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Series:  "Farther Along"

Overview:  The theme for this series comes from that blessed old hymn, "Farther along".  The words of the chorus are:

                     

                      Farther along, we'll know all about it

                      Farther along, we'll understand why

                      Cheer up, my brother, live in the sunshine,

                      We'll understand it, all by and by

 

The theme for this series also comes the the passage of the first message: Mathew 26: 39 "and he went a little further". It is hopeful that in going a little further, that farther along we will understand the "why's" of his ministry.  Hopefully it will change the scene of our viewing from one of a spectator to one of a participant.

 

 

Message # 1   "Farther along, We'll understand His Walk"

Text:  Matthew 26: 36-46

Intro:  Our Lord's walk to the Garden of Gethsemane is not unknown territory to the saint of God.  We are very familiar with the prayer that Jesus prayed here.  As recorded in John 17, this prayer is in actuality the true "Lord's Prayer".  However, even though this passage is very familiar to us, there are a few words contained in this passage that we often miss the meaning of.  Those words in verse 39 "and he went a little further", reveals the golden nugget of

understanding His walk to Gethsemane.  This garden experience of Christ was not the first garden experience, nor would it be His last.  There is a beautiful underlying precept throughout God's  Word concerning garden experiences and all three garden experiences should have a great impact on the saint.  They are:

 

     1)  The Garden of Creation (Eden)

This was where the substance of man was created in the image of God.  Sad to say, this also was where that substance was  marred by sin.

 

     2)  The Garden of Confirmation (Gethsemane)

Jesus confirmed the security of all those of whom the Father  had given Him, but the greater confirmation was that of submitting to the will of His father.

     3)   The Garden of Cancellation (Tomb - Jn 19:41)

 While the keyword of the first garden(Eden) was sin, and of the second garden(Gethsemane) was submission, then the theme of the third garden (tomb) is sacrifice.  It was in this third garden that our Lord cancelled the sting of death, hell and the grave.