Teachings – A Place Called Gethsemane

A PLACE CALLED GETHSEMANE

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WHERE WE ARE

As Adam was created in God’s image and placed in a beautiful garden, Jesus came to earth as God incarnate, and at the end of His life, went into a garden. He went there to pray before sacrificing His own life for Adam’s transgression, which Adam passed on to all men, and Christ’s blood, removed. 

SCRIPTURE

Matthew 26:36

“Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder.”

A PLACE CALLED GETHSEMANE
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Pastor opens, 

“It is a part of the teaching of the Holy Writ that man is a composite being; his nature being divisible into three parts – ‘spirit, soul, and body.’

Jesus suffered in each, though at different times. I His spirit, John 13: 21 –

“When Jesus had thus said, he was troubled in spirit, and testified, and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.”

In His soul, after he delivered His Mount of Olives discourse, and darkness fell –

“As soon as this had occurred there came another hour, and with it the power of darkness, in which not so much the spirit as the soul of our blessed Lord was to sustain the shock of the encounter. This took place in the garden.”

Thereafter, He went more confidently to face the death-struggle bodily –

“…undergoing in His physical nature the scourging, and the spitting, and the crucifixion; although in that third case there was a grief of spirit and an anguish of soul likewise, which mingled their tributary streams.”

Jesus went to the garden because it was a place of meditation.

THOUGHT GOING FORWARD

We too experience times of trials. While our suffering may have more of an impact on our spirit if faced with emotional and psychological difficulties, or bodily, if facing physical ailments, our spirits and bodies are most prominently impacted. As for the impact on our soul, the soul is a more enigmatic aspect of our nature. However, based on Pastor’s description of Christ’s soul-suffering as coming under darkness, his description does provide some light (pun not intended.) You see, Jesus described Himself as light – ‘I am the way, the truth, and the light.’ John 14:6 If this description speaks of the soul, then His soul was pure light; while, as sinners, ours was always in the dark. As you remember, Adam was created a living soul. He too lived in the light… until… well, you’ve made it this far with the book: you know the story. Anyway, no doubt Jesus suffered in His soul when the darkness came upon Him; even as we should rejoice, now that we see the light.                               

IN TRIBUTE TO SPURGEON’S LOVE OF SHORT RYHMES

Pastor’s own at the end of discourse –

“In a garden man became
Heir of endless death and pain.” 

And was it there the first Adam fell, and it was meet that there…

“The Second Adam should restore
The ruins of the first.”