Before Christ died on the cross, he died in the garden.
1. Emotional + Mental Torment Mark 14:32–36 (NIV) 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.
Mark 14:36 (NIV) “Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”
Take comfort, beloved even Jesus wanted to quit.
Gethsemane: The olive press.
“Following Jesus means we must be willing to get in the press & deal with the tension of yielding to the will of The Father.”
Romans 5:3-4(NIV) 3 We also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope.
“We are tuned in the tension.”
2. Physical Torment Isaiah 52:14 (NIV) His appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any man and his form marred beyond human likeness.
Matthew 27:27-31 (NLT) 27 Some of the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into their headquarters and called out the entire regiment. 28 They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him. 29 They wove thorn branches into a crown and put it on his head, and they placed a reed stick in his right hand as a scepter. Then they knelt before him in mockery and taunted, “Hail! King of the Jews!” 30 And they spit on him and grabbed the stick and struck him on the head with it. 31 When they were finally tired of mocking him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him again. Then they led him away to be crucified.
“Beloved, Our victorious Christ has broken the curse!”
Galatians 3:13 (NLT) When he was hung on the cross, he took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing.
The Crucifixion Matthew 27:31 (NLT)When they were finally tired of mocking him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him again. Then they led him away to be crucified.
3. Spiritual Torment Mark 15:34 (NIV) “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
Isaiah 53:3-5 (NIV) 3 He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. 4 Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.
Victory mindsets over torment: 1. I am loved and valued by Him. 1 John 4:9–10 (NLT) 9 God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. 10 This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins
“The cross speaks of our value more than it speaks of our sin.”
2. He is better than I think. Psalms 119:68(NIV) You are good and do only good.
3. His plan is greater than my pain
Hebrews 12:2–3 (NIV) 2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
John 13:1 (NIV) It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love.
