The Montgomery tribune., 1910-11-18
JESUS in
GETHSEMANE
Sunday School Lesson for Nov. 20. le1
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Golden Tsxt-'"rhe Son Of man Ia be-
@4s.
Timo-Between midnight and o'clock.
Friday morning. April T. The morning OF
the day of the Crucinxion.
Place-The garden of Gethsemane. on
the lower slope of the Mount Of Olives,
opposite Jerusalem.
This lesson Is full Of sweet solem-
nifty. When we enter the garden of
Gethsemane we hear the voice that
came to Moses at the burning bush:
Put off thy shoes from of thy feet;
for the place whereon thou standest
is holy ground"
We trace the walk OF Jesus from
the upper room to Gethsemane, the
route of the officers and soldiers from
Castle Antonia, and the return with
Jesus as captive
The word "Gethsemane" signifies
IAN oil press" of which there we're
certain to be several In locality then
covered, as Mount Olivet was, with
olive trees. John calls II garden.
"An eastern garden differs from ours,
in that 1t is chiefly filled with fruit
trees and fragrant shrubs, rather than
with flower beds and shade, not or
der or bright colors, is what Is chiefly
studied In its construction" The gar
den was nearer the Kidron, which ran
between Jerusalem and the Mount OF
Olives.
From the fact that Jesus ofttimes
resorted thither with his disciples"
John 1922, 1t Is probable that it was
suburban pleasure ground, or be-
longed to some friend Of Jesus who
gave him the free use of It during his
stay.
He took with him Peter and the two
sons Of Zebedee, James and John.
These were the three who had seen
his glory on the Mount Of Transflgura-
tion, and were best prepared to SYM
pathize with him. These were to
watch and pray. They were to watch
with him, in sympathy with him, and
against the same temptations.
In this hour Jesus needed human
sympathy, even while he must tread
the winepress alone" Three times he
went to them during this season Of
prayer. The more loving the heart,
the more helpful is fellowship and
sympathy. Every wise person accepts
! Of all che sympathy and help he can
get. To throw this away is to reject
one of the best aids God has given us.
Jesus was in the prime Of man.
hood; life was Just opening before
| him. his soul was eager for work, and
conscious Of rare capability to per-
form it.; his death was the end of all
human hope of achievement" His
earthly career, In this dark hour, may
have seemed to be failure, If the fu-
ture was yelled from his vision. Only
! few disciples. instead OF a glorious
kingdom. and these few about to for
sake him! Where were the fruits of
his life? 1t was his hour of dark.
ness. with the future yelled from his
eyes with its resurrection and ascen-
sion. and himself King of Kings and
Lord Of Lords. This required the ut.
most heroism of faith.
Nevertheless not as will. Not as
seems desirable now. But as thou
wilt. What In your loving wisdom you
see to be wise and best. This is my
prayer and desire. I do not merely
submit to your will, but desire 1t, pray
for 1t. Underneath that awful agony
there lay, millions of fathoms deep,
unmoved and immovable, the intense
desire that his Fathers wish and will
should be done."-Morison. This
prayer, "Thy will be done." contains
| the essence of faith; a faith that ex.
poets an answer.
"Thy will be done" means far more
than merely enduring the suffering
God sends. It means doing his will
in our business, In our homes; every.
where living according to Gods laws
and principles. It means carrying out
his plans for the redemption of men
The prayer was answered through
the strength given him to drink the
cup. and change 1t into cup of bless
ing. It was answered in the same way
that God answers our prayers, as God
answered Paul's prayer that the thorn
In his flesh might be removed.
God answered Jesus prayer by Civ
ing In better form than the one In
which the petition was stated. the
soul of his PRAYER. the things that in
his deepest heart he wanted. II clear
iy before the vision of Jesus there had
appeared two choices. the one of es
cape from the cross. but with that
also the failure of his mission. the
triumph of evil, the loss OF unnum
bered souls, no crown. no glory. nc
abiding on the right hand OF Cod and
the other choice, that of the cross and
It's agony, but with 1t also the redemp
ton of the world, the ineffable glory
Of God. the joys OF millions of tbs
saved. the crown of triumph ovei
evil-who doubts which would have
been his real. innermost prayer? Hi
prayer was answered. for the cross
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