Gethsemane
is part of the life of the Perfect Man in Christ.
One day as
Jesus was talking with his disciples; He taught them about who wants to be the
greatest. Jesus does not promise the highest rank in his kingdom here on earth
to those who serve him. It is necessary to be willing to pay the price of being
a servant of God, just as Jesus did.
Jesus
taught his disciples during three years, he led them in their growth in
discipleship; until transforming them into future leaders of the Church here on
earth. The disciples walked with Jesus from town to town, village to village.
Jesus taught in front of them, healed, raised the dead, multiplied the loaves
of bread, gave sight to the blind, made the deaf hear, and innumerable other
miracles. John makes an emphasis here to say: "Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his
disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you
may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you
may have life in his name" - Jo. 20:30-31
"When morning came, he called his
disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated
apostles" - Lk. 6:13, Mt 10:1-8. These twelve were given the power to cast out
demons and heal and they came back with the report as succeeded in their
mission. Let's read Lc.10 :17-20 "The seventy-two returned with joy and
said, "Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name." He replied, "I
saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to
trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy;
nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you,
but rejoice that your names are written in heaven".
Jesus knew
that the time had come for Him to give His life for humankind; and he talks
with his disciples at supper time, but his disciples began to question who was
the greatest among them. Jesus had trained them all the same, the twelve and
the seventy alike, (some scriptures say seventy-two) giving the same power and
authority at all alike, but at this time at the supper began an inquiry who was
the greatest among them.
Let's read the passage:
23 They began to question among themselves
which of them it might be who would do this.
24 Also a dispute arose among them as to which
of them was considered to be greatest.
25 Jesus said to them, "The kings of the
Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call
themselves Benefactors.
26 But you are not to be like that. Instead,
the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like
the one who serves.
27 For who is greater, the one who is at the
table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am
among you as one who serves.
28 You are those who have stood by me in my
trials.
29 And I confer on you a kingdom, just as my
Father conferred one on me,
30 so that you may eat and drink at my table in
my kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
31 "Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift
you as wheat.
32 But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your
faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your
brothers."
33 But he replied, "Lord, I am ready to go
with you to prison and to death."
34 Jesus answered, "I tell you, Peter,
before the rooster crows today, you will deny three times that you know
me."
35 Then Jesus asked them, "When I sent you
without purse, bag or sandals, did you lack anything?" "Nothing,"
they answered.
36 He said to them, "But now if you have a
purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don't have a sword, sell your cloak
and buy one.
37 It is written: 'And he was numbered with the
transgressors'; and I tell you that this must be fulfilled in me. Yes, what is
written about me is reaching its fulfillment."
38 The disciples said, "See, Lord, here
are two swords." "That is enough," he replied.
39 Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of
Olives, and his disciples followed him.
- Lk. 22:23-39.
® This passage starts where they began
to question among themselves which of them it might be who would do this. Also a dispute arose among them as to which
of them was considered to be greatest. = During three years Jesus had taught
them to love one another, to treat them equal and that no one was to be called
master, except for Him, who truly was the Master. He taught them to serve and
be humble and they start to dispute to see who was considered to be the
greatest. I think if these were my students, I would fail them all in the test,
they did exactly the opposite that they were told.
® Jesus said to them, "The kings
of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them
call themselves Benefactors. But you are not to be like that. Instead, the
greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the
one who serves. Jesus in his loving kind way of guiding them in all He taught
them directs them into the right vision they were suppose to have. He says: But
you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the
youngest, (some translations say the smallest) and the one who rules like the
one who serves.
® For who is greater, the one who is
at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But
I am among you as one who serves. Jesus made it very clear that He as the
Savior, the Son of God, should be the one to be served; and he was teaching how
to serve by serving them.
® You are those who have stood by me
in my trials. Jesus makes it clear to them that He knew that the disciples were
with Him in His trials; then He says: And I confer on you a kingdom, just as my
Father conferred one on me so that you may eat and drink at my table in my
kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. Jesus was
showing them that there was an appointed time when his disciples would get
special seats in heaven; but only when the time was right, and not here on
earth.
® Jesus says to Simon Peter:
"Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for
you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back,
strengthen your brothers". = Jesus knows when we are weak, He knows when
we are going to be tempted, He knows if we are going to fail; and He knows how
we are going to succeed. So, once your come out of the struggle, and when you
overcome the tough battle than use the experience to lead other people to be
strong as well. This indicates very strongly why God allows us to go through
trials and temptations; so we can help others when they struggle.
® But Peter replied to Jesus saying:
"Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death".
® Jesus knew ahead of time what was
going to happen so he answered him:
"I tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will deny three
times that you know me".
® Jesus knows everything we need in
every scenario and in each occasion. Then Jesus asked them: "When I sent
you without purse, bag or sandals, did you lack anything?"
"Nothing," they answered. He said to them, "But now if you have
a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don't have a sword, sell your
cloak and buy one. It is written: 'And he was numbered with the transgressors';
and I tell you that this must be fulfilled in me. Yes, what is written about me
is reaching its fulfillment." The disciples said, "See, Lord, here
are two swords." "That is enough," he replied.
® Jesus made sure to show them that He
was aware of everything that was about to happen and making His disciples
prepared for everything, and after that He took them to the Mount of Olives.
Verse 39: Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples
followed him. At this supper Jesus was
preparing them to see, it was not about being the best and the greatest; but it
was about paying the price and going to the Mount of Olives to pray and be
prepared for the upcoming battle.
The stature
of a perfect man does not describe who is greater or lesser in the heavenly
Kingdom and yes, it is about obeying and walking as Jesus did. Jesus was an
example in everything. He explains about this saying: But I am among you as one
who serves. You are those who have stood by me in my trials. And I confer on
you a kingdom, just as my Father conferred one on me, so that you may eat and drink
at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of
Israel. For this very reason it is important that we all remain faithful in the
work that Jesus gave us. Do not let greed or love of money, status or high
positions here on earth take our attention of the target. We have already
studied in the present study that when the first human being took his gaze of
the target he sinned and all mankind fell from God's grace.
After this
conversation went to the Mount of Olives, the disciples followed him. It is
essential that everyone who says that he is a disciple of Jesus follows his
footsteps. Many people desire to be leaders, to shine and receive a very high
salary and have a wealthy lifestyle as pastors and teachers being the head (senior
pastor to be honoured) in the leadership of the Church of Jesus. According to
this passage in Luke 22, these places were given to the apostles. We have to
pay attention to the teaching that Jesus gave to His disciples, we shall walk
as they were taught to walk; and continue steadfast as Jesus commanded them.
Neither I nor you should go after something that will get us from the goal as
Jesus instructed them. It is of utmost importance that we keep our eyes on
Jesus, who begins and ends the good work in our lives. It is Jesus our Lord and
King of Glory that is who determines what we are in his kingdom, therefore we
submit and surrender unto Him as He pleases.
We have
learned so far the stages that each one passes, and it is not possible for
someone to want to do the works what the disciples did after Pentecost when we
are still young in our faith. Fact is, not even Jesus began while he was young
at age, and yes, He waited properly as the Father had commanded him. "By
myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I
seek not to please myself but him who sent me" - Jn. 5:30.
He made it
very clear to them in several occasions that he was working and acting as he
heard the Father speak. Jesus makes it clear in his teaching that we should
live as He taught in the Sermon on the Mount. He instructed them how they
should behave and conduct himself as his disciple. Jesus said that would
transform them into fishers of men, and he did. The apostle Paul says that if
someone desires the position of a bishop, or be an elder, or deacon, and so on,
he aspires a good thing, but that should not be someone new in the faith.
Notice how he writes this to Timothy. "He must not be a recent convert, or
he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil" - 1
Tm. 3:6. I think for the same reason, we should not desire high positions; if
God did not put us there, not to fall into the condemnation of the devil.
Many people
believe that because they experienced the filling of the Holy Spirit when they
received Jesus as Lord and Savior of their lives; that this enables them to
work immediately in Gods’ Kingdom. Nothing is further from the truth than this.
Jesus, at the age of twelve was in the synagogue and he was listening and
questioning the doctors, according to Lk. 2:46-47 = "After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting
among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. Everyone who
heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers”. Jesus at this
time was already filled with the Holy Spirit, but he waited to descend upon him
the anointing that came from his Father, at the right time for the right work.
Although he
knew that He was the Christ who came to save the world, at twelve years he did
nothing beyond what he was permitted to do. Jesus obeyed his parents at age
twelve. “When his parents saw him, they
were astonished. His mother said to him, "Son, why have you treated us
like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you". -
Vs. 48 of Chapter 2. The truth that I want to emphasize here is the fact that
Jesus was aware of everything he was going to do here on earth, he knew it all;
that had to be a perfect grown up man before starting his journey as the
Messiah. Jesus in spite of being God, He waited for the right time to act in
God's Kingdom here on earth.
All of us
that are His children and disciples we should only act and start working when
the Holy Spirit enable us to do so, and when He leads us thereby. But when it
comes to preaching and being a pastor, evangelist and so on, it must not be a
neophyte; a recent convert. We should talk about our faith since the first day
on, yes, just as Jesus did in the temple; he spoke, he was questioned in the
temple among the doctors, but he submitted himself to those who were above him.
It requires training to be transformed into an apostle of Jesus. Paul when he
was converted, he was taken away for 14 years, and when he returned God began
to use him. He still needed to be trained by Barnabas and the other apostles.
In Luke chapter 4:16 we read that Jesus at age of thirty, on a Saturday he
entered in the synagogue according to his custom; and He stood up to read.
Jesus knew how to wait for the right day to go and read and proclaim that now
was fulfilled what was written about him; Oh Hallelujahs.
The
disciples were trained for three years in the teaching of Jesus before
Pentecost. Each of them already knew that they should preach the Gospel; but
they waited for the day that Jesus had appointed for them. Jesus suffered for
the fact that he positioned himself and when he did this, he was persecuted by
the enemy to whom He came to overcome. Jesus defeated the enemy dying on the
cross and no one suffered more than Him. But, Jesus warns us that the disciple
is not greater than his master, nor the servant above his Lord. He was
persecuted, and we will be as well.
Something
really beautiful happens when a life is tested, when we go through the fire and
the trials here on earth, the best of us comes up. A lesson to be learned from
the Garden Gethsemane is that our lives will go through experiences where we
will be grinded and transformed to the point on which is brought out the better
of us. On the Mount of Olives is where the olives are processed which grow
there. These olives pass through the press to extract the oil from them. I
researched a bit as how the olives are processed in order to extract the oil
from them. When we go through trials, we are processed just as the olives are.
As we go through trials and we act in spirit and live in spirit, than the fruit
which is extracted from us is spiritual; that is what Jesus wishes to produce
through us. We pay a high price yes we will go through temptations and be
tested.
The
greatest purpose to be lived on this earth is to bring forth through our life
the image and likeness of God in us. We all are tested in the same way as
master was tested, this will cause to come forth through us HIS IMAGE AND
LIKENESS: if we do walk and live as Jesus did. Just as the master the servants
are too. We are not better than Jesus and if he was tested, so we will be. The
Bible says I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me, and I can
live my life here as He did; through Him.
It is
sufficient for the disciple to be such as his Master, and it is enough for the
servant to be as his Lord. If Jesus was honored, we will also be. If Jesus was
accepted, we will accept as well. The Master was persecuted, and it will also
happen with his disciples. The disciple needs to be willing to deny himself, in
order to be a faithful servant, as God requires it.
One Day in
the Garden Gethsemane, Jesus prayed the following:
Gethsemane = 14:32-42pp -- Mt 26:36-46; Lk
22:40-46
32 They went to a place called Gethsemane, and
Jesus said to his disciples, "Sit here while I pray."
33 He took Peter, James and John along with
him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled.
34"My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to
the point of death," he said to them. "Stay here and keep
watch."
35 Going a little farther, he fell to the
ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him.
36"Abba", Father," he said,
"everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I
will, but what you will."
37 Then he returned to his disciples and found
them sleeping. "Simon," he said to Peter, "are you asleep? Could
you not keep watch for one hour?
38Watch and pray so that you will not fall into
temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak."
39 Once more he went away and prayed the same
thing.
40 When he came back, he again found them
sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. They did not know what to say to him.
41 Returning the third time, he said to them,
"Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough! The hour has come. Look, the
Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.
In chapter
13 of John, in verse one we read that Jesus knew that the time had come to pass
from this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he
loved them to the end. Jesus knew what He had to do and what He would pass. And
we can see in the three year trajectory he took his disciples wherever he would
go; he was never caught by surprise of anything that happened, but He was aware
of everything before it happened. Let us take a look at what takes place: He
arrives at the Garden, and he says to his disciples: stay here, sit down, and I
will pray. I do not know how you would have felt if you would have been there.
But here is how I pondered over this in my heart: they were with Jesus at the
supper, they were part of the scenario in the last week as Jesus entered
Jerusalem; applauded by the people around Him as King. "They took palm
branches and went out to meet him, shouting, "Hosanna!" "Blessed
is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" "Blessed is the King of
Israel!" "- Jn. 12:13.
With no
doubt for Jesus it was very difficult to go through this experience that he had
there in the Garden. Jesus had to submit himself to the Will Of His Father who
is in heaven. God the Son, knew what he had to do here on earth, and what he
came here for. But as a human being says the Bible he learned obedience unto
death. If, they called the father of the family Beelzebub, how much more those
of his household, he warns us.
The olive
undergoes a process for the oil to be extracted from it. Every one of us needs
to deny him selves so that the life of Jesus can be seen through us; that is
the similarity of how we undergo the process as the olives. There in the Garden
was extracted the Son of Man who came to save those who were lost, from Jesus
the human being. At the same time that he was Jesus from Nazareth, seen in an
earthly perspective; he was the Messiah, the Christ from the heavenly
perspective. Jesus had to learn to position Himself as the Messiah, who had
been sent. God allows us to go through trials, Jesus passed through them, for
the purpose to be lived is the fact that God actually dwells within us, and his
presence is reflected in our lives if we walk in His light.
We
mentioned earlier in this book that Peter had to make a decision. And Peter
took that decision. Jesus confronted him if asking him if he loved him. As
Peter responded yes; Jesus told him: take care of my sheep. Do you love Jesus?
If so, than, make your decision whether you will take care of Jesus’ sheep as
He determined! Jesus confronted Peter with the question and repeated the same
question three times.
Does it
seem to you sometimes as if God says things over and over again to you? He will
proceed this way until He sees we grasped it. We see that Jesus only did this
with Peter. He asked his disciples about the fact of he loved Him. Peter had to
decide whether he would receive "God is Love" in his life and allow
Him to reign or not. Every human being will be questioned by God whether he
loves Him or not; and if he does, he will be commanded to go and take care of
Gods’ sheep. It is necessary to decide here on earth if we will receive Jesus
as Lord and Savior of our lives or not. Since this is the entrance to the
eternal home; Jesus is the door. When we make our life dwelling place of our
God, then we are written in the book of life. Jn. 1:12-13 says it very clear:
“Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the
right to become children of God--children born not of natural descent, nor of
human decision or a husband's will, but born of God.”
Maybe
you're walking in the desert of your life, or might be climbing the highest
mountain as Moses had to climb. Some of us are asking just like Peter, if is
You oh Lord, tell me to walk upon the waters. Many tasks and things that God
sends his disciples to do here on earth, it to test their faith, but if God
commanded us to go; He enables us to this, according to his good pleasure. When
we are slandered, and maybe even called Beelzebub, as they did with our Lord
and Savior Jesus, we must learn with God how to respond as Jesus did. Submit
everything to God the Father in Heaven, in the name of Jesus and allow Him to
reign in every circumstance.
In the Lord's Service
I greet you in His Love
Antonina Penner.
Missionary
Masters inTheology..
ISBN- 978-0-9881063-1-4
Copyright 2012/11/26 by: “Ministério Visão de Águias”.
No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
