Rev. Nobel Abraham
2025, ഏപ്രി 18
In the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus shows us how to walk through sorrow, surrender, and solitude—never alone, always held by the Father.
THE CRUSHING MOMENT OF SORROW
Gethsemane was no ordinary garden—it was where Jesus entered a moment of unbearable sorrow. As recorded in Matthew 26:38, He said, “I am deeply grieved, even to death.” This wasn’t poetic anguish; it was soul-crushing pain. It marked the beginning of His final journey to the cross. Before betrayal, before crucifixion, there was this silent, trembling moment where His spirit cried out in agony.
Jesus’ sorrow in Gethsemane was not weakness—it was the fullness of His humanity. He didn’t run from the weight. He faced it, knowing what lay ahead.
THE OIL PRESS OF THE SOUL
The word “Gethsemane” means “oil press.” Fittingly, Jesus was emotionally and spiritually pressed there. Like olives crushed to release oil, He poured Himself out. He knelt and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me. Yet not what I want, but what you want” (Matthew 26:39).
That surrender changed everything. He was not rescued from the agony, but through it, something eternal was won. Gethsemane reminds us that surrender is not about giving up; it's about handing over.
WHEN TESTING TIMES COME
We all have our own Gethsemanes—seasons of hardship we would never choose. We pray for escape. But Psalm 139:7 reminds us: “Where can I go from your spirit? Or where can I flee from your presence?” Even when we feel surrounded by darkness, God is near.
The preacher called these moments “inescapable, inevitable testing times.” And yet, God does not leave us. He leads us, even through crushing seasons. Gethsemane is not absence—it’s presence. A place where we come to the end of ourselves and find the beginning of grace.
PAIN IS PREPARATION
We often view pain as punishment. But Jesus' suffering in Gethsemane wasn’t wasted—it was preparation. Just as gym walls say, “What hurts today makes you stronger tomorrow,” the cross was made possible because of the resolve formed in the garden.
“If Jesus would have failed in Gethsemane, the cross would never be our ornament,” the preacher said. His success in surrender turned pain into victory. That’s what Gethsemane teaches us: the path to resurrection goes through the oil press.
SURRENDER IN SOLITUDE
In the garden, Jesus was also alone. Though He invited His closest disciples to stay near, they couldn’t stay awake. He was grieved, agitated, and left in solitude. But in that lonely space, He surrendered fully.
Gethsemane is where we, too, are invited to lay down our pride, our plans, and our need to control. It’s where we say, “Not what I want, but what You want.” And when we do, God meets us—not with easy answers, but with presence.
“I am deeply grieved, even to death.” – Matthew 26:38
• Jesus embraced sorrow to prepare for the cross—pain has purpose.
• Gethsemane teaches us to surrender when we want to escape.
• God’s presence is with us even in our loneliest nights (Psalm 139:7).
• Our Gethsemane's press us, but they don’t destroy us—they prepare us.
• In solitude, we discover a Savior who has walked there before us.
If you’re in your own Gethsemane—pressed by sorrow or standing in solitude—know this: God is near, and He will not let go. Join us next Sunday as we continue this journey from the garden to the cross, and share this message with someone who may need hope today.