Preparing For The Cross

PREPARING FOR THE CROSS

Matthew 26:36-46

#Easter2022

SCRIPTURE READING: MATTHEW 26:36-46 [Person from Congregation]

INTRODUCTION… verywellmind.com/an-overview-of-the-types-of-emotions-4163976 [adapted]

A human being can experience many different types of emotions. Depending on what article you read and what type of expert you consult, there are from 6 to 27 to 32,000 emotions. For the sake of brevity and our purposes today, we are going to stick with 6. This morning, we are concerned with 2 of these 6 basic emotions.

First, sadness is defined as an emotional state characterized by feelings of disappointment, grief, hopelessness, disinterest, and dampened mood. Like other emotions, sadness is something that all people experience from time to time. Sadness can be expressed in a number of ways including: Crying, Dampened mood, Lethargy, Quietness, and Being withdrawn from others. The type and severity of sadness can vary depending upon the root cause, and how people cope with such feelings can also differ.

Second, fear is a powerful emotion. For most people, it plays an important role in survival. When you and I face some sort of danger and experience fear, we go through what is known as the fight or flight response. Our muscles become tense, our heart rate and respiration increase, and our mind becomes more alert, priming your body to either run from the danger or stand and fight. This response helps ensure that you are prepared to effectively deal with threats in our environment. Expressions of this type of emotion can include things like widening the eyes and pulling back the chin or actual running or even rapid breathing and a rapid heartbeat. Of course, not everyone experiences fear in the same way. Some people may be more sensitive to fear and certain situations or objects may be more likely to trigger this emotion. This is the idea behind exposure therapy, in which people are gradually exposed to the things that frighten them in a controlled and safe manner. Eventually, feelings of fear begin to decrease.

INTRODUCTION…quora.com/What-are-some-of-the-emotional-situations-in-anyones-life

[adapted]

The other aspect of emotions we need to consider is that we can be put in situations and circumstances with ourselves and with other people that generate emotions. Sometimes the situation is overwhelming and creates overwhelming emotions. Perhaps you achieve success and seeing the pride in your parents’ eyes makes you happy. The person you have went on one date with leaves the date by saying “I love you” and the awkwardness and fear crashes in. You have had a dog since they were a puppy and the vet says they are dying and you can’t stop crying. Family gathers for a holiday and arguments are all that is served and you are disappointed and beyond angry. You get a bill in the mail that has many 0s and you are fearful.

All kinds of situations bring about emotions in us. People also illicit emotions in us good and bad. Some people just know how to push our emotional buttons and we go from 0 to 100 no matter what the emotion. Thinking about the past and considering the future both also have strong emotions that are carried with it.

I mention all of this because the 2 emotions of sadness and fear are present and combine in Jesus of Nazareth as He prepares for the Cross. We see both of these emotions pretty clearly in Jesus as He gathers with His disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane just before He is betrayed, arrested, and heads to His execution. I’d like us to take a closer look at Jesus’ experience in the Garden of Gethsemane in Matthew 26.

EMOTIONS OF THE GARDEN

Jesus had just had an experience with His disciples where He shared a meal with them and washed their feet and was able to focus their attention on the sacrifice He was about to make. He told them to remember His body by eating bread. He told them to remember His blood by drinking fruit of the vine. Her set up that spiritual memorial that focuses all believers on Jesus Christ. They sang a song and then they all made their way to the garden right outside the city of Jerusalem.

RE-READ Matthew 26:36-39 (ESV)

Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and He said to His disciples, “Sit here, while I go over there and pray.” 37 And taking with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, He began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38 Then He said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with Me.” 39 And going a little farther He fell on His face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.”

Verse 37 tells us about Jesus’ sorrow. Sorrow is an emotion that begins with grief and is mixed with sadness and combines to form sorrow. Sorrow is deep sadness that weighs heavy on a person’s heart and impacts them physically as well.