In The Garden | Matthew 26:36-46

Scripture

• Matthew 26:36–46

About this sermon

Introduction: Something that immediately stands out as we look at our Lord’s agony in the Garden of Gethsemane is the fact that the Holy Spirit wants us to see Jesus, but in a way that includes His care for His disciples. We witness the burden of Jesus, over His saving work of bearing the penalty for our sins; but we also witness the burden of His shepherding work of guiding these men in that very same scene. We are presented with a picture that informs us of our worship and our walk. We see Jesus under His burden as our sin sacrifice, and we worship Him. We see Jesus under His burden as our shepherd, and WE ARE CHALLENGED TO LEARN what He’s teaching His disciples. We must also be aware that in this scene a great battle is taking place in the spiritual realm. Satan’s attack on the Son of God is not mentioned in these verses, but we know that he is at work. The Savior’s temptations are not called temptations in these verses, but we hear them and see them. We know that He had to triumph in the garden before He could save us on the cross. Both things are clear when we pay attention to all the biblical material that gives us the context for what we see here. SATAN’S ACTIVITY We see Satan’s activity in Judas. ESV Luke 22:1 Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread drew near, which is called the Passover. 2 And the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how to put him to death, for they feared the people. 3 Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot, who was of the number of the twelve. 4 He went away and conferred with the chief priests and officers how he might betray him to them. ESV John 13:1 Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. 2 During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him, 3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, 4 rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. 5 Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him. ESV John 13:25 So that disciple, leaning back against Jesus, said to him, "Lord, who is it?" 26 Jesus answered, "It is he to whom I will give this morsel of bread when I have dipped it." So when he had dipped the morsel, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. 27 Then after he had taken the morsel, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, "What you are going to do, do quickly." We see our Lord’s references to Satan’s direct attacks on him. ESV John 14:30 I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no claim on me, 31 but I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. Rise, let us go from here. ESV Luke 22:53 When I was with you day after day in the temple, you did not lay hands on me. But this is your hour, and the power of darkness." CHRIST’S TESTING We see that our Lord is tested when three times He goes to pray and three times we witness a great struggle. We see his struggle by what happens to him bodily. We see his struggle by what he acknowledges vocally. We are given a summary of what his prayers contained. We are given a summary of what he expressed to His disciples about His sorrow. We are given a testimony about how his body was beginning to fail Him. Satan is resisting God’s Son, as He prepares to offer Himself for our sins, just as surely as he was resisting God’s Son through Peter’s mouth. ESV Matthew 16:21 From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. 22 And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, "Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you." 23 But he turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man." Satan is resisting just as surely as he did at the beginning of Christ’s ministry in the wilderness. IS THERE ANY OTHER WAY TO ACCOMPLISH GOD’S WILL THAN THE AGONY OF BEARING THE WEIGHT OF GOD’S WRATH AGAINST OUR SINS? Tonight, we see how our Savior conquered and how He shepherded His men. We see the love and faithfulness of our Savior under three headings. I. THE SAVIOR’S GRIEF (vs.36-38) We know that Jesus is experiencing great sorrow because He says so. A. HIS ARRIVAL (vs.36) He arrives at Gethsemane and leaves 8 of His disciples toward the entrance. He tells them what He will be doing, He will make His way into the garden for a time of prayer. HOW WILL JUDAS KNOW WHERE TO FIND JESUS?