Centennial Park Baptist Church – Sunday March 21st, 2010 - 10:30 am

 

I COME TO THE GARDEN  - ALONE ?

 

Passion refers to Christ’s suffering between the time of the Last Supper and His death on the Cross

 

The Passions of the Passion:

 

I           The WALK

 

            Judas left the Upper Room.  Jesus and His faithful 11 followers wind their way   through the streets of Jerusalem, out through one of the city gates, down into and      beyond the Kidron Valley , and on up the Mount of Olives to the dark, silent grove of            olive trees called:

                       

            GETHSEMANE = Oil press

 

 

II          The WRENCHING

 

            Mark 14: 33-34

 

             33And He took with Him Peter and James and John, and began to be very          distressed and troubled.  34And He said to them, "My soul is deeply grieved

            to the   point of death; remain here and keep watch."

 

            * Very distressed – struck with terror

 

            * Troubled – ill at ease – uncomfortable within

 

            * Deeply grieved – Isaiah 53:3 prophesized that Christ would be “a man of        sorrows and acquainted with grief.”

           

            Nowhere else can we enter as fully into the HUMANITY of Christ.

 

            Why does Jesus want Peter, James and John to be near Him when He was enduring      such anguish?   Jesus modeled and authentic example of living truthfully.

 

 

III        The WRESTLING

 

            Mark 14: 35-36

 

            35And He went a little beyond them, and fell to the ground and began to pray      that if it were possible, the hour might pass Him by.  36And He was saying,            "Abba! Father! All things are possible for You; remove this cup from Me; yet           not what I will, but what You will."

 

            The verbs – fell / began / pray = continual / constant action

 

            Abba means DADDY

IV        The WILLING SUBMISSION

 

            At this moment, the totally innocent, sinless Son of God faces and accepts the   torture and death that shortly awaits Him.

 

V         The WEAKNESS and WEARINESS

 

            Mark 14: 37-41

 

             37And He came and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, "Simon, are you      asleep? Could you not keep watch for one hour?  38"Keep watching and    praying that you may not come into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the            flesh is weak." 39Again He went away and prayed, saying the same words. 40And             again He came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were very heavy; and     they did not know what to answer Him.  41And He came the third time, and said         to them, "Are you still sleeping and resting? It is enough; the hour has come;   behold, the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners.

 

            Jesus addresses Peter as Simon

 

            Principle:  Capitalize on times of peace.  Use moments of serenity to put steel in           your soul, so you won’t yield when life gets hard and heavy. 

 

VI        The WILLINGNESS

 

            Mark 14: 42

 

            42"Get up, let us be going; behold, the one who betrays Me is at hand!"

 

            There is a sense of quiet resolve recorded in all 4 Gospels as this scene is described.      Jesus slips out of the Garden to face His betrayer.

 

VIII      WHAT ABOUT US?

 

            1. We all go through times of darkness.

 

            2. Because of Christ’s work on the Cross, we never go through times of darkness         alone.

 

            Matthew 28:20 – “Lo I am with you always, even to the end of the age.

 

            Romans 8: 25-39 – Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Nobody!                                                    Nothing!

 

            3. In the times of darkness, we must release our will. It is primarily a battle of 2 wills:      Ours and God’s.  We must release the controls to Him.  It is at that point a breakthrough occurs.

 

            4. Submission yields strength, serenity and victory.