Series: Twenty-Four Hours that Changed the World                                        March 19, 2006

Sermon: Arrested in the Garden                                                                  Matthew 26: 36-56

THE RICHNESS OF THE TEXT

We continue our sermon series on the last day of Jesus’ life: 24 Hours that Changed the World.  There is a great richness to this passage of scripture – a huge variety of things to be described here.  What a familiar scene.  How many movies and artists have depicted this.  I could put on a screen this morning probably 100 paintings of this scene: disciples sleeping against a rock, Jesus weeping alone, sweating drops of blood, the disciples bashful faces when they realize they have fallen asleep again, the approach of Judas and his temple soldiers, the betrayer’s kiss, the arrest, the cutting off of the ear of the slave of the High Priest, Jesus’ re-attachment and his famous words, “Put away your swords – I could ask for 12 legions of angels to deliver me.”  Finally, the disciples desert Jesus.  All in the Garden of Gethsemane – which means “oil press.”

My question is this – what is the big story here?  What is the headline in the Jerusalem Times the next day?  More importantly, what is the headline in the Cosmic Times the following day?  I have two big ideas that relate to the theme: Twenty-Four Hours that Changed the World. 

THE BIG STORY

The big thing that stands out to me is the intensity of Jesus’ agony and the openness with which the gospel writer describes this rather embarrassing episode.  Jesus himself seems to be a little embarrassed.  Notice how he enters the garden, leaves nine behind, takes three further in the garden, leaves these three and goes a little further himself.  He seems to have felt the need for moral support and encouragement in this time of trial but needed some space as well.  Sometimes it is nice knowing someone is in the next room but you don’t want them with you.

Why not?  Jesus probably knew he was about to explode with anxiety and fear.  He is described sweating drops of blood in Luke.  Jesus is in deep agony and anguish.  Why does that surprise me?  Because Jesus is the hero of the story and heros are supposed to die with dignity.  Jesus isn’t going to the cross with Stoic calm and complete repose.  He clearly doesn’t want to die and he’s pleading with God to allow him the opportunity to live.  Why does the gospel writer tell us that Jesus plead with God, “Let this cup pass from me”?  I would expect a Jesus who said bravely, “Lord, I would never desire anything but your will and I embrace this challenge in the confidence that I am in your will.  I need nothing but virtue to be happy.”

Stoics of Jesus day were taught to be ready to face death at any time.  Better to commit suicide than to live without your virtue or freedom.  Cicero offered his neck to the assassin’s sword rather than to live under the dictatorship of Julius Caesar.  Socrates calmly drank the hemlock and waited to die.  Charles II of England waved to the crowd before he laid his head on Oliver Cromwell’s chopping block.  These men died with absolute dignity – no weeping or sweating drops of blood.  The gospel writers knew that being willing to die is the kind of virtue that everyone in the Hellenistic world was taught to admire.  Stoicism was the philosophy of the day and this was a primary theme; even if it meant suicide.  They had to know that in their world, Jesus looks kind of weak here. 

You might think it impious of me to say so, but I say it because I think the writer had to have a purpose in showing Jesus with this much anxiety and heart-ache.  Can I say this?  Jesus appears weak and womanly here.  That is how a Stoic philosopher or anyone trained in Greco-Roman values would have seen it.  Yet every gospel writer tells this story – some differently but they all have Jesus in great agony at this point.  They could have left this out.  Luke even has two angels coming to encourage Jesus and strengthen him.  I think two reasons are in view.

This Suffering is Real.  Jesus didn’t have any divine reserves of strength to help him through.  He faced this in his absolute humanity.  Don’t think Jesus godhood came into play giving him supernatural strength.  We see absolutely nothing supernatural here other than the replacement of the slave’s ear.  Jesus is fully human as he faces the cross.  I suppose if he walked up Golgotha’s hill with stoic repose we would think he had some resources of heaven than lessened the pain or increased his bravely.  Jesus felt about this perhaps about the same you or I would, except that we would have walked away from he.  He said, “Yet, not my will but yours be done.” 

I think this is an important reminder.  It is an interesting thing that in the first few centuries of the church, the big question was not, “Was Jesus God?” so much as it was, “Was Jesus fully human.”  Many Docetics believed Jesus’ humanity was only a chimera – you could have put your hand right through him.  God is spirit, Jesus is God, Jesus is also Spirit.  His human flesh was not actual but some kind of supernatural projection – a divine holograph.  I think the Gospel writer wants you to realize that this Jesus is certainly facing the cross in the fullness of his humanity.

This Suffering is Intentional.  Another main theme of this passage comes to us in countless different ways.  But it all can be boiled down to the words: this wasn’t an accident of some sort.  Jesus chose this for himself.  In spite of all his anxious doubt and heartache; in spite of his prayer, “Let this cup pass from me”, Jesus chose this cup and he drank it to the dregs.  Jesus tells Peter to put away his sword.  We’re not fighting this; I’m giving myself over to what God has in store for me.  He could have called 12 legions of angels to deliver him; one would have been enough.  All this happened, he said, to fulfill scripture – probably Isaiah 53 was in mind.  Several verses from Zechariah are mentioned; betrayed for 30 pieces of silver, the scattering of the sheep when the shepherd is struck.

This is intentional.  He said elsewhere, “No one takes my life from me.  I have the power to lay it down and to raise it back up again.”  These events are not swirling out of control here, in spite of how things may appear.  This is the divine plan foretold in scripture; I’m simply letting things play out as God intends.

THE RELEVANCE OF IT ALL

The Gratitude that Transforms:  So what is the relevance of this all?  How are these 24 hours that change the world?  It applies at two levels.  First is sheer gratitude.  CS Lewis once said, “The Gospel is either true or it is not true.  If it is true, it is the most important truth in the world.  If it is false, it is absolutely irrelevant.  The one thing Christianity cannot be is moderately important.”  If this gospel is true, it is the story of God, taking on human form, embracing the worst pain and suffering of human existence, and doing it for you.  Either Jesus is God incarnate of this is a myth.  If it is a myth, you are wasting your time and I am wasting my life.  We should close this church, sell the property, and do something worthwhile.  Everything around you is a complete waste if there is not substance to this message.  It cannot have moderate importance; it is either of vast importance or it is a waste of time.

If you, as I hope you do, believe that Christ is indeed the Son of God, choosing to face the most severe agony humanly impossible for your spiritual redemption, there is only one possible reasonable response.  It is absolute adoration and depth of gratitude; life-changing gratitude.  If this story isn’t gripping us, changing us, redeeming us, transforming us, then I fear we do not truly believe it.  Christ is real.  This suffering was real.  It was intentional.  It comes from the very heart of God and it comes for you.  Maybe the best we can do is to turn this into a prayer that says, “Oh God, let me be transformed by gratitude for Jesus and his sacrifice.”

This year will be the fifth anniversary of September 11^th.  We all know that the firemen who rushed into that building were heros – gave their lives for others.  They are a symbol or an image of Jesus Christ.  Rudy Guiliani once said that after the towers fell, it was thought that six or seven thousand people must have died.  When the dust settled, it was discovered that under three thousand died.  Why so few?  The firemen did such an excellent job moving people along, reducing anxiety, preventing panic, helping people down the stairs – they cleared the building faster than anyone could imagine.

Imagine if someone who made it out alive resented all the attention going to the firefighters.  Why waste the money on these huge memorials?  They were doing their job and were paid to do it.  They knew the risks when they signed on the force.  We would be morally disgusted by that heartless indifferent attitude.  Something is morally appropriate about the expression of gratitude.  Gratitude changes your life.  You tell the story again and again.  You put up monuments.  Yet express thanks.  You set up bank accounts for the children of the firefighters.  Only that is reasonable.

If this story is false, it is of no account.  Jesus died because he was mildly insane and perhaps an inspired megalomaniac or a misunderstood prophet.  Jesus ought to be ignored.  But if it is true, it is more important than Sept. 11^th, the sacrifice was greater and demands a greater response.  How consistent is your response to Jesus to the reality of these events?  That is the big question.  These are events that require a big response; gratitude that transforms.  Don’t be frightened of responding to Jesus in a big way.  Jesus deserves every bit of you.

The Example that Inspires:  The second reality of the story is likewise life-changing.  This changes the world.  There are different ways to understand the passion of Jesus.  One of them which I’ve been attracted to over the years is as follows.  Jesus’ Passion (suffering and death) is not significant only because of the substitution element; Jesus takes the suffering and punishment for my sin.  Jesus death is important also because it is an image of what God wants to do in and through you.  Jesus faces these events in his full humanity because only in this way can Jesus be an example of what it means to be completely transformed.

Jesus becomes the ultimate human in the garden – the model for what God is doing in you and me.  There is a sense in which you also are in the Garden.  Jesus not only takes your sins on himself – he becomes you.  He is the example of what God can and will do in you if you.  You also are in the garden of Eden – you also agonize over whether take the cup God has for you or to walk away.  You also struggle with the will of God and with your willingness to take up your cross and follow this master as a faithful disciple.  It is much easier to walk away and go back into Jerusalem.  Forget the cross.  Forget the suffering.  Forget the agony.  I’ve got vacation plans and a second home to buy.  I’m not interested in the Christ-life of self-giving love. 

I don’t care if God has put me on this earth to serve him and others – I want to have a little fun.  I want to hoard everything I’ve earned, take every spare moment I’m alive, and use it to please myself.  It is all about me and my own pleasure.  I’m not trying to hurt anyone. I’m just not trying to hard to help anyone.  I’ll give God what I can spare – both in my time and money.  I’m not going to give sacrificially – this is only of moderate importance.  I’m not saying I don’t believe, I just don’t want to be inconvenienced too much!  Don’t expect me to change my schedule to be a disciple of Jesus Christ.  I’ll fit Jesus into my schedule.  This is only of moderate importance.  What is really important is my work, my time, my career, my money, my pleasure, my vacation. 

Yes, you also are in the Garden of Gethsemane.  You and I face these struggles.  Don’t think I don’t face them because I’ve chosen the church as a profession.  I’m with you in the garden and I think most of us have fallen asleep.  We may be with Jesus but we are fast asleep in terms of our discipleship.  We’re not taking Jesus seriously.  He may be moderately important but I’m not going to center my life here.  I’ll fit Jesus into my busy schedule and give what I can spare.  But I’m not going further than that!  We are asleep with the disciples.

Jesus is the model of what God wants to do in you.  God is calling you at this very moment to take up your cross and follow.  Choose today.  Choose today.  No more moderate response.  No more flimsy faith.  Jesus calls people to follow him to the cross.  If he is real, he is worth it.  As Jesus’ representative today, I call you to face the depth of this challenge also.

CONCLUDING THOUGHTS