Jesus Stayed In The Garden Just For You

I dated a young man for three years in college. A regular hangout for us was a local establishment called Crunchy’s located about 2 blocks from my house.

We parted company in the spring of our junior year. Mid way through senior year, he proposed to another woman. This was before cell phones, but if I’d had one mine would have blown up with texts from my sorority sisters. As it was, they did their best to warn me and to let me know they were celebrating at Crunchy’s.

Our place. My place. The place closest to my house. The place I regularly went. Even though we had been broken up for a while, it still felt like a punch to the gut. For the rest of senior year I never went back there. I didn’t want to risk running into him – and her.

My reaction was to avoid going where I might be found by them. Maybe I’m unique in that, but I don’t think so. We don’t often voluntarily go to the place where betrayal is likely or where we feel certain the knife will be twisted just a little deeper.

And yet, this is exactly what Jesus did when he went to the garden of Gethsemane.

To truly grasp the enormity of this action, we must back up just slightly in the account of Jesus on Thursday of what we call Holy Week.

Jesus and his disciples celebrated the Passover meal, as all Jews did this night. At the conclusion of this meal Jesus did an astounding thing. He washed the disciples’ feet in an act of humble servitude. Even more than that, Jesus knelt at the feet of Judas, the disciple with whom he had shared life with for the past three years and whom would soon betray him to the Jewish leaders, and washed his feet too.

With a heart that was shattering, Jesus told Judas to “go, do what you are going to do.”

Judas left, but Jesus and the others remained behind. Jesus spent his last hours with his disciples pouring into them with an urgency of a man who knew his time was limited. He implored them to understand. To get this messiah thing right. To believe in him.

Jesus gathered his disciples together, closely, and held them as he prayed. He prayed for himself, for the twelve, and then he prayed for you and for me. The final words that Jesus speaks in the company of his closest friends are words that reach far beyond their present moment. “I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message.” (Jn 17:20)

Jesus prayed for us – we are the ones who will come to believe. He prayed for us to know that God loves us as much as he loves Jesus. Jesus prayed for us to be one with him, and one with God.

Let this rest on your heart for a moment. We were on Jesus’ mind and heart in these last hours.

When Jesus and the disciples departed from the upper room, they crossed the Kidron Valley “and entered a grove of olive trees. Judas, the betrayer, knew this place, because Jesus had often gone there with his disciples.” (Jn 18:2)

Jesus did something I did not do back in college. I am not certain I would do it today. Jesus knew Judas would betray him. He watched him leave the upper room right after he had washed his feet. And he still went where Judas would know to find him.

To the Garden of Gethsemane.

Gethsemane does not mean olive tree. Or even olive. It means oil press. An oil press is used to crush and press olives in order to yield their oil. Jesus spent his last night in the place of crushing and pressing. In the garden of the oil press.

The weight of betrayal was heavy. The knowledge of his impending death was a sorrow beyond sorrows. His soul was crushed to the point of death. He could not stand. His sweat was like blood as he lay prone on the ground crying out to God.

Abba, Father, – who art in heaven, holy is your name Father – everything is possible for you for you. Take this cup from me.

As Jesus lay prostrate in the garden, soul in agony, he is but mere steps away from being able to escape into the Judean desert. He is in the place on the Mt. of Olives that King David traveled on his way out of Jerusalem when his son Absalom attempted a coup. This route was well known by Jesus. He used it to come into Jerusalem just a few short days ago. This route would carry him to safety.

Don’t you know Satan was there? Whispering in his ear, go. You don’t have to do this. There will be another way.

But because Jesus had prayed for us, he stayed. He stayed for you and for me.

He stayed in the garden of the oil press and he uttered the words that defeated Satan and changed all of eternity for those whom he prayed.

Yet not what I will but what you will.

Jesus stayed in the garden for you. He prayed for you. He spoke those words for you so that you might be one with God: restored, reconciled, redeemed. Saved.

This is how much he loves you. He stayed.