The Agony of Gethsemane.

 6th Sunday in Lent: Palm/Passion Sunday!

 

Introduction:

A.   When was the price paid for our sins?  The Cross?

 

B.   But was it all paid there?

 

C.   I believe there was a great price paid even before Christ came to the cross.

 

Trans.

Let's look this morning at this price!

 

                    Prayer

                Luke 22:39-46

Text:

"And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat           was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the               ground."  (vs. 44 KJV)

 

I.   Notice his agony!

 

"And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly:"

 

What caused this agony?

 

Perhaps we can never understand this completely, but let's go back in our minds eye and try to understand where Christ was at this time and what was his agony.

 

Remember Christ was God, but Christ was also human!

 

A.   Perhaps, it was partly as a result of Christ fully comprehending the meaning of sin.

 

1.   Remember back to a time when you did something wrong: when

a.   you stayed awake at night think of what you should

have done.

b.   you laid there thinking of how what you did hurt other people.

c.   Remember how you agonized over your failure?

 

2.   As Christ realized how sin hurts people and how it hurts  God and as Christ realized this was the sin that he would  carry, imagine how Christ felt!

3.   Charles Spurgeon says of this verse,

 

"In that night the words of Isaiah were fulfilled; 'The  Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.' Now he  stood as the sin-bearer, the substitute accepted by Divine justice to bear that we might never bear the whole of wrath divine."

 

In other words, Spurgeon was saying, "That night the sins of the world were placed on Christ, and Christ felt the guilt of the world!"

 

B.   Perhaps, Christ realized all the shame and suffering of His

crucifixion.

1.   being betrayed by a friend.

2.   being seized by the officers as a criminal; crucifixion was the execution of the lowliest of criminals.

3.   the mockery of a trial.

4.   the nailing to the cross, and the pain of the thirst.

5.   And above all, being forsaken by God!

 

C.   Going along with Spurgeon once again, perhaps even now, God had

begun to withdraw God's presence from Christ, and Christ was getting a taste of the separation that was to fully come!

 

D.   Perhaps, Christ was facing the greatest temptation of his life,

even more intense than the 40 days in the wilderness!  What could some of these temptations have been?

 

1.   To leave the work unfinished.

"If it be possible, let this  cup pass from me."

Imagine what Satan could have said:

a.   Are you sure you are the one that is to pay this

awful price?

b.   Look at your weakness; you are even now sweating

blood!

c.   But if you are the one, what good will it do?

All will forsake you!  Even now, your best friends  are asleep when you need them most!  They will scatter; are they worth it?

d.   We can be sure that Satan used all his resources at

this time to defeat Christ!

 

2.   The fear that his strength would not be sufficient.

Again, imagine what Satan could have said:

a.   How can you stand to be treated as a criminal?

You deserve better than that; you are the creator

of the universe!  Are you going to let them treat you

that way?

b.   How can you stand to have God turn away from you?

c.   How can you stand to see your broken-hearted mother

at the foot of the cross?

d.   You won't be able to stand it!

e.   But God sent angels to strengthen Christ.

              (vs. 43)

3.   The fear that he wouldn't be able to achieve the  redemption of people: that when they scattered and Christ was dead Satan would prevail.

 

II.  Notice the Savior's prayer!  When we are tempted and want to overcome, our greatest tool is prayer!  Let's look at the prayer of Christ:

 

A.   It was  a private prayer.

1.   Family prayer is good.  Prayer in the church is good.  There is a place for these.

2.   But to overcome temptation, we need to come to the Lord in

Private prayer!

 

B.   It was a humble prayer.

1.   Notice he didn't come before God as an equal and make his

demands.  If anyone could have, he could!

2.   But Christ kneeled down (Matt. 26:39 says Christ fell on his face) like someone coming before royalty and made his request to God.

 

C.   It was a persevering prayer.

1.   He prayed three times using almost the same words, but  each time the prayer was from the heart.

2.   He prayed about it until he was sure he had his answer!

 

D.   It was an Earnest prayer.  It was a prayer in which Christ wept

as he poured his heart out to God.

 

E.   At last, it was a prayer of resignation.  "Nevertheless, not my

will but thine be done!"  (vs. 42)

 

III. Notice Christ prevailed!  This is a turning point.

 

A.   Christ arose and knew what he must do.

 

B.   We do not see any more question as to whether or not to go through with it!

 

C.   Christ had received the strength that he needed; he had received the guidance that he needed.

 

D.   He had won the victory over Satan.  We do not see where Christ  ever struggles with temptation again!  His mind was set for the cross!  He would follow through with the plan!

 

Conclusion:

A.   Christ suffered much agony even before he came to the cross.  During this time, Christ prayed very earnestly.

B.   Christ arose from his prayer with some advice for his  disciples, "pray, lest ye enter into temptation."

 

C.   We need to take an example from the way Christ handled his moment of trial.

1.   Do we pray as earnestly as Christ did?

2.   If we did, maybe we wouldn't fall into temptation.

3.   Are we praying for guidance for our church as earnestly as

Christ prayed for guidance?

4.   If we are, we will get our answer, and we'll be used of  the Lord In greater ways in the future than we have experienced in the past!

 

D.   Christ believed enough in what he was doing for us that he went all the way.  Christ thought we were worth it!  Satan probably tried to convince Christ that it wasn't worth it and that we           wouldn't trust in what he was doing for us. (pause)  Who was right where we are concerned?

 

Prayer of Confession

Service of Communion