it?" NASU
Jesus was not resisting God’s will.
He was bringing His flesh into subjection to God’s will.
We see here a picture of both Jesus humanity/deity-
as Man, He felt the awful burden of sin
as the Son of God, He knew this was His mission to save the world.
God gave us four principles to live by in 2009 …
1. Live your life with purpose
2. God’s Word is true today
3. Expect Increase
4. Advance in Adversity
The first is to live our live with purpose.
To understand that God created you to be significant.
To live our lives w/sense of the eternal purposes to which God has called us- to drink God’s cup for us
That is what enabled Jesus to face the cross.
What Jesus was it that deeply grieved Jesus …
1. He engaged the powers of darkness
Jn 14:30 "I will not speak much more with you, for the ruler of the world is coming, and he has nothing in Me; NASU
As the enemy tempted Jesus in the wilderness, he attacks him again with an even greater fierceness.
As in the first attack, he finds nothing in Jesus that he can take a hold of to work for His purposes.
When- enemy attacks us- will he find something in our lives- he can take a hold of to bring us down?
2. He carried the sin of mankind
He was about to take on Himself- sins of all mankind.
Many godly people have been arrested, beaten, tortured, and killed because of their faith.
But only Jesus experienced the weight of the sin and the curse that was on mankind.
