Darkest Night in the Life of Jesus

December 28, 2014

Matthew 26:36-46; Mark 14:32-42; Luke 22:39-46; John 18:1-2

We have been “walking with Jesus” through the pages of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John on Sunday mornings for over a year now. Today we will walk with Jesus to a garden called Gethsemane where He agonized in prayer just before He is betrayed and arrested.

When I visited Israel in 1986, Bill Tate lead our tour group to the garden of Gethsemane. Several of those gnarled olive trees are over 2,000 years old. It was a highlight of my life to kneel amongst those same olive trees that Jesus prayed under 2000 years ago.

Three significant gardens mentioned in the Bible:

The garden of TRAGEDY (Gen. 2-3). Eden—Adam sinned and death was passed unto all men.
The garden of TORMENT (text). Gethsemane—Here Jesus sorrows unto death.
The garden of TRIUMPH (John 19:41). Jesus’ victory over death.

The night Jesus spent in Gethsemane was the darkest night in the life of Christ—A frightful night… A night of extreme agony… A night of betrayal… A night of abandonment. With the exception of Calvary, the most traumatic event in the life of Christ was His praying in Gethsemane.

The whole ordeal in Gethsemane was over “the cup.” Jesus prayed three times, “If it be possible, let this cup pass from me” (vs. 39, 42, 44).

What was this “cup”?

It was not PHYSICAL DEATH on the cross. Jesus knew He came to die for sinners (John 12:27). He came to lay His life down.

It was not DYING IN THE GARDEN… no one could kill Jesus (He laid down His life).

Let’s examine three things about this “cup”—

I. The PRESSURE of the cup was heavy to bear.

A severe spiritual struggle was taking place. No other trial in life can compare with what Jesus faced in the Garden. The struggle waged within His two-fold nature—God / Man.

Gethsemane means “olive press.” An olive press is used to crush and squeeze olives, so they give oil. In Gethsemane Jesus is crushed and pressed spiritually, emotionally, and physically.

A. His SORROW—“My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death.” He was in “agony”1 (Luke 22:44). The agony was so intense He sweat great drops of blood. Any medical doctor will tell you that when blood is secreted through the pores of the skin, a person is at the point of death.

B. His WITHDRAWAL— “And he went a little farther…”

Praying with others is good. Thank God for those who pray with you and for you. But there are times when we must withdraw to a closet, where no ear hears but God.

We need a garden, a solitary spot, where we can get all alone with God in times of great trial.

C. His COLLAPSE—“… fell on his face… ”Jesus was broken… burdened… weighed down and fallen on His face. The pressure He experienced was unbearable.

II. The PORTION in the cup was horrific to behold.

Jesus was “sore amazed” (Mk. 14:33). [Strong’s: “to astonish utterly; affright.”] Why Jesus was “sore amazed”? God is never amazed or frightened. It was the human nature of Jesus that was “sore amazed” as the terrors ahead were coming into view.