He is Coming to the Garden
The King is Coming • Sermon • Submitted
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· 5 viewsThere were many places Jesus would visit in response to the prophecy found in Matthew 21:5. Today we want to look at another place prepared for the arrival of the King.
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5 “Tell the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, your King is coming to you, Lowly, and sitting on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey.’ ”
We have looked at the prophecy quoted in Matthew 21:5 and seen
I. The King is Coming for a Bride (Is. 62:5)
I. The King is Coming for a Bride (Is. 62:5)
II. The King is Coming to the Temple Matt. 21:12-17)
II. The King is Coming to the Temple Matt. 21:12-17)
III. He is Coming to Gethsemani
III. He is Coming to Gethsemani
The Garden was one of the most important places Jesus would visit in all of his ministry.
The Garden was a place which is located just outside the walls of Jerusalem.
The Garden was the place where Satan would once again test the humanity of Christ’s resolve to fulfill either is will or the will of the plan of God.
Jesus was referred to as the second Adam. The first Adam had acted against God’s plan. The first Adam had been tempted in a Garden. Now the stage has been set for the final showdown to see if the second Adam would succumb to the desires of his flesh, in the garden.
36 Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to the disciples, “Sit here while I go and pray over there.”
37 And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed.
38 Then He said to them, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me.”
39 He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.”
40 Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “What! Could you not watch with Me one hour?
41 Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
42 Again, a second time, He went away and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done.”
43 And He came and found them asleep again, for their eyes were heavy.
44 So He left them, went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words.
45 Then He came to His disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners.
46 Rise, let us be going. See, My betrayer is at hand.”
A. The Garden of Gethsemani was the place of AGONY
36 Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to the disciples, “Sit here while I go and pray over there.”
37 And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed.
38 Then He said to them, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me.”
It is a short trip from the table of Lord (Matt. 26:26) and singing (Matt. 26:30) to the Garden of Agony.
As I look at the people Jesus took with him to the Garden I notice the plan of God.
Jesus took Peter and the Son’s of Zebedee to the Garden.
Peter had said he would never forsake the Lord and follow him even unto death. (Matt. 26:35)
The mother of the Son’s of Zebedee had asked that her son’s would sit on his right and left hand in the Kingdom. (Matt. 20:21)
Jesus asked them if they could drink the cup and be baptized with the baptism he would be baptized with and they said they could. (Matt. 20:22)
Nothing will test your confession like Gethsemani.
1. The word Gethsemani in Aramaic means “oil press”
Each and everyone of us will experience a garden of Gethsemani in our life.
2. We need the support of the disciples of Christ (Matt. 26:36)
a. Jesus didn’t need his disciples to encourage him.
b. Jesus didn’t need his disciples to help come up with logical answers to his problem
c. Jesus doesn’t need perfect disciples.
d. Jesus just needed his disciples to be with him. (“sit here”)
3. We need the vigilance of the disciples in our Gethsemani (Matt. 26:38)
B. The garden was the place of TEMPTATION (Matt. 26:39)
39 He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.”
40 Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “What! Could you not watch with Me one hour?
41 Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
1. You will be tempted to forsake your purpose (Matt. 26:39)
What is my purpose? I’m not sure I have a purpose?
Let me tell you what your purpose in life is?
29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.
29 For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.
Jesus understood what his life’s purpose was.
45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”
18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed;
19 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”
Quit worrying about what you are going to get.
Become a giver and a worker for others
Let God call the shots (he has anointed [assign a task] me)
You get God’s Spirit because you have let God give you an assignment. (The Spirit of the Lord)
Be willing to go (sent me). Are you willing to get up from where you are, relocate yourself
Be willing to speak (to proclaim) liberty to the captives. I noticed we are not to release the captives, but just tell them they are free. They have to acknowledge what has been done for them.
Jesus was tempted in the wilderness three times.
His Humanity was tempted (he was tempted to feed himself, use God’s power to fulfill your desires), His Diety was tested (If you are God’s Son He can’t let you die) & His Loyalty was tested (Bow down and worship and I will give you all you see). The lust of the flesh, The pride of life and the lust of the eyes were all tested.
The Bible said angels came and ministered to him following his temptation.
The devil left him alone until an opportune time. (Luke 4:13)
The opportune time has now come.
Recognize the opportune time:
A place of Sorrow
A place of Distress
A Place of Disappointment (The Disciples had not stayed awake. They had only thought about their own needs).
Peter had said he would follow Jesus to the grave, but could not follow him past his bedtime.
2. You will be Tempted to forsake Prayer (Matt. 26:41)
3. You will be tempted to become indifferent (Matt. 26:41)
C. The garden was the place of COMMITMENT (Matt. 26:42-43)
42 Again, a second time, He went away and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done.”
43 And He came and found them asleep again, for their eyes were heavy.
44 So He left them, went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words.
45 Then He came to His disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners.
46 Rise, let us be going. See, My betrayer is at hand.”
1. A commitment to God’s Sovereignty (Matt. 26:39,42, 44)
2. A commitment needs to be renewed. (Matt. 26:42,44)
3. A commitment to God's plan is independent of the actions of others (Matt. 26:43-44)
Nobody cares
Nobody listens
Nobody thinks about me
CONCLUSION:
Nothing will test your confession like Gethsemani.
There are a lot of people who love the mountain of transfiguration where the miraculous can be seen, but cannot handle the garden of agony.
The Garden of Gethsemani will tempt you to question your confession of faith.
The Garden of Gethsemani will be a place you will have to revisit your commitment to the call and purpose of God.
The Garden of Gethsemani will be a place you have to visit and recognize you may even be required to visit it alone. Friends may fail you, they may not seem to listen or care and may even betray you, but in your Gethsemani remember, Jesus has already been there and is still there with you.
ILLUSTRATION:
On the Jericho Road there's room for just two
No more and no less just Jesus and you
Each burden He'll bear, each sorrow He'll share
There's never a care for Jesus is there