In the sermon 'Prayer In The Garden' by David Green, the focus is on Jesus' prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane, as depicted in Mark 14:32-42. Green discusses the significance of this event, highlighting Jesus' humanity and his distress at the prospect of bearing God's wrath. The sermon emphasizes Jesus' habit of prayer and his submission to the Father's will, even in the face of immense sorrow. The disciples, particularly Peter, James, and John, are shown as failing to stay awake during this critical time, highlighting human weakness. Green draws parallels between Jesus' customs and Christian practices today, urging believers to reflect on their own habits of prayer and devotion. The sermon concludes with a reminder of Jesus' role as our high priest, who fully understands human struggles and intercedes for us.

And in March 14 we're going to read a portion of the scripture that we read last time as I mentioned. We'd be coming back to part of the text as we, as I looked at Peter's fall last week I wanted to cover a lot of ground there in the text today we're gonna back up a little bit and go to verses 32 to 42 today as our text this morning. Mark 14 verses 32 through 42. And let's again, before we get into the scripture, let's again go to the Lord in prayer. Our Father in heaven we are thankful for your blessings.

We thank you our Father for this your word. We're thankful for the truthfulness of it. Lord, I pray that even as it's preached today, that it may be presented in truth and received as such. Lord, I pray for those who are here that you'll give us the hearts to receive it. And Lord I pray that you'll be with those who cannot be here.

Lord some because of sickness, others for reasons that we do not know, and some because of distance. Lord, I just pray that you'll be with each one, each one of our members, those of our visitors as well. We pray for them. Our Father, I pray that Your Word will speak to us today through Your Word. And I pray that You'll strengthen, encourage, and edify your people.

And if it's in your will, that others would come to know you as their Savior, even this day and as a result of the recordings that we put up on the internet, Lord, there will be a light and a testimony to you in this world that we live in. Our father, I pray to be with our sister churches as they meet today, the missionaries around the world, and Lord, I pray that you will be pleased to send revival across our land. Forgive us of our sins and our shortcomings. For it's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

In Mark chapter 14 and beginning of verse 32 it says here, and they came to a place which was named Gethsemane and he sayeth to his disciples see ye here while I shall pray And he taketh with him Peter and James and John and began to be sore amazed and to be very heavy. And sayeth unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death. Teary ye here and watch. And he went forward a little and fell on the ground and prayed that if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee, take away this cup from me, nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt.

And he cometh, and findeth them sleeping, and saith unto Peter, Simon, sleepest thou? Couldst not thou watch one hour? Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak. And again he went away and prayed and spake the same words.

And when he returned he found them asleep again for their eyes were heavy, neither whisked they what to answer him. And he cometh the third time. And sayeth unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest, it is enough, the hour is come. Behold, the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners rise up let us go lo he that betrayeth me is at hand This morning I want to preach on the subject of the prayer in the garden. In this text, we find our Lord during this time.

Our Lord during this this time they're at Gethsemane and of course where it And of course where it says they came to a place, the they is he and his disciples. Being the ones who were with him, who were with him at the supper. All except for Judas, of course. Judas had already left. Gethsemane was a garden, a garden area east of Jerusalem.

It was east of the Jerusalem temple, actually, across from the Kidron Valley near the Mount of Olives. From our text, we see that this was the place where Jesus prayed in agony, and he was betrayed by Judas Iscariot there. From the biblical account, it's not possible to know exactly where this location was. In fact, I've never been to Jerusalem. I'd love to go someday, but One of these days I'll be at the new Jerusalem, but nonetheless From the Bible dictionary Lexham Bible Dictionary as a matter of fact, says the vagueness of the biblical terms and later landscape alterations both from human influence such as military campaigns.

You can read about those in Josephus and some others, but there were natural forces and gradual and otherwise. It kind of prevents us from knowing exact locations. However, there are some different groups there who now identify at least four possible locations for Gethsemane. Each of those are generally located across the Kidron Valley near the western side of the Mount of Olives. If you were to journey there, you would find that the most popular and traditional spot is preserved by the Franciscans.

It contains a well-manicured garden area, many old olive trees, and the so-called Church of All Nations. However, as the Bible dictionary says, the nearness of that location to a well-traveled roadway may seem at odds with Jesus' desire to draw away for prayer. The other proposed sites are relatively near the Franciscan site and they're maintained by the Russian Armenian. That's not Armenian as opposed to a Calvinist or someone who preaches the doctrines of grace. This is Arminian as in the the nationality and the Greek Orthodox.

It's hard to tell exactly, in other words, where it's at. But from our text, we find that this was a location that was known to Jesus and the disciples. And as a matter of fact, Matthew and Mark are the two who name it by name, but look at what Luke tells us in Luke chapter 22 Over in Luke chapter 22 in verses 39 and 40 And he came out and went as he was wont to the mount of olives, and his disciples also followed him. And when he was at the place, he said unto them, pray that ye enter not into temptation." This is talking about the same place, and, but Luke describes it as going to the Mount of Olives, just that general area there. And notice what Luke says.

He says, he went there as he was want. That word want is an old English word and we don't hardly use it much. There are some times it's used on the fringes of the more cultured of English speakers. I think they might use it more often, but where I come from in southern Ohio, northern Kentucky, we never used that word very often. In fact, if I ever saw that word, I would think that they forgot the apostrophe and thought they were trying to spell want but want is a word it's a word that we may not use very often but what he means is that he was in the habit of doing something.

He came out and he went as was his custom. That's what that means. He had a habit. He had a custom of prayer. And his custom, his habit was to go there to this garden of Gethsemane for prayer.

That's how predictable that Jesus was. Now I bring this all up for this reason. As we read here in the text and we see what's going on in Mark, it was the feast of the Passover. The Jews had come from all over the known world. They had descended on Jerusalem.

The place would have been packed. Within the walls of the city, it would have been very hard, if not impossible, to find lodging for everyone. In fact, I dare say that there would have been people spending the nights in the streets and in the gardens and whatever. And in such a scenario, with all those people there, Judas would not have known where to find Jesus. But he knew what his habit was.

He knew what his custom was. And this is important as we get down into the text and into the rest of the text and we find Later When Judas arrives and all of those things. Had Jesus not known where he was at, He would not have been able to find him very easily and he might have spent All night searching for him and Jesus had this habit of prayer. He had this habit of going to this certain place In his life and I ask you today. What kind of habit do you have?

It's Sunday morning. If there's an emergency, something going on with your family, will they know where to find you? You're here. Is this your habit? You go back to the book of Daniel, a law was passed that no one should pray to anyone except for the king.

Make any petition except to anyone to the king. What was Daniel doing? He was praying because that was his custom you see and so it was even four years ago California Canada other places where the law was made. You can't meet, you can't congregate because of COVID. And there were preachers and churches that got into trouble.

Why? Because they were a bunch of lawbreakers? Because they wanted to get in trouble with the government? No! Because they had a habit, they had a custom of gathering for worship, you see.

What is your habit today? That's what I got to thinking of as I thought about this. Jesus had this habit of prayer. Do I have a habit of prayer? Do I have a habit of church attendance?

Do I have a habit of Bible reading? And do I have a habit of telling people about the Lord? Lord. Think about that in your own life. In Mark chapter 14 verse 32 he says to his disciples sit ye here while I shall pray and in verse 33 and he taketh with him Peter and James and John Began to be sore amazed and to be very heavy Notice that though there were 12 apostles and though the text would indicate that at this point there were eleven with him, he tells them to sit there, but he takes with him on further into the garden, he takes with him only the three Peter James and John these were some people call this the inner circle some People look at this as the leaders in the church as it were.

Even in the early days of the church we see there was a pattern that was being established here. These are the three that Jesus had developed and had worked with in a special kind of way. When you look at the 12 Apostles, there's some that we know an awful lot about, and there's some we know next to nothing about. There's a reason for that. Even here in in Mark's Gospel, these are the three that Jesus took in with him when he raised Mark chapter 5.

Beginning at verse 35 while he gets spake there came from the ruler of the synagogue's house certain which said thy daughter is dead why troublest thou the master any further? As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he said unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe. And he suffered no man to follow him save Peter, and James, and John, the brother of James. And he cometh to the house of the ruler of the synagogue and seeth the tumult them that wept and welled greatly. So you see he he suffered no man to follow him save except Peter James and John the brother of James.

Even at the transfiguration over at Mark chapter 9, look at this. Mark chapter 9 and verse 1 and then 2. Verse 1 and then 2. He said unto them, Verily I say unto you, that there be some of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death, till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power. After six days Jesus taketh with him Peter, James, and John, and leadeth them up into a high mountain apart by themselves and He was transfigured before them." And so we see that these fellows were kind of the inner circle that Jesus chose there with to be special with him.

And so as he went into the garden he took them He took them on into the garden. In this in the in the garden there While they were while they were there He says in verse 33 He says in verse 33, and he taketh with him Peter and James and John, and began to be sore amazed and to be very heavy, and he saith unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death, tarry ye here and watch." The focal point here at the garden is not on James or Peter or John. But rather, it's Christ. As he says here, he takes these men in there with him and he began to be sore amazed and very heavy. He was very distressed.

He was very troubled. And John Brodus in the 1800s, the Baptist commentator. In fact, if you ever want a commentary on Matthew or on Mark, he's probably one of the best, but Brodus commenting on these terms terms that this means greatly amazed. Well, he says here, these terms, I'm getting too excited about this. He says here, these terms, sort of amazed and very heavy.

Both these terms are in the Greek very strong, very strong terms. They may suggest that after all his anticipation, he found the agony of the hour to surpass expectation, to be astonishing, great distress of mind. John MacArthur, commenting on this, said the Greek word refers to a feeling of terrified amazement in the face of the dreadful prospect of bearing God's full fury against sin. Jesus was in the grip of terror. One of the things that we have to understand is that Jesus is fully human and fully God.

And this is something that's hard for our minds to comprehend. But when Jesus there in the garden says to them, my soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death. Brodus says, it was the humanity of the god man which suffered this anguish. The divine nature could not suffer in any proper sense of the term in this manner, but how his human, how he could, how his, how his, Brodus put it this way, how his human soul could suffer apart from his divine nature is a part of the mystery of the incarnation. Like his temptation, his increasing in wisdom.

Go over to Luke chapter 2 with me. Luke chapter 2 and verse 52. Luke 2 and verse 52. Luke 2 and verse 52, it says, And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and man. This is one of the mysteries of the incarnation.

One of the things that human wisdom can't comprehend. One of the things that you and I will never be able to quite figure out. How is it that Jesus, the very creator of the world, can increase in wisdom and stature in favor with God and man. But yet that's what it says here. Or in Mark chapter 13, Mark chapter 13, in verse 32, in verse 32, but of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father." How is that possible when Over in John, chapter 1 and verse 1 says, In the beginning was the Word, the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

But this is one of the great mysteries of the Incarnation. One of the great mysteries of the Trinity. And yet we have it here. And in the garden we see in Gethsemane Jesus as he suffers in this way and he says my soul is Exceeding sorrowful unto death Terry here and watch My iPad is trying to talk to me This soul he's talking about my soul is exceeding sorrowful into death. It could not be, it could not be his divine nature that's suffering in this manner.

It had to be his humanity. It had to be the human soul. And this sorrow that he's talking about, it had to be Jesus who could not lie. He must be talking about a sorrow that if it was prolonged it would lead to death. Oh beloved, let us read this and understand what Jesus did for us was so great.

Yes, it's a magnificent thing what he did on the cross, but understand. Let us not relegate it just simply to the hours on the cross. Oh, the fact that he came here, his incarnation, his birth, his life. These hours in the garden, he did it for us, beloved. He did it for us And he says to these three, Terry, hear and watch.

Terry ye hear and watch. Terry ye hear and watch. To these three who had been the closest to him through his ministry. More than the others. Brotus again commenting on this he said he said this was to prevent interruption and to afford sympathy.

Again, let us not forget that Jesus, Let us not forget that Jesus was human. And in this humanity, We know that in a time of great and overwhelming distress, one naturally desires to be alone and free from intrusion, but at the same time to have friends close by. And we can sense what's happening here at a certain on a certain level and as such we too become witnesses because of this record. We're drawn in because of the inspired account here. Indeed we go farther.

We go farther than even Peter, James, and John, because the Holy Spirit has taken us further with this written account here. We witness even his solitary agony. And as Brodus says, let us behold this scene with deepest reverence. Let us approach the text not just as a mixture of black and white and red letters but let us very reverently Behold what the Savior went through even before he was taken to the cross. This was not a vacation, a picnic, or a walk in the park.

Yes, He went with joy to the cross, but let us understand what He went through for us. Verse 36 in this agony in this sorrow In this heaviness as he prayed to the father Verse 35 verse 35 and he went a little further and he went forward a little and fell on the ground and prayed that if it were possible the hour might pass from him and said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee, take away this cup from me, nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt." As he prayed He said Abba father And we see him as he fell on the ground and prayed if it were possible. We see him being submissive to the Father's will. We see him as he addresses the Father. He says, Abba, Father.

Abba is an endearing, intimate Aramaic term that's equivalent to the English word daddy. We see it in other passages Romans chapter 8 verse 15 For we have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear, but ye have received the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba, Father. Paul goes on to write, the Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God, and if children then heirs, heirs of God, and join heirs with Christ. If so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. Over in Galatians chapter 4, Galatians chapter 4 and verse 6, Because your sons God has sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father, wherefore thou art no more a servant but a son and if a son than an heir of God through Christ." We can approach unto God in the same way that Christ did.

You see, we are You see, we are joint with Christ in the adoption of sons. This Abba is an endearing, endearing title. Abba Father. He didn't just say Abba, he said Abba Father. Still respectful but also endearing you see.

Abba Father all things are possible unto thee. Jesus knew what we should all know that God is sovereign over all things. That includes this, that as there was, as he was there the night before the crucifixion, if it were the desire of the Father, he could provide some alternate form of plan. But he says this, he said, Abba father all things are possible unto thee take away this cup from me nevertheless not what I will but what thou wilt what is this cup what is that cup well we've seen a cup already, haven't we? We saw the cup of the Passover, we saw the cup of the Lord's Supper, but no, those aren't the cups he's talking about.

It wasn't either of those. No, this was the cup of divine wrath. It's referred to in the Old Testament over in Isaiah chapter 51. Verse 17. Isaiah 51 in verse 17.

Awake, awake, stand up, O Jerusalem, which hast drunk at the hand of the Lord the cup of his fury. Thou hast drunken the dregs of the cup of trembling, and wrung them out. Jeremiah chapter 49, verse 12. Verse 12. For thus saith the LORD, Behold, they whose judgment was not to drink of the cup have it surely drunken.

And art thou he that shalt altogether go unpunished, thou shalt not go unpunished, but thou shalt surely drink of it." And so This is the cup he's talking about, the cup of divine wrath. But he says, nevertheless, not what I will, but what thou wilt. Praise God that he bowed his human will to the fathers, though shrinking at those moments shrinking at those moments to the terrible suffering he would bear whatever the Father appointed. Let us be thankful that our Savior did all that the Father required in order for human salvation. Hebrews chapter 5.

Hebrews chapter 5. Verse 7. 7, who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications, with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, was heard in that he feared, though he were a son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered. The Savior was heard for his godly fear. The cup did not get removed, but he was strengthened to drink it in a calm submission.

And back into our text here in Mark chapter 14. In Mark chapter 14, Mark chapter 14 and verses 37 through 38. And he cometh and findeth them sleeping, and saith unto Peter, Simon, sleepest thou? Couldst thou not watch one hour? Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation.

The spirit is ready, but the flesh is weak. What a tough spot. I already commented a little bit about this last time, but what a tough spot these men found themselves in. He singles out Peter here, but let's be honest about this and understand and look at what these men had gone through. It was probably long after midnight.

They didn't quite understand what was coming. They knew that this was a favorite spot of Jesus. They'd been with him before in prayer. His predictions about how that they would soon deny him were not understood. There was no sense of urgency in their minds Simon sleepest thou couldst thou not watch one hour watch him pray was to enter into temptation.

Spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak. Then you have the strength. Watch. Be awake bodily and mentally, pray. He invited them to join with him to be doing what he was doing.

Oliver Cromwell is said to have told his soldiers, put your trust in God, but keep your powder dry. Watching and praying go together. We are at battle and certainly, certainly he told them, watch and pray lest ye enter into temptation. Not only that you might overcome temptation, but that you might avoid temptation. Lest ye enter into temptation the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak oh how we struggle with this old flesh take heed take heed verses 39 through 42 And again he went away and prayed and spake the same words.

And when he returned, he found them asleep again, for their eyes were heavy. Neither wished they what to answer him. And he cometh the third time and saith to them, Sleep on now. Take your rest, it is enough. The hour is come.

Behold, the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners, rise up, let us go, lo, he that betrayeth me is at hand. They couldn't stay awake, But Jesus was there agonizing and praying. He did not sleep, but he carried on. Jesus did not give up, but he prayed. He was not sleeping, but there he was.

You and I will not understand the fullness of what he was going through that night but thank God he went through it. Even though you and I may not understand the full weight of what he had to go through, what he did for us, he indeed did go all the way to the cross. He suffered, he bled and died willingly, drinking the full cup of the Father's wrath in our place. He was buried. He rose again as victorious over death, hell, the grave, Satan, and sin.

He is alive now. And no, Even though I may have trouble with words to say what he went through, he knows exactly what we're going through. In fact, I couldn't help but think about Hebrews chapter four. Hebrews chapter four, as I bring this to a close, verses 14 through 16. Seeing then that we have a great high priest that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.

For we have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all points tempted like as we are yet without sin let us therefore come boldly under the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need." He knows what we're going through. The us of verse 16, let us therefore, is the we of verse 14. We have this great high priest passed into the heavens, praise the Lord, that he did go on through the garden and on to the cross, into the grave, And he rose again and is now Passed into the heavens after being rose again And He is Make an intercession for us He is our great high priest and we are so thankful for him. We're thankful today. I'm thankful today for that time in the garden that it is recorded for us.

May God hand a blessing to the preaching of