GETHSEMANE
Mar
28
Written by:
3/28/2010 12:00 AM
GETHSEMANE
March 28, 2010
(Mark 14:32 NIV) They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, "Sit here while I pray." (Mark 14:33 NIV) He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled. (Mark 14:34 NIV) "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death," he said to them. "Stay here and keep watch ." (Mark 14:35 NIV) Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. (Mark 14:36 NIV) "Abba, Father," he said, "everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will." (Mark 14:37 NIV) Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. "Simon," he said to Peter, "are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for one hour? (Mark 14:38 NIV) Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak." (Mark 14:39 NIV) Once more he went away and prayed the same thing. (Mark 14:40 NIV) When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. They did not know what to say to him. (Mark 14:41 NIV) Returning the third time, he said to them, "Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough! The hour has come. Look, the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. (Mark 14:42 NIV) Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!"
This is my first time to give a message on Gethsemane. Most pastors never give a message on Gethsemane. The suffering of Jesus in Gethsemane is not a good topic for a motivational sermon. Also, most people do not want to hear about suffering. However, what happened from the time of Jesus`s prayers in Gethsemane until the time Jesus died on the cross are the most important hours in all of history. The bible has a lot to say about Gethsemane. It is recorded in all four gospels.
Jesus had the Passover meal (Lord`s Supper) with the twelve disciples. One of the disciples, Judas, left to betray Jesus. Jesus took the remaining eleven disciples with him down the mountain east of Jerusalem, across the Kedron Valley and up on the Mount of Olives to an olive grove called “The Garden of Gethsemane.” (John 18:1 NIV) When he had finished praying, Jesus left with his disciples and crossed the Kidron Valley. On the other side there was an olive grove, and he and his disciples went into it. Jesus took Peter, James and John further into the olive grove to pray. Jesus began to be sorrowful and troubled. (Mark 14:34 NIV) "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death," he said to them. "Stay here and keep watch." Jesus had a great burden for prayer and began to pray. (Mark 14:35 NIV) Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. (Mark 14:36 NIV) "Abba, Father," he said, "everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will." Jesus agonized in prayer because he knew he was going to take all the sins of mankind upon himself. The prophet Isaiah spoke about this almost 800 year before. (Isa 53:6 NIV) We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
The Gospel of Luke gives an interesting account of what happened. (Luke 22:43 NIV) An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. (Luke 22:44 NIV) And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground. It was quite obvious Jesus agonized in prayer. The agony was not from an attack from the devil. Jesus was willing preparing to give himself over to God to become the sacrifice for the sins of all mankind. Jesus who was without sin was going to carry the burden of all the sins of mankind to the cross. Nothing like this had happened in all of history. Jesus was going to give his life so that man could be reconciled to God. Man had been separated from God since the first Adam sinned. Jesus, the last Adam, was going to be the sacrifice for all the sins of man from the first Adam until all things are restored at the end of this age. At that time there will be a new heaven and a new earth. Man will once again have fellowship with God as he did before Adam sinned in the Garden of Eden.
When Jesus returned to Peter, James and John he found them sleeping. The Gospel of Luke says they were asleep, exhausted from sorrow. They probably finally realized Jesus was going to die. Jesus had told them many times before that he was going to die, but they did not understand. Jesus scolded then for sleeping and encouraged them to pray again so they would not fall into temptation. (Luke 22:46 NIV) "Why are you sleeping?" he asked them. "Get up and pray so that you will not fall into temptation." A few hours later Peter fell into temptation and denied Jesus three times.
Jesus prayed the same prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane three times. Prayer was the reason Jesus went into the Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus expected Peter, James and John to be praying also, but they were sleeping every time Jesus returned to them. Perhaps the other 8 disciples were sleeping also.
Each time we made a trip to Israel we visited the Garden of Gethsemane. On our first trip to Israel from Japan we had a very wonderful communion service in the Garden of Gethsemane. The people that were there at the time will never forget that service. On our last trip to Israel one of our tour members gave a very good message in the Garden of Gethsemane on the cup that Jesus took for us.
There are many olive trees in the garden that are hundreds of years old. Maybe the original garden was in a different place. However, that is not important. What is important is that we remember what Jesus did for us in the Garden of Gethsemane almost 2000 year ago. Jesus willingly prepared to give himself over to God to become the sacrifice for the sins of all mankind so man could be reconciled to God.