Wednesday, March 4, 2015
24 Hours That Changed the World - In the Garden (a blogpost for a sermon series inspired by Adam Hamiliton's book by the same name to be preached beginning on March 8, 2015)
What do you think about the events in the Garden of Gethsemane? Do you feel for Jesus in his time of need? Do you identify with the disciples as they fell asleep while their master was in great need? What do you picture the garden to look like? Was Jesus weak that night or just human? How do you understand the prayers of God to Himself? What do you think about the events in the Garden of Gethsemane?
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The sleeping disciples have always confounded me. Didn’t they just have the Passover supper? Didn’t Jesus just explain to them that he was going to be betrayed? Didn’t Jesus just tell them he was going away for a bit? Didn’t he explain to them “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many.” Didn’t he just say “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death, Stay here and keep watch.” Yet they fell asleep, not once, but THREE times! To me Jesus showed tremendous strength in the garden of Gethsemane in several ways. First, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.” Would a weak person say or do this? Second, by not giving in to temptation, accepting the cup and glorifying the Father. The picture I have in my mind regarding the garden of Gethsemane is one of darkness and foreboding, with Lucifer slinking about, hovering, and using all means at his disposal to make an all-out assault on Jesus humanness. Why was Jesus so sorrowful? I don’t believe he was sorrowful because he knew he would die a human death. Rather, I believe Jesus, who knows the truth, was so sorrowful because despite His sacrifice there would still be those who reject God’s plan for salvation, his blood of the covenant. I believe Jesus was sorrowful for the lost sheep in a way similar to the words he spoke while on the cross “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.”
ReplyDeleteAt what point did Jesus take upon himself the full sin of the world? At what point did he feel its full crushing weight? Was it a gradual build up throughout his life culminating in the crescendo at the cross? Or did it begin here in the garden? “It is finished” are among the last words spoken by Jesus on the cross. It seems that after the garden of Gethsemane the cross was the very last thing he had left to accomplish, it was time.
Suppose God had taken the cup away from Jesus. What then would God’s plan for our salvation be? What would have been the point for Jesus coming this far? What would have been the disciples conviction had they not seen the risen Lord? Would Thomas (we) still doubt? Would the church even exist today?
Great comments, Ed. I love your passion for Christ and your intimacy with the Scriptures. Thanks for the post.
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