00:00Hey friends, you're going to love this one today because today I want to talk about a
00:07small detail in the story of Jesus that most people read right past.
00:13Now it happens before Gethsemane, before Judas arrives, before Peter denies him, before the
00:22disciples run, before the trial, the beating, the crown of thorns, and the cross.
00:30Matthew and Mark tell us that Jesus and his disciples sang a hymn, and then they went out
00:39to the Mount of Olives.
00:41Now we know the story of Jesus praying in the garden.
00:44We know about the betrayal.
00:47We know about the cross.
00:49But I think we miss something beautiful when we rush past the song, because Jesus knew what
00:57was coming.
00:57He was not singing because he was unaware of the danger.
01:03He was not enjoying one peaceful evening before suddenly discovering that everything had gone
01:09wrong.
01:11Jesus knew.
01:13He knew Judas had already chosen betrayal.
01:17He knew Peter, the man who insisted he would never leave, would deny knowing him three times.
01:25He knew the rest of the disciples would scatter.
01:29He knew soldiers were coming.
01:33He knew he would be mocked.
01:35He knew he'd be beaten.
01:37He knew there was a cross waiting for him.
01:40And with all that sitting in front of him, Jesus took time to sing.
01:49Now, that teaches us something about worship that I think we desperately need to know in
01:55this world.
01:56Sometimes, worship is not what you do because life is good.
02:03Sometimes, worship is what you do because God is still good when life is about to become
02:10very hard.
02:11Lord, Jesus sang before the garden.
02:16He worshiped before the suffering.
02:20He praised before the answer.
02:24He sang before he fell to the ground and prayed.
02:28Father, take this cup from me.
02:32That changes the way that I see worship.
02:36It should change the way you see worship.
02:40You know, we often worship after something happens.
02:43God answers a prayer, so we praise him.
02:47The diagnosis improves, so we thank him.
02:51The problem gets solved, so we sing.
02:55The door opens, so we worship.
02:58There is absolutely nothing wrong with that.
03:04But Jesus shows us something deeper.
03:08Can you worship before you know how the story turns out?
03:12Can you worship while the problem is still there?
03:17Can you worship when you know tomorrow may hurt?
03:22Can you sing when there is still a garden waiting for you?
03:28Well, you know what?
03:31Jesus could.
03:32And notice who he was singing with.
03:35That may be the most beautiful part.
03:39Jesus sang with men who were about to disappoint him.
03:45Peter was there.
03:47Peter would soon say, I don't know him.
03:50The other disciples were there, but they would soon run away.
03:56Even with betrayal, weakness, and failure surrounding him,
04:02Jesus shared that moment of worship with them.
04:06He knew exactly who they were.
04:09He knew what they were about to do.
04:12And he loved them anyway.
04:14Anyway, what does that tell us about our Jesus?
04:19It tells us his love was not based on their perfect performance.
04:26Jesus was not loving some imaginary future version of the disciples who finally had everything together.
04:35He loved these men, knowing their weaknesses completely.
04:41He knew Peter would deny him before Peter knew Peter would deny him.
04:46And Jesus still sat with him at the table.
04:51Jesus still broke bread with him.
04:54Jesus still sang with him.
04:57You know, if you think about it, Jesus washed Judas' feet.
05:03Now, that should give every one of us hope.
05:07Because Jesus knows our weaknesses too.
05:10He knows the prayers we struggle to pray.
05:14He knows the promises we have made and broken.
05:18He knows the moments when fear has been stronger than our courage.
05:23He knows everything about us.
05:27Everything.
05:29And still, he invites us near.
05:33Then, the hymn ends.
05:38Jesus walks toward the Mount of Olives.
05:41And now we see why that song matters so much.
05:45In Gethsemane, Jesus becomes deeply distressed.
05:50He tells his disciples,
05:53My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death.
05:59This is the same Jesus who had just been singing.
06:03That is important.
06:06Because worship did not mean Jesus felt no sorrow.
06:11Faith did not mean Jesus felt no anguish.
06:15Singing did not make the garden disappear.
06:21Jesus worshipped.
06:23And then, Jesus wept.
06:26Those things can exist together.
06:29You can trust God and still hurt.
06:33You can worship God and still be afraid.
06:37You can love God and still ask him to change what is happening.
06:42And then, Jesus falls to the ground and prays,
06:47Abba, Father, everything is possible for you.
06:54Take this cup from me.
06:58Now, that's one of the most honest prayers in all of Scripture.
07:04Jesus does not pretend the cup is easy.
07:08He asks for another way.
07:11Jesus asks for another way.
07:16And then he says,
07:19Yet not what I will, but what you will.
07:25Now, think again about the hymn.
07:28Jesus had already turned his heart toward the Father before he entered the garden.
07:34He had worshipped before the crisis reached its deepest point.
07:39Maybe that's the part of this lesson that we've been missing.
07:45Worship does not change what is coming.
07:49Sometimes, worship changes how we enter what is coming.
07:56Think about that.
07:58The soldiers still came.
08:01Judas still betrayed him.
08:04Peter still denied him.
08:06The cross was still there.
08:09But Jesus walked forward with his heart anchored in the Father.
08:15And you know what?
08:16There are times in life when we just can't control what happens next.
08:21We cannot control whether somebody stays.
08:25We can't control every diagnosis.
08:29We cannot control every loss.
08:32We cannot make another person apologize.
08:39Sometimes, there's a garden in front of us that we simply have to walk through.
08:48And Jesus shows us what to do before we get there.
08:53Sing.
08:54Sing.
08:55Worship.
08:56Remember who God is before your emotions start telling you who God is not.
09:02Turn your heart toward him before the night gets darker.
09:08Not because worship magically removes suffering.
09:12That's not what I'm saying.
09:14Jesus proves that it does not.
09:17He sang.
09:19He sang.
09:19And Gethsemane still came.
09:22He sang.
09:23And Judas still arrived.
09:26He sang.
09:28And the cross still stood on cavalry.
09:31But the cross, well, the cross was not the end.
09:37And that's the other thing Jesus knew that night.
09:41There was suffering ahead, but suffering would not have the final word.
09:48There was a tomb ahead, but the tomb would not have the final word.
09:54You see, Friday was coming.
09:58But so was Sunday.
10:01And maybe that's why the image of Jesus singing before the Mount of Olives is just so darn powerful.
10:09He shows us a Savior who can sing while facing sorrow.
10:14A Savior who can worship while surrounded by people who will fail him.
10:20A Savior who can trust the Father even when obedience is going to cost him everything.
10:27So, if you're facing your own darkest hour right now, remember what Jesus did before his.
11:00Jesus did not wait for resurrection morning to worship.
11:04He worshiped on the way to Gethsemane.
11:10And maybe some of the deepest worship we will ever offer God is not the song we sing after victory.
11:20Maybe it's the song we sing while we can still see the garden ahead.
11:28What do you think?
11:31My name is Douglas Vandercraft and I believe in Jesus Christ.
11:37God bless every single one of you.
11:41Every single one.
11:44And everyone you love.
11:47Bye-bye.
11:48Bye-bye.
11:49Bye-bye.
11:49Bye-bye.
11:50Bye-bye.
11:50Bye-bye.
11:50Bye-bye.
11:51Bye-bye.
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