[0:00] Good morning. It's good to see each and every one of you join us this morning as we commemorate the death of our Lord.
[0:15] ! And it's a very special occasion as believers gather around the world to remember that the reason for our salvation is Jesus went to the cross.
[0:36] And so it's good to see many of us break during a weekday and to come out and to take part of this. You know, often we lift up Christmas, maybe above some of the other days, the birth of Christ, which is unique, as God came as a helpless baby.
[1:02] But Good Friday is unique in that our God subjected Himself to man and died. And Lord willing, in two days, the uniqueness of Easter, our Lord rose from the grave.
[1:23] Hallelujah! What a Savior! And so, welcome here. We're going to have a full service as in a sermon, and then at the end we'll do a communion, a breaking of bread, and as we share together in what the Lord has done for us.
[1:47] So the message this morning, I've titled it, The Cup of Gethsemane. The Cup of Gethsemane. And as we look at the passage that Ben read for us, we will see what we can glean out of this.
[2:05] Now, as we go through life, what's the one thing that all of us can be certain of?
[2:20] Death. Now, is that a pleasant thought? Or not so pleasant? Depends where you're going.
[2:33] That's a good way to put it, a good perspective. And so, as children of God, that is a good thing.
[2:47] As the Lord has a further plan for us for all eternity. And I like somebody here added on the resurrection. And so, it's the death and then followed by the resurrection.
[3:03] And absolutely. And so, that is so true. Hebrews 9, verse 27, tells us that.
[3:14] That it's appointed unto man or men to die once, and then we will face God. It's a very sobering verse as it applies to every individual in this world.
[3:35] We have an appointment with death. And then we will meet God. And the purpose of this is, are we ready?
[3:47] Are we ready to meet our God? So, last Sunday, we commemorated Palm Sunday. Jesus riding into Jerusalem, seeing his purpose and not shrinking from it, but meeting it head on.
[4:07] We looked at him. We looked at him weeping over Jerusalem as a people that failed to see his purpose. And they were rather looking for earthly gain, and that he would be a physical king versus their spiritual one.
[4:26] And so, this morning, as we go through this passage, we're going to actually look at the cup and Jesus dying for us.
[4:36] And just for us to be aware that it cost him. Jesus paid it all, as we sometimes sing.
[4:51] So, my first point here is Jesus agonizing over the cup. And in Mark 14, which was read for us, as they make their way to the Garden of Gethsemane with the eleven disciples, as Judas is not with them.
[5:11] And this is right after Jesus has predicted that they will all abandon him. They will stumble. And Jesus will be left alone.
[5:24] And after that, they go to the Garden. And that's where our story picks up. And it says, They came to a place which was named Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, Sit here while I pray.
[5:39] He's talking to the eleven. Sit down. I'm going to go a little further, and I'm going to pray. And then he took Peter, James, and John with him.
[5:54] And he selected those three to accompany him a little further into the Garden. To share this moment of grief, of sorrow, we could say, with him.
[6:11] And so Peter, James, and John, known as the inner three that Jesus had selected for that purpose. And so they go with him.
[6:23] And it says, verse 33 says, He took Peter, James, and John with him, and he began to be troubled and deeply distressed. So Jesus being troubled and deeply distressed.
[6:39] You know, I looked up the word troubled. And the root meaning of that, to be troubled, is to be struck with terror. To be struck with terror.
[6:57] Maybe we can identify with that. As what he faced. And so, to me, troubled is maybe a mild word.
[7:10] But to be struck with terror is deep. Because it's gripping your very soul. And so he was troubled and distressed.
[7:22] And the word distressed means to be full of heaviness. To be burdened with heaviness. And so that was what Jesus was experiencing as he went on with the three.
[7:40] And verse 34, he says to them, My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch. So now he's got eight of the disciples over there.
[7:58] And a little further, he leaves the three. And then Jesus goes by himself to pray. But he tells the three, Pray with me.
[8:10] Stay and watch. And then Jesus goes on. He went a little further and fell on the ground and prayed that if it were possible, the hour might pass from him.
[8:27] And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Take this cup away from me. Nevertheless, not what I will, but what you will.
[8:40] And then he came and found them sleeping and said to Peter, Simon, are you sleeping? Could you not watch one hour? Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation.
[8:53] The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. And so just looking, looking at that moment as Jesus goes by himself, and he does that three times as he comes before the Father alone and just pours out his heart before God.
[9:18] His grief, his sorrow, his burden, and like Luke puts it, he was so heavy with sorrow that his sweat was like drops of blood.
[9:39] So his very inner being was just suppressed with it, knowing what was coming. and praying to the Father, Abba, Father, dear Father, let this cup pass away from me, and then qualifying, but Father, not my will, but yours.
[10:09] If we think of that, was there a plan B that God had in his pocket?
[10:26] There wasn't. There was only plan A, foreordained before the world, that his Son would come and die for us.
[10:39] And, you know, after his resurrection, on the first day of the week, that evening as he comes back to Jerusalem, and the eleven are hidden in the upper room with the doors locked, and Jesus enters in, and he speaks to them.
[11:02] I'm going to turn there. The last chapter in Luke, Luke 24. Luke 24, starting in verse 45.
[11:18] Luke 24. Luke 24. And it says, He opened their understanding that they might comprehend the Scriptures.
[11:31] Then he said to them, Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day.
[11:42] He opened their understanding that there was no other way. It was necessary. It was God's plan.
[11:56] And so why, why do we have the garden scene where Jesus expresses his sorrow? Well, in a sense, we would say he is dying to self, saying no to the flesh and yes to God.
[12:21] And he knows inwardly this is the plan. This is my purpose. This is why I came. And as we as we dig into that, that cup was very, very deep.
[12:40] Before I expound further on that, just to touch into Jesus came back to the three and he found them sleeping.
[12:54] Here's maybe the biggest moment event on earth happening. All of God's promises are climaxing here as Jesus is going to die.
[13:10] and here's his disciples who have followed him for these three years. What are they doing? They're sleeping.
[13:25] They could not bear with him for an hour. But they fell asleep. Picture yourself there.
[13:39] we would have fallen asleep. And so Jesus needed to go through this alone between him and his father.
[13:57] And as I think of that, how often do we have a friend or maybe a loved one who's going through a deep trial and we struggle to bear with them.
[14:26] Depending on the nature of the trial, but often it's something they have to face alone. But we are weak in the flesh and we often fail.
[14:48] how many times have we promised someone to encourage them, I will be praying for you. And then we come short.
[15:06] We've been there, haven't we? Or do I stand alone? we can identify with the disciples.
[15:21] So often the Lord calls on us to go through a valley. It's me and him. And to work through that.
[15:31] And for Jesus it was. And so that's something that was just unique to me as I went through this. that we are still the same in that way.
[15:45] But as we now focus on the cup, what was it that made Jesus so exceedingly sorrowful? What was in the cup? The wrath of God?
[16:01] Okay. Any other thoughts to add to that? The weight of our sin. it does us good to think on this.
[16:19] What was in the cup? I think both answers are definitely right. Sometimes we look at the cup and we pass over it saying yes, that represents his suffering and sorrow, but that hardly reflects the depth of what he went through.
[16:50] The reality is that that Jesus took our sin and became sin for us.
[17:08] He took on the sin of humanity. And sin is followed by death.
[17:23] always and always. And so a couple of scriptures just to bring that home.
[17:39] 2 Corinthians 5.21 I think we're we'd be well to look at that. 2 Corinthians 5.21 so you can see it for yourself.
[18:00] For he, that's God, made him, Jesus, who knew no sin to be sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God in him.
[18:14] so he made Jesus sin in our stead. He became sin that we might gain his righteousness which we will touch in later.
[18:33] And also 1 Peter chapter 2 verse 24 1 Peter 2.24 I'll back up to 23.
[18:59] So 1 Peter 2.23 Who when he was reviled did not revile in return. When he suffered he did not threaten but committed himself to him who judges righteously.
[19:11] who himself bore our sins in his own body on the tree. That we having died to sins might live for righteousness by whose stripes you were healed.
[19:29] For you were like sheep going astray but have now returned to the shepherd and overseers of your souls. So again Peter says that he bore our sins in his own body on the tree on the cross.
[19:48] He became sin for us. You know as we look at sin and let's go back to chapter 3 of Genesis just from memory what happened when Adam and Eve disobeyed?
[20:11] What happened immediately? Separation?
[20:22] Okay. That's bang on. But what's another word for it? Spiritual death. They died spiritually immediately and they were separated from fellowship with God.
[20:45] And that was followed by later in their life physical death. So now as we take that to the cross and Jesus hung on the cross and he took my sin upon himself and he bore He owned it.
[21:18] Immediately he died spiritually and he was separated from his father. Jesus experienced spiritual death being separated from God and hence the cry on the cross my God my God why have you forsaken me?
[21:43] You see our Lord knows what it's like to be separated.
[22:02] He's been there. And it was spiritual death as you hung on the cross and we're not told exactly in minutes or hours how long he was separated but it says in the ninth hour he cried out to his father why have you abandoned me?
[22:29] And then he breathed his last. But it was already dark from the sixth hour until the ninth from twelve o'clock noon till three o'clock in the afternoon and somewhere in there Jesus became sin for us and experienced both types of death the anguish of his soul you see our Lord from eternity past if you can let your imagination go I struggle with it but from eternity past he has been with the father never ever separated spiritually their connection has always been there till the cross and even though they were physically separated
[23:33] Jesus his appearance on earth they were connected and not apart I struggle with identifying with that it's such a marvelous thing that he did for us the depth of his love is shown here as he looked at that cup through his anguish he says father not my will but yours I'm going to go through with this his love for humanity was so so great and
[24:38] Jesus died for us and praise the Lord he rose again and so we are not left in that despair but as we look at Jesus facing death on our behalf now he did not replace the physical death but he replaced the second death to everyone that believes and so we all face still a physical death bearing that the Lord will return in our lifetime and to rapture us out of here which in a sense we will still die or be changed in the twinkling of an eye but it would be different and so death is something like we had at the beginning that every one of us faces and so
[25:43] Jesus paid the way enabling us to face it with confidence and scripture portrays death as the last enemy to be destroyed in 1st Corinthians 15 verse 26 it's the last enemy and as we as we face that certainty and we have some older people in here that it's maybe closer for it's maybe more real already but can we have that certainty and assurance to face it and truly it is our last enemy for death represents Satan's stronghold it's his power and
[26:52] Jesus conquered he conquered Satan by coming out of the grave and yet for all of us even walking in victory today we still face that enemy called death where we will cross the Jordan so to speak to meet the Lord it is an unknown unknown from the point of view that none of us have been there it's not something that we can cross ten times and become well acquainted and ready it's something that faces us one and only time ushering us into eternity so from that sense it's a bit scary because I've never been there and it leaves us with thoughts but the key is to understand the truth of scripture and not allow
[28:05] Satan to fill our thoughts with wrong ones regarding this future for the word of God has much to say on dying and on meeting him and so we need to dwell on that and to be confident with that and so when we look at death does it cause fear in us should it if I look back 30 years ago in my life there was more fear than there is today it's going away as I as the word of God becomes more and more real to me the truth of his word we need to see death as the grace of
[29:14] God it's God's grace and that he has a better plan for us eternity heaven paradise whatever name we choose and God's plan was that we would not remain in a sin filled world all of our life forever and ever and even demonstrated that in the garden when he chased Adam and Eve out lest they eat of the tree of life in their fallen state the grace of God and so we need to look at our passing our future as the grace of God and he has something that much more beautiful for us!
[30:14] you know we mourn at death not at our own but when someone does pass a loved one or a friend and it does mark the separation of a relationship here on earth and we acknowledge that and therefore rightfully it fills us with a deep pain grief sorrow as we face that and we have to face that and when you die others will experience that those that you were in relationship with because they miss you and so that is the reality of it and yet we do not sorrow as the world does without hope because we know
[31:22] God has his plan for all eternity so then as we think of this and I realize this is maybe not a very pleasant subject to talk about but it's necessary how can I have confidence in meeting God what's the answer okay trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ and how does that help us putting it back on you Ben thank you he has taken our sin away and replaced it with righteousness his righteousness you know
[32:49] I thought of it this way if I'm prepared to meet my God as a judge who will judge me I'm going to speak a bit in human terms here and I prepare my case to go to trial and I do my best and showing my own righteousness and my own good works and I approach God with that and hand it to him can I be sure that he will accept that it won't take God any time at all to decipher that and say away with you but so many so many mindsets in this world do exactly that and in their minds they have this scale happening and surely my good works will outweigh the bad and God is a good loving God and he will accept that wrong
[34:27] God cannot accept that because he is just and he is righteous but if we come to God empty handed in a sense and say I am void of my own righteousness all I have to present is Jesus Christ your own plan and God says you are accepted the blood of Jesus covers his righteousness covers you for God cannot work against himself and if we come not with our righteousness but with his he has to and not only has to he desires to he delights to so that is the only way we can come boldly to God without fear that we're dressed in the righteousness of Christ and I have nothing on my own to bring here I am and that happens by the way for the believer that happens here and now and it's already the transaction has already happened in this life and when we die we're not going to be in judgment regarding my destiny that's the glory of the righteousness of God and if we turn to
[36:21] John 5 24 just as a reminder of that John 5 24 most assuredly I say to you he who hears my word and believes in him who sent me has everlasting life and shall not come into judgment but has passed from death to life and eternal life spiritual life has been restored that which was lost and we're ready again in right standing with God ready to meet him and so we need to understand that from scripture that this is not based on feelings but on reality on facts from scripture this is this is the plan of God it's not on emotions because with our feelings we would go in all directions and Satan would have a heyday with us and so we cling to God to his truth and one more scripture to add to that in 1
[37:50] John chapter 4 verse 17 and 18 he says love has been perfected among us in this that we may have boldness in the day of judgment because as he is so are we in the world there is no fear in love but perfect love casts out fear because fear involves torment but he who fears has not been made perfect in love the love of God being perfected in me means that God has done his work in my life and he has made me his child when I turn to him in faith his love has been perfected in me and where there is the perfect love of
[39:07] God there is no fear and I can now go to my Lord without fear and it's a beautiful beautiful promise and it's a reality that we can live and have today as God's children God's promises are so marvelous so above human understanding in human terms we would say they're too good to be true but they are true every one of them and we are to believe so as we remember the cup the Lord agonizing over becoming that sin for us and being separated from the
[40:13] Father becoming sin for me that I might become righteous in him and be able to stand before my God and what do I need to do acknowledge my creator and believe let's let's close this portion in prayer Father what a marvelous love what a deep love you have for us in sending your son we thank you Lord Jesus that you said the words not my will but thine thank you Lord for going to the cross becoming sin for me and as we partake of communion here remembering exactly the cross may it become real to us as we're filled with gratitude for that love for us may your strength be with us in Jesus name amen