Place: Iron Hall: 18:4:2003

Reading: Matthew 26:36-46

“ CONSIDER HIM “

THE UNDAUNTED CHRIST

When we “ consider Christ,” in the Garden of Gethsemane, we are treading upon familiar soil. The incident is well known and seems to have permeated many Christian hymns. The Holy Spirit has recorded the account for us no less than three times in Holy Scripture. ( Matt 26:36-46 Mk 14:32-42 Lk 22:39-46 )

There is also a possible allusion to the event in the Book of Hebrews where we read these words, “ Who in the day of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto Him that was able to save Him from death, and was heard in that He feared.” ( 5:7 ) I said that Gethsemane is familiar soil. It is, but this should not detract from the fact that it is also exceedingly holy ground.

“ See the Saviour prostrate now,

Sweat of blood upon His brow

Hear my soul the piercing cry

Cleaving thrice the silent sky

Sorer anguish cannot be

Than thy pains, Gethsemane.”

Its interesting to note that history began in a Garden.

( Gen 2:8 ) History …. for the redeemed will end in a Garden. ( Rev 22:1 ) And history was transformed by two Gardens. The Garden of Gethsemane and the Garden Tomb. “ Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new sepulchre wherein was never man yet laid.” ( Jn 19:41 )

It is however to the former garden I want to go this …. and stand alongside our blessed Lord and see Him as He goes that dark and dreadful second mile on our behalf for Matthew uses a phrase here that neither Mark or Luke use. Did you catch it ? “ And He went a little farther.” ( 26:39 ) Can I suggest to you that our precious Lord Jesus went “ a little farther,”

(1) TO EXPOSE THE PLACE OF SUBMISSION

“ Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane.” ( 26:36 ) Come with me in your minds eye to Jerusalem. Go the east of the city and cross over the Kidron Valley. Now you are at the Mount of Olives, with its olive tree covered slopes. Ascending a little way you will come to a garden …. the garden of Gethsemane. My …. this was the chosen scene, the unforgettable scene of our Lord’s travail. Notice here:

(a) THE QUIETNESS OF THE SPOT:

The clamour of the crowd that had so often filled the ears of the Master, had died away in the distance. At the entrance to the Garden He had left the disciples, taking with Him the three, and then He left even them and

“ He went a little farther,” until He was all alone. The quietness of the spot where even the sound of a falling leaf might have been heard. My …. have we come to that place, where every other voice has died into silence so that we might hear His voice ? Have we got beyond the reach of the clamour of the world, the world whose standards are so different from the standards of the Lord Jesus ? Have we even got beyond the reach of the voice of our friends ? Oh, how wrong we are to think that times of spiritual crisis’s must be marked by noise and excitement ! “ And He went a little farther,” (a) Do we need to do the same ? Have we got yet to that quiet place where we hear the will of God coming through unmistakably clear ? But there was not only (a)

(b) THE LONELINESS OF THE HOUR:

For “ that hour,” ( Jn 31:31 ) that the Saviour had often spoken off, had now come and the Master was alone,

“ and began to be sorrowful and very heavy.” ( 26:37 )

Why was the Lord Jesus filled with sorrow and

anguish ? Was it because that even now He knew that Judas was approaching in order to betray Him ?

( 26:47 ) Was it because He was aware that Peter would painfully deny Him ? ( 26:70 ) That the disciples would forsake Him ? ( 26:56 ) That the Sanhedrin would condemn Him ? ( 27:1 ) ? That Pilate would sentence Him ? ( 27:26 ) That His enemies would ridicule Him ?

That the soldiers would crucify Him ? ( 27:35 ) No doubt all of this was included. But He was filled with sorrow and anguish primarily because He being of a most sensitive, tender nature was being driven more and more into isolation. Many of the people had already left Him, ( Jn 6:66 ) the disciples were going to forsake Him

( 26:56 ) and worst of all on the Cross, there would be that cry of separation, “ My God, my God why …. Me.”

( 27:46 ) (a)

“ It was alone the Saviour prayed

In dark Gethsemane

Alone He drained the bitter cup

And suffered there for me,

Alone, alone, He bore it all alone

He gave Himself to save His own

He suffered, bled and died alone.”

“ And He went a little farther.” (1) And then:

(2) TO EXPERIENCE THE PRICE OF SUBMISSION

The name “ Gethsemane,” means “ an oil, or olive press.” Usually, the press was a hewn out rock into which the olives were poured. Another large stone was used to crush and press them, forcing the juice to run out through a bored opening near the bottom. My …. as the Lord Jesus approached the cross, “ He was bowed down as if an enormous weight rested on His soul as indeed it did.” ( Spurgeon ) For think of the Saviour’s:

(a) PHYSICAL AGONY:

Dr. Luke tells us, “ 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.” ( 22:44 ) This may suggest that the sweat merely fell to the ground like clots of blood. But there is a rare physical phenomenon, known as hematidrosis in which under great stress, the tiny blood vessels rupture in the sweat glands and produce a mixture of blood and sweat. Do you recall that the First Adam sinned in a Garden and was condemned to living by the sweat of his brow,

( Gen 3:19 ) but the last Adam, the Lord Jesus, obeyed the Father in a Garden and conquered Adam’s sin.

( Rom 5:12-21 ) My …. can you see your Saviour bowed in agony on your behalf ? But there was not only His physical agony, for there was His:

(b) SPIRITUAL AGONY:

As He cries, “ O my Father, …. but as Thou wilt.”

( 26:39 ) The Saviour had already spoken about that cup to His disciples. Do you recall His words ? “ Can ye drink of the cup that I drink of ?” ( Mk 10:38 ) They foolishly said, “ We can.” ( Mk 10:39 ) Later on, the Lord Jesus said, “ The cup which My Father hath given Me, shall I not drink it ?” ( Jn 18:11 ) In the language of the Old Testament, “ drinking a cup,” meant fully undergoing this or that experience whether favourable or unfavourable. In the Bible “ the cup,” can be either a blessing or a bane, a cup of joy, or a cup of judgement.

( Ps 23:5 16:5 11:6 75:8 ) What then was the cup that Christ spoke of here ? Some say it was the cup of human suffering, but our Lord was no stranger to suffering and pain, He had known these things throughout His ministry. Others claim it was the cup of physical pain but He was the Prince of life and therefore death could hold no terror for Him. What then was the nature of this cursed cup ? My …. was it not that our Lord looked deeply into the cesspool of human sin and groaned as He smelled its foul odour and viewed the rising poisonous fumes ?

This cup was a cup full of sin, this cup was a cup full of wrath. J.C. Ryle says, “ The experience in the Garden is a knot which nothing can untie but the old doctrine of our sin being imputed to Christ, and Christ being made sin and a curse for us.” My …. do we not sing it at the Lord’s Table ?

“ Death and the curse were in our cup

O Christ twas full for Thee

But Thou hast drunk the last dark drop

Tis empty now for me

That bitter cup, love drank it up

Now blessing’s draught for me.”

Christ drank a cup of wrath without mercy, that we might drink a cup of mercy without wrath. Christ drank a cup of suffering that we might drink a cup of salvation for the psalmist says, “ What shall I render unto the Lord for all His benefits toward Me. I will take the cup of salvation and call upon the name of the Lord.”

( Ps 116:12-13 ) “ And He went a little farther.” (1) (2)

(3) TO EXPRESS THE PRAYER OF SUBMISSION

“ O my Father if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me, nevertheless not as I will but as Thou wilt.” My …. until we get to glory we will never fully understand what the Saviour went through in the Garden. The degree of suffering, the manner in which His Deity and Humanity operated. I tell you there is a mystery about the Gethsemane experience. Sufficient it is to say that He went a little farther (3) Can you see here:

(a) CHRIST’S DETERMINED SUPPLICATION:

For as He faced the time of His mock trial, a merciless environment, and the terror of the cross, He entered the Garden to pray. He was determined to pray. If necessary and it was He was determined to pray alone. He was determined to pray, and pray again, and pray again.

( 26:44 ) He was determined to pray reverently ! He was determined to pray submissively ! He was determined to pray earnestly. He was determined to pray obediently. He was determined to pray until He had finished praying. My …. does the same determination mark you when you come to pray ? Samuel Chadwick said, “ The one concern of the devil is to keep Christians from praying. He fears nothing from prayer less studies, prayer less work, prayer less religion. He laughs at our toil, mocks at our wisdom, but trembles when we pray.”

But Christ was determined to pray ! But this was not only (a) this was:

(b) CHRIST’S DEVOTED SUPPLICATION:

“ O my Father …. as Thou wilt.” ( 26:39 ) In no way did the Saviour shrink from the task that was before Him. Rather, as our Example he fully complied with the perfect will of God. In prayer, He yielded Himself to the will to which He had always been submitted. His words,

“ Nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt.” ( 26:39 ) are nothing more than a reaffirmation of His devotion to His Father’s wisdom, will and way. “ Thy will be done,” that’s what Christ prayed. “ My will be done,” that’s what Satan desired ! ( Is 14:12-14 ) Tell me, have you ever prayed the prayer of submission ? “ Not as I will, but as thou wilt.” For us it will mean:

1. A RENUNCIATION OF OUR OWN WILL:

“ O my Father …. not as I will,” Have you ever prayed a prayer like that ? Have you ever prayed concerning a situation against which your whole being has cried out ? Yet the doing of the will of God implies saying no to your own will. The Lord Jesus said, “ If any man will come after Me, let him deny Himself and take up his cross and follow me.” ( Matt 16:24 ) Are you willing to take all your selfish desires, hopes, life aspirations and say no to them ? We may crave for fellowship and God puts us in a lonely sphere of witness where there is not another believer ! We may plan for a prosperous and successful career, and God gives us a mission hospital in India. We may crave for marriage and motherhood and God sends us to Africa to care for unwanted children. We may plan to get our own back on the person who has wronged us and God says no. We may long for Christian service and God keeps us tied to a computer and a sink and every time we pray in agony the prayer that Christ prayed, the prayer that is so natural to pray, “ Father if it be possible let this cup pass from me, the word of refusal comes, “ My child it may not pass.” 1.

2. A RESIGNATION TO GOD’S WILL:

“ Thy will be done.” ( 26:42 ) And what was the Father’s will ? That His Son should be a sacrifice for sin and a substitute for sinners. After Christ had said, “ Thy will be done,” ( 26:42 ) He turned to the disciples and said, “ rise let use be going.” ( 26:46 ) Where to ? To Calvary for you and me ! The will of the Father though costly was nevertheless executed ! What about you ? Are you fulfilling His will or stumbling at it ? For you realise that for you “ His will,” will mean that sacrifices will have to be made, time will have to be given, a price will have to be paid in terms of going, living, praying, giving. My …. this business of submitting to the will of God is not the emotion of a moment, not the singing of a hymn but the sacrifice of a life, it was that for Christ and its about time that it was that for the church of Christ. A girl was sent to finishing school by her wealthy parents. There she learned science, art, dancing and other things. One night she went to a revival meeting and at the close of the service she accepted Christ as her Saviour. She gave her heart to the Lord and decided she would dedicate her life to missionary service.

She wrote to her father and told him of her decision. He went into a rage and wrote to her immediately saying,

“ Get on the next train and come home.” As her father met her he said, “ I did not send you to school to get religion, that alright for halfwits but not for a girl like you. You must get this notion out of your head. Indeed if by tomorrow you have not got this religious notion out of your head, you may pack your suitcase and leave this home.” That girl went to her room with a heavy heart. It would mean the loss of love, culture, wealth and prestige. On her knees she fought it out. The next morning she packed her case, Before leaving she stepped over to the piano and started to play and sing.

“ Jesus I my cross have taken all to leave and follow Thee: Destitute despised, forsaken, Thou from hence my all must be: Perish every fond ambition all I’ve sought, hoped and known: Yet how rich is my condition God and Heaven are still my own.”

She arose and with tears streaming down her cheeks, turned to the door. Before she could open it, her father stepped out from behind the curtain where he had been listening and said with deep emotion, “ I didn’t know Jesus Christ meant as much to you as that. I didn’t know you were willing to give up father, mother, home and everything just for Jesus. Forgive me, I must be beside myself. If such a great love can take hold of your heart, there must be something in it. Sit down and tell me how I can become a Christian.” “ Not as I will, but as Thou wilt.” Have you prayed it ? Did you mean it ?

“ And He went a little farther.” (1) (2) (3) Finally,

(4) TO EXHIBIT THE PEACE OF SUBMISSION

For as we look into the Garden and we scarcely dare look, as we listen, the voice of prayer is silent.

(a) THE BATTLE HAS STOPPED:

The kneeling figure of the Master rises quietly. The Master comes forth with peace in His heart and serenity on His face. He went a little farther to the place of surrender, and there in agony He paid the price. And now He manifests the peace. His heart is not troubled anymore. The agony has gone, the peace has come.

“ Then cometh He to His disciples …. rest,” ( 26:45 ) Then as He catches a glimpse of the torches He says,

“ Rise let us be going.” Going where ? Going forward to do the Father’s will with peace in His heart. The peace of submission, have you got there yet ? I wonder this …. are you in the crucible of decision ? The Lord has made it clear to you that this is what He wants of you, this is His will for your life. But it involves giving up certain rights that you enjoy. You see, letting the Lord have His way can be an uncomfortable thing. My …. is God “ pressing,” you ? Is He saying, “ I want to have my will in your life. I want you to release your rights, and I want you to stop wrestling with Me. I want to have My way with you.” Has the battle stopped or is it still ongoing ?

(b) THE BLESSING HAS STARTED:

In war, when peace comes, while something stops, something starts. In the heart and mind of Christ, Gethsemane and the Cross …. separated by just a few hours were so close to one another, that I think it would be true to say that the stream of blessing that flowed from Golgotha began to flow in Gethsemane. Has the blessing of God ceased to flow in your life ? Oh I know that you are marked by activity, you know the vocabulary, you may have the personality, but if you are not living a life surrendered to the will of God, the blessing stops. Is it not time that the blessing commenced again ? And I will tell you where the issue is settled. In the Garden. The battle ended there, the blessing began there. Do you recall that old hymn ?

“ I can hear my Saviour calling

I can hear my Saviour calling

I’ll go with Him, all the way

Where He leads me I will follow

I’ll go with Him, with Him all the way

I’ll go with Him through the garden

I’ll go with Him, with Him all the way.”

“ And He went a little farther.” (1) (2) (3) (4) Is the Lord calling you to go a little farther than you have ever been before to the place of submission, to pay the price of submission, to express the prayer of submission, and to find the peace of submission ? Has the time come for you to tell the Lord, “ Not as I will but as Thou wilt.”

Will you tell Him now ? Will you go that “ little bit,” farther now ?