The Garden of Gethsemane is the darkest hour in the life of Jesus before the cross. He begins to feel the weight of bearing the sin of the world and his heart is grieved.

Jesus does two very important things in the midst of his grief. One, he draws near to his Father. Pastor Todd uses the illustration of woodshop tools—the clamp and the wedge. The clamp brings two pieces of wood together, while the wedge drives them apart. Suffering operates like this in our lives. For some, it binds us to the heart of God, while others distance themselves. Jesus shows us how to pray our fears.

Secondly, Jesus draws near and invites others to bear his suffering with him. Though the disciples fail in this regard, Jesus' invitation to the disciples to walk with him through this dark valley serves as an example for how we are to invite others into our suffering. Again, a helpful metaphor is the olive press, which takes olives and presses them so that what comes out brings multiple benefits.

Jesus entered the olive press of God's judgement toward sin, so that what flows from him is healing and nourishment. His life and example leads us into a new way of viewing our suffering.

If you want to respond to this message, or if you have questions, please reach out to us at [email protected].