Agony in Gethsemane (Part A)

Death that he takes is a holy experience and not an actual one. It is outside of anything you would expect God to subject himself to God subjected himself to men spitting on pulling off his beard, discouraging and then not only mailing him to a tree that's what crosses made of.

But then propping him up in front of everybody. This is cross reference radio with our pastor and teacher Rick Gaston. Rick is the pastor of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville. Pastor Rick is currently teaching through the gospel of Mark. Please stay with us after today's message to hear more information about cross reference radio, specifically how you can get a free copy of this teaching, but for now let's join Pastor Rick in Mark chapter 14 as he begins his message agony in Gethsemane and the gospel according to Mark chapter 14 and if you have your Bibles please turn there. We will stand in the moment and take versus 3242 and under two minutes it will take to read that Mark's gospel chapter 14 verses 32 through 42.

Then they came to a place which was named Gethsemane and he said to his disciples sit here while I pray and he took Peter, James and John with him and began to be troubled and deeply distressed. Then he said to them, my soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death.

Stay here and watch he went a little farther, and fell on the ground and prayed that this world possible. The hour might pass from him and he said all about father, all things are possible for you to take this cup away from me.

Nevertheless, not what I will but what you will.

Then he came and found them sleeping and said to Peter, Simon, are you sleeping could you not watch one hour watch and pray less you enter into temptation. Spirit indeed is willing but the flesh is weak. Again, he went away and prayed and spoke the same words and when he returned he found them asleep again but their eyes were heavy and they did not know what to answer him. Then he came 1/3 time and said to them, are you still sleeping and resting is enough.

The hour has come, behold the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners rise let us be going to see my betrayer is at hand.

Agony in Gethsemane is this morning's title. We look again in verse 32. Then they came to a place which was named Gethsemane and he said to his disciples sit here while I pray the word Gethsemane means the Olive press and it happened to be in a garden is where they crushed the olives to get the olive oil from the Olive John gives us a little bit more information. He says he went out with his disciples in John 18 over the brook Kidron, where there was a garden which he and his disciples entered and Judas who had betrayed him also knew the place where Jesus often met there with his disciples. So here we have this Olive press in a garden. The tomb of Joseph of Arimathea has a winepress in that garden with this one is in Olive Garden and the owner is not named well that's characteristic of all that is taking place in the shadow of the cross that looming event that he is facing. He borrowed a donkey's colt to enter the city.

The owners name is not record the upper room. We do not know who that owner was either provided for him there and then hear this garden we will of course find out the name to garden tomb, the owner of that garden. Joseph of Arimathea. As I mentioned, it says here in verse 32 and he said to his disciples sit here while I pray they fell asleep. What would you have done, you know, we look at these verses and were supposed to look for ourselves and them will at least be challenged us with the growth takes place. That's where the pruning goes on and the encouragement. That's what helps us get through all these years the centuries that Christians have moved forward with the faith. Verse 33 Mark records and he took Peter, James and John with him and he began to be troubled and deeply distressed whenever here of the others protests that why those three guys 101 of us. Sometimes Judas may have thought that way because we understand he was a very carnal man, but we hear them complain about this they did, and Moses day there were those that were dissatisfied with God's selection.

They felt that Moses had too much authority, all of it given by God. They conveniently factored that out. I don't want to be that type of person, but here we have for the third time recorded that he selected these three to be near him for a dramatic event. They did not know they were going to encounter these dramatic things are that he was bringing them into well the first one they did that was at the house of gyrus when his daughter had died and Jesus brought her back to life. They didn't know what to expect. The new is going to be something then there was the Mount of Transfiguration again. They did not know what to expect until it unfolded before them, and then here we have him bringing them into the garden of Gethsemane and the really don't get it I will talk about that as we move forward. But there is a very interesting parallel that emerges from those three events that these three men were called to witness with the Lord at the exclusion of his other apostles and Paul said in the Philippian letter, that I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings. If by any means I may be conformed to his resurrection. Well, that's what we see in these three experiences that I may know him well, that was the Transfiguration. I got a chance to know Jesus in a way that they never knew him, nor anyone else before that event. Then there is of course the power of his resurrection, which is in the house of gyrus when he raised his daughter, though that was not a resurrection were more of a resuscitation because he is the first to be resurrected from the dead and transformed this third experience is the fellowship of his sufferings here in the garden of Eden. They were's to enter into his suffering with him. He invited them to do this.

Peter, the one that argued with him just minutes before he is not excluded he is included the Lord and say well you know Peter, he just gives a pain in the neck. After dinner I will pass him and I'm going to bring Thomas a one of the others with me. I doubt that he would bring Thomas course ahead.

I don't see Thomas as the doubter everybody else easier meant to be but anyway even though Peter argued there is even though Jesus knew that again within minutes Peter is going to flee and then deny him, and knowing this, he brings Peter with him still. Christ would forever keep Peter close to him no matter what you come to this realization, to say the same thing with everyone who wants him who loves him.

He's keeps us close. He knows who failed he knows you may argue with him and be disappointed with what he is. Lousa disallows and yet we still follow and is important to remember that Peter even though he ran off.

He still followed from afar, but he was following and he began to be troubled deeply distressed.

Now here is where the agony and the death arrives. This will be dark clouds now coming over him this moment that he is been ready for is here.

And you know at least when I perform the wedding of the other pastors due to you say to the couple. The moment that you have been waiting for has finally arrived is here. It's really happening that joyful occasion. This was nothing but death and torture and agony unparalleled in the human experience and never matched again the second time said this will unfold that a little more also.

But he, Jesus Christ, who is troubled deeply distressed in agony in Gethsemane. This garden, it is spring time things are coming to life, but he's facing death, and within the Godhead.

He also planned the redemption for sinners long before Bethlehem all the way been the foundations of the world.

Second Timothy Paul writes speaking of Jesus.

Chapter 1, who has saved us and called us with a holy calling one if we remember that enough that the calling we have to Christ to follow him to serve him is a holy calling, this nothing like it. You don't get a holy calling anywhere else you were handpicked and this is not Calvinism. This is not Rick is him either, which is superior to Calvinism in my opinion but that's another sermon. This is God choosing those who choose to submit to him and this is a holy calling, not according to our works, you can earn it, but according to his own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began.

In other words, he is the architect of his suffering is agony his death, and as we read in Hebrews you will see the joy that is set before him. Isaiah tells us to see the travails of the soul and be satisfied. It's worth it to him. We who can only bring him really one thing and that is love.

And that's what he wants. That is so satisfying to God our love to him. Imagine if you had a toddler now two years old. As you know what I don't love you feel would be devastating. But what makes one of the things that makes toddler so amazing is that they just love you know they love mom and dad anyway. Verse 34 then he said to them, my soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch God who came to earth as a man is now letting us see, unlike ever before his humanity, which, again, they were prepared for this. They only knew his deity or his connection to the father. They did not really know his humanity. They knew that he could hunger and sweat and things like that but not fail that he was susceptible to suffering, his sufferings he before this and the suffering of others. I mean at the tomb of Lazarus. He well because everybody else was shattered, it would be grievant and he entered into that grief. But now this is his Hebrews chapter 4, which I plan to quote a few times from Hebrews because it really captures what's going on here in this garden of agony. He says in verse 15 for we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weakness but was in all points, try tempted as we are yet without sin."

He knows what's going on being God. He did not have to experience it. He knew what he does for our sakes and he tells us he says to us. I know you may think I'm removed from your sufferings, because I'm here on the throne, but I'm not.

I'm very much in touch in Gethsemane. This garden is humanity also has to face this death. This torture that again is unparalleled will say why soon. Hebrews chapter 2, but we see Jesus. What a beautiful phrase, but we see Jesus was made a little lower than the angels, that's him taking on humanity for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor that he by the grace of God might taste death for everyone is so much unique in that we don't have the time to go through it, but there's something again unparalleled about his death. Otherwise, how could he tasted for everyone when there've been so many people that have died even before his coming because the death that he tastes is a holy experience and not a natural one. It is outside of anything you would expect God to subject himself to God subjected himself to men spitting on pulling off his beard, discouraging and then not only mailing him to a tree that's what the cross is made of, but then propping him up in front of everybody to boast of their work. Hebrews 5 or seven who in the days of his flesh.

Again, his humanity, that part of him that identifies with us in front of us be no good for it to happen and we didn't see it happen. We are watching it happen continues in Hebrews 5 when he had offered up prayers and supplications now again as I just read a minute ago that he became a little lower than the angels because he could not as God entering the full God you without humanity upon him enter into these experiences. At least that's the way he chose to do it. It says, with vehement cries and tears to him who was able to save him from death, and was heard because of his godly fear, vehement cries, we don't get that from the Gospels, the right of the Hebrews tells us that he wept in the garden. It was not just an emotional agony that was internal it was external also and he says he made his supplication cries to him who was able to save him from death, but did not. You could say could make an argument for the Jesus experienced an un-granted prayer and of course when he says not my will, your will be done and God says of course that's how we planned it in but this is for us is not for God. This is for us and them being in the humanity that he assumed he had to go through this. It was not something he could bypass nor would he when he was on the cross. It wasn't as though he somehow blocked out the pain he took it all. He drank the dregs of the cup three times we read of the Lord, weeping in Scripture, the Lord Jesus at the gravesite of a friend named Lazarus at the site of a spiritually doomed city there to greet us.

He was heaving tears and then here in the garden. The first time for friend, the second for city but here it is for himself. We get that again from Hebrews 57 not only facing the horrors of crucifixion. He was facing the wrath of God for sinners, for all sinners. So not only did he suffer life and death, and he suffered death to.

He had friends that died early. He had neighbors that were afflicted, he suffered life like the rest of us do not, maybe to the same extent because I don't know that the Lord was ever depressed. Emotionally, as some of us can be. We can be from time to time, but he suffered alongside of us and yet his suffering was beyond far beyond what we know and so where is says here that he said to them, my soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death as God had to become a man.

This is self-inflicted pain for somebody else thought that's what makes the sacrifice and the substitute Romans 15 or even Christ did not please himself.

Look at that because I sure like to please myself.

How would he have pleads themselves first rooster stayed in heaven a second created other beings to love him.

Second, that the he could've called legions of angels to put an end to this to what was coming. Paul continues in Romans. For even Christ did not please himself, but as the Scripture says the reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me. Those who are against God. Those who are against the father. Those who have violated the commandments of God, the judgment for those people, which would include us fell on him and not them so that when Christ dies on the cross he dies in my place as me taking my punishment not just that physical torture of the cross. But the spiritual wrath of God, which is something that according to human eyes. He had never seen before in his humanity. He faced it verse two of Hebrews 12, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith. As I mentioned, he was the architect of our salvation. And when he planned it out in these mapping it out for you could just look at him was architect Woody's nowadays it's all a keyboard and mouse and he says it all started in Bethlehem and all do this in Galilee and no make my way to Jerusalem and then I'll pray in agony. Let the processes run their course upon me knowing what's coming, and the part that is knowingly again, not the spikes of the nails, but the wrath of God. The Eloi Eli Lamas about the need. That's the part yet he says it has to be this way. If I'm going to love the sinners and so looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him, that's your face in my face in heaven. That's the joy set before him because of that doesn't happen is no joy set before him. It's a mission accomplished, the joy with the joy that was set before him. He endured the cross. That's why he took it it was worth it to him.

I have no self-worth. I don't want self-worth, but I have the love of God on self-esteem. The opposite of self-esteem is not self hatred is the esteeming of God. It is the exaltation of God in my life that covers so many things it reduces so many problems.

Pray the Lord sometimes I have such a frustration with you know what he does and doesn't do in my flesh and Godspell has spoken to me many times, not whenever I want him to what one thing liberating. He said to me, and I hope you understand this Rick you are my slave you don't have a vote. I am your God. What makes that word love nothing short of love because again in the New Testament, and when Paul talks about a bondservant, and you know, a servant of Christ thing slave. That's the Greek word that he's using an Society in a society that had as many slaves as free people of not more. They identify with Paul. He said okay.

When you know you are a slave to some Roman who had the right to kill you on the spot without explanation. That's all for their rights. Went pulses.

I'm a slave, but not to that Roman I'm a slave to Jesus Christ as when he writes his letters from jail. He doesn't say I'm a prisoner of Caesar, which on a human level he was. He says Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ of bondservant M is willing Bonnie's taking the Hebrew event and he's applying it to slavery and Gentile world in the same.

I am the slave of Jesus Christ and willfully so that stops a lot of arguments with God because then you say will wait if he is the master and I have no say so this out of my hands and I will then trust his character because I don't have a Roman for a master. I have the God of love and I don't like Dena when he tells the church in Smyrna suffer till you die. That's what he tells the church.

But I'm going to make a good that's what faith the faith and kicks in. Okay, this belongs to God. Not an easy place an impossible place to come to in your own strength is something that is a spiritual event that God gives an and many times when God gives us something, it has to be maintained and this is also significant when Peter says By the power of God. Paul talks about God running the universe continuously because he does in Ephesians anyway.

The joy that is set before him during the cross, hating the shame, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God is in total control and I must submit to that and that's what would getting out of this agony in Gethsemane. He submitting to God's will, and it hurts and it hurts immensely with this resolve in the shadow of the suffering and death.

Others have suffered more. His resolve is mentioned by himself in John's Gospel, my soul is troubled, and what shall I say father, save me from this hour of this purpose I have come now the hours here. As I mentioned earlier, the times you been waiting for the moment has arrived.

Thanks for tuning in to cross reference radio for this study in the book of Mark cross reference radio is the teaching ministry of Pastor Rick Gaston of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville in Virginia to learn more information about this ministry. Visit our website cross reference radio.com what you're there you'll find additional teachings from Pastor Rick.

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