November 19, 2023 - Lessons From Gethsemane

Gethsemane means oil press or olive press; a place to go when we are crushed.

Gethsemane teaches us:
- to go to our prayer place and meet with God

Jesus had to be crushed

Jesus did what only the God/man could do

Jesus paid our sin debt and reconciled us to God

Isaiah 53:4-5 "Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed."

But He was PIERCED for our rebellion, CRUSHED for our sins. He was BEATEN so we could be whole. He was WHIPPED so we could be healed. (Isaiah 53:5)

The Lord was please to crush Him - Isaiah 53:10

Why was this moment crushing for Jesus?
- Jesus knows that on the cross He will take all the sins of the world on Himself. In a sense, Jesus will be crushed by our sins!

Gethsemane teaches us:
- In prayer, we become one with God.
- Gethsemane is a place where my will is crushed, and my will no longer matters.
- God’s will becomes my will – I am truly one with God!

Gethsemane teaches us:
- what Jesus' agony was really about.
- Jesus knows that when my sins, and all the sins of the world, are placed on Him, Jesus will lose something precious, the sense of the presence of His Father.
- This is described in Jesus’ fourth cry from the cross – “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me”
- THIS IS THE AGONY OF THE CROSS!

Gethsemane teaches us;
- My will and my way gives way to God’s will and God’s Way!
- In Gethsemane, I go from struggle and agony, to resolution
- In Gethsemane, I realize GOD HAS IT!

We, too, will have our Gethsemane moments

I pray that we will learn from Jesus and follow His lead!

GOD HAS IT!

NOT MY WILL, BUT YOUR WILL FATHER!

MAKE YOUR GETHSEMANE YOUIR GREATEST GOD-GLORIFYING MOMENT!

THIS IS FINISHING WELL!!

Numbers 6:24-26 "The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn His face toward you and give you peace."

Shalom is:
- Well-being
- Completeness
- Prosperity
- WHOLENESS
- Health
- Safety
- Harmony with God and others