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Gospel of Mark
Part 80: The Garden of Gethsemane
By Rev. Bruce A. Shields
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SERMON TIMELINE
- Introduction
- John the Baptist
- The Baptism of Jesus
- Temptation of Jesus
- The Preaching Ministry of Jesus I
- The Preaching Ministry of Jesus II
- The First Disciples
- A Teacher with Authority
- At the Home of Simon and Andrew
12. Jesus and the Tax Collector
13. Jesus Questioned About Fasting
15. Jesus, Lord of the Sabbath & Resurrection Sunday 2025
16. Hard Hearts and Hard Thoughts
18. Jesus Appoints the Apostles
24. Parable of the Growing Seed
25. Parable of the Mustard Seed
26. Benefits of Private Teaching
30. When Familiarity Breeds Contempt
32. Weakness in the Seat of Power
34. Feeding 5000
38. The Source of True Defilement
39. Gentile Blessed for Her Faith
40. He Has Done All Things Well
41. Jesus Feeds 4000
42. Jesus Sighs
43. Beware of Leaven
44. The Blind Man at Bethsaida
45. Who Do You Say That Jesus Is?
46. Mindful of the Things of God
49. Ashamed of Jesus and His Word
51. The Disciples ask Questions
54. Principles of Discipleship
58. The Cost and Reward of Discipleship
59. A Couple Days Before Palm Sunday
61. Greatness in the Kingdom Comes from Serving
62. Blind Bartimaeus
63. Triumphal Entry
66. Is it from Heaven or from Men?
67. Parable of the Wicked Vine Grower
68. Our Duty to God and Country
69. The Resurrection of the Dead
71. David’s Son and David’s Lord
72. Beware the Pretentious Scribes
76. The Preparations
79. Peter’s Denial
80. The Garden of Gethsemane
SCRIPTURE REFERENCE
Mark 14:27-31 “32 Then they *came to a place named Gethsemane; and He *said to His disciples, “Sit here until I have prayed.” 33 And He *took with Him Peter and James and John, and began to be very distressed and troubled. 34 And He *said to them, “My soul is deeply grieved to the point of death; remain here and keep watch.” 35 And He went a little beyond them, and fell to the ground and began to pray that if it were possible, the hour might pass from Him. 36 And He was saying, “Abba! Father! All things are possible for You; remove this cup from Me; yet not what I will, but what You will.” 37 And He *came and *found them sleeping, and *said to Peter, “Simon, are you sleeping? Could you not keep watch for one hour? 38 Keep watching and praying that you may not come into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 39 And again He went away and prayed, saying the same words. 40 And again He came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were very heavy; and they did not know what to answer Him. 41 And He *came the third time, and *said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? It is enough; the hour has come; behold, the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. 42 Get up, let us go; behold, the one who betrays Me is at hand!”
INTRODUCTION
It is now Late Thursday Night of the week of Passover.
§ Late Thursday Night: Gethsemane, betrayal, arrest, Jewish hearings (TODAY’S MESSAGE)
§ Friday morning: Jesus before Pilate, Crucifixion and death; Friday before sunset: Burial
Following the Last Supper, Jesus and His disciples go to Gethsemane. It was a garden just outside of the city, across the Kidron brook and on the Mount of Olives.
The name Gethsemane means “olive press,” and was possibly a remote walled garden. We read in John 18:1-2 “…He went forth with His disciples to the other side of the Kidron Valley, where there was a garden, into which He entered with His disciples. 2 Now Judas also, who was betraying Him, knew the place, for Jesus had often gathered there with His disciples.”
We will see a contrast here between the beginning, the fall of mankind, the end, and the restoration.
The contrast between the Garden of Eden and the Garden of Gethsemane.
1. In the Garden of Eden, the first man (Adam) fell by yielding to temptation and disobeying God.
2. In Gethsemane, the Second Adam (1 Corinthians 15:45-49; Romans 5:14-19), Jesus, conquered by yielding to the will of God and obeying God.
Gethsemane may feel like defeat when we read of it in Scripture; however, the Garden of Gethsemane was a place of victory for Jesus, and consequently for us as well, to those who hear and do the will of God. But the victory did not come easy.
I. THE GARDEN WAS A PLACE OF SUFFERING
a. Where Jesus experienced the greatest of distress
i. Jesus went to pray with Peter, James, and John
ii. We see from scripture Jesus was “very distressed and troubled.”
iii. Luke recorded in Luke 22:44 that Jesus was in “agony,” and His sweat became like drops of blood, falling upon the ground.
John 12:27 “Now My soul has become dismayed; and what shall I say, ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour.”
iv. Jesus knew His hour had come.
v. He knew that the things he told His disciples earlier, recorded in Mark 10:32-34, were now imminent.
b. The garden was a place of suffering where Jesus endured intense sorrow
Jesus said, Mark 14:34 “And He *said to them, “My soul is deeply grieved to the point of death; remain here and keep watch.”
Hebrews 5:7 “He, in the days of His flesh, offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His reverence.”
i. The sorrow and grief of Jesus may seem overwhelming and mysterious, but part of this came with His mission of taking upon Himself the sin, consequences, sorrow, and grief!
Isaiah 53:4-5 “Surely our griefs He Himself bore,
And our sorrows He carried;
Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken,
Smitten of God, and afflicted.
5 But He was pierced through for our transgressions,
He was crushed for our iniquities;
The chastening for our peace fell upon Him,
And by His wounds we are healed.
ii. What is the sickness that caused Him to be stricken? SIN…”our transgressions” He was crushed because of OUR INIQUITIES and The PUNISHMENT for our sins fell upon HIM
iii. And by His wounds (His punishment for our sins) we are healed
iv. Healed from what? The consequences of our sins and transgressions because they were placed upon HIM.
1. The false teaching of the “word of faith” movement continuously misuses this verse to prove the false teaching that says any believer who speaks healing will get that healing because of this verse.
a. Claims the man wearing glasses with a hearing air and bad hip that needs to be replaced.
2. From poor understanding of Scripture and eisegesis, false doctrines are born!
3. No where does scripture teach Christians will live perfect, healthy, never catch a cold life.
a. No one was closer to Jesus that the disciples. How great was their lives, and their deaths for proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ?
b. Yet we think we are “more” special than they?
4. This verse isn’t about healing your arthritis, it is speaking of something much greater, the forgiveness of your real sickness, sin (transgressions) against God, and the consequences that come with sin.
5. The fact that Jesus was pierced because of OUR sin, crushed because of OUR iniquities, and punished for OUR transgressions against God, and we deserve punishment for that (eternal casting out into darkness on Judgement Day)
6. THAT is what we were healed from.
v. And so, the deep sorrow, overwhelming grief, and all that comes with sin for all of mankind, including the punishment, was poured upon Jesus, the spotless lamb, the substitutionary sacrifice for our transgressions was His to bear and to take to the cross.
vi. And some are arrogant enough to claim Jesus couldn’t know or understand what you are going through in your life, you pain, suffering, misery, loneliness…
vii. Shame on you, and shame on those who take something as great as the removal of the punishment of sin upon and restoration of fellowship with the Father in heaven through Christ Jesus for all of mankind and reduce it down to a verse about name it, claim it, getting what you want from the Lord of all creation.
viii. Instructing God on what He will do, according to your will instead of living by the example Christ Himself gave in the Garden when He submitted and surrendered His will to the will of God!
c. The garden was a place of suffering where Jesus encountered solemn loneliness.
i. Jesus wanted His closest friends to watch and wait with Him
1. Those who had been with Him from the beginning
2. Those who had witnessed His greatest miracles
3. Those who saw Him transfigured on the mountain
ii. Yet, after each episode of prayer, Jesus found them sleeping
Mark 14:37 “And He *came and *found them sleeping, and *said to Peter, “Simon, are you sleeping? Could you not keep watch for one hour?”
Mark 14:40 “And again He came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were very heavy; and they did not know what to answer Him.”
Mark 14:41 “And He *came the third time, and *said to them, “Keep on sleeping then. It is enough; the hour has come; behold, the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners.”
iii. When Jesus desired fellowship for comfort, there was none to be found.
This was foretold in Psalm 69:20 “Reproach has broken my heart and I am so sick. And I hoped for sympathy, but there was none, And for comforters, but I found none.”
iv. Matthew 25:1-13 Jesus tells us about ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.
1. Five were foolish, and five wise
2. The five foolish took no oil with them
3. The five wise took oil
4. When the bridegroom delayed, they ALL got drowsy and began to sleep.
5. When the shout came that the bridegroom was coming out to meet them, the foolish said to the wise, “give us some of your oil, our lamps are going out.”
a. The wise said, “no, there wont be enough for us. Go and get your own.”
b. While the foolish were gone seeking oil, the wise who were ready went with the bridegroom to the wedding feast. The door was shut.
c. When the foolish returned to see the door shut, they went and called out, “Lord, lord, open up for us!”
d. But he answered and said, “Truly I say to you, I do not know you.’ Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know the day nor the hour.”
v. Obviously, in this parable from Jesus, He is the Bridegroom.
1. The virgins are those who wish to be taken into the wedding (saved and taken away by the Lord)
2. Some had lamps (understanding), but their oil ran out. Oil is the Holy Spirit of God, which they at one time had, but lost because they were foolish and did not continue in the way.
What did Jesus say to the church in Ephesus in Revelation 2:4–5 “…I have this against you, that you have left your first love. [so much for once saved always saved] Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; but if not, I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place, unless you repent.”
i. In Jesus' words to the church, if you “fall away” and do not repent, He will remove your lampstand.
3. They had fallen away, had no Holy Spirit, and were barred from entering the wedding, or heaven.
Jesus even repeats in His parable in Matthew 25:1-13, “…I do not know you…” just as Jesus stated earlier in Matthew 7:21-23 when explaining what the kingdom of heaven is like, and who will enter, and He tells the disciples, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, in Your name did we not prophesy, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name do many miracles?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’”
4. How many have “fallen away?”
5. How many are claiming Christianity, but the lamps they carry are empty?
6. How many are asleep, when we are told to await and watch for the arrival of the bridegroom?
vi. How many sleepers do we have among us today? In this country, in this town, in the churches, in this church?
1. Are you sleeping?
Alone in His distress and sorrow, our Lord found the Garden of Gethsemane to be a place of great suffering. Then something happened before He left to face the mob led by Judas to be arrested.
II. THE GARDEN WAS A PLACE OF STRENGTH
a. When Jesus expressed agonizing prayer
His agony is felt in Mark 14:35-36 “…[Jesus] fell to the ground and began to pray that if it were possible, the hour might pass from Him. And He was saying, “Abba! Father! All things are possible for You; remove this cup from Me; yet not what I will, but what You will.”
You see why Word of Faith is a false teaching?
i. Mark 14:35–36 directly contradicts one of the central errors associated with Word of Faith teaching, namely that sufficient faith, properly spoken, obligates God to produce the result we desire.
ii. Biblical faith submits to God’s will rather than attempting to control God through spoken declarations.
1 John 5:14 “And this is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.”
1. Faith is confidence in God, not confidence in the power of our own words.
James 4:15 “Instead, you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.’”
2. Biblical faith says, “Father, You can do anything, but Your will above mine.” Word of Faith theology often reverses that order by making faith a means of obtaining our will from God. Jesus shows that genuine faith is not forcing the desired outcome. It is trusting and obeying the Father regardless of the outcome.
iii. It was “godly fear” Jesus expressed, and why our prayers are heard by God.
Hebrews 5:7 “He, in the days of His flesh, offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His reverence.”
1. Isn’t this exactly how Jesus told the disciples to pray in His example, we call the Lord’s Prayer?
a. Matthew 6:9-13 “Pray, then, IN THIS WAY; Our Father who is in heaven, hallowed be your name…”
b. Hallowed means holy, blessed, revered, respected.
c. This is why it says His prayers were “heard because of His reverence.”
iv. And the Lord essentially prayed, not that the cup of suffering be removed, but that He could have the strength to drink it.
v. How many are so concerned with praying for their own will that they do not give God the reverence, nor do they seek His will, and wonder why they feel their prayers are not being heard?
vi. When you pray for your will, you are praying to yourself.
vii. Jesus found strength not in His will, but through fervent prayer that exalted and revered God and His will, putting God first in all things, and trusting in Him.
viii. From Mark 14:35–36, Matthew 6:10 is especially strong: “Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven.” Jesus taught His disciples to pray in submission to the Father’s will, and then He practiced exactly that in Gethsemane.
b. The Garden was a place of strength when Jesus enjoyed special comfort
i. Not “let this cup pass from me,” but from an angel.
Luke 22:43 “Now an angel from heaven appeared to Him, strengthening Him.”
ii. Jesus was not delivered from the suffering, but strengthened and supported through it.
iii. God's answer to faithful prayer is not always deliverance from suffering. Sometimes His answer is strength to endure it.
iv. Jesus prayed. The cup remained. God strengthened Him.
c. When Jesus displayed renewed resolve
i. Strengthened, Jesus was ready to face the hour at hand. He faced His betrayer and those who came with him.
CONCLUSION
So we see the Garden of Gethsemane, the Garden of the olive press, was a place of both suffering and strength.
Where did the strength come from in the time of need, in His suffering?
· Jesus got strength from His FERVENT and PERSISTENT prayer
· By submitting to the will of God
· And through prayer He was strengthened.
· Through prayer, it enables one to stand and face the cup of life given to him
FINAL THOUGHT
There will be a time each of us enters the olive press. Times of distress, sorrow, loneliness. However, such times can also become a time of great comfort and strength, provided we enter them in fervent and persistent prayer, willing to submit and accept the will of God in our lives.
Philippians 4:6-7 “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and petition with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
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