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Sermon Notes for August 24, 2003
The Emotions of Jesus Series
The Pain of Jesus
Matthew 26:36-46
Introduction
A. One Of The GREATEST BLUNDERS We can Make Is To Fail To See That Jesus Was Human.
1. We tend to “Deify” Him so much that we believe He never struggled with life on this earth. That He:
a. was always happy.
b. was always content.
c. never got mad.
d. never struggled with relationships.
e. never was disappointed.
f. never cried.
g. was never alone.
2. We have bought the view that the world has depicted of Jesus
a. flowing through life with a smile on His face
b. laughing and loving life as if it were a Disney movie
B. One Of The GREATEST BLESSINGS We Can Have Is To See That Jesus Was INDEED HUMAN.
1. WE need to get our heads “out of the clouds” AND LOOK AT THE JESUS OF THE BIBLE!
a. Does the Scripture depict a Jesus who “floats on air?”
b. Does the Scripture depict a Jesus who NEVER struggled with His emotions in this life?
2. That is why we have spent time this summer looking at the emotions of Jesus.
a. FOR HE HAD EMOTIONS, JUST LIKE US!
1. passion
2. compassion
3. forgiveness
4. confidence
5. pity
b. If Jesus WAS human, THEN HE HAD HUMAN EMOTIONS!
3. I don’t know about you, but I can’t relate to someone who is unreal, super spiritual, untouched by life.
a. I AM SICK TO DEATH OF “PERFECT CHRISTIANS!”
1. FIRST of all, the perfect life DOESN’T EXIST.
2. and SECOND of all, those who believe that they are living the
perfect Christian life are:
a. deluded
b. unbiblical
c. hypocritical
b. I want to see “spiritual reality” in the lives of fellow Christians.
1. true “spiritual reality” is shown all through the Scriptures in the
lives of:
a. Abraham
b. Moses
c. David
d. Elijah
e. The 12 Disciples
f. Paul
2. we see “spiritual reality” in the life of Jesus
a. there is perhaps no clearer picture of the “spiritual
reality” of Jesus than in the Garden of Gethsemane
before His crucifixion
b. here in the Garden, we see the most revealing picture of
Jesus’ humanity and His ‘INEVITABLE” struggle with
what His heavenly Father has asked Him to do.
c. let us look carefully at the human struggle of our
wonderful Savior.
I. Jesus’ Need For A QUIET PLACE.
A. Jesus’ UNDERSTANDING OF GETHSEMANE.
1. Jesus had gone there many times. John 18:1-2 – “When he had finished praying, Jesus left with his disciples and crossed the Kidron Valley. On the other side there was an olive grove, and he and his disciples went into it. Now Judas, who betrayed him, knew the place, because Jesus had often met there with his disciples.”
2. Apparently, this was Jesus’ favorite place to pray.
3. This is apparently how Judas Iscariot was able to find Jesus on the night that he betrayed Jesus. Judas went to the MOST LOGICAL place where Jesus spent a great deal of His time.
B. Jesus’ USE OF GETHSEMANE.
1. Jesus HAD A NEED to go to Gethsemane.
a. imagine that – Jesus had a “need” to go there
1. what “need” could He possibly have had –
2. I thought that Jesus had no “needs”
b. Jesus’ spiritual “need” would be met at Gethsemane
2. Jesus HAD A NEED to be alone with His Heavenly Father.
a. Thomas Merton once said: In solitude we find God and He fills us with His love and compassion and Spirit and it affects our outward life. I think this is why Jesus retreated by Himself so much. He was filling Himself back up with God’s love and power and glory so that He could again love people He came in contact with. He retreated to be close to God without the distraction of other people.”
b. William Barclay – “In prayer a man kneels before God that he may stand erect before men. In prayer, a man enters heaven that he may face the battles of earth.”
3. At what “OTHER” times had Jesus been alone with His heavenly Father?
a. Matthew 4:1-11 - Jesus began His ministry with 40 days alone in the desert
b. Luke 6:12 - Before He chose the 12 disciples
c. Matthew 14:13 - When He received the news of John the Baptist’s death
d. Matthew 14:23 - After the feeding of the 5000
e. Matthew 17:1-9 - Before His transfiguration
4. And now . . . what was Jesus facing?
a. only the most important time in all of His earthly ministry
b. only an event that would literally “tear His life apart” physically and spiritually
c. only an event that was the most important event in all of history!
d. is it surprising that Jesus “needed” to pray?
II. Jesus Needed QUALITY PEOPLE.
A. The DIVISION OF THE TWELVE.
1. While Jesus called twelve disciples to be with Him in His ministry. . .
2. Jesus seemed to share His most intimate thought and times with only three of the twelve – Peter, James and John.
a. Mark 5:37 - at the miracle of being back from the dead – the daughter of Jairus – only these three disciples were allowed to follow Him. “He did not let anyone follow him except Peter, James and John the brother of James.”
b. Matthew 17:1-2 - at the Mount of Transfiguration, these three were the only ones taken by Jesus. “After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light.”
c. and now at the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus invites only these three to be with Him in the Garden while He prayed.
B. The DUTY OF THE THREE.
1. Is it possible that JESUS NEEDED FRIENDS ON THIS EARTH?
a. WHY ELSE WOULD HE HAVE TAKEN THEM WITH HIM?
b. Why did He need these friends!
1. He needed their physical presence.
a. what is it about being around people physically that
encourages us?
b. Biblical models:
1. Ecclesiastes 4:11-12 – “Also, if two lie down
together, they will keep warm. But how can
one keep warm alone? Though one may be
overpowered, two can defend themselves. A
cord of three strands is not quickly broken.”
2. look at the wonderful friendship of David and
Jonathan in the Old Testament –
a. look at what David said of Jonathan at his
death - II Samuel 1:25-26 - "How the
mighty have fallen in battle! Jonathan
lies slain on your heights. I grieve for
you, Jonathan my brother; you were
very dear to me. Your love for me was
wonderful, more wonderful than that
of women.”
b. this is a kind of relationship that most
people know nothing about.
3. why did Jesus send out the seventy in “twos”?
c. it is a mature, spiritual man who has deep relationships
1. Jesus had friends because He needed friends –
perhaps He loved the relationship within the
Trinity
2. Dinah Craik “Friendship” –
“Oh, the comfort – the inexpressible
comfort of feeling safe with a person,
Having neither to weigh thoughts,
Nor measure words – but pouring them
All right out – just as they are –
Chaff and grain together –
Certain that a faithful hand will
Take and sift them –
Keep what is worth keeping –
And with the breath of kindness
Blow the rest away.”
2. He needed their personal prayers
a. NOTICE WHAT JESUS ASKED OF THESE THREE –
TO PRAY!
b. Jesus not only needed their presence, HE NEEDED
THEIR PRAYERS!
1. THIS is the Jesus who has it all together
2. THIS is the Jesus who never has any problems
3. THIS is the Jesus who never struggled with life
4. THIS JESUS NEEDED PRAYER!
2. So, it is not only possible that Jesus needed friends, He needed the prayers of these friends.
III. Jesus Needed QUALITY PRAYER.
A. The BROKENNESS Of Jesus’ Prayers.
1. I want to Biblically OBLITERATE any view that teaches that Jesus never struggled: that He never had problems.
a. look at verse 37 – notice what the Scripture says about Jesus:
1. “sorrowful”
a. Greek – lupeo
b. grieving, to be sad
2. “troubled”
a. full of heaviness
b. great distress
b. look at verse 38. Notice what Jesus says ABOUT HIMSELF.
1. “overwhelmed with sorrow”
a. Greek – perilupov
b. exceeding sorrowful
c. overcome with sadness
2. “to the point of death”
3. other versions
a. Amplified Bible – “My soul is very sad and deeply
grieved, so that I am almost dying of sorrow.”
b. J.B. Phillips – “ My heart is nearly breaking.”
c. Living Bible – “My soul is crushed with horror and
sadness to the point of death.”
d. Good News For Modern Man – “The sorrow in my
heart is so great that it almost crushes me.”
2. The words that Jesus used to describe His emotional, physical and spiritual
condition are EXCESSIVE and VERY DESCRIPTIVE.
a. emotionally
1. Jesus is emotionally spent
2. He is emotionally failing
b. physically
1. His body was failing Him.
Vs. 39 – Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the
ground and prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup
be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will."
a. have you ever been that physically spent?
b. me recently on the golf course – walked 18 holes in 95
degrees in temperature and humidity
2. His body was falling apart.
Luke 22:44 - “And being in anguish, He prayed more earnestly
and His sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.”
a. Luke the Doctor would certainly refer to Jesus’ physical
condition AS IT WAS RARE TO EVER SEE.
b. Jesus was under such physical pressure and stress that
He actually sweat blood.
1. hematohidrosis
2. Around the sweat glands there are multiple
blood vessels in a net-like form. Under the
pressure of great stress, the vessels constrict.
As one’s anxiety grows, the blood vessels
dilate to the point of rupture. The blood
actually leaks into the sweat glands. As the
sweat glands are producing a lot of sweat, it
pushes the blood to the surface – coming out
as droplets of blood mixed with sweat.
c. spiritually
1. Jesus is undergoing this distress because of what He faces
spiritually
2. it is so overwhelming, so powerful, that His physical body is
shutting down
3. SO . . . LET’S GET AWAY FROM THIS SIMPLE, PERFECT, NEVER HAD A PROBLEM . . . JESUS
a. BECAUSE THIS IS NOTHING CLOSE TO THE REAL JESUS.
b. How else could Hebrews 4:15 say this – “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are--yet was without sin.”
c. We will be greatly blessed by truly understanding JUST HOW MUCH JESUS STRUGGLED IN THIS LIFE . . . JUST LIKE WE DO!
B. The BEGGING In Jesus’ Prayers.
1. Prayer Number One – a prayer of hesitation. Vs. 39b – “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”
a. LET’S BE VERY CLEAR ABOUT THIS – JESUS IS ASKING HIS HEAVENLY FATHER IF HE CAN AVOID THE CROSS.
1. There are no spiritual platitudes here –
a. “Oh, Father, I’m thrilled to be going to the cross.”
b. “Oh, Father, I’m honored to be going to the cross.”
2. There is no quiet resignation to obey His Father’s request.
3. There is the SAME INEVITABLE STRUGGLE THAT EACH
OF US WOULD HAVE IF WE FACED THE SAME THING.
b. JESUS DOESN’T WANT TO GO TO THE CROSS!
1. and He is letting His heavenly Father know
2. “THIS IS NOT WHAT I WANT!”
2. Prayer Number Two – a prayer of acceptance.
a. NOT only has His Heavenly Father turned Jesus down, His earthly friends have failed to pray for His needs.
b. So, Jesus prays a second time – vs. 42 – He went away a second time and prayed, "My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done."
1. at this point, there is a resignation to Jesus’ prayer
2. you get the sense here that there is no out, no other way - this is
the revealed, required will of His Father
3. this He must do
3. Prayer Number Three – a prayer of commitment
a. and yet once again does Jesus see the weakness of His friends; they fell asleep again
b. so Jesus prays yet a THIRD TIME!
c. this time:
1. Jesus knows what the will of His Father is
2. Jesus knows what He must do
3. look as Jesus says: Vs. 46 - “Rise, let us go! Here comes my
betrayer!"
a. Judas is literally there to betray Jesus.
b. the dreaded day for which Jesus came is here – and
Jesus obediently moved toward it.
C. The BASIS For Jesus’ Prayers.
1. Did Jesus fear the physical pain of His future death?
a. after all, His death had been prophesied for centuries