The Struggle of our Faith (2)

1. He suffered Emotionally (vs.33-34)

We are coming to the very beginning of Jesus’s suffering. He came to a familiar place to pray and here we can learn how we can relate to Jesus suffering. Jesus suffered in this passage in 4 ways.

Vs.34- “my soul” this represents the mind, will and emotions of a man. Jesus was suffering as a man in this realm. this is the emotional part of a being. its the inner man. my soul is sorrowful.

Vs. 33 -“to be troubled” Means to be terrified or astounded be thrown into terror or extreme fear. Many of us are right here in our walk of faith. We are afraid of many things and in things context it was a fear of what might happen in our future. Jesus understands our fear and has been touched with the feeling of fear in uncertainty. He was about to Face the reality of being made sin for man and having fellowship broken with the father. From a standpoint of the perfect savior this is a terrifying thought.

Vs. 33- “deeply distressed” Means to be troubled with great distress,anguish or depression. This word is the greatest of 3 Greek words for depression. I have heard people preach that depression is sin but here we see Jesus felt emotional pain. This is used to describe a deep seated emotional struggle. If you are going through depression you have a savior who has entered into that suffering with you. He did not let depression become the lord of his life. Depression becomes sinful when we yield to its ruling power over us.

Vs. 34 “exceedingly sorrowful even to death” Comes from the word were we get peril. It means to be overcome with extreme sorrow that can lead to death. Sorrow sometimes make us feel like death or death is the best option. Have you ever felt so overwhelmed you did not know how you were going to make it or survive this feeling? This Represents agony, suffering and sorrow that stems from an intense mental wrestling. this is a level of sorrow ,emotional depression that literally made him to feel like he was going to die. Are you dealing with emotional suffering?

Despair and depression are not always sinful- Jesus experienced the depths of emotional pain that none of us have ever experienced but what did he do with it? he asked his father to remove it but if not father if its your will not mine. He experienced the pain but he did not give in to it. Depression and fear will try to rule your life and if you give into them it becomes sinful. If you say you are powerless over this you are saying God is not powerful enough. Are you suffering emotionally? Jesus is with you there and one day this suffering will be gone but not yet!!

2. He suffered Relationally (vs. 37-41)

Most people who suffer emotionally they suffer in their relationships. Jesus ministry had alot of people follow him but at this moment he had alot of people who hated him and wanted to kill him. At the last supper he had one of his closest friends betray him for a price of a slave. He leaves dinner heads to the garden and begins to enter into one of the most difficult points in his life and what do his closest friends do during this time?

Vs. 37- “Simon are you sleeping?”- Friends may not care when you are suffering. They may act like your problems are not that big of a deal. They may be more concerned with themselves than they are with you.

Vs. 36- “abba father” He was about to face his father turning his back on him and breaking fellowship.

Vs.42- “ My betrayer is at hand” one of his closest disciples betrayed him.

Jesus was suffering from the feelings of abandonment, and felt alone in his suffering. Some of us in this room today are suffering alone. But you are not alone you have a savior who has been touched by all of our earthly pain and suffering. He understands what its like to be betrayed and not cared about. He understands what its like to be forsaken by family members.Jesus suffered the most extreme human loneliness, abuse and abandonment that is possible. We must be careful to not allow these things to rule us.

- For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are--yet he did not sin.

3. He suffered Physically (vs.34-35)

(vs.34) “unto death” - This is physical suffering. Look around the room and you will see people who suffer physically. People who on a day to day battle with a constant physical suffering. He went forward a little and he fell to the Ground. All of this suffering took a toll on his body to a point of collapsing. This is before the cross before the cat of nine tails and he is suffering tremendously.

He suffered Spiritually (vs. 35-36)

We have seen how he has suffered emotionally, relationally and physically but know we are going to see the whole reason of his suffering. And that is the reason of his coming and that is to redeem sinful man. This is summed up in one verse.

21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God ().

Your eyes are too pure to approve evil, and You cannot look on wickedness with favor.

But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear.

The Justice of God

For the LORD is righteous, He loves righteousness; the upright will behold His face.

But the LORD of hosts will be exalted in judgment, and the holy God will show Himself holy in righteousness.

God is a righteous judge, and a God who has indignation every day. If a man does not repent, He will sharpen His sword; He has bent His bow and made it ready.

The Depravity & Condemnation of Man

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

For all of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment

For as many as are of the works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, ACCURSED IS EVERYONE WHO DOES NOT ABIDE BY ALL THINGS WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF THE LAW, TO PERFORM THEM.

The Great Dilemma

He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous, both of them alike are an abomination to the LORD.

Far be it from You to do such a thing, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike. Far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth deal justly?

God's Action

While maintaining His holiness and justice, the Bible also affirms that God is love, and that in love He has responded to the plight of man.

Motivated by Love

God is love. By this the love of God is manifested in us, that God sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

The Cross of Christ

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed; for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

The Resurrection

He who was delivered over because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our justification.

Man's Response

Repentance begins with a recognition and confession that what God says about us is true that we have sinned.

For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against You, You only, I have sinned and done what is evil in Your sight, so that You are justified when You speak and blameless when You judge.

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A genuine recognition of our sinfulness and guilt will also lead to genuine sorrow, shame and even hatred for what we have done.

For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate. :15Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from this body of death?

Apparent sincerity of confession alone is never definite evidence of genuine repentance. It must be accompanied by a turning away from sin.

Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your deeds from My sight. Cease to do evil. :16therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

Faith Defined

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. :1and being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform.

Faith Based on The Promises of God

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. :16Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved

See all of this was for our sake. God endured suffering for us. What was in the cup was the wrath and judgement of almighty God and it was about to be poured out upon his son. That we might be made innocent in the sight of God