HoHum:
Michael Card’s song In the Garden: Trembling with fear, alone in the garden Battle before the final war Blood became tears, there in the garden To fall upon the silent stone There in the darkness the Light And the darkness stood still Two choices, one tortured will And there once the choice had been made All the world could be saved by the One in the garden
WBTU:
We are talking about the Passover Plan where the Son of God would provide redemption for all of mankind through the cross of Calvary. Some say that Jesus was swept up in circumstances beyond his control and the cross was not the original plan. Hogwash!
Jesus orchestrated many of the details of this plan himself. Last week we talked about John 13. “Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God;” John 13:3, NIV. From this understanding of his mission, Jesus washed his disciples feet in the Upper Room. After this we find that Jesus knows about Judas and his plan of conspiracy with Jesus enemies to betray him. Even in his words and actions with Judas on that last night we find that Jesus is arranging all of the details to fit the plan of God.
After Judas leaves, Jesus talks candidly but compassionately with his disciples. From John 13- 17 we see that Jesus gives his disciples many promises and predictions.
It was approaching midnight Thursday night. The Passover Celebration is concluded and they walk down to Gethsemane meaning “a place of oil presses.” Go to Matthew 26:36f, focusing on Jesus and not so much on disciples:
Vs. 36- Eight disciples were left at the entrance.
Vs. 37- Peter, James, John saw Jesus’ glory on Mt. of Transfiguration. Now see his sorrow.
Vs. 38- Jesus is being truthful with them. Jesus needed their support at that time. It is good to have others to support us when we are in agony; for two are better than one (Ecclesiastes 4:9).
Vs. 39a- Luke tells us Jesus went beyond these 3 about a stone’s throw, about 150 to 200 feet. Luke also tells us that he knelt down. Mark says that he fell to the ground. Matthew says he fell on his face. This all suggests that he was prostrate for at least part of the prayer
5. Vs. 39b- Jesus often called God His Father. Mark says that he called the Father Abba here. If it is possible- If there had been any other avenue by which Jesus could have made possible our salvation, it would have been revealed at this time but no. May this cup- Frequently in the OT the cup is associated with God’s judgment. On the cross, Jesus drank the cup of God’s judgement so that we might not have to drink it. Be taken from me- That Jesus might avoid the sufferings now at hand; or, at least, that they might be shortened. Yet not as I will, but as you will- We see here Christ’s submission to the will of God. Our Lord Jesus, though he had knowledge of the extreme sufferings he was to undergo, yet was freely willing to submit to them for our redemption and salvation. Jesus went to the cross, not as a victim, but as a victor.
Vs. 42- Jesus went back to the 3 disciples and was disappointed with them. Going from them he returned to prayer. From his second prayer we find that Jesus has it settled in his mind that the cup cannot pass away. He must die on the cross. Prayer is not only the petition of our desires, it is also the surrender of our wills to God.
Vs. 44- Going back to 3 disciples and again being disappointed, Jesus returns to prayer a third time. We can gather that these prayers were not vain repetitions. Each prayer came from the depth of his soul. We have reason to believe that this was not all he said, for it seems from the words to the 3 in vs. 40 that Jesus continued an hour in his agony and prayer. No matter, the bottom line was that Jesus surrendered his will to that of His Father.
Were these prayers answered? Yes, 3 answers:
1. An angel appeared and strengthened him (Luke 22:43).
2. God provided strength and resolve so that Jesus did not fail to carry out his mission
3. In the resurrection Jesus’ prayer was eventually answered. Jesus was not saved from the cross; he was saved through it.
Vs. 45- Jesus knows that the hour is upon him. That hour of which he spoke and especially all that evening. Jesus gave the apostles notice of the approach of his enemies. It is likely that they were now within sight or hearing. Jesus said that his enemies were sinners, for they were about to commit the greatest act of injustice the world has ever known.
Vs. 46- Jesus wanted his disciples to rise and be ready, shake off their sleep. Jesus was now ready. Christ’s sufferings were no surprise to him; he knew what, when and how he was to suffer. With undaunted courage Jesus prepared for the next step in the Passover Plan.
Some misunderstand all of this. They say that because of the rejection of the Jewish leaders, the plan of God was changed. On this Passover with his disciples the Father was letting Jesus know about the change in plans and this is why Jesus was so upset in the Garden of Gethsemane. In the original plan Jesus was to be a great King but now Jesus is to be crucified like a common criminal. Jesus shrinks back at the thought of this new plan and he is so upset with his own people, the Jews. No, No, No!
Thesis: But why was Jesus so upset in the Garden of Gethsemane? 3 reasons
1. In the garden Jesus engaged in an encounter with the powers of darkness. He warned his apostles moments before that the prince of darkness was coming. “I will not speak with you much longer, for the prince of this world is coming.” John 14:30, NIV. The skirmishes were over, it was now time for the decisive battle to be fought. The prince of this world must certainly, finally, and decisively be defeated. “Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out.” John 12:31, NIV.
2. Christ was beginning to feel the weight of the iniquities of mankind that the Father laid upon him. The sufferings he was entering upon were for our sins. As we are sorry for individual sins, so was he grieved for the sins of us all. Jesus’ sorrow was more profound that ours because He knew the true nature of sin far better than any of us. Because of sin, Jesus Christ was beginning to taste the separation between he and the Father. This separation most evident on the cross- ““My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”” Matthew 27:46, NIV.
3. Jesus had a full and clear understanding of all the sufferings that were before him. He foresaw the treachery of Judas, the unfaithfulness of Peter, the malice of the Jewish leaders, and the inhumane treatment of him. He knew that within a few hours he would be scourged, spat upon, crowned with thorns, and nailed to the cross. Jesus was human as well as divine and we see his human side here. Those who have had a planned surgery understand some of this. Jesus did not relish the pain and suffering that was ahead. As a human, Christ expressed a reluctance to suffer. In spite of his reluctance Jesus went through with the Passover Plan. The victory of the cross of Christ began with this victory over himself.
So What? What does this have to do with me?:
One day we will all have our Gethsemane. Not like Jesus but it will come in a limited form to all of us
1. Gethsemane is where our prayers are not answered as we would like them to be. We pray and pray that this circumstance, this situation, the cup, that hour, will be removed from us, but it is not. God understands how we feel because through Jesus Christ he went through it personally. In that time of going through tragedy, through pain, we must trust that God has a better plan in mind for us. “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28, NIV. We might never know what that purpose is for our pain and agony, but God does so we must trust him.
2. Gethsemane is where those closest to us cannot help. Like Christ’s disciples, some will pray with us for a while but then they grow tired and give up. Sometimes we go through seasons of agony that our friends and family do not understand. At that point, we pray and struggle alone. There is only one who knows all about our troubles and that is Jesus Christ. We can go to him in prayer and he understands and he will help us. “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are--yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” Hebrews 4:15, 16, NIV.
3. Gethsemane is where we feel the full weight of God’s will. It is a time where all of our being tells us to follow our way and not God’s way. “During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered” Hebrews 5:7, 8, NIV. In a battle, a general rode up to a gunner standing by his gun. He took out his field glasses and looked around. "Pierre," he said to the gunner, "you see that little cottage over there. The one near the clump of trees." "Yes, sir," said Pierre turning pale. "There’s a nest of enemy soldiers in there. I want you to destroy it." Pierre turned even paler, but carefully sighted his gun and fired. The little cottage disappeared in a cloud of smoke and dust. "Well done!" congratulated the general, then noticing a tear in the gunners eye he asked: "What’s the matter?" "That was my home," explained Pierre, "all that I had in the world." We need to learn that kind of obedience. G.K. Chesterton- “The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting. It has been found difficult; and left untried.”
We have a choice like Jesus. We can follow God or we can follow ourselves. There is a price to be paid to follow God but at the end there is salvation. Following ourselves there is not a high price but at the end there is death. “There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.” Proverbs 14:12, NIV.
