SHEPHERD TO
SHEEP
GETHSEMANE
(Mark 14:32) Then they came to a place which
was named Gethsemane…
Gethsemane
is the name of an olive-yard at the foot of the Mount of Olives where Jesus
frequently gathered with His disciples because of its secluded garden-like
environment (Luke 22:39). The name
actually means “olive press” and refers to how oil presses were used to extract
oil from the olive fruit. How prophetic
because this is what Jesus experienced there the night of His betrayal.
The evening
started out festive. It was Passover and
the disciples had a traditional Seder meal in an upper room prepared for the
occasion. That night Jesus introduced
the Lord’s Supper (communion) and washed the disciple’s feet. It was also the night where Judas left early
so he could have Jesus arrested. When
the dinner was completed Jesus and the eleven made their way down to the Kidron
Valley, over the brook, and up the ascent of the Mount of Olives and into the
garden enclosure of Gethsemane. Though
they were under a full moon, a strange darkness enveloped this nocturnal
assembly and an eerie stillness seized the atmosphere.
The first
thing Jesus did was tell His disciples to sit down while He prayed in the
distance with Peter, James and John accompanying Him. He
began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed.
He told the trio that His soul was exceedingly sorrowful, even to death.
Then He asked them to stay and be in a watchful mode with Him. Jesus went a little farther and He knelt down
and prayed. His prayer was fervent and
intense. “Father, if it is Your will,
take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.” At that moment an angel appeared to Him from
heaven and strengthened Him. He prayed even
more fervently even though He was in such agony. This intensive supplication
produced such body trauma that His sweat became like great drops of blood
falling to the ground. When He got up
from prayer He came to His disciples and found them sleeping from sorrow.
Calvary was
won in Gethsemane! It was there that
Jesus yielded His will to the Father to suffer and die for the sins of all
humanity. That’s why Jesus could give
Himself to Judas and his arresting band.
That’s why He could suffer all night at the hands of evil men. And that’s why in the morning He would let
them drive the nails through His hands and feet into a wretched Roman cross and
bleed and die.
What about
you? Are you experiencing a Gethsemane
in your life right now? Are you being
pressed like never before? Are you in
agony of soul over something you are being called to do that is against your
nature? Then it’s time to pray, “Your will
be done!” God will strengthen you to
choose the Father’s will as painful as that may be. Jesus died but He also rose again for our
salvation. The best things come when we choose
God’s will over our own!
Louie
No comments:
Post a Comment