In tomorrow’s Vinebranch sermon, we’ll talk about Jesus and his disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane, in Mark 14:32-52, paying particular attention to his prayer, “Take this cup of suffering away from me. However—not what I want but what you want.”
To give you a sense of the place, here are some photos from the Garden of Gethsemane that I took when I was in the Holy Land last year. The garden is a short distance east of Jerusalem, across the Kidron Valley. We’ll show these photos as part of a short slide-show movie in tomorrow’s service.
Here is the gate known as the "Beautiful Gate" or the "Golden Gate" (sealed in 1541 by Sultan Suleiman I). Jesus and his disciples walked through this gate, then a short distance across the Kidron Valley to the Mount of Olives.
Here are olive trees in the garden. They are very old. Some may have even been there when Jesus was there. We can easily imagine that this was an ideal place for prayer. Jesus likely came here often. Do you have a place that you like to retreat to when you pray?
The Church of All Nations sits in the garden to commemorate the place of Jesus' agonizing prayer and arrest.
Sorry this picture isn't better lighted. This rock sits in the chancel of the Church of All Nations. According to tradition, this is where Jesus prayed.
The gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke each contain some version of Jesus prayer, "Not my will but thine be done."
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