sign in sign up
<<
Home , Gethsemane

No Greater Love Session 1: The of the Agony: in Gethsemane Discussion Outline The Background Our walk-through Christ’s passion begins on the Mount of in the garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus came with His disciples to pray. Jesus had passed over this same mountain earlier this week when He entered riding a donkey. He had come here to pray at other times during His time in Jerusalem for the Passover feast. After celebrating his Last Supper, in which He gave us the gift of His Body and Blood in the Eucharist, He came back to the once more to pray.

Group Reflection Questions

1. What do you think caused Jesus the most agony when he arrived in Gethsemane?

2. What are some of the things Jesus did to face His trial - to deal with His becoming distraught and sorrowful?

3. How might you imitate Jesus the next time you face a difficult trial - a "Gethsemane moment"?

4. In the Bible (i.e. Father’s Love Letter), God says, "For I know the plans I have for you, says the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope" (Jeremiah 29:11). • How might this verse give you confidence to seek and do the Father's will for your life? • What can you do practically to live more like Jesus in that area and say, “Not as I will, but as you will” (:39)?

5. Jesus tells the apostles "pray that you may not enter into temptation" (:38). The first step in this battle is to recognize the kinds of temptations we tend to face, such as: • pride, anger, gossip, discouragement, anxiety about the future, lust, sloth, or others. • What are some of the main temptations you tend to face? (Remember temptations are not Sins unless we give into them)

6. What are some simple things you can do right away to help you resist temptation?

7. Peter, James, and John were given a joyful glimpse of Christ's glory - a "mountain top" experience - at the Transfiguration to prepare them for the suffering they would face as Christ's passion began in the garden of Gethsemane. • Has God ever given you "mountain top" experiences, such as a retreat or conference that reenergized your faith, the feeling of closeness to him in prayer, or the blessing of fellowship with other Christians? • Looking back how might those blessings have helped you when you faced difficult trials later in life?

8. What inspires you most about Jesus’ prayer in Gethsemane: “My Father, if it be possible, let this chalice pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will” (Matthew 26:39)?

9. What do you think it means to do the Father’s will and not your own? How does Jesus’ prayer inspire you to do God’s will more in your life?

Page 1 of 2 No Greater Love Session 1: The Prayer of the Agony: Jesus in Gethsemane Discussion Outline Personal Reflection Questions 1. In Gethsemane, Jesus surrenders perfectly to the Father's will when He prays, "Not as I will but as you will" (Matthew 26:39). On a scale of 1 to 10, how willing are you to surrender decisions and life situations to the Father's will? 2. What are some of the things that keep you from entrusting your life to the Father's plan for you? • Fear? Not wanting to give up control? • Not being convinced God is trustworthy? • Not wanting to surrender your plans to His plans? • Is there an area of your life for which you could seek his will more or entrust more to his hands? 3. We saw that when Jesus instructs the apostles to "watch and pray" (Mark 14:38), the word for "watch" implies not a one-time glance, but a consistent continual watching with the Lord. • How well do you do in taking time each day to spend time with Jesus, to gaze upon Him in prayer? • What can you do to build in time to live out Jesus' command to consistently watch and pray with Him? 4. On that first Holy Thursday night, Jesus told the apostles, "Watch and pray" (Mark 14:38) and "remain here, and watch" (Mark 14:34). But they fell asleep that night and could not keep vigil with him. • What will you do? Whether it be your next Holy Thursday night or any ordinary day throughout the year, • Jesus invites you to stay with Him, and to pray with Him. He is present in every tabernacle throughout the world, even until the end of time. Will you "watch and pray" with Him?

Read the Story This session focused on the following verses that tell of Jesus’ agony the in the garden of Gethsemane: Matthew 26:36-46; Mark 14:32-42; and :39-46.

Next week • Focus is on Jesus’ Arrest and Trial Before the Sanhedrin • Matthew 26:47 – 27:10; Mark 14:43-72; Luke 22:47-71 and :1-27.

Closing Prayer: from St. Ignatius of Loyola. It’s a prayer of surrender, entrusting one’s entire life to God: “Take, Lord, and receive all my liberty, my memory, my understanding, and my entire will, all that I have and possess. You have given all to me. To You, O Lord, I return it. All is thine; dispose of it wholly according to Your Will. Give me Your love and Your grace, for this is sufficient for me.” Amen

Page 2 of 2