At the age of 27 George Whitefield had already preached to enormous crowds in America, England, Scotland and Wales. He didn’t preach in established churches because his message on the “new birth” was considered too radical. He preached in fields to crowds that would gather, and he led thousands to Christ.
George Whitefield and his wife Elizabeth were expecting their first baby. He was concerned because his wife ten years older at 37 was considered at high risk to have a child. He felt confident that he would have a boy and that he would become a great evangelist.
One month before the due date they received a good report. Just Elizabeth was to get fresh air. While riding in a horse and cart there was an accident and the cart fell 14 feet down an embankment. A witness thought Elizabeth had been killed. Amazingly she and the baby were fine. Whitefield felt sure that God had a special plan for his child.
When the baby was born, he named him John after John the Baptist who prepared the way for the Lord. But just months after the boy was born Whitefield returned from preaching to receive the news that his son had died of a seizure. Pain ripped through his heart.
You can imagine his agony as he suffered that disappointment. He later described the pain as a crushing experience. Does this description match a pain that you have experienced? These same descriptions, agony and crushing experience are the descriptions used to describe what Jesus endured at Gethsemane.
Gethsemane is a beautiful garden of olive trees. The garden of Gethsemane today probably looks very much like it did on the night Jesus prayed and was betrayed at Gethsemane. If you look at the pictures of Gethsemane online and you look at the artists rendering of what the Garden probably looked like two thousand years ago, they are practically identical.
This beautiful garden of olive trees called Gethsemane means oil press. It was the location of where our own Lord Jesus was in such agony it was, “crushing the life out of him.” Read the dramatic account of Jesus intense suffering at Gethsemane.
And they went to a place called Gethsemane. And he said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” 33 And he took with him Peter and James and John, and began to be greatly distressed and troubled. 34 And he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death. Remain here and watch.” 35 And going a little farther, he fell on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. 36 And he said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.” 37 And he came and found them sleeping, and he said to Peter, “Simon, are you asleep? Could you not watch one hour? 38 Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 39 And again he went away and prayed, saying the same words. 40 And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were very heavy, and they did not know what to answer him. 41 And he came the third time and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? It is enough; the hour has come. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 42 Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand.” (Mark 14:32-42)
After Jesus celebrated the Passover meal with his disciples and instituted the Lord’s Supper he went to pray at the Garden of Gethsemane. Just hours before they sang a hymn and departed the Passover meal. He went to Mount of Olives with his disciples. It was there at the Mount of Olives that Jesus went to the garden called Gethsemane to pray.
Jesus asked 8 of his disciples to wait at the gate. There were 3 disciples Peter, James and John he asked to enter the garden with him. One other disciple, Judas would arrive there later leading the armed crowds loaded with swords and clubs to apprehend the Lord.
For now, Jesus will get alone with his Father regarding what is about to take place. The three disciples that Jesus brought with him into the garden are to stay where they are while Jesus goes on further alone. This is the time of crushing for what is about to take place causing Jesus utter anguish.
Jesus goes a little further and falls with his face to the ground and cries out to the Father. The idea that the sinless one, the unblemished Lamb of God, is to become sin is bringing complete anguish. The thought that the Father is about to turn his face away and leave Jesus forsaken on the cross is crushing.
Jesus is praying about the upcoming shame, mockery, abuse and tortuous death. The anguish for Jesus is overwhelming. And he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death. (Mark 14:34) It is as if he is saying, this burden is killing me. That was Jesus condition at Gethsemane, the oil press. The sorrow of Jesus was crushing the life out of him. It was the dread of the moment that the Father’s face would turn away from him.
In the wilderness the devil tempted Jesus to shortcut the cross. But to shortcut the cross would shortcut God’s plan. Luke describes the physical effects that was caused by Jesus emotional agony.
And being in agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground. (Luke 22:44)
He was in emotional anguish and probably showed the physical signs of such crushing agony. He prayed, if possible, let this cup pass from me. Everything is possible with you Lord, but not my will but yours.
Could there be another way? For Jesus to experience the utmost pain, physically, emotionally and above all spiritually is it the only possible way? If there is some other way lost humanity can have any hope of redemption, then let it be that way. In Mark 9:23 we see that all things are possible, only believe. In mark 14:36 we see that all things are possible nevertheless, not my will but yours Lord.
Jesus is submissive to the Father. Yest not my will but yours. If the cross is the only way, then Jesus is willing to accept it. Jesus knows God has unlimited power, but Jesus was submissive to the will of God.
The physical suffering Jesus was about to endure wasn’t the worst of it for him. The worst was taking on the sin. The physical suffering, we can relate to. He was human, humanity doesn’t want to suffer the insults, the torture of the cross having the breath of life squeezed out.
Jesus became human and he can identify with all our weaknesses, but we can’t identify with his agony. It goes beyond our experience. Jesus went back and the disciples were sleeping. All but one. Judas was awake and in the midst of the sin to betray Jesus.
Jesus awoke his disciples and returned to his chief resource, prayer. Prayer is the only way Jesus can cope with the agony of separation from his Father. Jesus again asks, if possible, let this cup pass from me.
Jesus is saying, I came to earth to save men, I will do anything necessary for their salvation, if that means taking the sinners place and to die the sinner’s death under judgement of God, I will do it. If there is any other way, then don’t allow me to suffer this horrible fate Father God.
There is no other way!
God sent an angel to minister to Jesus, but he could not bypass the cross. That is the ONLY way for salvation of man.
Jesus has the peace he needs, through prayer, to face the mobs, the false witnesses, the religious political leaders, even the dark moment of being identified with sin. Now confidently he arises to face his accusers.
And he came the third time and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? It is enough; the hour has come. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 42 Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand.” (Mark 14:41-42)
Jesus is ready to face the cross. He is ready because he came to save men and that cannot be accomplished without the cross. Are there many paths to God? Do all who sincerely seek God come to know him?
Imagine the person who dies and in this life he sincerely believed in God. He did his religion in his own way and did good toward his fellow man. Then he appears before God only to hear Jesus is the only way. Without trusting in Christ being washed by the blood of Jesus you can’t come into heaven. But he says I was sincere. Surely there is a way to heaven besides through Jesus. He finds out there is not another way.
If there was another way the Father would never have allowed His Son Jesus Christ to suffer what he suffered. If there was another way the cup of the cross would have passed. No, there is no other way.
There is no other name given among men whereby we can be saved, but the name of Jesus.
And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)
For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:21)
Our sin put Jesus through anguish. Let his death count for you. Put your faith in Jesus Christ.
