The garden

And they went to a place called Gethsemane. And he said to his disciples, "Sit here while I pray." And he took with him Peter and James and John, and began to be greatly distressed and troubled. And he said to them, "My soul is very sorrowful, even to death. Remain here and watch." And going a little farther, he fell on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. And he said, "Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will." And he came and found them sleeping, and he said to Peter, "Simon, are you asleep? Could you not watch one hour? Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." And again he went away and prayed, saying the same words. And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were very heavy, and they did not know what to answer him. And he came the third time and said to them, "Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? It is enough; the hour has come. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand." - Mark 14:32‭-‬42 ESV 

Rev. Dwight Yoo

Real Sorrow

The garden of gethsemane was an olive garden. Jesus and the disciples often visited this garden. There was likely an olive press on this garden, a very apt image. Tonight was a different night however. Judas was going to find Jesus here and betray Him. 

Jesus felt this night a sorrow and deep troubles. A darkness so deep that he felt like he was going to die. He was going to be physically tortured and killed. Jesus is not composed or stoic. But Jesus was not distraught over the physical pain and suffering, he prayed about God removing the cup. This cup was the wrath and fury of God. 

Jesus, the innocent one, who only knew the pleasure and love of God, was going to face the anger and punishment of God. Jesus was going to take on the sins of every person, the eternal punishment for the sins across many generations. This was why Jesus fell to ground in prayer. 

In seeing this, we can see how to relate to God honestly. Jesus, facing this horrible path, prayed to ask if God could provide another path. But not stopping there, Jesus prayed that not his will, but God's be done. So we can be honest when God brings us to difficult circumstances. We can pray in submission because Jesus went before us. Jesus gazed into the jaws of hell and said yes. Jesus saw the agony of hell and separation from God and picked that rather than an eternal separation from us. 

Real Weakness

This scene shows the weakness of the disciples. They fell asleep not once, not twice, but three times. They said they would not desert Jesus. They failed. Peter said he would not deny Jesus. He also failed. Very similarly, we say yes to ourselves and no to God. We say yes to fleeing pleasures and no to the joy of salvation. We say yes to our personal ambitions and dreams and no to the dreams and kingdom of God.

Real Power

Jesus had brought the disciples as his friends, but Jesus didn't do this for himself. He instructs the disciples to pray to be empowered. Jesus prayed so that he could be empowered, the very son of God. How much more do we, sinners, need God's help and empowerment? How much weaker are we than Jesus? 

There is a burning bush and in the Bible, it is not consumed. How is this so? So it should it be for Christians in this life. We can stand in suffering and in trouble and not be destroyed by the power of God in us. This is the power of God.