Two Gardens
Angela Walker
Journey with Jesus • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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· 3 viewsJesus and His prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane.
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Its hard to think we are less than two weeks away from spring.
Days like this —sunshine and warmer weather—at this time of year remind me that in other areas like Kansas where I grew up—people are getting their gardens ready for the summer —some Kansas farmers are already planting seeds.
My dad was a farmer so I know the hard work, maintenance, planning, and even creativity that goes into gardens.
When done right—gardens can produce pleasure, whether that is the fresh produce harvested in a vegetable garden; or the flowers and plants grown and cared for in botanical gardens intended to bring peace and tranquility when visited.
Community Garden: Kids could have an adventure/ homeschooling at the time so we could see photosynthesis in action that we learned about in science; in history we learned about how Miles Standish established a rule among the early settlers “Ya don’t work ya don’t eat” we would be working for our food—good idea.
Reality—the garden plot we rented had no shade. Summers are extremely hot and humid in Kansas. Water—had to be lugged from a certain location to our plot. bugs, worms, mosquitoes galore and worst of all No restrooms. and 4 kids—young kids.
Amariah remembers a carrot and the screaming.
Some kids got into the car to get out of the sun beating down.
One child was leaning on the inside door handle of the car inadvertently pushing the window button that was raising the window another child had their head stuck through—screaming.
Amariah said, “oh yeah, who was involved?” I said, “If my memory serves me correctly, McKenna was leaning and Ethan was screaming.”
Our garden looked nothing like the garden we toured in California.
My FIL, Jerry Walker, has been working on a prayer garden at the first house he and my MIL bought together.
He has been planning, creating, working hard. Its going to be nice to walk through and enjoy some relaxation as well as the harvest it will produce.
These first 3 pics show that a good garden needs proper tools, planning, preparation
Picture: Place of Prayer
The garden will have potted plants, and berries and other produce.
These pics are of the green bean area
Picture: Green Bean area
Next are is the future home of raspberries and blackberries
Picture: Raspberry area
These pics show around the grass area are divided plots where vegetables will be planted.
Picture: Vegetable area
Here is a pic of a pruned pomegranate tree
Picture: Pomegranate tree
And finally some of the plant life.
My MIL and one of our nieces Addie had plans to paint flower pots for the garden—but unfortunatly my MIL became too weak to paint.
My FIL has shared that he has decided to name it Carolyn’s Garden
Journey with Jesus
Today our Journey with Jesus takes us to a garden. Look with me at Luke 22:39-46
39 Then, accompanied by the disciples, Jesus left the upstairs room and went as usual to the Mount of Olives.
40 There he told them, “Pray that you will not give in to temptation.”
41 He walked away, about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed,
42 “Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”
43 Then an angel from heaven appeared and strengthened him.
44 He prayed more fervently, and he was in such agony of spirit that his sweat fell to the ground like great drops of blood.
45 At last he stood up again and returned to the disciples, only to find them asleep, exhausted from grief.
46 “Why are you sleeping?” he asked them. “Get up and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation.”
Two Gardens
Now as we read in Luke 22 we see Jesus and His disciple going to the Mt. of Olives and according to the other Gospels it was specifically to a garden—The Garden of Gethsemane.
Location: Situated on the Mount of Olives in East Jerusalem, opposite the Temple, containing ancient olive trees, some over a thousand years old.
Spiritual Significance: The name "Gethsemane" translates to "oil press," symbolizing the intense pressure and suffering ("crushing") Jesus felt for the sins of humanity, similar to how olives were pressed to produce oil.
Intense emotional agony—If you’ve ever wondered if Jesus understands your emotional state—throughout the Gospel we see Jesus —His 100% human side experienced the same emotions we do—and in the garden we see Him experiencing deep emotional turmoil of anxiety, fear, despondency
Interestingly, The custom of the time was to pray standing with the eyes raised to heaven but on this specially solemn occasion Jesus knelt down.
Sweat like great drops of blood—vs 44—indication of great emotional distress.
Well, a long time ago, another garden was planted; only it was designed and created by the Great Creator, God Himself.
Some believe it was located in what is now known as southern Iraq.
Others feel that the Bible does not give enough information to determine a specific location.
We do know that God planted this garden in Eden — means ‘delight’
We know according to vs 9 that God planted all sorts of trees and they were beautiful trees that produced delicious fruit.
In the middle of the garden were two infamous trees— The tree of life and the Tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
A river flowed from Eden and watered the the garden
We are told in Genesis 2:7 that God had created man (Adam); God created the first man holy.
He was pure and reserved for God’s purposes.
He was free from sin and in perfect relationship with God and the man needed a place to live.
The garden was that perfect place—food was produced that Adam didn’t even have to plant himself; an irrigation system that he didn’t have to install.
He just needed to care for it.
According to Gordon Wenham “the garden in Eden in the east” is symbolic of a place where God dwells.
A place God dwells with mankind.
Transition
What important insights can we find in the story of the garden that will help a person realize that only through Christ do we have salvation and that will help the believer in Christ follow Him?
The Command and the Tree:
The Command and the Tree:
In Eden, the first Adam was told, "Obey me about the Tree and I will bless you," but he disobeyed.
16 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden,
17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”
In Gethsemane, the Second Adam (Jesus) was told, "Obey me about the Tree [the cross] and I will crush you"—and he obeyed.
5 But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed.
6 All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all.
WHY would Jesus have to be crushed for His OBEDIENCE?
Because as we look into the Garden of Eden we see something else so very common to us in our every day life:
The Struggle of Will:
Adam chose his own will over God's, crying effectively, "Not your will, but mine be done".
6 The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too.
7 At that moment their eyes were opened, and they suddenly felt shame at their nakedness. So they sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves.
In that very moment their pure and perfect dwelling place; where their Creator and ours dwelt with them—nothing separating them from God—not even anything as thin as fabric—changed.
In Gethsemane, Jesus submitted his human will to the Father, praying, "Not my will, but yours be done".
42 saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.”
What is the significance of this struggle?
D.A. Carson coined it so well.
In the first garden “Not your will but mine” changed Paradise to desert and brought man from Eden to Gethsemane.
Now “Not my will but yours” brings anguish to the man who prays it but transforms the desert into the kingdom and brings man from Gethsemane to the gates of glory.
When self will is elevated above the will of God it always produces DARKNESS. The darkness begs for a response.
In the Garden, another INSIGHT we discover is a
Response to Darkness
Response to Darkness
When sin entered Eden, Adam and Eve hid from God in fear.
8 When the cool evening breezes were blowing, the man and his wife heard the Lord God walking about in the garden. So they hid from the Lord God among the trees.
Again, another layer of barrier between them and God where once there was none.
In the "ultimate darkness" of Gethsemane, Jesus did not hide or abandon humanity; he sought the Father and moved toward the sacrifice.
He continued to instruct His disciples
37 Then he returned and found the disciples asleep. He said to Peter, “Simon, are you asleep? Couldn’t you watch with me even one hour?
38 Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak.”
He modeled His instruction
39 Then Jesus left them again and prayed the same prayer as before.
He didn’t ask them to do anything He was not wiling to do Himself.
Them NOT following his instruction could be the reason they later deserted and even denied him
He positioned Himself to embrace the cross.
42 Up, let’s be going. Look, my betrayer is here!”
After prayer, Jesus moved, ready to meet His destiny—and doom.
A person’s surrender to self will and; response to darkness always provides
The Outcome
The Outcome
Adam's disobedience in a garden of paradise brought about agony and exile for all.
15 But there is a great difference between Adam’s sin and God’s gracious gift. For the sin of this one man, Adam, brought death to many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of forgiveness to many through this other man, Jesus Christ.
16 And the result of God’s gracious gift is very different from the result of that one man’s sin. For Adam’s sin led to condemnation, but God’s free gift leads to our being made right with God, even though we are guilty of many sins.
17 For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ.
Jesus' obedience in a garden of agony bought the way back to paradise for all who believe
15 But there is a great difference between Adam’s sin and God’s gracious gift. For the sin of this one man, Adam, brought death to many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of forgiveness to many through this other man, Jesus Christ.
16 And the result of God’s gracious gift is very different from the result of that one man’s sin. For Adam’s sin led to condemnation, but God’s free gift leads to our being made right with God, even though we are guilty of many sins.
17 For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ.
This is great news for those who put their faith and trust in Jesus!!
However, there is an insight we must keep in front of us at all times:
The Price of Reception:
Jesus' prayer for the "cup" to pass was rejected so that our prayers could be received.
Timothy Keller notes that the Father said "no" to his Son so he could say "yes" to us
Conclusion
So you may be asking
What does this have to do with me and the rest of us today in 2026?
From the beginning of the human race, God has expected obedience and acceptance of his Word as absolute truth.
Satan suggested that God did not really mean what he said. Genesis 3:6 tells us that Eve was convinced by the serpent’s word. Both Adam —who was right there with his wife — and Eve chose the word of a snake as absolute truth over God’s Word.
One of the primary sins of people today in 2026 is unbelief in God’s Word.
It is doubting that he really means what he says about salvation, righteousness, sin, judgment and death.
And this takes man from Eden to Gethsemane.
But there is hope—
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Adam exchanged Eden—Paradise—a place of delight—a perfect dwelling place with God for desert and agony, anguish.
Why was Jesus so willing to surrender His will allowing Himself who knew NO sin to be crushed by the cup of wrath and rejection of His Father?
Because He was willing to exchange Gethsemane for Eden—bringing us full circle so to speak. To right our world once again
1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.
2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.
So that once again GOD will dwell with you and me.
That my friends is a beautiful exchange!
What are you going to do with these insights?
