The Agony in the Garden

I'm sure you all recognize that clip Jimmy Stewart playing the part of George Bailey in the movie It's a Wonderful Life and it's a point in the movie. George has come to to that point was the lowest point in his life desperation to set it all up. They they ran a building and Loan and they had to make deposits of the caches that they brought into the bank and his uncle Uncle Billy who was a little bit. Confused most of the time I ended up losing the money and the bank examiner just happened to be there at the building and loan to check the books and all that and they're searching desperately for it everywhere. But to no avail and they knew that it was going to be jail time and everything else that George is just worried so much than the anxiety and the agony of it. All is just bearing down upon Him big-time. So there he ends up in martinis Tavern. And he then begins to cry out in prayer in desperation. Have you been to that point with George Bailey where you have cried out in prayer in desperation in an Agony and anxiety and God at that time. You're you're hurting you and you feel like you have no hope that everything is pouring down upon you that even though the sun is shining bright outside. It seems like the whole world is dark. Your body is suffering that from some physical problem, but it is suffering because of the weights that are upon you and and your your insides are just turning over in in anguish. You cry out to God in desperation. If you have been there, I am so sorry for you. If you haven't been there, I am so sorry for you. For if you have not been to that place that place from your uttermost inside that you're just crying out in many times. You can't even cry out in words there intelligent because you are hurting so much when you have you not come to the realization that you have. Nothing else left. Everything is gone and the only thing you got left is Jesus. It is at those times you find out that Jesus was everything that you need. The prayer of desperation The Cry of Agony we're looking at Jesus's Agony in the garden here this morning from Luke chapter 22 verse 46 and this is where they have now made it out of the the city. They made it to their destination up in the garden and he is only got a very short time left before he will be dragged away. Oh we start out in verse 39 of Luke 22 And he went away and proceeded according to his custom to the Mount of Olives and the disciples also followed him. I'm out of all this was a special place for Jesus says it says what his custom when he was near the Mount of Olives he would spend time there when he was near Bethany. He would spend time in Bethany when he was up in the Galilee and area he would spend time in Capernaum. There were these were the places where he could rest you could read figure eight himself and the grocer special places to them a lot of times and it would also be up on a Hillside and he would take that time to just kind of recharge himself so many times he would be interrupted. But those are those special places for him. Do you have special places for yourself when the weight of the world seems to be upon you when a problem pops up with her to physical problem with her financial problem is no problem with her is like a logical Problem. Whatever that problem might be. Do you have that place? That's solice place that place where you can go where it's just you and it's just got and you are just there to rest to be invirgorated river in Figure 8 it to have God minister to you. We all need places like that even set for that there needs to be a time of rest as he finished up creation day of rest. We all need that time. I'm just wrapping up unloading of letting the weight of the world fall off of it and had that place of rest. So he went out to Need for Speed basically taking the same word and there's a purpose of where they're going and where they're going is up to the Mount of Olives. And I'm sure with all the weight of the world that was on Jesus. He wanted to get you a place to where he could rest as he could give her the way that he could him and his father could just be together together and coming up to it up the mountain and see in the Mount of Olives. It had two at that point. Give him at least a little bit of sauce. A little bit of hope they go up to the Mount of Olives and it says that the disciples also followed him. Jesus was a great leader Not only was he a great leader. He was the absolute greatest of all later. He is the leader of leader John Maxwell in his leadership books don't know John Maxwell is the guru of leadership that says with us today in the world and his room. So many really good books on leadership is influence. He was a pastor learned leadership skills as being a pastor and the church grew and then while that church was at its Pinnacle and continuing to grow he was called by God to go out and teach leadership pastors and it's also spilled over into the secular Community, but he says no matter what the leadership training is all about their it comes down to one single principle. a good leader add value to people they could be the greatest administrator that does not add value to people into value people at Value to people you have to care about people they say if you have all those other talents, but you do not add value to people. Then you're not a leader. It has been said if you're saying that you're a leader and you're going out and turn around you see nobody behind you. You're not a leader. You're just out for what? Jesus it doesn't say that. Hey, let's let's go there you guys come with me cuz he he was Marcus point of his life on this Earth. He needed to be someplace where he felt comfortable with him. Those are the signs of a great leader when the leader goes without anybody asked and they follow along or support first morning and when they came to the place, he said to them pray that you will not enter into temptation. So they get their there at the entrance of the Mount of Olives there and he says, okay guys I got an assignment for you. I want you to pray that you will not enter into temptation. No care. It doesn't say guys. I want you to pray that you will not be led into temptation, but you will not enter into temptation. The it is the even though the devil and his demons are trying to do what they can against us and we get the devil a lot more credit. So many times it's who are leading us into these Temptation the devil and demons eat they will do what they can to manipulate the time. We are the ones who are leading ourselves into temptation for you guys right now right at this very moment the most important thing in your life above everything forget about everything else forget about what's tomorrow's going to hold forget about if you're going to have enough food to eat close to where or anything else like that wipe everything out and right now I need you to pray that you will not enter into temptation. There are times when the Holy Spirit nudges us. And if we just know we need to pray. He's not Junior. This is time for you to pray at this moment. I need you to pray and you may be in your card. You may be at work may be asleep in bed you wake up and you feel that I need to pray whatever it maybe you've been giving this guy, but you need to pray now. Sometimes we know what we're supposed to pray for. But there's many times. We don't we just know we're supposed to pray. I'm in that we just see crazy God in wall prayer is a conversation with god of coming closer to him. But when in those times when we feel the spirit of God telling us to pray prayer is the most important thing we are to do at that time just as it was for the disciples. Now we're going to rational but God God. I'm just not a good prayer. Just what you just pray to God. When you said. I'm not a good prayer you just pray to God. Make me a better prayer. Cuz you're not talking to God and that the conversation with guy Jesus disciple. Okay guys squat sit right here make yourself comfortable. But in that comfortability, I want you to pray that you're not going to answer it because Jesus knew the temptation to wish they were going to have ahead of them.

You can you can be strong and all that when you got your leader right next to you, but when the leaders gone. You can Wayne. How many times when if we gone do a conference a week on some training or we've done something else, you know where we're going on the cruise ship the police officers and we're going through a section of town that is pretty rough and we're not worrying about a thing because we got the guys with us. But then till later on go through that exact same neighborhood without them brings up a lot of worry brings up a lot of anxiety brings a lot of fear. They're going to go through all of that. And what will see that as we go through his death and burial may tell date if I'm right here and you guys have to take all four gospels and put them together cuz John John just got Luke's got a little bit more but he but he does have some stuff that Matthew and Mark don't Matthew and Mark tell about the separation of the different ones and then taking three others Peter James and John a little farther in In here and look we see Jesus going off to pray once and coming back and Mark we could see at least two times and comes back at this point. He's telling those eight sit here pray you doing errands and takes and he takes Peter James and John a little farther in and then he says you guys stay here if they get the exact same. The record stay here and pray that you do not enter into temptation. That is their number one priority. He doesn't even tell him to stand watch. If your translation does stay and stand watch it needs to stand watch over your prayer. It just means stand watch for guards or fees or anything else coming to stand watches watch over your prayers right now at this moment at this time pray that you don't enter into temptation first 41. And he withdrew from them about a stone's throw and knelt down and began to pray. How far is a stone's throw?

It's not an exact measurement at as you can say like a Denarius the day's wage a stone's throw isn't an exact measurement because some of you up here cuz I have thought about it getting some soft rubber ball and seeing how far you can throw it from one end of the other hear some of you may make it half way others off the fireplace in back. So a stone's throw is different for each and every individual plus a stone's throw can also be used as an expression that I imagine. You're on a vacation you're down in Arizona and in your hotel yet. You strike up a friendship with somebody else around the pool there and you're talkin all that. They're telling you they're from Seattle and you're saying all I'm from Iowa. I'm going to be going to Iowa.

Can you say come here? My dad would have said a job which also is not an exact measurement. But how is 45 miles now? We know Jesus.

But the garden there so we can kind of estimate figure anywhere from 50 to 200 feet away. Probably closer in the 75 to 100 feet away as where Jesus was at. So he withdrew from those three who are supposed to be praying. Also, we know that because when he comes back to gospel prank, So he sets them there. He goes a stone's throw away and he knelt down and began to pray. Literally in the Greek it is he bent his knees.

Sorry Panthers me. That was nice. That is the image of was just given to somebody who was in prayer. So you have seen we had one in our living room right above the TV for years and years Jesus in the garden. There's a big Stone. They're that Big Stone Jesus there in a purple row.

coming down to bend your knee means you're taking yourself in a place of submission. It is also used when kings who have been conquered come forth the ruling King and they bend their knees it's giving honor giving homage to the one that they are in front of so Jesus puts himself in a place of submission in front of God and he began to pray. The began to pray hear the word is in the imperfect tense, and the imperfect tense means that started but there is no timeline how long it's going to keep going and going and going it's undefined. What we do know it's not a short prayer because if we go back in Matthew we find out if I'm first time when he comes back after an hour to cycle sleeping.

You may have tried at times where he says, okay. I'm going to pray for now. In about 3 minutes into it your mind starting to wander off into the different thing. So you get your mind back and I know I'm going to focus.

That's why Jesus said you guys stay here. I'm going over there.

So he began to pray. So what was this prayer like first 40 to father if you are willing? Take this cup from me never less not what I will but yours be done. Matthew records that Jesus prayed this all three times that he was in go back into the garden now, I'm sure that's not the only thing you said because if that was it what was in in an hour's time span? I don't believe he was doing a Gregorian chants in a monotone. Same thing over and over and over again. He's pouring out his heart to God, but he is praying God take this from we're going to expand on that with our three points a little bit of verse 43 now verse 43 and 44 is because it's about 50/50 in the oldest manuscript whether it's there or whether it's not So we have to speculate is a part of the original and some of them had taken it out. Or is it that it was not there and it like other areas and structures were a thing got added in to explain a little more about what was going on an angel from heaven strengthening him. I can believe that I'm the Son of God is in anguish. He's in prairies and Desperation is crying out to the father. I can see an angel showing up to strengthen him and being an angry began praying more fervently with his sweat becoming like drops of blood falling down on the ground. Don't want to get into all the physical aspect of it, but that is because you are an English so much. That's the little tiny core puzzle step blood vessels near the edges of skin they begin to rupture a bit because of all the anxiety you're going through and it's just a little bit of blood that is seeping through the skin but is mixing with Jesus sweating blood. So that we can see just what kind of weight is on Jesus at this point. He's George Bailey at this point because he's got the whole weight of the world. But he's also fueled fully man, and he laid down his right up his divinity. Not that they were removed, but he laid them down and did not use them so that you could be fully man, Florida.

And there he is praying with all this heart soul mind and strength to the father to the point where it looks as though he is sweating blood. I've never gotten to that point. I've had some dark times and I've cried out in anguish and all of that. I've never gotten to the point where the little blood vessels begin to rupture a bit and I'm sweating blood.

So even though I can look at this and try to relate as much as I can with Jesus, even the points of which I've gone into that anguish. Don't come close to what Jesus was going to Cuz honestly I only have to wait to put myself on my shoulders. Jesus has to wait in the responsibilities of all creation. Not just those that are alive that I'm but those who were before him and those who are still here with us. So my anguish and hurts is miniscule compared to what Jesus was going through that night first 45. And when he got up from prayer and came to the disciples, he found them sleeping from sorrow.

Again, what was the Cycles number one priority at this point? Say what?

Pray that you do not. Go enter into temptation. They're supposed to be praying. What were they doing? How can I put yourself at work? They made you manager. You may be managing two people you maybe Madison 200 people. You go out to take a look at the progress. What is going on with your work forces you come across and you get off there on the plant floor and the office cubicles and you hear snoring. You don't hear a lot of paper safflina computer typing or anything else. Everybody's asleep.

How would you feel?

Be prepared, right? Jesus comes back and he's giving them one assignment. one assignment You're saying all that memes about you just had one job to do or they painted over a dead raccoon in the street, or they got the spelling on something absolutely wrong and you got it wrong. These guys have one job to do. Just pray that you won't enter into temptation. Now we got to give him credit most likely they did start praying. And after 10 minutes, it seems like an hour to them. That may be a 50 mess. I got two hours is gone by even though praying as one.

So they were found asleep.

Why were they asleep? Looks the only one town. That's why they fell asleep. They fell asleep from sorrow in anybody relate to that when you are so sorrowful. It just Zapped the entire energy out of your whole body. You've lost a loved one. And your morning you're hurting and even though you're not doing anything physically all the energy just drains from your body.

and you sleep so they fell asleep because all the energy was drained from them because of the sorrow, they were beginning to understand what was happening.

Jesus and told him many times through this night prior to this that he was going to die. At first they were slapping heard off when we can see if so they are in sorrow is that

and they fall asleep and Matthew says Jesus comes back in here since you guys can stay with me for an hour. And it gives him the same directive again goes away and praise comes back there snoozing away. Again. Peter got some in his mouth. Keep them warm in the way. He wakes them up again goes back and praise comes back again. There. They are all out again and he tells them again pray. So you do not enter into temptation of Jesus tells you once pay attention. Jesus tells you twice perkier. You better know this is really really really important. First 46 and he said to them why are you sleeping get up and pray that you will not enter into temptation. He just get through repeating that over and over and over and over to them. So we jump back into the other one about what was Jesus praying about the three things. Jesus was praying about they may not be all found and just that one line of scripture, but they are found throughout scripture. The first is Jesus prayed for himself before to 5. Have you ever prayed God give me strength. Yeah. I just can't do it. I can't do it Lord. This is too heavy for me. This is too much for me. I need you to give me strength. He was praying Lord. This cup is before me. What is that cup? The cup is that he was going to die the cup of the representation of the pouring out of the anger of God upon sin. And he was going to be taking the sin of the world on his own body. That's in this one. We're going to become sin. Carrie said he was going to become of the world to him and he was to become sent. You know how you feel a little bit bad when you get a little virus or little bacteria.

Imagine taking the sin of the world the worst of everything being taken into you. Teresa's father this this this this is powerful. This is too much. If you can take this cup away from me I'm asking you Jesus was fully man, as we replaced as Humanity on that cross and the in his human form. He said I don't know if I can do this. There's not a single one of us here who knew that we were going to be crucified before we're going to be to the point where nobody would be able to recognize it.

The pain and suffering he was going to go through over the next few hours. Was enough to be spread out amongst Millions.

And in the Schumann for me saying I can't do it you are going to have to do it for me Lord Philippians 2:7 says but he emptied himself by taking the form of a slave. That's what you Manatee by becoming in the likeness of people and being found in the appearance like man Hebrews 4:15 says for we do not have a high priest who is not able to sympathize with our weaknesses all the people can relate to they see the great high priest and the priests in the temple, but they weren't allowed to associate with the other side of the road. So they didn't have this one has been tempted in all things in the same way without since the Jesus became one of us. To take our place and we could relate to him. The next thing is Jesus pray for us to be justified. That was his whole purpose of coming to the world was to justify man. I'm Jesus came as a man as we had just seen he had to be the form of man because it was man who sends against righteous. Holy any infinite God it took a sinless man. Not a sinless god of a man, but I'm an absolutely perfect man without them. Otherwise that man would have to pay for his own because it was man who committed the sin against God Philippians 2 7B through 8 And being found a new parents like a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death that is on the cross. So he willingly even though he he said Lord God father. You're going to have to strengthen me in this cuz I can't do it myself. But I need to do it because the entirety of mankind is this state. So he prayed that in that we would be justified in the last thing Jesus prayed for God to be glorified.

That's what it's all about. Everything is all about God being glorified. You want to know what your purpose in life is to glorify God? John Piper many of you probably know who John Piper is Pastor up in Minnesota for years and years and he's got the Desiring God Ministries and on his website to read that to you. And probably no text in the Bible reveals The Passion of God for his own Glory more clearly and bluntly as Isaiah 40 8 9 and 11 9 through 11 workouts app. For my name's sake. I defer my anger for the sake of my praise. I restrain it or you that I may not cut you off behold. I have refined you but not as silver. I have tried you in the furnace of Affliction for my own sake for my own sake I do it for how should my name be profane my glory I will not give to another piper then goes on to say I have found that for many people these words come like six Hammer blows to the man Stanford way of looking at the world. And yes, most of mankind looks at it as man sentenced. It's the me me me generation.

These blows are for my namesake for the sake of my praise for my own safe for my own sake. How my how should my name be profane? My glory? I will not give to another so Jesus praise the God would be glorified. Piper says what this text hammers home to us is the centrality of God in his own affections. The most passionate heart for the glorification of God is God God's ultimate goal is to uphold and display the glory of his name. Jesus has given us an assignment that assignment is pray that we will not enter into him patient. father

we pray that but yet we're still in need of your strength. Cuz there are so many things that can overtake Us in this world.

And we know that they can't come to us unless you have allowed it. But if you have brought it to us. You have made a way for us through it. Help us father pray that we do not enter into temptation for when we do we separate ourselves from you?

Father give us the heart of that anguish to seek you. And know that if everything is gone we still have you. We have that example in the most precious one who cried a few and garden Jesus.