Welcome to 3ABN's
Spring Camp Meeting:
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Live from the
3ABN Worship Center.
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Hello and welcome to
3ABN's 2016 Spring Camp Meeting.
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We have a lot of
people from around the world
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that want to welcome
you with a hearty Amen.
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Can we all say Amen? Amen!
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They have been blessed;
we have been at the fountain;
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we've been at the table
of grace; we've been at the
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sanctuary. We've been in the
outer court, the inner court,
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the Most Holy Place.
We've been walking with Jesus
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through His plan of salvation
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through a number of
topics. And the overall theme is
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Christ... What else?
Calvary, and the Sanctuary.
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Christ, Calvary,
and the Sanctuary.
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And our presenter for this por-
tion of the numbers of sermons
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is none other than
Sister Shelley Quinn...
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who is - I would use the
word - a giant among all.
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But I don't want to use that
term thinking about her height.
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This is not about her
height. She wears so many hats
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here at 3ABN. And she
is a person of the Word.
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She's an author; she's a writer.
She also directs new programming
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and a number of other things.
But she is a very important
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staple here at the ministry of
3ABN. And she will be presenting
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a message entitled
The Garden of Gethsemane.
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What a topic to be
able to handle today.
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Before she comes
I've been designated.
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I'm going to give her
the opportunity to pray
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but I've been designated
also to lay the foundation
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by singing a song. And
I've chosen one that really
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speaks of the
goodness of the Lord.
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Pass Me Not, O Gentle Savior.
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Pass me not, O gentle Savior,
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Hear my humble cry;
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While on others
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Thou art calling,
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Do not pass me by.
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Can I get a choir on the chorus?
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Savior,
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Savior,
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hear my humble cry,
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While on others
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Thou art calling,
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Do not pass me by.
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Let me at Thy throne of mercy
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Find a sweet relief;
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Kneeling there
in deep contrition,
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Lord, help my unbelief.
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While I'm trusting only in
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Thy merit,
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Would I seek
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Thy face;
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Heal my wounded, broken spirit
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and then save me by Thy grace.
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And we're crying Savior,
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oh my Savior,
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Hear my humble cry.
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Lord, while on others
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Thou art calling
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just do not pass me by.
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You're the
spring of all my comfort
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and You are more
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than life to me;
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Whom have I on earth
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beside Thee? And whom in heaven
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but Thee?
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And we're singing Savior,
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oh my Savior,
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just hear my humble cry,
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Lord, while on others
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Thou art calling
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just do not pass me by.
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And we're crying Savior,
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oh my Savior,
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Hear my humble cry.
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Lord, while on others
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Thou art calling
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just do not pass
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me by.
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Oh...
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do not
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pass me
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by.
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Thank you, John.
That was beautiful!
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Well hello. I
just want to tell you
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I've been watching the audience
as much as I've been watching
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the programs. And you
all are a wonderful audience!
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Very responsive. We're
very glad to have you here.
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We want to thank those
who are watching by television
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and/or listening by radio.
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What we've been doing
thus far is walking through the
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sanctuary. Right
now we're going to start
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walking the path
of Christ's passion.
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And this is the hour
of the power of darkness,
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but it's the greatest
love story that was ever told.
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So let's pray.
Heavenly Father, we come
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in the name of Jesus. And
Father, as we read Your Word
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we ask that You will
send Your Holy Spirit
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and that, Father, this
Word will do a sanctifying work
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in our heart.
We thank you, Lord,
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for Your Son Jesus Christ,
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for the Holy
Spirit, and for Your Word:
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Your three
greatest gifts of grace.
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And we thank you for
the power of Your Word.
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In Jesus' name, Amen. Amen!
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Let me just kind of
establish the setting here.
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During the last
week of Jesus' life
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He went down to
Jerusalem for the final time
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to minister there.
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And He received this royal
welcome at the Triumphal Entry.
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He taught every
day in the temple.
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But the 70 prophetic
weeks that Daniel 9 talks about
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that God had
carved out for His people
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were coming to a
quick conclusion.
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So transgression had to be
finished, reconciliation made.
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The everlasting righteousness
had to be brought in
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by the cutting off
of Messiah, the Prince.
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It was a time for the Savior to
walk His lonely path of passion.
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And as He moved to the cross
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this was the climactic
demonstration of God's love.
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Jesus shared His last
Passover meal with His disciples
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then He took His last walk
with them to a place of prayer.
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And we're going to take a
new look at this familiar story
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of the Savior's visit
to the Garden of Gethsemane
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where He desired to pray
the night before He died.
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Do you know what
Gethsemane means?
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Gethsemane means olive
press, and actually a gethsemane
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is a piece of equipment that
they use to crush the olives.
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What they would do is they
would take the whole olives.
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They would pour them into
a basin that had a millstone,
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harnass an
animal to the millstone,
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and the animal would go round
and round the circular basin.
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And as the millstone
rolled over the olives
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it cracked the olives.
Then they would scoop them up
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into burlap bags.
And they would take them
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and they would put them
under this large stone column.
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And this stone column
was called a gethsemane.
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And as the enormous weight
of this large stone column
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came down on
these cracked olives
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it would crush them and
force their precious oil
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to drip down into a
groove and then into the basin
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where it would be collected.
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So gethsemane means olive press.
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And what it symbolizes here
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is the crushing weight
of the sins of the world
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that Jesus carried
as He went to the cross.
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If we establish the scene
before He got to the garden,
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He was sharing His last Passover
meal with His disciples -
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the Last Supper. And
at this Passover meal
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what happened? The
disciples started arguing
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"Who's going to
be the greatest? "
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And how did Jesus handle this?
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He just simply got
up and then He got down
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and He washed their
feet to demonstrate to them
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how
servant/leadership should be.
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And He foretold of His betrayal
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and He identified His betrayer.
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He said: "He who dips his
hand in this cup with Me..."
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And you know,
Judas - as we all know -
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was kind of a miserly person.
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He used to dip
into the treasury.
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He was the
treasurer for Jesus' ministry.
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But six days earlier in
Bethany Judas had become enraged
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when Mary came in and
anointed the feet of Jesus
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and she broke her alabaster box
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to anoint His feet and His head
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with this great,
expensive ointment.
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So what happened is: Judas
then went to the high priest
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and he said to the
chief priest, he said:
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"What will you give me if
I'll deliver Him to you? "
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And they counted him
out 30 pieces of silver.
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Thirty shekels...
which was the common price
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for a slave... was counted out.
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So now at the Last Supper
Satan entered into Judas' heart.
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And Jesus looked at him -
and I know He looked at him
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with love - and He said:
"What you do, do quickly. "
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So Judas slinked
out into the night.
00:13:08.42\00:13:11.35
Now Jesus also
foretold of the denial
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that His disciples
would go through...
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especially Peter.
And He prayed for Peter
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and He prayed for His disciples.
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And the entire
discourse of John chapter 14...
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You remember John chapter 14?
"In My Father's house are many
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mansions. If it were not
so, I would have told you.
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I go to prepare
a place for you. "
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"If you love Me,
keep My commandments. "
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And the promise of the
Holy Spirit. This all took -
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this whole discourse -
took place at the Last Supper.
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They were still
in the upper room.
00:13:47.92\00:13:49.86
Then in the
gospels of Matthew and Mark
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it says they sung a hymn
and John records, saying that
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Jesus said: "Arise,
and let us go from here. "
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So knowing that
He was about to die
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Jesus went forth with His
little band of 11 disciples
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into the moonlit night.
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It was a full moon
because Passover is always
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held at full moon. And
Jesus took every opportunity
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to teach them as
they walked along.
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John 14... excuse me, John 15
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and John 16-
those entire chapters -
00:14:27.30\00:14:29.90
happened as Jesus
was walking along.
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I can just see
Him. He saw a vine
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and He looked at them
and He said: "I am the Vine;
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you are the branches. Apart
from Me you can do nothing. "
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And He taught them about
the work of the Holy Spirit.
00:14:42.08\00:14:45.11
He tenderly counseled them
about the problems that were
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ahead of them... the
dangers that were coming.
00:14:49.18\00:14:52.19
But He spoke
words of peace to them
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saying that their
sorrow would turn to joy
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and saying: "In the world
you will have tribulation, but
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be of good cheer: I
have overcome the world. "
00:15:01.53\00:15:04.00
Then John chapter 17, if
you have a red-letter edition,
00:15:04.20\00:15:07.54
John chapter 17 is all in
red. This is Jesus' prayer.
00:15:07.70\00:15:12.07
And this probably
happened on the slopes of
00:15:12.27\00:15:16.41
the mountain - right before
He entered into the garden -
00:15:16.61\00:15:20.35
on the slopes of
the Mount of Olives
00:15:20.75\00:15:23.15
where He prayed for the
protection and the blessing
00:15:23.39\00:15:26.59
of God over the people. And
He asked God to sanctify them
00:15:26.79\00:15:29.69
by His truth. He asked
Him to unite them as one
00:15:29.89\00:15:34.10
and to guide them through
the up-coming tribulation.
00:15:34.30\00:15:36.83
He prayed for His disciples
and for all of us, didn't He?
00:15:37.03\00:15:40.97
Now we've set the
scene. Open your Bibles
00:15:41.17\00:15:43.61
to Mark chapter 14. And
I hope you have your Bibles
00:15:43.81\00:15:47.84
with you today. We are
going to read this story...
00:15:48.04\00:15:50.41
as much as we can get
into this next forty minutes.
00:15:50.61\00:15:54.32
We're going to read the
story in Mark chapter 14.
00:15:54.72\00:15:58.59
All of the four gospels
contain the story of the
00:15:58.99\00:16:03.86
Garden of Gethsemane, but
Mark's is the most complete.
00:16:04.06\00:16:07.60
So what we'll do is
as we go through reading
00:16:07.83\00:16:10.37
if there's something that's
pertinent from another gospel
00:16:10.57\00:16:14.84
that adds a little more
flavor to it, I'll add that.
00:16:15.04\00:16:19.07
So Mark 14...
let's begin in verse 32.
00:16:19.27\00:16:22.54
Mark 14:32.
00:16:23.08\00:16:24.98
"Then they came to a
place which was named Gethsemane
00:16:27.12\00:16:30.09
and He said to His disciples:
'Sit here while I pray. ' "
00:16:30.49\00:16:34.36
Luke identifies this
as the Mount of Olives,
00:16:34.56\00:16:37.53
and John adds that Judas
who betrayed Him was very
00:16:37.69\00:16:40.90
familiar with this place
because Jesus often went there
00:16:41.03\00:16:45.37
with His disciples. You know
gardens were not allowed within
00:16:45.57\00:16:50.17
the walls of the city of
Jerusalem because there was
00:16:50.37\00:16:52.64
no space. So what
the wealthy did was
00:16:52.84\00:16:55.38
they would secure a
garden outside the walls.
00:16:55.58\00:16:58.71
They would secure
a beautiful place.
00:16:58.91\00:17:01.45
And the Garden of Gethsemane
was most likely a walled garden.
00:17:01.65\00:17:04.59
It talks about Jesus
going in and going out.
00:17:04.79\00:17:07.19
It was there on the western
slope of the Mount of Olives.
00:17:07.59\00:17:10.39
And Jesus visited there
often for prayer and rest
00:17:10.79\00:17:14.03
and fellowship
with His disciples.
00:17:14.23\00:17:16.13
He spent every night there
00:17:16.97\00:17:19.47
during the last week
of His life, praying...
00:17:19.67\00:17:23.94
so this night was no different.
00:17:24.14\00:17:25.77
He takes His disciples there.
00:17:26.17\00:17:28.28
And it's around midnight
when He returns to His favorite
00:17:28.48\00:17:31.68
setting. So
Gethsemane was about to become
00:17:31.88\00:17:35.42
the conflict of the
world's greatest drama
00:17:35.62\00:17:40.09
It was the beginning...
At the beginning of Christ's
00:17:40.39\00:17:42.89
ministry remember when He was
the 40 days in the wilderness?
00:17:43.09\00:17:46.13
What happened in those 40 days?
00:17:46.53\00:17:49.50
Satan did everything he could
00:17:49.70\00:17:52.73
to prevent Jesus
from going to the cross.
00:17:52.93\00:17:56.47
And that was at the
beginning of His ministry.
00:17:56.67\00:17:58.97
Can you imagine now at
the end of His ministry
00:17:59.37\00:18:03.41
Satan is prepared for his
final onslaught against Jesus.
00:18:03.61\00:18:08.08
And that's why Jesus calls
it the hour and the power of
00:18:08.48\00:18:11.79
darkness. So verse 33 says:
00:18:11.99\00:18:14.82
"And He took Peter,
James, and John with Him
00:18:15.02\00:18:17.93
and He began to be troubled
and deeply distressed. "
00:18:18.13\00:18:22.23
He left 8 of His
disciples just inside the gate
00:18:22.43\00:18:25.87
of the garden. Then He
takes His 3 closest friends
00:18:26.07\00:18:29.57
with Him and He goes a little
further into a corner of the
00:18:29.77\00:18:32.61
garden. But He needed
them for... He wanted their
00:18:32.81\00:18:36.44
companionship and
their prayer support.
00:18:36.64\00:18:39.61
You know, these three had
the privilege of witnessing
00:18:39.81\00:18:42.52
His glory when
He was transfigured
00:18:42.72\00:18:46.12
on the mount near
Caesarea Philippi.
00:18:46.32\00:18:48.99
But now this night they
were to witness His agony
00:18:49.39\00:18:54.30
as Jesus in His humanity
00:18:54.63\00:18:58.47
struggled with the events
that were about to transpire.
00:18:58.77\00:19:02.40
Look at verse 34.
00:19:02.80\00:19:04.27
"Then He said to them:
00:19:05.34\00:19:07.41
'My soul is exceedingly
sorrowful, even to death.
00:19:07.78\00:19:13.65
Stay here and watch. '
" Luke says at this point
00:19:14.58\00:19:18.92
He also added: "Pray
that you may not enter
00:19:19.12\00:19:22.16
into temptation. "
The divine Christ -
00:19:22.36\00:19:26.49
the Man of Sorrows - was be-
ginning to feel an indescribable
00:19:26.73\00:19:31.50
grief. It was
beyond all imagination.
00:19:31.70\00:19:35.57
But God was laying the
weight of our sins upon Him:
00:19:35.77\00:19:40.41
the curse and the
penalty of transgression.
00:19:40.81\00:19:43.65
And Jesus already
felt it was unbearable.
00:19:44.05\00:19:46.72
The crushing weight of
His sorrow was actually
00:19:47.32\00:19:52.42
life threatening.
Do you realize that?
00:19:52.62\00:19:55.22
He said: "My soul is
exceedingly sorrowful...
00:19:55.62\00:19:58.89
even to the point of death. "
00:19:59.09\00:20:01.60
This is the
deepest overwhelming grief
00:20:02.00\00:20:05.23
that has ever been
experienced on earth.
00:20:05.43\00:20:08.34
And it wasn't just
the horrifying heartache
00:20:08.74\00:20:11.01
caused by the thought
of the upcoming cruelty
00:20:11.21\00:20:13.84
in His mock trial and
the shame of the cross.
00:20:14.04\00:20:17.55
What was getting to
Jesus right now was what Isaiah
00:20:18.25\00:20:22.32
said in chapter 53 verses 10-12.
00:20:22.52\00:20:25.39
His soul was to be
made an offering for sin.
00:20:25.79\00:20:31.36
He began to taste the
judgment of the second death
00:20:31.86\00:20:36.03
that is due to all
men apart from redemption
00:20:36.23\00:20:39.67
through His blood.
00:20:39.87\00:20:41.57
He was to be cut off, separated
00:20:41.77\00:20:45.74
from God His
Father for the first time
00:20:45.94\00:20:48.94
in His eternal existence
00:20:49.34\00:20:52.61
and left all alone to bear the
sins and the judgment of men.
00:20:52.81\00:20:56.95
So darkness began to settle
over His soul like a heavy cloud
00:20:57.35\00:21:01.99
because Satan's final
onslaught had already begun.
00:21:02.39\00:21:06.46
And you know something?
As He was there, immersed in
00:21:06.90\00:21:11.20
grief, He was tempted to
feel that in His humanity
00:21:11.40\00:21:16.97
He did not have
the strength to endure.
00:21:17.17\00:21:20.34
He was tempted to
feel that His Father
00:21:20.74\00:21:23.91
was going to forsake Him. So
He makes this agonizing appeal
00:21:24.11\00:21:28.72
to Peter, James, and John
- His three closest friends.
00:21:28.92\00:21:32.89
He says: "Watch with Me"
while He went to pray alone.
00:21:33.09\00:21:37.29
I want you as we
are talking today
00:21:38.09\00:21:40.76
pay attention to what Jesus did
00:21:40.93\00:21:43.50
because He set
an example for us.
00:21:43.70\00:21:46.57
He knew... He didn't
want to discuss His problems
00:21:46.77\00:21:49.54
with His friends. He
wanted their prayer support.
00:21:49.74\00:21:52.11
But He knew that He
required time alone -
00:21:52.51\00:21:56.01
uninterrupted time -
alone with His Father
00:21:56.21\00:21:58.78
who was the only One
who could solve His problem.
00:21:58.98\00:22:03.18
Sometimes I think we talk
too much about our problems.
00:22:03.39\00:22:05.75
We just need to ask our friends
to pray and we take our problem
00:22:05.95\00:22:09.96
to the Lord. Amen!
But being fully divine
00:22:10.16\00:22:13.80
yet fully a man He
understood the weakness
00:22:14.00\00:22:18.73
of the flesh. So He tells them:
"Pray that you will not enter
00:22:18.93\00:22:22.80
into temptation. " A
great trial was ahead of them
00:22:23.00\00:22:25.81
and they didn't recognize
it. You know, the disciples
00:22:26.01\00:22:28.34
could sense that
this was a critical hour
00:22:28.54\00:22:31.55
because there in the beautiful
garden there was just a...
00:22:31.75\00:22:37.19
it was charged... the
atmosphere was charged
00:22:37.59\00:22:41.12
with anxiety. But
only Jesus recognized that
00:22:41.32\00:22:45.16
Satan was lurking in
the darkness, seeking
00:22:45.36\00:22:48.36
whom he could devour.
00:22:48.56\00:22:49.90
The closer He came to
His victory on the cross
00:22:50.13\00:22:52.53
the more desperate Satan became.
00:22:52.73\00:22:55.07
And Jesus knew that the
temptation was coming upon
00:22:55.47\00:22:57.84
His followers, and He bore
the weight of their trial, too.
00:22:58.04\00:23:01.98
So He was worried that
they would feel too guilty
00:23:02.18\00:23:05.28
and under condemnation.
That they would feel too guilty
00:23:05.48\00:23:08.15
to repent. So He
withdraws a distance
00:23:08.35\00:23:12.39
and now He is wrestling
with a foe that is unseen
00:23:12.79\00:23:17.13
to His disciples. Verse 35:
00:23:17.33\00:23:20.40
"He went a little further
and He fell on the ground
00:23:21.06\00:23:26.70
and prayed that if it were
possible the hour might pass
00:23:27.30\00:23:30.97
from Him. Matthew says
He fell "on His face. "
00:23:31.17\00:23:34.58
And he actually
records the words of Jesus
00:23:34.78\00:23:38.38
and He said: "Oh My
Father, if it is possible
00:23:38.58\00:23:42.82
let this cup pass from Me. "
00:23:43.02\00:23:44.79
He was beginning to
experience the crushing weight
00:23:45.19\00:23:48.29
of the sins of the
world and it was overcoming.
00:23:48.49\00:23:53.56
He lost His bodily
strength; He sank to His knees.
00:23:53.76\00:23:57.03
And in the fervency of His
prayer He prostrated Himself
00:23:57.43\00:24:00.64
on the ground with
His face to the ground.
00:24:00.84\00:24:03.17
The ache of betrayal,
the concern for His followers
00:24:03.61\00:24:06.88
that He would leave behind,
00:24:07.08\00:24:08.41
the anticipation
of unbearable torture,
00:24:08.48\00:24:10.95
the shame of the
impending crucifixion,
00:24:11.15\00:24:13.21
the weight of the world's
sins, the thought of separation
00:24:13.42\00:24:16.12
from His Father and
fighting the prince of evil:
00:24:16.32\00:24:19.45
all this
emotional and mental stress
00:24:19.65\00:24:23.26
culminated into
an agonizing moment
00:24:23.46\00:24:26.73
when Jesus in His humanity
00:24:26.93\00:24:30.63
cried out with a true
human heart a humble cry:
00:24:31.00\00:24:36.77
"Oh Lord, if it is possible...
00:24:37.17\00:24:40.88
if You, God, can be glorified
00:24:41.08\00:24:44.55
and if man can be saved
without Me drinking this
00:24:44.75\00:24:47.92
bitter cup, then
let it be done. "
00:24:48.12\00:24:50.75
What was this cup that
Jesus was worried of drinking?
00:24:51.85\00:24:57.09
Often in the Old
Testament a cup is judgment
00:24:57.96\00:25:02.40
at the hand of God.
00:25:02.60\00:25:04.20
Isaiah 51:17 refers to it
as "the cup of the Lord's fury"
00:25:04.40\00:25:09.90
associated with
suffering and God's wrath.
00:25:10.31\00:25:13.68
But Christ's cup was far
more than the excruciating pain
00:25:14.08\00:25:17.55
and shame of the crucifixion.
00:25:17.71\00:25:19.58
It was that He who knew no sin
00:25:20.02\00:25:22.75
was about to become sin for us
00:25:23.15\00:25:25.85
and to be
separated from His Father.
00:25:26.25\00:25:28.96
You know, in Matthew 20
Jesus had referred to believers
00:25:29.46\00:25:33.40
drinking the cup that
He was about to drink...
00:25:33.60\00:25:36.23
and He was referring to His
suffering at the hands of men,
00:25:36.43\00:25:40.20
which to some extent we all do.
00:25:40.40\00:25:42.64
But let me tell you something:
00:25:42.84\00:25:44.37
if you are in Jesus
Christ you will never
00:25:44.57\00:25:49.34
ever drink the cup
of the wrath of God.
00:25:49.54\00:25:53.88
That was forever settled at
the cross for true believers.
00:25:54.08\00:25:58.55
Revelation 14:9-10 says
00:25:58.75\00:26:02.12
that cup is reserved for
those who worship the beast
00:26:02.32\00:26:04.86
and his image
who receive his mark.
00:26:05.06\00:26:07.73
They're the ones that shall
drink the cup of God's wrath.
00:26:07.93\00:26:10.67
And Revelation 16:19 says that
the cup of the fierceness of
00:26:10.87\00:26:14.64
God's wrath will be
drunk by mystery Babylon.
00:26:14.84\00:26:18.61
Verse 36: now Jesus says:
00:26:19.11\00:26:24.15
"Abba Father, all
things are possible for You.
00:26:24.31\00:26:28.08
Take this cup from Me.
00:26:28.28\00:26:30.69
Nevertheless, not what I will
00:26:31.02\00:26:34.26
but Your will be done. "
00:26:34.62\00:26:36.49
He's weighed down; He's
prostrated on the ground.
00:26:36.93\00:26:40.10
He cries out "Abba... "
that Aramaic phrase that means
00:26:40.50\00:26:45.67
Papa. Abba... "Abba Father.
00:26:45.87\00:26:49.64
Take it from Me, but not
My will... Yours be done. "
00:26:50.07\00:26:53.84
With child-like faith
and dependency He calls
00:26:54.61\00:26:57.85
upon His Father because He knows
that God would hear and help.
00:26:58.05\00:27:02.38
And He begs the Lord to
choose another way if possible.
00:27:02.78\00:27:06.32
His human impulse was
to escape this bitter cup.
00:27:06.52\00:27:11.29
But notice His
humility in prayer.
00:27:11.69\00:27:14.20
What does He say?
In perfect submission
00:27:14.60\00:27:17.47
He prays for
God's will to be done.
00:27:17.63\00:27:20.07
All things are possible for God.
00:27:20.47\00:27:24.74
Why did God not
choose another way
00:27:25.14\00:27:29.58
when His Son was asking for it?
00:27:29.78\00:27:32.28
Well, because the
eternal council of God
00:27:32.48\00:27:35.45
had been settled.
God had spoken it.
00:27:35.65\00:27:37.82
He prophesied it, and
God always fulfills His Word.
00:27:38.02\00:27:41.06
The penalty for the disobedience
to the Ten Commandment law
00:27:41.46\00:27:45.36
of love was
death: the second death
00:27:45.56\00:27:47.96
that Revelation
mentions four different times.
00:27:48.36\00:27:50.57
We cannot pay that penalty
00:27:50.77\00:27:52.77
because we all have
sinned. All have sinned
00:27:52.97\00:27:57.07
and fallen short
of the glory of God.
00:27:57.47\00:27:59.51
It took a perfect
Man, a sinless Man,
00:27:59.91\00:28:03.38
OUR CREATOR, to
stand in as our substitute.
00:28:03.58\00:28:08.05
This is the reason
for the incarnation.
00:28:08.45\00:28:11.95
This is the reason
Jesus became a human being:
00:28:12.15\00:28:15.92
so that He could
be our substitute.
00:28:16.12\00:28:18.63
To demonstrate His love
and righteousness God did not
00:28:18.83\00:28:22.96
cancel His Ten Commandment law.
00:28:23.16\00:28:26.00
He did not waive the penalty.
00:28:26.20\00:28:28.40
He sent His Son to
die for us in our place!
00:28:28.60\00:28:34.41
Just think of the
Father's excruciating sorrow
00:28:34.61\00:28:38.98
as in heaven
He's watching His Son
00:28:39.38\00:28:43.18
who is one with Him.
He's watching Him in the agony
00:28:43.39\00:28:47.76
of His humanity. And
God knows that... I mean,
00:28:47.96\00:28:52.96
He loved His Son.
How He must have suffered
00:28:53.16\00:28:57.23
as He watched Jesus suffer.
00:28:57.43\00:28:59.40
But He also loves us, and
He knew that we would be doomed
00:28:59.60\00:29:03.57
for destruction if Jesus
didn't go through and drink
00:29:03.77\00:29:07.24
this cup. To be a just God
He had to become the justifier.
00:29:07.44\00:29:11.88
So God had to
suffer with His Son
00:29:12.08\00:29:15.28
as His Son is
suffering in agony.
00:29:15.48\00:29:18.29
So look at verse 37.
00:29:18.49\00:29:21.09
Jesus is going to return
to His three friends after His
00:29:21.29\00:29:24.53
first time of prayer.
"Then He came and found them
00:29:24.73\00:29:29.30
sleeping. And He said to Peter:
00:29:29.50\00:29:31.80
'Simon, are you sleeping?
00:29:32.00\00:29:33.84
Could you not watch one
hour? Watch and pray lest you
00:29:34.04\00:29:37.41
enter into temptation.
The spirit indeed is willing
00:29:37.61\00:29:40.48
but the flesh is weak. ' "
00:29:40.68\00:29:42.21
These three had
fallen asleep before.
00:29:42.41\00:29:44.45
Where? On the
Mount of Transfiguration.
00:29:44.65\00:29:47.02
But now in falling asleep again
00:29:47.42\00:29:49.65
they're adding
grief to His sorrow.
00:29:49.85\00:29:52.05
He's in agony; He is sorrowful.
00:29:52.25\00:29:55.42
He's heavy
hearted; He's sweating.
00:29:55.62\00:29:58.16
He's praying and wrestling
in prayer, and they were so
00:29:58.36\00:30:01.13
little concerned that
they couldn't even stay awake.
00:30:01.33\00:30:04.23
And you know, their failure
to pray is probably the reason
00:30:04.40\00:30:07.70
they failed to
stand with Him later.
00:30:07.90\00:30:09.97
The flesh is
weak. In His humanity
00:30:10.17\00:30:14.18
Jesus identified with this
00:30:14.38\00:30:17.01
given His suffering and His
reluctance to drink the cup.
00:30:17.21\00:30:20.28
He's speaking to all
three but He addresses Simon
00:30:20.68\00:30:24.52
personally because
Simon at the Last Supper...
00:30:24.72\00:30:28.46
He had brash
zeal, didn't he? Simon.
00:30:28.66\00:30:31.13
And he had said: "Oh
Lord, even if all deny You
00:30:31.33\00:30:34.76
I will not deny You.
Even if I have to die with You
00:30:34.96\00:30:37.77
I will not deny You. "
But He now, did you notice,
00:30:37.97\00:30:41.47
He didn't call him
Peter, He called him Simon
00:30:41.67\00:30:43.74
because he knew the flesh
had ahold of him and He wanted
00:30:43.94\00:30:46.04
Peter to recognize this.
00:30:46.24\00:30:48.61
So earlier Jesus had prayed
for Peter and his disciples
00:30:49.01\00:30:52.81
but now there
was no reciprocity.
00:30:53.01\00:30:54.92
He had to pray all on His own.
00:30:55.12\00:30:58.32
"The spirit is willing
but the flesh is weak. "
00:30:58.72\00:31:01.02
And the disciples would succumb
to their natural weakness.
00:31:01.22\00:31:04.03
And we need to
remember that physical weakness
00:31:04.23\00:31:07.03
can lead to spiritual weakness.
00:31:07.23\00:31:09.60
When we are
exhausted and tired and hungry
00:31:09.80\00:31:12.50
help us to remember
that we need to be watchful.
00:31:12.70\00:31:15.60
So Christ says to
them: "Watch! Be on guard!
00:31:16.00\00:31:20.34
Greater trials are coming.
You believe Me to be the Messiah
00:31:20.54\00:31:24.15
but you don't understand
the necessity of My death
00:31:24.35\00:31:27.12
and your faith is going to be
tried. So pray and seek strength
00:31:27.32\00:31:31.35
from God so that you
don't lose faith and deny Me. "
00:31:31.55\00:31:33.92
Because the weakness of
their human nature would not
00:31:34.12\00:31:36.62
sustain them in their hour.
00:31:36.83\00:31:38.53
Now He's going to go pray
to His Father a second time.
00:31:38.93\00:31:41.23
Verse 39: "Again He went away
and prayed and spoke the same
00:31:41.43\00:31:45.03
words. " Matthew records
those words: "Oh, My Father,
00:31:45.23\00:31:48.57
if this cup cannot pass
from Me unless I drink it,
00:31:48.77\00:31:51.51
Your will be done. "
Then an angel appeared to Him
00:31:51.71\00:31:55.44
from heaven strengthening Him.
00:31:55.64\00:31:57.28
Jesus... Let me remind
you again: He's not shrinking
00:31:57.61\00:32:00.98
from death. He's shrinking from
drinking the cup of God's wrath
00:32:01.18\00:32:04.59
and being
separated from His Father.
00:32:04.79\00:32:06.69
And perhaps Jesus prayed
and said: "Lord send an angel
00:32:06.89\00:32:09.62
to strengthen Me. " But
perhaps He just expressed
00:32:09.82\00:32:13.80
that sentiment in His groans.
00:32:14.00\00:32:17.90
Let me tell you
something: as we sigh and groan
00:32:18.10\00:32:21.07
in prayer God understands
the language of a broken heart.
00:32:21.27\00:32:26.21
So God knew that Christ
was sinking in His human nature
00:32:26.64\00:32:31.41
because... Do you realize Jesus,
the whole time He was on earth,
00:32:31.81\00:32:35.32
He never once did anything
00:32:35.52\00:32:39.95
except to submit to
His human limitations.
00:32:40.16\00:32:43.43
He never called on
His own divine power
00:32:43.63\00:32:45.49
to rescue Him... He
always called on His Father.
00:32:45.69\00:32:48.53
So just as the Father sent
the angels during the 40 days
00:32:48.73\00:32:51.37
He sends an angel
now to strengthen Him.
00:32:51.57\00:32:53.40
And I wonder
what that angel did.
00:32:53.70\00:32:55.47
How did the
angel minister to Him?
00:32:55.67\00:32:57.54
Did he wipe the
sweat from Jesus' brow
00:32:57.74\00:33:00.41
or the tears from His cheeks?
00:33:00.61\00:33:02.08
Or did he just embrace Him
tightly and remind Him how much
00:33:02.28\00:33:04.78
the Father loved Him? I
don't know, but the angel
00:33:04.98\00:33:08.58
did a good work. Christ's
absolute dependence upon God
00:33:08.78\00:33:13.76
demonstrates how we must
confront the terrible trials
00:33:13.96\00:33:17.66
of our lives. Now
let's look at verse 40.
00:33:17.86\00:33:20.50
He returns to them a second
time. "And when He returned
00:33:20.90\00:33:23.43
He found them asleep
again for their eyes were heavy
00:33:23.63\00:33:27.64
and they did not know
what to answer. " Matthew says
00:33:27.84\00:33:31.81
that He then went away
again and prayed the third time
00:33:32.01\00:33:35.48
saying the same words.
00:33:35.68\00:33:37.01
But Luke adds
something that's interesting.
00:33:37.21\00:33:40.72
First he says their
eyes "were heavy from sorrow"
00:33:41.12\00:33:45.02
but then he says: "Being in
agony He prayed more earnestly.
00:33:45.22\00:33:48.36
Then His sweat became
like great drops of blood
00:33:48.76\00:33:53.36
falling down to the ground. "
00:33:53.56\00:33:55.33
So Jesus spends time in prayer
then He comes and He checks on
00:33:55.53\00:33:58.53
His disciples to show
His deep interest in their...
00:33:58.73\00:34:02.84
their welfare and also probably
so that they could witness
00:34:03.04\00:34:07.08
His sufferings. He finds
them asleep a second time
00:34:07.28\00:34:10.35
instead of watching and praying.
00:34:10.55\00:34:11.95
They slept not
understanding His sufferings
00:34:12.15\00:34:14.35
but I guarantee you one thing:
His enemies weren't asleep.
00:34:14.55\00:34:17.09
His enemies were awake and
watching for an opportunity
00:34:17.49\00:34:20.66
to get Him... yet
His closest friends
00:34:20.86\00:34:23.93
could not struggle to
stay awake to pray one hour.
00:34:24.13\00:34:27.76
So the second time He comes
and He finds them sleeping.
00:34:27.96\00:34:30.53
Despite their earlier
professions of loyalty unto
00:34:30.93\00:34:34.70
death, and they knew they were
guilty of disappointing Him.
00:34:34.90\00:34:37.94
And so they were speechless.
00:34:38.34\00:34:40.74
They didn't know what to say.
00:34:40.94\00:34:42.38
When Luke talks
about the heavy eyelids
00:34:42.78\00:34:45.91
Luke, being a doctor,
he says it's from sorrow.
00:34:46.11\00:34:49.65
This is probably around
1 AM now. It was well past
00:34:49.85\00:34:52.32
their bedtime. But
being a doctor, Luke knew
00:34:52.52\00:34:55.46
that one of the
symptoms of sorrow is extreme
00:34:55.66\00:35:01.23
drowsiness. Why
were they sorrowful?
00:35:01.43\00:35:03.77
Well, although Jesus
foretold His suffering and death
00:35:04.17\00:35:07.24
multiple times, they had not
ever... it had not registered
00:35:07.44\00:35:11.37
with them. They
couldn't accept it because
00:35:11.57\00:35:13.48
they expected a
militant Messiah...
00:35:13.68\00:35:17.25
not the portrait of the suffer-
ing servant that Isaiah 53
00:35:17.65\00:35:22.02
had portrayed. And
so I've heard it said -
00:35:22.22\00:35:27.56
and I love this -
"preconceived opinions
00:35:27.69\00:35:31.66
effectively insulate
the mind against truth. "
00:35:31.86\00:35:37.13
So their minds... they
had a preconceived opinion;
00:35:37.53\00:35:40.10
they couldn't soak it in.
But on the way to the garden
00:35:40.30\00:35:43.24
in John 16... As He was teaching
them, He mentioned He was
00:35:43.47\00:35:47.18
leaving the world and going
to the Father, and for the first
00:35:47.38\00:35:49.28
time it was beginning to
sink in that He was going away.
00:35:49.48\00:35:52.51
So the events of the
evening had been shocking.
00:35:52.71\00:35:54.78
They were emotionally
distressed. He'd taken the bread
00:35:54.98\00:35:58.49
and cup at the Passover
and said: "This is My body;
00:35:58.69\00:36:01.46
this is My blood which
will be shed for you. "
00:36:01.66\00:36:03.56
And it was beginning to register
with them that He was going
00:36:03.76\00:36:06.16
away. And they were pre-
occupied with their own feelings
00:36:06.36\00:36:09.00
because they had not yet learned
total dependence upon God.
00:36:09.20\00:36:11.70
They could not shake off
their physical drowsiness,
00:36:11.90\00:36:15.47
their spiritual blindness,
and their presumption.
00:36:15.67\00:36:20.38
They presumed God
would hold them up.
00:36:21.18\00:36:25.01
See, we take God for granted,
don't we? These three things:
00:36:25.21\00:36:28.02
spiritual blindness and
the... I forgot what I'm saying.
00:36:28.22\00:36:32.69
Spiritual blindness, physical
drowsiness, and presumption
00:36:32.89\00:36:36.42
are great enemies
to persevering prayer.
00:36:36.62\00:36:39.43
So Christ retreats to
pray a third time, struggling
00:36:39.63\00:36:42.60
with the same agonizing
spirit to be released from this
00:36:42.80\00:36:46.43
unbearable pressure.
His emotional struggle
00:36:46.63\00:36:49.17
came as He focused on the
suffering He must experience
00:36:49.37\00:36:52.57
as the sin bearer of the world
00:36:52.77\00:36:54.14
knowing that He would
be separated from God.
00:36:54.34\00:36:56.71
His mental struggle was
to overcome the temptation
00:36:56.91\00:37:00.55
to save the
world some other way.
00:37:00.75\00:37:02.98
His spiritual struggle
was encountering the powers
00:37:03.18\00:37:07.09
of darkness as Satan
waged his final battle.
00:37:07.29\00:37:11.39
So in agony He's
contemplating His Father's will,
00:37:11.59\00:37:15.83
consistent with
the eternal council.
00:37:16.03\00:37:18.90
"If it is possible,
Lord... if it's possible,
00:37:19.10\00:37:22.40
if it can be consistent
with Your justice and the world
00:37:22.60\00:37:26.07
could be redeemed without
what I'm about to go through,
00:37:26.27\00:37:29.91
without being separated from
You, oh Lord, let it be done. "
00:37:30.15\00:37:33.62
His human nature in
view of such great suffering
00:37:33.82\00:37:38.39
shrunk from the thought of
it and He desired deliverance.
00:37:38.59\00:37:42.76
But still He
sought the will of God.
00:37:42.96\00:37:45.59
And guess what?
It was not possible.
00:37:45.99\00:37:50.27
The cup could not
pass. The sinless Son of God
00:37:52.57\00:37:56.87
must be prepared to drink it.
00:37:57.07\00:37:59.64
So now the crushing
emotional weight of the world's
00:37:59.84\00:38:03.48
sins and the
intensity of His struggle
00:38:03.68\00:38:06.41
actually
compresses His physical body.
00:38:06.61\00:38:09.78
The pressure of the inner agony
was so great that His capillary
00:38:09.98\00:38:14.82
veins right under the skin burst
00:38:15.02\00:38:17.66
and His own precious blood
was forced through His enlarged
00:38:17.86\00:38:22.56
pores mingled with His
sweat and fell in great drops.
00:38:22.76\00:38:27.57
The weight of our sins
00:38:27.97\00:38:30.81
was just like the weight
of that gethsemane column
00:38:31.01\00:38:35.34
that crushed the
oil from the fruit.
00:38:35.54\00:38:38.38
So let's look at verse 41.
00:38:38.58\00:38:41.02
Third time He comes to
them and finds them asleep.
00:38:41.22\00:38:43.59
"Then He came the
third time and said to them:
00:38:44.89\00:38:47.26
'Are you still
sleeping and resting?
00:38:47.46\00:38:49.82
It is enough! The hour has come.
00:38:50.03\00:38:52.46
Behold, the Son of Man is
being betrayed into the hands
00:38:52.66\00:38:54.83
of sinners.
Rise... let us be going.
00:38:55.00\00:38:57.13
See... My
betrayer is at hand. ' "
00:38:57.33\00:38:59.77
Knowing it WAS the Father's will
00:39:00.27\00:39:02.74
He was determined to go forward.
00:39:02.94\00:39:05.91
He would not exercise a
will independent of the Father.
00:39:06.31\00:39:10.38
As long as Jesus
Christ was on earth
00:39:10.58\00:39:13.31
His will - and actually,
before He ever came to earth
00:39:13.55\00:39:16.52
and always - His will perfectly
lined up with His Father's.
00:39:16.72\00:39:21.42
So He relinquishes His
will in favor of the Father's.
00:39:21.62\00:39:25.76
He's relieved of
the emotional strain.
00:39:25.96\00:39:28.40
He is revived by God's peace,
rejuvenated with great courage,
00:39:28.60\00:39:32.63
and He resigned
Himself to death saying:
00:39:32.83\00:39:34.84
"Behold, the hour is come;
The Son of Man is betrayed. "
00:39:35.04\00:39:37.94
"Come on, let's get on with
it" is what He's saying here.
00:39:38.34\00:39:40.91
"There's no
shrinking back now. "
00:39:41.11\00:39:43.55
He said: "Rise! Let us
meet this mob full on. "
00:39:43.95\00:39:46.92
He chose to fulfill
prophecy for you and me. Amen!
00:39:47.12\00:39:52.75
He chose to fulfill
God's great love story. Yes!
00:39:53.12\00:39:57.63
On the walk to the
garden that night He had said
00:39:57.83\00:40:00.70
in John 15:12-13:
"This is My commandment
00:40:00.90\00:40:03.93
that you love one
another as I have loved you.
00:40:04.13\00:40:06.20
Greater love has
no one than this:
00:40:06.40\00:40:08.27
than to lay down one's
life for his friends. "
00:40:08.47\00:40:11.17
And now He would prove it.
00:40:11.37\00:40:13.84
Compelled by love and
His supreme sense of duty
00:40:14.24\00:40:18.35
and the sacredness
of His Father's service
00:40:18.55\00:40:20.95
He chose to satisfy
the heart of His Father,
00:40:21.25\00:40:24.49
to do what would
most glorify Him.
00:40:24.69\00:40:26.39
Now I want to point something
out, and don't miss this:
00:40:26.82\00:40:30.13
the Lamb of God who was
slain from the foundation
00:40:31.43\00:40:36.46
of the world made that
choice in His divinity. Yes!
00:40:36.70\00:40:42.24
The Son of Manmade that choice
00:40:42.64\00:40:47.71
in His humanity. Yes! Amen!
00:40:48.11\00:40:50.98
Is that not powerful? I
was working on this one day
00:40:51.18\00:40:55.12
and then I was at my
sink and God showed me that.
00:40:55.32\00:40:57.52
And I thought: "How amazing! "
00:40:57.69\00:41:00.46
God strengthened Him with
grace to go forward boldly.
00:41:00.86\00:41:04.39
He chose to submit...
and in choosing to submit
00:41:04.79\00:41:08.56
to the Father's will He
became a model for His disciples
00:41:08.76\00:41:12.53
and for us. He
became an example for us.
00:41:12.73\00:41:16.67
When we are in grief, in
pain, if we're standing alone
00:41:16.87\00:41:20.28
neglected by our closest friends
00:41:20.48\00:41:22.74
He turned to God in
agonizing prayer three times
00:41:22.94\00:41:26.45
saying: If it's
possible, take this. "
00:41:26.68\00:41:28.75
But He persevered in prayer,
and that brought the release
00:41:28.95\00:41:32.85
that God gave Him, the
great courage and the peace.
00:41:33.05\00:41:36.46
God did not remove
the cup - that's right -
00:41:36.69\00:41:39.66
BUT He did answer
Christ's prayer - yes He did -
00:41:39.86\00:41:43.30
because He kept
Him from failing.
00:41:43.50\00:41:45.77
So what is your trial?
00:41:46.17\00:41:48.04
Just as Christ
prayed I encourage you:
00:41:48.24\00:41:52.31
it's OK to pray and say
"let this cup pass from me. "
00:41:52.51\00:41:55.68
But if God does not
let the cup pass from you
00:41:56.08\00:42:00.32
don't lose faith.
00:42:00.52\00:42:02.18
Don't lose hope in God.
Don't let your faith be shaken.
00:42:02.38\00:42:06.12
Though we might
pray for God to remove it
00:42:06.52\00:42:09.19
the greatest assignment
we have is just as Jesus had:
00:42:09.39\00:42:14.20
to accept the will of God
00:42:14.30\00:42:16.83
and ask that He
gives us grace to bear it.
00:42:17.03\00:42:20.30
Let's look at verse 43.
00:42:21.90\00:42:25.44
"And immediately, while He
was still speaking, Judas -
00:42:25.64\00:42:29.44
one of the twelve -
with a great multitude
00:42:29.64\00:42:32.58
with swords and clubs
came from the chief priests
00:42:32.78\00:42:35.12
and the scribes
and the elders. "
00:42:35.32\00:42:36.69
And John adds Judas had
received a detachment of troops.
00:42:36.89\00:42:41.96
This was Roman
soldiers coming with him
00:42:42.16\00:42:44.33
and also the temple police.
00:42:44.63\00:42:46.66
A detachment of troops and
officers from the chief priests
00:42:46.86\00:42:49.53
and Pharisees came
there with lanterns, torches,
00:42:49.73\00:42:53.20
and weapons. Well, I just
got through telling you it was
00:42:53.60\00:42:56.07
a moonlit night. Why did
they need lanterns, torches,
00:42:56.27\00:42:59.37
and weapons? Well,
because at this time of night
00:42:59.57\00:43:03.08
in the valley of the Kidron
the... Gethsemane would be
00:43:03.28\00:43:08.25
darkened by the shadow
of the adjoining mountains.
00:43:08.45\00:43:14.16
So Judas knew well
Christ's customary place
00:43:14.56\00:43:18.39
for prayer. And the treachery
of Judas left a deep impression
00:43:18.59\00:43:23.20
on all four of the
gospel writers because they all
00:43:23.43\00:43:25.77
mention this. So
the multitude comes
00:43:25.97\00:43:29.00
led by Judas well
supplied with lights.
00:43:29.20\00:43:30.97
Look at verse 44.
00:43:31.17\00:43:32.51
"Now his betrayer had
given them a signal saying:
00:43:32.64\00:43:35.48
'Whomever I kiss, He is the
One. Seize Him and lead Him away
00:43:35.78\00:43:40.08
safely. ' " Interesting.
"As soon as he had come
00:43:40.48\00:43:44.25
immediately He went up
to Him and said to Him:
00:43:44.45\00:43:47.46
'Rabbi; rabbi... '
and he kissed Him. "
00:43:47.66\00:43:51.03
Matthew adds:
"But Jesus said to him:
00:43:51.63\00:43:53.96
'Friend, why have you come? ' "
00:43:54.13\00:43:55.90
Jesus wanted him
to examine his heart.
00:43:56.30\00:43:58.77
Luke says that He also
said: "Judas, are you betraying
00:43:59.27\00:44:03.00
the Son of Man with a kiss? "
00:44:03.20\00:44:05.04
And then John adds this:
00:44:06.01\00:44:08.08
"Jesus therefore, knowing all
things that would come upon Him,
00:44:08.28\00:44:10.95
went forward and said to
them: 'Whom are you seeking? ' "
00:44:11.15\00:44:15.05
And they said:
"Jesus of Nazareth. "
00:44:15.25\00:44:16.69
And then He said: "I am... "
The scripture says: "I am He. "
00:44:16.89\00:44:21.02
But if you'll notice, it's
italics; it's an added word.
00:44:21.22\00:44:23.63
What He actually
said was: "I AM. "
00:44:24.03\00:44:26.46
And then: "Judas who
betrayed Him also stood with Him
00:44:27.73\00:44:31.67
and now when He
said to them: 'I AM'
00:44:31.87\00:44:34.54
they drew back and
they fell to the ground.
00:44:34.74\00:44:38.54
Then He asked them
again: 'Whom are you seeking? '
00:44:38.94\00:44:41.51
And they said:
'Jesus of Nazareth. '
00:44:41.71\00:44:43.91
Jesus said: 'I
have told you that I AM.
00:44:44.28\00:44:47.52
I am the Man.
Therefore, if you seek Me
00:44:47.72\00:44:50.45
let these others go their way'
00:44:50.65\00:44:52.72
that the saying might be
fulfilled which He spoke:
00:44:52.92\00:44:55.36
'Of those whom You gave
Me I have lost none. ' "
00:44:55.56\00:44:58.09
The kiss on the
cheek was a common greeting
00:44:58.49\00:45:01.33
in the Jewish society. Men
would only do this in public
00:45:01.53\00:45:05.03
if it were some kind of a
festival or a formal occasion.
00:45:05.23\00:45:10.24
So this was to show
respect and affection.
00:45:11.41\00:45:14.78
Judas was
shamefully hypocritical
00:45:15.18\00:45:20.65
when he kissed Jesus.
But the soldiers expected
00:45:20.85\00:45:24.42
to arrest a peasant who
was going to resist them.
00:45:24.62\00:45:29.82
But when He says "I AM"
that's a claim of divinity,
00:45:30.66\00:45:34.73
isn't it? And did you know what?
00:45:34.93\00:45:36.87
At least the scripture doesn't
say there was a flash of light.
00:45:37.27\00:45:40.70
It was just His
authoritative announcement
00:45:40.90\00:45:46.17
that as He declared this
divinity they all fell back.
00:45:46.68\00:45:50.95
And I wonder if
Jesus fell back as well.
00:45:51.15\00:45:53.38
I mean Judas fell back as well.
00:45:53.78\00:45:55.62
So Christ steps forward
to protect His disciples.
00:45:56.02\00:45:58.75
And look at verse 46:
00:45:58.95\00:46:00.69
"Then they laid
their hands on Him
00:46:01.06\00:46:03.09
and they took Him.
And when those around Him
00:46:03.29\00:46:06.26
saw what was
going to happen... "
00:46:06.46\00:46:07.96
Oh, excuse me. Let me
read it first to you from Mark.
00:46:08.16\00:46:11.27
"Then they laid their
hands on Him and took Him.
00:46:11.47\00:46:13.20
And one of those who
stood by drew his sword
00:46:13.44\00:46:16.44
and struck the high priest's
servant and cut off his ear. "
00:46:16.64\00:46:22.44
Luke says: "When those around
them saw what was going to
00:46:22.84\00:46:25.38
happen they said: 'Lord, shall
we strike with the sword? ' "
00:46:25.58\00:46:27.95
And John identifies
the servant as Malchus.
00:46:28.25\00:46:31.42
Matthew says that Jesus said:
"Put your sword in its place
00:46:31.62\00:46:34.16
for all who take the
sword will perish by the sword.
00:46:34.32\00:46:37.93
Or do you not think that
I can now pray to My Father
00:46:38.13\00:46:40.60
and He will provide Me more
than 12 legions of angels? "
00:46:40.80\00:46:45.60
Do you realize that a
legion was 6,000 soldiers?
00:46:45.80\00:46:48.74
So twelve legions
would be 72,000 angels.
00:46:49.14\00:46:53.94
But everything Christ
did was to fulfill prophecy.
00:46:54.31\00:46:57.65
And then he goes on...
Luke... excuse me, in John...
00:46:58.15\00:47:01.15
in Matthew it says Jesus said:
00:47:01.55\00:47:04.49
"How then could the
scriptures be fulfilled
00:47:04.69\00:47:07.49
that this must happen? "
00:47:07.69\00:47:09.16
And Luke mentions... I
love Luke 'cause he's a doctor
00:47:09.92\00:47:12.43
so he's always putting
in these little details
00:47:12.63\00:47:14.30
other people leave out.
00:47:14.46\00:47:15.76
He says that He
touched the ear of this servant
00:47:15.80\00:47:19.27
and He healed it. But
isn't it interesting that
00:47:19.47\00:47:22.57
even that miracle had no
effect on their unresponsive
00:47:22.77\00:47:26.61
hard hearts. Mark...
48... "Then Jesus answered
00:47:26.81\00:47:31.78
and said to them:
'Have you come out
00:47:31.98\00:47:35.12
as against a robber with
swords and clubs to take Me?
00:47:35.32\00:47:38.79
I was daily with you
in the temple teaching...
00:47:38.99\00:47:41.12
in the temple teaching
and you did not seize Me.
00:47:41.32\00:47:45.03
But the scriptures
must be fulfilled. ' "
00:47:45.23\00:47:48.43
Luke says He's speaking to
the chief priests, captain's
00:47:49.03\00:47:51.97
of the temple, and the
elders who had all come out.
00:47:52.17\00:47:54.94
So they're all out
there... this is a mob!
00:47:55.14\00:47:57.61
There's servants;
there's Roman soldiers;
00:47:57.81\00:48:00.41
the temple police...
all the "uppity-ups. "
00:48:00.61\00:48:03.11
There's everybody who is there.
00:48:03.51\00:48:05.68
And this is where
Luke says that He says
00:48:05.88\00:48:09.12
"But this is your hour
and the power of darkness. "
00:48:09.32\00:48:13.99
Our human minds cannot grasp
00:48:14.36\00:48:18.06
the horrific horrors of the
hour of that power of darkness.
00:48:18.26\00:48:22.70
You know, the reason
that they came at this hour...
00:48:23.77\00:48:28.60
This was all calculated
00:48:28.80\00:48:30.71
because the chief priests,
the elders, everybody knew
00:48:30.91\00:48:34.44
that if they tried to
arrest Jesus during the day
00:48:34.64\00:48:36.88
that there would be an uproar.
So they were waiting till His...
00:48:37.08\00:48:39.85
His supporters were asleep.
00:48:40.05\00:48:43.18
So look at verse 50:
00:48:43.69\00:48:45.22
"Then they all
forsook Him and fled.
00:48:45.42\00:48:47.92
Now a certain young
man followed Him... "
00:48:48.32\00:48:50.26
This is most
likely Mark, the author...
00:48:50.46\00:48:52.26
"having a linen cloth
thrown around His naked body.
00:48:52.66\00:48:55.06
And the young
men laid hold of Him
00:48:55.26\00:48:57.23
and He left the linen
cloth and fled from them naked.
00:48:57.43\00:49:01.00
And they led Jesus
away to the high priest.
00:49:01.20\00:49:04.24
And with him were assembled all
the chief priests, the elders,
00:49:04.44\00:49:07.64
and the scribes. "
This marks the moment
00:49:07.84\00:49:13.18
that the Son of God was
delivered into the hands
00:49:13.58\00:49:17.32
of sinful men. In Matthew
26:31 Jesus had said this
00:49:17.52\00:49:22.12
just before they had
arrived at the Garden:
00:49:22.32\00:49:25.53
"All of you will be made to
stumble because of Me this night
00:49:25.73\00:49:28.33
for it is written: 'I
will strike the Shepherd
00:49:28.53\00:49:30.60
and the sheep of the
flock will be scattered. ' "
00:49:30.80\00:49:34.04
This was the
fulfilling of Zechariah 13:7.
00:49:34.44\00:49:37.51
So as the eleven looked
on at this great multitude,
00:49:37.91\00:49:43.55
this mob, they saw their
Master was actually being taken.
00:49:43.75\00:49:47.92
They forgot their
promises not to forsake Him.
00:49:48.22\00:49:51.85
At the end of three
years of the closest intimacy
00:49:52.25\00:49:56.66
with the Savior they all
fled... leaving Him alone
00:49:56.86\00:50:00.50
to face His enemies. Peter
learned that it was easier to
00:50:00.70\00:50:04.43
fight for Jesus
than to die for Jesus.
00:50:04.63\00:50:07.70
Remember, Peter's the
one who drew the sword.
00:50:07.90\00:50:10.41
And then the scriptures tell us
that as they're leading him away
00:50:11.01\00:50:13.84
John and Peter
followed at a distance
00:50:14.04\00:50:16.51
to the palace
of the high priest.
00:50:16.71\00:50:18.48
But this scene being over
the Lord was taken prisoner
00:50:19.08\00:50:23.95
for the first and the last time.
00:50:24.15\00:50:27.22
I want to share with you...
00:50:27.42\00:50:30.69
if I have it here.
00:50:31.29\00:50:33.03
No... this is it.
Let's look at this...
00:50:34.10\00:50:39.13
We have looked at this
scene, and I have to tell you
00:50:39.77\00:50:42.90
something. When we
sent out the list of sermons
00:50:43.10\00:50:47.21
to all of our eleven speakers,
or the ten other speakers,
00:50:48.84\00:50:52.05
since that was
something that was my job
00:50:53.11\00:50:55.48
I decided I'm going to take
whatever sermons are left over.
00:50:55.68\00:50:59.62
'Cause I didn't care
which ones I preached
00:50:59.82\00:51:02.29
or taught. I shouldn't
say preached but taught.
00:51:02.49\00:51:04.63
And out of the
other ten not one person
00:51:05.59\00:51:09.46
chose the Garden of Gethsemane
or the Trial of Trials
00:51:09.66\00:51:13.40
as even an alternate of
what they would like to do.
00:51:13.80\00:51:18.77
So it was clear:
these two landed to me.
00:51:19.07\00:51:22.14
But I have to
tell you something:
00:51:22.54\00:51:24.35
this is God's will. Amen!
00:51:24.75\00:51:26.72
Because as I have studied
this... as I have spent time
00:51:26.92\00:51:32.35
meditating on this...
God has changed my heart.
00:51:33.72\00:51:38.46
And we'll talk about
this more in the next hour
00:51:38.66\00:51:41.56
when we talk about
the trial of trials.
00:51:41.76\00:51:43.70
I don't believe I
will ever doubt God again.
00:51:44.10\00:51:47.50
Never... never.
00:51:47.90\00:51:50.74
Jesus suffered and triumphed
00:51:51.54\00:51:55.34
in Gethsemane.
00:51:55.74\00:51:58.65
In the garden
Christ - the Son of Man -
00:51:58.85\00:52:02.02
accepted God's will.
He accepted the weight
00:52:02.22\00:52:06.15
of humanity's sin and
the penalty and punishment
00:52:06.35\00:52:09.96
of death for every man.
00:52:10.16\00:52:11.66
He who knew no
sin became sin for us.
00:52:11.86\00:52:16.23
He was made sin for us.
00:52:16.43\00:52:18.83
This meant He would be
cut off from His Father:
00:52:19.23\00:52:22.07
the one thing that He
agonized over the most.
00:52:22.47\00:52:25.21
But Christ's voluntary
submission to a death that
00:52:25.41\00:52:29.64
involved intense
shame and intense suffering
00:52:29.84\00:52:32.61
for the sole purpose of
serving as our substitute
00:52:32.81\00:52:37.99
was His supreme act
of self-humiliation.
00:52:39.19\00:52:43.99
What is the purpose
of rehearsing this event
00:52:45.63\00:52:50.73
in the life of Jesus Christ?
00:52:50.93\00:52:53.47
When we come to scripture
00:52:54.07\00:52:56.57
we should be praying for
the Holy Spirit to help us
00:52:56.77\00:53:00.98
understand, and we
should always pray John 17:17.
00:53:01.11\00:53:05.28
"Lord, sanctify
me by Your truth;
00:53:05.68\00:53:10.19
Your Word is truth. "
00:53:10.39\00:53:12.49
So why do we rehearse this?
00:53:12.69\00:53:15.66
Well, as we contemplate
the sufferings of Christ
00:53:16.06\00:53:19.29
we should be moved
to re-orient our life
00:53:20.43\00:53:24.33
to line up in every
way to the will of God.
00:53:24.63\00:53:29.30
We can't fathom the love of God.
00:53:30.47\00:53:34.31
The more I study it the
more mysterious it is to me
00:53:34.71\00:53:38.58
because it is too
great to calculate.
00:53:38.98\00:53:42.08
But in understanding
the suffering of Christ
00:53:42.28\00:53:47.42
we will find emotional support
00:53:47.62\00:53:50.49
when we are
suffering Christians.
00:53:50.69\00:53:53.96
The ordeal of Christ's suffering
00:53:54.40\00:53:57.87
produced empathy for us.
00:53:58.07\00:54:00.07
He had to experience
our doubts, our fears,
00:54:00.57\00:54:05.44
and our torments so
that He could pity us
00:54:05.84\00:54:09.58
in our existence. He
was tempted by Satan...
00:54:09.78\00:54:13.82
I started to say as
we are tempted. No way.
00:54:14.02\00:54:16.99
I don't think
any of us have ever
00:54:17.19\00:54:19.95
ever experienced
00:54:20.36\00:54:24.39
this kind of temptation.
00:54:24.59\00:54:26.70
But all He
exercised is the same power
00:54:27.10\00:54:31.10
that is available to us:
the power of the Holy Spirit.
00:54:31.30\00:54:35.97
When you think
about Jesus in the garden
00:54:36.87\00:54:40.78
I want to encourage
you on a daily basis
00:54:40.98\00:54:45.01
to go to your own
Garden of Gethsemane
00:54:45.21\00:54:48.65
and pray: "Oh, Lord... "
Luke 22:42... "not my will
00:54:49.72\00:54:55.02
but Your's be done. "
00:54:55.42\00:54:57.59
"Lead me and guide me by
Your good Spirit, Father. "
00:54:58.09\00:55:01.40
And pray and say: "Lord, help me
00:55:01.60\00:55:05.73
to pick up my cross.
" What does that mean?
00:55:05.93\00:55:09.40
You're willing to die to self.
00:55:09.60\00:55:11.27
"Help me, Lord, to pick
up my cross. As You said
00:55:11.47\00:55:14.58
in Luke 9:23 and to die daily. "
00:55:14.78\00:55:18.98
You know, we cannot
crucify ourselves... even when
00:55:20.02\00:55:24.09
we pick up the
cross. Roman 8:13-14
00:55:24.29\00:55:26.96
says that if we live
by the flesh we will die
00:55:27.16\00:55:31.69
but if by the
power of the Holy Spirit
00:55:31.89\00:55:36.67
we put to death the
misdeeds of the flesh
00:55:36.87\00:55:39.20
we will live. So
that is something
00:55:39.40\00:55:42.17
that we must
daily do is say: "Lord,
00:55:42.37\00:55:45.61
help me cooperate with
Your Holy Spirit, Lord. "
00:55:45.81\00:55:50.31
"Help me to
cooperate and be willing
00:55:50.51\00:55:54.78
to allow Him to put to death
the misdeeds of my flesh. "
00:55:54.98\00:55:59.19
And then what we have to do
00:55:59.59\00:56:02.02
is after that we have to pray
00:56:02.22\00:56:05.99
as Jesus said in Luke 11:9
00:56:06.19\00:56:09.40
"Seek... Ask, and it
will be given to you;
00:56:09.80\00:56:14.04
seek, and you will
find; knock, and the door will
00:56:14.24\00:56:17.11
be opened unto you. "
And in the Greek these are
00:56:17.31\00:56:20.38
linear verbs that
mean to keep on asking,
00:56:20.58\00:56:23.45
keep on seeking,
keep on knocking!
00:56:23.65\00:56:26.92
And then verse 13
explains what we're asking for.
00:56:27.32\00:56:32.05
He says: "If you
being evil know how
00:56:32.45\00:56:34.52
to give good
gifts to your children,
00:56:34.72\00:56:36.29
how much more will your heavenly
Father give the Holy Spirit
00:56:36.49\00:56:40.70
to those who ask
and keep on asking. "
00:56:40.96\00:56:44.27
So I want to encourage you
00:56:44.67\00:56:47.40
on a daily basis think about
what Jesus did in the garden.
00:56:47.60\00:56:52.67
He... what caused
His inner suffering,
00:56:53.54\00:56:57.45
what caused Him to
cry with such anguish,
00:56:57.65\00:57:01.28
was the thought of
separation from the Father.
00:57:01.48\00:57:04.12
Let's don't let sin be a
barrier between us and God.
00:57:04.32\00:57:08.39
Let us follow Christ's example.
00:57:08.69\00:57:12.23
I hope that this is
something you will go home
00:57:13.23\00:57:17.17
and consider over and over again
00:57:17.47\00:57:20.97
because the more
you meditate on it
00:57:21.17\00:57:23.41
I promise you, the more
God will change your heart.
00:57:23.61\00:57:27.61
And it is the
greatest love story ever told!
00:57:28.01\00:57:31.41