Today we’re going to be spending some time in a very special garden. The place where Jesus fought a great battle. Our sixth stop on the tour is the Garden of Gethsemane. It’s located at the foot of the Mount of Olives, which is the place where, when Jesus comes again, He will return to the Mount of Olives.
So go with me to the garden and let’s remember how very loved we are. Let’s remember that every battle Jesus fought, he won.
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Transcription:
Today on the Bible for Busy People, we’re going to be spending some time in a very special garden. The place where Jesus fought a great battle. I’m Erica and I’m so glad you’re here as we continue our tour of the Holy Land. My daughter is there right now walking in these places and we’re walking along beside her, and learning how to walk by faith too.
Our sixth stop on the tour is the Garden of Gethsemane. It’s located at the foot of the Mount of Olives, which is the place where when Jesus comes again, He will return to the Mount of Olives. Actually saw a picture of my Hannah standing on the Mount of Olives, which just took my breath away and gave me the good chills. What does Gethsemane mean? It means gat shemanim, in Hebrew, which translated means, oil press. You may have heard that there are many olive trees in the garden of Gethsemane, in the place where Jesus took his disciples following the last supper. It was his last moments before he would be arrested and unjustly accused. So go with me to the garden and let’s remember how very loved we are. Let’s remember that every battle Jesus fought, he won. Join me in Matthew 26 beginning in verse 36. This is after the last supper now.
Then Jesus went with them,
His followers.
…to the olive grove called Gethsemane, and he said, sit here while I go over there to pray. He took Peter and Zebedee’s two sons, James and John, and he became anguished and distressed. He told them, my soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep wat.ch with me.
Can you imagine what Jesus was thinking of in these moments? He knew that soon the weight of every sin that had ever been committed and would ever be committed would be laid on his shoulders. He knew that he would be separated from his father for the very first time since before time even began. He knew what he would have to endure, and not just on the cross, but all of the beatings and the torture that happened prior to the cross. Back to the Bible. Now in Matthew 26, we read,
He went on a little further and bowed with his face to the ground praying, my Father, if it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.
I wonder how many breaths, how much time took place between those two sentences. Father, take this cup of suffering away and yet not my will be done but yours. This is where Jesus won the battle. This is where you and I can win the battle. The prayer that never fails is, Lord Jesus, your will be done. That prayer never fails because God always wants what’s best for us. Verse 40 now.
Then he returned to the disciples and found them asleep. He said to Peter, couldn’t you watch with me even one hour? Keep watching. Pray so that you will not give in to temptation. For the Spirit is willing, but the body is weak. Then Jesus left them a second time and prayed, My Father, if this cup cannot be taken away unless I drink it, your will be done. When he returned to them again, he found them sleeping for they couldn’t keep their eyes open.
You know what it’s like after Thanksgiving, right? They had just enjoyed the last supper with their Lord and they were probably afraid, and they had full stomachs, and all they could do was find refuge in sleep. Verse 44 now,
So he went to pray a third time saying the same things again.
Have you ever done that? It’s not a bad thing to say to God. God, your will be done. I want this, but I want your will more just to keep saying it. Every time you say it, you grow more confident. Lord, I trust you. Lord, I really trust you. That’s a good practice to keep. Verse 45.
Then he came to the disciples and said, go ahead and sleep. Have your rest, but look, the time has come. The son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Up. Let’s be going. Look, my betrayer is here. And even as Jesus said this, Judas, one of the 12 disciples arrived with a crowd of men armed with swords and clubs. They had been sent by the leading priests and elders of the people. The traitor. Judas had given them a prearranged signal: You will know which one to arrest when I greet him with a kiss. So Judas came straight to Jesus. Greetings rabbi. He exclaimed and gave him the kiss. Jesus said, My friend, go ahead and do what you have come for. Then the others grabbed Jesus and arrested him, but one of the men with Jesus pulled out his sword and struck the high priests, slave slashing off his ear. Put away your sword. Jesus told him. Those who use the sword will die by the sword. Don’t you realize that I could ask my father for thousands of angels to protect us and he would send them instantly? But if I did, how would the scriptures be fulfilled that describe what must happen now? Then Jesus said to the crowd, am I some dangerous revolutionary that you come with swords and clubs to arrest me? Why didn’t you arrest me in the temple? I was there teaching every day. But this is all happening to fulfill the words of the prophets as recorded in the scriptures. At that moment, all the disciples deserted him and fled.
That always breaks my heart to think that Jesus was there alone in those moments, and you can see the fiery torches all around him, and yet still in the midst of such anguish of soul, in the midst of being deserted by his closest friends, he reaches out his arm to heal and to bind up. It’s what God does.
He heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds.
That’s what it says in Psalm 1:47. He is our healer. The prophet Isaiah tells us he was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped, so we could be healed. It is why Jesus willingly went to the cross. He endured such anguish of soul in the garden and on the Cross to redeem you and to redeem me. To wash away our sins with his blood and open the door to a relationship with God. That’s love. Next time you and I are going to walk the way of the cross together. Until then, remember you are really loved.
Thank you so much for listening to the Bible for Busy People. If you need prayer or you’re ready to go a little deeper in your faith, we’ve posted some resources for you in our show notes. We’d love for you to share this podcast with a friend and leave us a review. It helps us reach even more people with the hope of Jesus. This podcast is part of Purposely, a podcast network designed with practical podcasts to help you find and live in God’s purpose for your life.
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