The Garden of Gethsemane (5 things)

• 1^st – All of you will stumble…vs. 26-28
  • After the Passover dinner – Jesus led the disciples (no Judas) to the Mt. of Olives…
  • He told them – they would all be scattered…
    • The whole world (Rome – Herod – Jewish leaders) was about to come against Jesus… 
    • And all the disciples – no exceptions – would walk away from Jesus…
    • Zechariah 13:6-7 – “Strike the Shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’”
    • Make no mistake – if we stand up for Jesus – the world will stand against us…
    • And when the world makes fun Jesus – we often have a tendency to back away
    • When the world makes fun of the Bible and Church – we want to keep quiet
    • When the whole world seems to be against Christ – it’s really hard to stand for Him
    • If we don’t want to be made fun of – it we don’t want to also be attacked…
    • The temptation is to blend into the crowd – to instead be like the world 
    • But if we seek to please the world – follow the crowd – go with the flow…
    • It means we are choosing this world rather than Jesus…
    • James 4:4 – “Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.”
  • When I am raised…
    • Again – just a day before His death – Jesus foretells His resurrection!
      • He told His disciples – WHEN – not if – He had been raised (no question)
      • They were to rendezvous with Him back in the Galilee… 
    • The disciples would all walk away from Jesus – forsake Him…
      • Yet Jesus was not upset with them – or disappointed in them
      • Instead He looked forward to their restoration – when they’d come back
      • If you have a hard time standing for Jesus – maybe blending into the world
      • Jesus is not upset – or disappointed – He just waits for you to come back
      • He patiently waits for you – to come back to Him – stand up for Jesus!
        
• 2^nd – Peter’s conviction… vs. 29-31
  • Even if everyone else stumbles…
    • Missing God’s Word (Zechariah) – the rendezvous in Galilee – and the resurrection…
    • Peter wanted to show his conviction – he would NEVER be stumbled…
    • Judas had betrayed Jesus – the other disciples were afraid – but not Peter!
    • Peter focused on HIS convictions – completely missing what Jesus had said…
    • If we focus on ourselves – our convictions – rather than listening to the Lord…
    • We will end up miss God’s instructions – and inevitably miss the right answers
  • Before the rooster calls twice…
    • Jesus tells Peter he would deny Him 3 times before this night was over…
    • Not only would Peter be stumbled – he would stumble harder than any other!
    • Proverbs 16:18 –“Pride goes… before a fall.”
    • Often it is the things we think we would never do – that get us into the most trouble…
    • If we know we have a weakness to a certain sin – we do our best to avoid it…
    • But if we think we are strong – we depend on ourselves – that is when we fall…
  • Peter spoke out all the more – he would die for Jesus…
    • Peter believed what he said – I don’t think he was just trying to impress…
    • The problem was the first word – “I” – Peter was depending on himself…
    • For some reason we are determined to think that WE are the answer/solution
    • But when we put our trust in ourselves – whenever we look to “I’ for the answer…
    • We set ourselves up for failure – the only word to follow “I” is can’t!
    • If we are trusting in ourselves – we will inevitably fail…
    • II Corinthians 3:5 – “We [cannot] do anything of lasting value by ourselves. Our only power and success come from God.”
  • Do not let your heart be troubled – John 14:1-2
    • In light Peter’s epic failure – it would have been easy for him to be overwhelmed
    • So Jesus gives one of the greatest promises of the Bible!
    • He is going to prepare a place for us – and He will come back to take us there!
    • God was far from through with Peter – in fact – He was just getting started
    • Psalms 103:14–“For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust.”
    • God is not surprised when we make mistakes – He knows exactly who were really are…
    • In fact God uses our mistakes to help teach us the greatest lesson…
    • Not to trust in ourselves – but instead to be completely dependent on Him!
      
• 3^rd – The olive press… vs. 32-42
  • Jesus took His disciples to the Garden of Gethsemane… vs. 32
    • On the western slope of the Mt. of Olives – facing the Temple mount
    • Famous for it’s Olive trees (there are still 2000 year old olive trees standing there)
    • To a garden called Gethsemane – meaning ‘the olive press’…
  • Jesus was troubled – and deeply distressed… vs. 33
    • Jesus knew what was only hours away – not only the cross – death…
      • But the burden of the sins of all men – throughout all time
      • We’ve all felt the pain of a guilty conscience when we did something wrong…
      • Uncomfortable – convicting – the weight of our individual sins…
      • Separating us from our relationship with God in heaven…
    • Jesus would feel the pain – the weight off ALL sins – all at once…
      • Literally the full weight of the sin of the whole world resting fully on Him…
      • Like the olive press working to crush the olives under it’s HUGE stone…
      • Jesus came to Gethsemane – to be crushed under the sin of the world…
      • In this darkest hour – Jesus came to pour out His life for the salvation of all

• 4^th – The Sprit & the flesh…
  • Jesus told all the disciples to wait at a distance – except for Peter, James, & John…
    • Bringing Tabitha back to life – Mark 5:37 / The Mt. of Transfiguration – Mark 9:2
    • End time teaching – Mark 13:3 / Now the Garden of Gethsemane…
    • These “Special” disciples were given the front row seat – everyone else missed
    • Not that they were better than the rest – they were in fact more trouble!
    • Proud Peter – ‘speak first then think’ – was always getting into trouble…
    • James & John – the ‘Sons of Thunder’ – wanted to call down fire – Luke 9:54
    • These three were not SPECIAL (better than the rest) – they were “special”…
    • Jesus kept them close – even in the end – for fear of what they would do if left alone!
  • Jesus gave Peter, James, & John 2 commands – Abide & Watch… vs. 34
    • But when Jesus came and checked – all 3 of them were fast asleep (3 times)
    • Somewhat understandable – it was late at night – it had been a long day (Judas)…
    • And we are told in Luke 22:45 – they were sleeping from sorrow…
    • Perhaps overwhelmed by the reality Jesus was going to the cross…
    • No matter how hard they tried – they just couldn’t keep their eyes open…
    • It does seem whenever we are overwhelmed – depressed – it can be exhausting…
    • It leaves us just wanted to run away – go to sleep – avoiding our problems…
    • Yet the key to getting through the tough times – Abide & Watch….
    • Abide in Jesus – hold on to Him no matter what – cling to Him with all our strength…
    • Look to Jesus (watch) – if we put our eyes on our circumstances – we will despair…
    • It is only as we look to the one who is greater than any problem – we have strength
  • Jesus said to Simon (Peter’s real name) – could you not watch with me for 1 hour…
    • Peter wanted to do the right thing – pray and watch – but he gave in to the flesh…
      • Most of us want to do what is right – but we struggle to figure out how to do it…
      • If we depend on our own strength – our best efforts – we seem to come up short
      • So why is it that we don’t do those things we know we should…
    • The Spirit is willing – but the flesh is weak…
      • Galatians 5:17 – “The old sinful nature loves to do evil, which is just opposite from what the Holy Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are opposite from what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, and your choices are never free from this conflict.”
      • There is a battle within every one of us – one we fight every day…
      • Between what we know we should do (Spirit) – and what we want to do (flesh)
      • The Spirit says to get up in the morning and spend time with God in His Word…
      • The flesh says keep sleeping – you can always read your Bible – buas lang
      • Whichever we feed – our spirit or our flesh – is stronger – and wins the war…
      • If we spend our day absorbed in the world – TV / Gossip / ungodly friends – flesh
      • But if we spend time with Jesus – the Word / prayer/ fellowship…
      • We end up strengthening our Spirit – so that we do not give in to our flesh!

• 5^th – The prayer of Jesus – 3 times…  
  • Abba father – daddy or papa – a very intimate term…
  • Since (1^st class) it is possible – take this cup (the cross) from me…
    • Jesus did not desire to suffer – He did not want to go to the cross
    • Any more than we would want to go to prison for another’s crime
    • Or worse yet – be put to death to so that a murderer could live… 
  • How hard was the decision…
    • Luke 22:44 – “And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.”
    • Hematidrosis – a very rare condition in which a human being sweats blood (stress)
    • Agony – agonia – struggle for victory – extreme emotions
    • The most difficult decision ever made – by any man – ever…
    • Jesus would have to face ridicule – mocking – scourging – then death…
    • God had to choose to lay down His life – to save sinners!
  • Never-the-less – not my will but your will be done…
    • How was Jesus able to make such an impossible decision…
    • Not by following the world – the world says to look out for number one…
    • Not by trusting in – looking to Himself – He did not want to die…
    • Instead it was by spending time with the Father – strengthening the Spirit!
  • After Jesus came back the 3^rd time…
    • And the disciples were still sleeping – He said – it is enough…
    • For the hour has come – the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners…