The Gethsemane Accord | Good Friday Service

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GOOD FRIDAY

29TH MARCH 2024

TITLE: THE GETHSEMANE ACCORD

TEXT: MATTHEW 26:36-46

MATTHEW 26:36-46 (kjv)

36 Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder. 37 And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy.38 Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.

39 And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt. 40 And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour? 41 Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

42 He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done. 43 And he came and found them asleep again: for their eyes were heavy.44 And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words. 45 Then cometh he to his disciples, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46 Rise, let us be going: behold, he is at hand that doth betray me.

ACCORD – MEANING:

  • A formal agreement between two or more people or groups of people.
  • It is an official/formal agreement with terms between groups of people, parties, nations, or countries.
  • It is usually written, formally approved, and signed by leaders or the parties involved.

KINDS or SYNONYMS OF ACCORD

  • A Pact
  • A Treaty e.g Business/Trade treaty, Peace treaty etc
  • A Deal
  • A Covenant (Usually religious)
  • A Peace Accord such as The South African National Peace Accord (NPA)

NOTE- Every Peace Accord involves Processes and Terms such as:

  • Presentations and Negotiations, Timelines and Deadlines, Ideals and Objectives, benefits and substances, ratifications and implementations, extents and coverages, conflict resolutions, accountability and reporting systems etc.

Similarly:

  1. At Gethsemane, Jesus entered into an Accord with heaven and God the Father on our behalf.
  2. It was a moment of decision for Him.
  3. He had the opportunity to either throw in the towel or stick through it. He chose to stick through it for us.
  4. The bible says, He was Sorrowful
  5. Deeply distressed
  6. Exceedingly sorrowful even unto death
  7. All that He took just to fulfill the will of God for our benefit.

AT Gethsemane;

  • Jesus was thrown into a great struggle.
  • The struggle involved all His Spirit, Soul and Body
  • It was the greatest fight He had ever known upto that moment
  • Knowing that the CROSS and the GRAVE were before Him, yet He entered into that ACCORD.
  • Knowing that Shame and Reproach, Agony, and Anguish were to be His portion yet, He drank of that cup.

The agreement for our peace, joy, success, healing, breakthroughs, and victory in life and destiny was entered into, signed, and ratified at GETHSEMANE but expressed and shared abroad on the Cross

  • The Victory of the Cross was worn at Gethsemane
  • The Gethsemane Accord powers the benefits of the Cross.

Luke 22:41-44

41 And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, 42 Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. 43 And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. 44 And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

AT GETHSEMANE:

  • Jesus Agonized:
  • At Gethsemane, Jesus experienced a severe agony
  • AGONY –( Agonia in Greek)  
  • It means severe mental struggle, contest, fear, and great exertion of energy or effort.
  • IT DEPICTS: Anguish, pain, distress and conflict
  • Not Even – Peter, James, and John could help lighten the load

AT GETHSEMANE:

  • Jesus Prayed Earnestly
  • He was extended and stretched beyond His limit
  • He got to the brink of what He could endure.
  • It was a deep seated prayer with passion and a highest focus devoid of distraction

AT GETHSEMANE:

  • He Dripped Blood
  • His emotional state was so intense
  • He was overtaken by great fear and immense stress
  • He had water mixed with clothed blood dripping out of His sweat glands
  • It was a medical condition called Hematohidrosi or Hematidrosis
  • A very rare condition which occurs only in individuals in very highly emotional distress.
  • This is because of His mind being under such a great mental and emotional pressure, gripped by intense fear and sweat-glands-bursting stress.

YOU AND I:

  • May not have experienced this blood sweat condition however, we do have struggles with our Marriages, Children, Relationships, Businesses, Finances, Health  etc.
  • It is for you and I that He willingly entered into such accord.
  • Subjecting Himself to such an unbearable and excruciating pain

GETHSEMANE WAS…

  • The place of AGONY:
    • Where he suffered immensely for our sake.
  • The Place of TOTAL SURRENDER:
    • There He surrendered ALL He had and ALL of Himself that, you and I may gain ALL  He has in store for us.

NOTE:

  • Jesus had the power and authority to destroy all those who came to arrest Him.
  • He had enough power to destroy the entire world if He wanted….(Explain)
  • He could have botched or bungled the plan but He didn’t.
  • Instead He surrendered to His captors for our sake.
  • Even when Peter chopped off Malchus’ ear, Jesus chose to heal it.
  • The place of the GREAT EXCHANGE:
    • Where He exchanged His glory for our gory story, His fame for our shame, His gain for our pain, His surplus for our deficit, His riches for our poverty, His wealth and abundance for our lack and want, His innocence for our guilt.
    • He exchanged His life for our death
    • He exchanged His liberty for our captivity.
  • The Place of VICTORY OVER ALL.
    • He that was above all, humbled Himself to a lowly estate of a servant that we may ascend greater heights – a high level in righteousness, life and destiny.
    • This is the place of Victory over ALL NEGATIVITIES. Pain, shame, sickness, diseases, etc
  • The place of Negotiation of FREEDOM.
    • Freedom from captivity and depravity.
    • Freedom from the clutches of sin, satan, hell and the grave.
  • The Place of Sacrifice.
    • The sacrifice of self
    • The sacrifice of His life
    • The place where he signed the deal to pay the price of our redemption with His life.
    • It was the Ultimate price.
    • He paid a premium that purchased for us an eternal cover.
    • Much like purchasing a LIFE ASSURANCE COVER for us, our children, and generations yet unborn. 

WHY DID HE DO ALL THESE:

Hebrews 5:7-9                         

7 Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;

8 Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;

9 And being made perfect, he became THE AUTHOR OF ETERNAL SALVATION UNTO ALL THEM THAT OBEY HIM;

Isaiah 45:16-17                                                   

16 They shall be ashamed, and also confounded, all of them: they shall go to confusion together that are makers of idols.

17 BUT ISRAEL SHALL BE SAVED IN THE LORD WITH AN EVERLASTING SALVATION: ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end.

  • He did ALL THESE; that we might be SAVED.
  • It was for our Joy, Peace, Victory, Healing, Deliverance, Breakthrough.
  • It was so we could have and live a life of beauty and colour
  • He did it so we may have life and life even more abundantly

HOW DO WE RECEIVE IT, ACCESS IT, AND BENEFIT FROM IT:

We will consider 2 of those in this teaching:

  1. The Mystery of Salvation:
  2. You’ve got to enter into the family of God.
  3. You enter by being born again and then you will be SAVED.
  4. You are translated from the kingdom of darkness into the king of God’s dear son.
  5. Romans 10:9-10,   John1:12
  • The Mystery of Holy Communion:
  • 1 Corinthians 11:26

(26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew (Proclaim, Signify, Represent, Reenact)  the Lord's death till he comes. 

…Emphasis added

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