The Battle In Gethsemane

Introduction:

Can you imagine the most painful situation that you faced in your life?

We all experience agony and pain in our lives.

People who lived during the Bible times also faced painful situations.

Imagine the pain that Abraham went through as he prepared to offer his son, Isaac as a sacrifice (Genesis 22:5).

Or think about the grief that David felt when his son, Absalom died (2 Samuel 18:33).

We can’t even fathom the agony that Job went through when he lost all his children and his own health.

But James Edwards says that “Nothing in all the Bible compares to Jesus’ agony and anguish in Gethsemane.”

He didn’t go through all that distress and trouble for himself.

But he had experienced all that pain and agony for your sins and my sins.

Would you take God’s Word and turn your Bibles with me to MARK 14:32-42 (READ)?

I have entitled today’s sermon as: “THE BATTLE IN GETHSEMANE.”

Mark 14 & 15 describe the betrayal, abandonment, arrest, trial, and crucifixion of Christ, which is referred to as “passion” (which is the Latin word for “suffer”).

The theme of chapter 14, which is the longest chapter in Mark, is the abandonment of Jesus.

In the passage that we read today, we see that:

CENTRAL PROPOSITION OF THE TEXT: Jesus prepares for the cross by praying, but the disciples failed to watch and pray with him.

In this passage, Mark takes us to the holy ground and gives a glimpse of what Jesus went through before he went to the cross.

FALLEN CONDITION FOCUS: Already dealt with.

THE PURPOSE BRIDGE: To help the members of EAGC to realize how Jesus submitted to the Father’s will so that we can be saved.

CENTRAL PROPOSITION OF THE SERMON: I have used inductive proposition for this sermon.

I. JESUS INSTRUCTS HIS DISCIPLES BEFORE HE BEGAN PRAYING.

Mark 14:32-34.

A. Jesus asks his 8 disciples to sit at a place.

Mark 14:32: And they went to a place called Gethsemane. And he said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.”

Gethsemane is described as a garden (John 18:1), which is located on the lower slopes of the Mount of Olives.

Gethsemane means “olive press” as it was surrounded by olive trees.

This is where Jesus’ heart would be pressed due to sorrow and anguish.

John 18:2 tells us that Jesus often visited this place along with his disciples.

B. Jesus takes Peter, James, and John a little further and asks them to watch.

Mark 14:33-34.

Mark 14:33: And he took with him Peter and James and John, and began to be greatly distressed and troubled.

The three disciples who claimed that they are willing to suffer for Christ (Mark 10:38-39; 14:28, 31) were given the opportunity to stand with Christ and support him.

These three disciples witnessed Jesus’ glory when he was transfigured on a mountain and now, they would witness the agony that Jesus would go through in Gethsemane.

Jesus did not suffer like a Stoic.

Rather, Jesus’ suffering was real and extremely painful.

Jesus’ agony is underlined by the use of two words, “distressed” and “troubled.”

Luke 22:44 adds that “And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.” (Hematidrosis?)

Jesus was not so distressed and troubled about the physical torture as much as he was troubled about the spiritual horror of being made sin (2 Corinthians 5:21) and becoming a curse for us (Galatians 3:13).

Jesus was troubled about being separated from the Father (Mark 15:34).

Mark 14:34: And he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death. Remain here and watch.”

Here, Jesus quotes Psalm 42:5 or 11.

Christ’s soul is so sorrowful that it was almost killing him.

However, Psalm 42:5 and 11 ends with faith and hope in God.

So, though Jesus is “very sorrowful,” he knows that the Father will eventually vindicate him.

The Lord asks his disciples to remain there and “watch.”

Jesus asks his disciples to watch so that they can share Jesus’ agony.

II. JESUS PRAYS TO THE FATHER.

Mark 14:35-36.

A. Jesus fell on the ground and prayed.

Mark 14:35: And going a little farther, he fell on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him.

Generally, the Jews would stand and pray (Mark 11:25).

Mark tells us that “Jesus fell on the ground and prayed.”

This reveals Jesus’ spiritual anguish (cf. Numbers 16:22).

Luke 22:41 tells that Jesus just a stone’s throw away from Peter, James, and John, and these disciples could probably hear what Jesus prayed.

B. Jesus prayed that if it is possible, the hour might pass from him.

Mark 14:35: And going a little farther, he fell on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him.