Believers spend a lot of time reading and receiving biblical blessings, and little time understanding how those blessings came to be available. Jesus was the living example of the Word of God. Through his actions, one witnessed the grace and compassion of God. His hands were the extension of God’s love. Lives were changed. Hope was established. Broken hearts were mended. The captives set free. Health restored. Eternal life offered. All these actions were based on the action of Jesus on Calvary and his resurrection. To get to that point, Jesus had to deal with his humanism. In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus would face the greatest challenge of his ministry. Jesus had defeated Satan in the desert battle three years earlier, but Satan did not take defeat lying down. For the next three years, Satan used the religious community to oppose any attempts by Jesus. With the help of the Roman authorities, the Jewish authorities obtained an execution order against Jesus. One would think that that would be enough for Satan, but Satan knew the Scriptures that spoke of his crucifixion and his subsequent resurrection. The only way Satan could defeat Jesus was through Jesus’ disobedience to God’s word. So, that night before his crucifixion, Satan unleashed an attack focused on Jesus’ mental capacity. Jesus knew that the cross would be the ultimate in physical suffering, but getting to the cross would require every ounce of strength he had. Satan realized that the mind of man was vulnerable to reason. If he could get the mind of Jesus to override his spirit, victory would be within his grasp. That night in Gethsemane, the salvation of man hung in the balance.
Arriving at the garden, Jesus left eight of his men at the entrance and led Peter, James, and John deeper into the garden to face the greatest challenge of his earthly life. The Bible says that Jesus began to be “sore and very heavy.” The Amplified Bible says that He began to “show pain and mental anguish and was deeply depressed.” (Matthew 26:37) He told the disciples that his “soul was very sad, even to death.” He urged them to be aware of what was going on; in other words, to be there for Him. He walked further into the garden and then dropped to the ground and cried out to God. He begged His Heavenly Father if there could be another way to accomplish his purpose. Screaming with tears welling up in his eyes, he prayed to God in such agony that drops of blood mixed with sweat fell from his face. Angels rushed to his aid to strengthen him. (Luke 22:43, 44) Jesus had gotten up three times and returned to his disciples expecting encouragement, but he found them sleeping. In the midst of his requests, Jesus had penetrated deep within him and cried out each time: “NEVERTHELESS, NOT MY WILL, BUT THY WILL BE DONE.” (Luke 22:42) Rising from the ground for the last time, he tells the disciples, “Get up, let’s go…” (Matthew 26:46) Jesus made his way to victory and was ready to complete the mission that God had given him.
There is a lot to break down in the Gethsemane encounter, but what I wanted to focus on is what Jesus went through because of the love that God had/has for people. I think many take Calvary for granted. Jesus died for the sins of mankind and was resurrected and ascended to Heaven. But I wonder if we really understand what it took for Jesus to get to Calvary and the point of our salvation. Let not a day go by without believers stopping and remembering what Jesus went through in that garden called Gethsemane!