It is Finished

In the Garden: Navigating Our Gethsemane Moments

Bible Passage: Matthew 26:36–46

Summary: This passage depicts Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, grappling with his impending suffering while seeking God's will through prayer. It highlights the tension between human frailty and divine purpose.

Big Idea: In our Gethsemane moments, we find strength through prayer and submission to God's will, just as Jesus did.

Recommended Study: I suggest using Logos to delve into the original Greek wording in Matthew 26:39, focusing on the term 'Pater' (Father), and its implications for our relationship with God. It may also be beneficial to explore commentaries that discuss the emotional and theological significance of Gethsemane, particularly as it relates to the themes of human suffering and divine will.

Hey LFY! Tonight we’re deep divining into the Final Days of Jesus’s life; the meaning of Easter! Why we celebrate it, why it’s such an important time for us as christians. We call this week Holy Week so let me give you the timeline:

[Timeline Pic] - Passover Meal, Jesus Washes his Disciples Feet, Jesus identifies his betrayer (Judas), The Lords Supper Instituted

- Jesus at Garden of Gesthemane, Betrayed By Judas and taken into custody

Peter Deines Jesus, Jesus taken to Romans, Jesus is beaten, whipped, and mocked and crucified.

Saturday pharisees ask for a guard at Jesus’s tomb, his body is in the grave. Resurrection Sunday, the tomb is found empty, Jesus has Risen

Last week we learned about the Passover Meal , Jesus’s last meal with his Disciples before being crucified. So after so much pressure from religious leaders (Pharisees) of preaching sermons that challenged their hypocrisy, that challenge every tradition, Jesus knew his time on earth physically was coming to an end. After the meal with his disciples, he took them to a place called the Garden of Gesthemene, [a place that still exists], to pray. [Pic of the Garden] - lets read;

Matthew 26:36–46 NIV

Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.” When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing. Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour has come, and the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners. Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!”

So esesntially Jesus is stressed out because He knows what’s about to go down—He’s going to be betrayed, beaten, and crucified. So, He takes His inner circle (Peter, James, and John) to a quiet spot called Gethsemane to pray.

He tells them, "My frinds, my soul is heavy right now. Stay up with me and pray." But while Jesus is having this intense moment with God, His friends keep knocking out.

Meanwhile, Jesus is pouring His heart out to God, asking, "If there’s any other way to do this, please let it happen. But if this is the plan, I’ll go through with it." Even though He’s scared, He chooses obedience over comfort.

After checking on His disciples (and catching them asleep three separate time times), Jesus goes, "Alright, time’s up. My betrayer is here." And that’s when Judas (one of his disciples) with the soldiers to arrest Him.

This whole scene hits different because it shows how Jesus felt real fear and pressure, just like we do. But instead of running from it, He leaned into God’s plan. He said not my will but yours. Theres a few things about this we should take into account;

Our God was a God of prayer.

After the supper, Jesus went to the Garden to pray. It said late at night he went, up until Judas came to betray him which scholars believe was some time around 3AM. There was no nap, there was no rest, he was so filled with fear and worry that his response was to go pray. Y’all he was so anxious for what was to come he was about to die a horrible death with so much suffering. The bible says this;

Luke 22:44 NIV

And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.

He had something called Hematohidrosis is a rare condition in which a human being sweats blood. Intense emotional stress or anxiety can trigger the release of hormones that dilate blood vessels and increase blood pressure. This can lead to the rupture of capillaries in the sweat glands, resulting in blood mixing with sweat. 

He pleaded with his disciples to “pray with me”. We see how Jesus prays, he is showing God that he is scared he says if its possible please take this responsiblility from me, if theres another way please do it, but your will- not mine. So not only do we see Jesus modeling ceaseless prayer like it says in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

1 Thessalonians 5:16–18 NIV

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

But we see submissive prayer, how he the son of God alligned himself with God’s desire. There are times I don’t understand God’s will or what the plans are. I don’t have the answers but what I do know is that his plans are good. So in trusting and believing in faith that because he is a Good Father, his plans are good.

Submissive prayer & Ceaseless Prayer.

2. You Cannot have promise without process

Matthew 26:42–44

A lot of us just want the drink that makes us skinny. We think a super pill can magically make us have a dream body but its not true, its consistency its process and more than likely its not pretty. The promise is there but you need the process and Crushing is the process. How fitting that our God would go in his process to the Garden of Gesthamene otherwise known as the Crushing Place or the Olive Press. See this place was an olive grove where they would make oil. How fitting that the savior of the world we know he could do anything he could have thought up a way out but he knew better than to forfeit process. We like the easy way out. We want to be the best at our sport but not want to go through the process. We think the same spiritually you want the annointing but not what it takes to make oil. Oil is made by the crushing of olives. If you forfeit the process you just have olives. We want the lord! We want the oil! Yes thats great but are you willing to be crushed. We see Jesus returning to this line of questioning lord would you take this cup but your will not mine. The promises in our lives over our lives are amazing, but sometimes we put more faith in the promise as opposed to the one who made it. Trust the promise keeper, walk through the process diligently. Practically we trust like this; Actively be persistent in prayer. Jesus was persistent asking the same line of questioning. Perseverance in prayer especially when you feel unheard or when the outcome changes. You may feel like a broken record, but I assure you that repeating struggles in prayer is a part of the journey, not a sign of weak faith.

Jeremiah 29:13 NIV

You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

3. Fill yourself

We continue the story;

Matthew 26:47–50 NIV

While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived. With him was a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and the elders of the people. Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The one I kiss is the man; arrest him.” Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed him. Jesus replied, “Do what you came for, friend.” Then the men stepped forward, seized Jesus and arrested him.

Matthew 26:45–46

Jesus was betrayed by his friend, not by a stab in the back but by something worse. It was a kiss. Think about Jesus being fully God and fully man he knew the three years on earth that Judas was his betrayer. He invited him in the fold knowing he was going to betray him, equipped him to preach to many to heal the sick in his name. He knew that he would have to face him handing him over to the authorities. And his response; do what you came for.......friend. What an image of love and grace, all those things considered he said friend.

It’s like this you have a nice cup of coffee or tea and someone bumps into you. Yea no thanks to the person that made you spill but ultimately what did you spill. You spilt coffee. See there will always be people that bump into you. And you ultiamtely have the choice of what gets spilt. Whether its coffee or tea it doesnt matter and the same is for our spirtual life. In your cup you can choose what to fill it with, with joy, peace, patience, goodness, faithfulness or hate, misery, strife, intolerence and when someone hurts you or offends you or even bumps into you, you spill what you filled yourself with. In his time on earth the bible states clearly what Jesus was filling himself with cause it would say;

Mark 1:35 NIV

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.

Luke 5:16 NIV

But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.

He was constantly filling himself with the presence of God. And in doing so when it came to the biggest trial in his life he was prepared to face it with goodness. Because when we fill ourselves up with God when we take the time to dig to lean in and we are able to face trials we would not be prepared to face in our own flesh. By engaging deeply with God, we too can gain the courage and strength to face our own 'betrayers' – whatever challenges or fears we must confront. With God we can be emboldened to move forward in your own trials with confidence.

Practically; Fill yourself with his presence.

Matthew 6:6 NIV

But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

If you know that you were to be bumped into and what would spill out would not be praiseworthy then its time to retreat. It’s time to go to the secret place.

I don’t know why you came to Youth today, but my guess is it has something to do with the fact that you are looking for a change in life. I am here to tell you that real life begins with Jesus. People tell me all the time; “ I’m not sure if I can keep up the Christian way of life. I tell them; and I struggle to keep up my workout routine, but that doesn’t stop me from trying. The truth of the matter is this, Jesus is not looking for your perfection, He is looking for your surrender. You know, and I know, that life in your own hands is not working. God tells us this:

Romans 10:9 NIV

If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

I share this verse with us because this verse reminds us that our salvation is not based upon our ability to perform for Jesus, but His willingness to save us. Today, I want to lead you in a simple prayer of surrender to Jesus. If you are here in this room and want to ask Jesus the be the Lord and Savior of your life, raise your hand right now. Let’s pray this out loud, church, repeat after me.​

“Heavenly Father, I trust You to save me through Your Son, Jesus.  Forgive me for all of my sins.  Make me brand new.  Because You died for me, I want to live for You.  Fill me with Your Spirit, so I could follow You.  Jesus, You’re now my Lord and the Savior of my life.  Take my life.  It is Yours.  In Jesus’ name, I pray.”