This is the first day of Holy week, Palm Sunday. Today we wave palm fronds and sing out joyfully to celebrate the Savior who has come to walk the way of the cross on our behalf. But our joy quickly turns to sorrow as we remember what it cost Jesus to walk these last lonely miles. This is Passion Week, when we bring to the forefront of our minds the last week of the Suffering Savior’s life on earth. We’re going to prayerfully travel with Jesus as he makes his way to Jerusalem, to the cross, the grave, and beyond. Each night of the week you can join us as we meet with Christians from many congregations to worship, to pray, to join hands across the aisle. Monday evening we’ll meet with Orthodox believers, Tuesday we’ll gather here at our 9:00 PM Adoration service, Wednesday we’ll join African-American congregations for a service at Thankful Baptist, Thursday they’ll all come this way for a Maundy Thursday Footwashing service at Hopwood, Good Friday we will meet with congregations in Elizabethton at First Christian in Elizabethton, and Saturday night at 8:00PM we’ll gather for The Great Vigil at St. John’s Episcopal. Then, very early on Sunday morning, we’ll meet here at 6:45 for Sunrise service and march to the cemetery to share the good news that in Jesus, life always trumps death. What brings all these congregations together, helping us see how insignificant our differences are? The Cross of Christ. I hope you’ll join us this week as we worship together.
At this time of year we remember how Jesus endured unspeakable suffering for us, his violent, lost children. He came and spoke truth to us; He came to confront our sinful lives. He came to provide us a way that leads to life…and that coming cost Him dearly. During Passion Week we remember Jesus with wonder, for even the shadow of death only made the radiance of His life and love for us more brilliant.
Our morning epistle reading from Philippians quotes an ancient Christian hymn of worship, reminding us that “Though Jesus was in the form of God, he did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death...”
It was humility and obedience that brought Jesus to the point of death. Our Gospel reading takes us to the Mount of Olives on the last night of Jesus’ life. Here Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane. The name Gethsemane translates “olive press.” Jesus often came to this beautiful grove to pray, and on that night it lived up to its name. Ancient olive presses were simple and effective machines: a basket full of ripe olives was placed on a stone catchment and a massive stone weight came down with crushing force, squeezing the oil out of the olives. On this last night of earthly life, Jesus came to the “Garden of crushing,” and laid his life under the weight of the world’s sin and the inexorable will of the Father.
Jesus said that this hour belonged to the power of darkness; this was the hour when darkness reigned. Luke reads: He...went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives; and the disciples followed him. 40When he reached the place, he said to them, ‘Pray that you may not come into the time of trial.’
What was it like for Jesus when darkness reigned? Jesus was lonely as he faced the agony that lay ahead of him. He needed the companionship of that little band of men who had become his family. He shepherded them to the very end. As he prepared to battle the powers of darkness, struggle to understand the will of the Father, and fight the human instinct for self-preservation, he wanted his friends nearby. “Pray!” he told them. “Pray like you’ve never prayed before. Pray that you may not come into the time of trial.” The darkest night the world had ever known descended upon that little band of brothers. Fear and ignorance and self-preservation would soon drive them to fight, to flee, to abandon their Master, to lie, to curse, to deny they even knew him. Still Jesus wanted to be close to these men. He was afraid, and sorrowful, and lonesome. Matthew said he told the disciples, “My soul is sorrowful, even to the point of death; remain here and watch with me.”
What was it like for Jesus when darkness reigned? In the Garden, Jesus agonized over the things that were about to unfold. 41Then he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, knelt down, and prayed, 42‘Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me; yet, not my will but yours be done.’ Must I die? Is there another way? Could I run? Did I hear the Father correctly? Can I bear up under the torture of the whip, the fists, the hammer, the cross, the humiliation? Fear and despair welled up in Jesus, sapping the strength from his life. Luke writes: In his anguish he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down on the ground.
What was it like for Jesus when darkness reigned? Jesus was plagued by physical weakness in the darkness of the Garden. Matthew says he fell onto his face as he prayed. The weight of the world crushed him to the ground like a massive stone. The will of the father pressed down upon him, taking his breath away. Jesus was physically spent, just as his last great trial was beginning to unfold. “Then,” Luke says, “an angel from heaven appeared to him and gave him strength.”
Jesus arose from prayer, came to the disciples and found them sleeping (Luke generously credits their slumber to excessive grief). “Why are you sleeping?” Jesus said. “Get up and pray that you may not come into the time of trial.” Could they be spared the trials their Master faced in his time of testing? He was lonely, he was afraid, he was physically weak, he was emotionally drained.
And then all hell broke loose. The hounds of hell, in the form of soldiers and religious leaders, burst into the Garden, led by Judas, one of Jesus’ own disciples. In this hour of their testing, what can we say of the disciples? What were they like on this most desperate of nights? They slept in their Master’s greatest hour of need. One betrayed Jesus openly. He approached Jesus to kiss him; but Jesus said to him, “Judas, is it with a kiss that you are betraying the Son of Man?” Some of them were tempted to strike out with violently: “Lord, should we strike with the sword?” Then it was every man for himself. The disciples fled, ran away in fear; they left the Master to be fed to the wolves.
And how did Jesus face the darkness on this night when the power of evil reigned? Against all odds, he kept the faith...he remained true to his mission. He held his little band of disciples together as long as he could, encouraging them and giving them strength. “Simon, Simon,” Jesus said, “Satan has demanded to sift you like wheat. Things are going to get tough for you...you’re going to end up denying you even know me. But Simon, when you have turned back around...strengthen your brothers.” Even when the sand of his hourglass had almost run out, he was thinking of his friends’ future.
How did Jesus face the darkness? In the face of death, Jesus prayed, seeking God’s will. Here on the last night of Jesus’ life, we find him on his knees...on his face...praying. He wasn’t praying for his territories to be enlarged...he wasn’t praying for an easy end and release from suffering. “Show me your will,” he prayed. “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Yet not my will, but yours be done.”
How did Jesus face the darkness? On this last night of his life, Jesus continued to teach his followers the way of the kingdom. At the Supper just past, he taught them how to remember him...how to keep his memory alive. As they made their way to the Garden, he taught them to strive to be humble servants, not bloated prima donnas. Even in the terror of the Garden, Jesus taught his disciples that the Kingdom of God will never come with swords and killing. His thoughts were ever with those who were in his care, and as he shielded their lives with his own, he taught them through word and deed.
How did Jesus face the darkness? Even though his own life was endangered, Jesus continued his work as a healer...One of the disciples struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his right ear. 51But Jesus said, ‘No more of this!’ And he touched his ear and healed him. Of all the blood to be shed, Jesus and his disciples would draw none of it. He would forever be remembered as a healer, not a fighter.
Yes, it was a dark, desperate night. Yes, it was the hour when darkness reigned. Yet even in weakness of body and agony of heart, Jesus remained faithful to his friends, to his mission, and to his God. That’s why Paul wrote: Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus...
What are we like when darkness reigns? How do we react when the power of the devil, the threat of death, the crush of evil bears down on us like a giant press? Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus... Like Jesus and his disciples, may we find strength and shelter in each other’s company. May we be family for each other. May tribulation and trouble and danger and distress draw us together and not tear us apart. May we be ministering angels to each other, pouring strength into each others’ lives like the angel did to Jesus on that dark night so long ago.
This week, we’ve seen some powerful examples of the strength we have when we stick together. As many of you know, we’ve had a brother among us who has been serving a couple months’ time at the county jail. Our brother had been making steady steps toward stability and wholeness...he’d been growing in the Lord and finding his place in the family of Christ here when a mistake from the past caught up with him. It was a dark night of the soul for our brother. But you didn’t give up on him. His friends threw a party for him before he went in, and told him they’d be there for him when he got out. Now it’s worked out that our brother has been able to get out on work release during the days. Someone picks him up. Someone brings him lunch and visits with him. Someone brings him back in the evenings. He’ll never forget this. You didn’t let him go.
This week, 35 of you showed up to roof another members’ house. Our sister who lives in that house is sick...to the point that most of us just don’t know what we can do to help. So it was with great joy that we used hammer and nails, sweat and muscle to show our love...and most of all we showed how we felt about this family by our presence...by showing up.
When things are dark, stick together. When temptation is heavy, let your brother or sister lean on you. When you desperately need a friend...lean on your friends. Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus... He stuck with his friends to the bitter end... We need the shelter of each other’s company.
What are we like in dark times...when darkness reigns? May we be people of prayer. When the weight of sin...the weight of oppression...the weight of temptation...the weight of danger crushes us down...may God find us on our knees, praying for ourselves, praying for each other. When I learn of tough situations, I’m trying to get better at praying for them...right then and there. One of the greatest joys of ministry for me is being able to pray for people. Let’s pray for each other asking for ministering angels, knowledge of his will. So keep on praying...at all times, with all kinds of prayers.
We could say more about our own needs, but perhaps that is enough, for in truth, this week is not about us...it is about him. See him in the garden, as he prays. The weight of the world is upon him. His death is only steps away. It was love that brought him there, love that kept him there. When we desperately want to describe a great truth we write about it, talk about it incessantly. When the early church ran out of words to describe the power and the mystery of the moment, they broke into song.. Today, as we finish up this gathering for God, let us honor our Lord Christ by singing what is most true about our Savior’s life among us.
193-O Love, How Deep, How Broad
By: attr. Thomas Kempis
Oh, love, how deep, how broad, how high,
How passing thought and fantasy,
That God, the son of God, should take
Our mortal form for mortal’s sake!
For us baptized, for us he bore
His holy fast and hungered sore;
For us temptation sharp he knew;
For us the tempter over threw.
For us he prayed; for us he taught;
For us his daily works he wrought,
By words and signs and actions thus
Still seeking not himself but us.
For us to evil power betrayed,
Scourged mocked, in purple robe arrayed,
He bore the shameful cross and death;
For us gave up his dying breath.
All glory to our Lord and God
For love so deep, so high, so broad–
the Trinity whom we adore
forever and forevermore.
