The Importance of Prayer - Lesson 6: Jesus' Agony in Gethsemane led Him to Prayer


Teacher: First Lady Mignon Holly

Resource: Guides For Living - cogicpublishinghouse.net

Central Verse
"And they came to a place which was named Gethsemane: and he said to his disciples, Sit ye here, while I shall pray" -Mark 14:32 KJV

"They went to a place Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, 'Sit here while I pray' " -Mark 14:32 NIV

Agony - Extreme prolonged pain; intense physical or mental suffering; severe struggling with pain and suffering that proceeds death. (This shows the state that Jesus was in at this particular time)

Jesus dealt with it:

  1. Physically
  2. Mentally
  3. Spiritually

Gethsemane - Olive press in a garden at the foot of the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem

An olive is shaken, pressed, beaten (As Jesus was)


Jesus came to the earth by a supernatural process. The Holy Spirit overshadowed a virgin named Mary and allowed Jesus, the Son of God, to live in a body of flesh. Jesus came to the world to redeem humanity back to right relationship with His Father, God. Being in the flesh, Jesus was able to experience all the feelings that humans could feel and experience. He lived with His family in a little town called Nazareth until He went into His public ministry. All the people knew Him as the son of the carpenter Joseph, the husband of His mother, Mary. He lived and worked just like any other young man of His time.


It had been prophesied by many Old Testament prophets that He was coming and that He was coming and that He would suffer and die for the sin of the world, but it was necessary for Him to go through life having the same problems, disappointments, hurts, anger, and mistreatment that all humans have to go through. The Word of the Lord tells the believer that Jesus was tempted in all points (like you and I) yet without sin.


When Jesus was ready to start His public ministry, He went by the Jordan River and allowed John the Baptist to baptize Him. During this remarkable event, the believer was given a very clear picture of who Jesus was. The baptism of Jesus gave manifestation of Godhead. Jesus, the Son of God, was baptized in Jordan; the Holy Spirit, the third part of the Godhead, descended on Jesus as a dove; and God the Father spoke and declared that He was well pleased with Jesus.


I John 5:7 - "For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one."

After Jesus' baptism and His temptation in the wilderness, Jesus began choosing His disciples. After He had chosen twelve men, for three and a half years, He began the task of training them by precepts and example.

Precepts - is a command principle intended especially as general rule of action (Jesus used Parables)


Jesus had told His disciples many times that He would die, but they could not believe that their leader, whom that had watched heal sick bodies, open blind eyes, restore hearing, deliver possessed men and women, raise the dead, and work all kind of miracles, would have to die.


Even though Jesus knew His purpose, His flesh became very sad at the thought of suffering and dying. When He went into the garden of Gethsemane, He told His disciples to sit while He went to pray a little ways from them. He had Peter, James, and John with Him (Who were close to Him). He began to be sorrowful, grief began to come into His Spirit, and it caused a great heaviness to come upon Him. At this point the spiritual suffering of Jesus began. Under this great stress, His sweat was like drops of blood. He knew that He was facing physical death,  but never in His existence had He ever been separated from His Father. It has been said that He prayed that His physical death would be accepted as full payment for the sins of mankind. He asked His Father to allow the cup of death to pass, but He was able to pray, "Nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt" (Matthew 26:39)


2 Main agonizing things Jesus felt?

  1. The separate from His Father (God could not look on Him because of the sin)
  2. His disciples turning their back on Him

We as believer have to put our grief aside let God's will be done. The only prayer that we cannot pray thy will be done is to sickness. Isaiah 53:5 tells us "...by His stripes we are healed."


If Jesus went through it, then we as believers can go through it. Jesus did not defend himself, so why should we? 

Essential Thought:
"As you pray, your prayer touches God; then God will touch you." 

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