There have been quite a number of occasions as a minister when I have been aware that someone I was going to visit was going through a situation that I had no experience of, or even any real understanding of what it was like to be in that position. It is something that probably all of us have experienced at one time or another. We can by our presence express our sympathies, but feel helpless to do any more than that. \u00a0
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There is absolutely no doubt at all that Jesus\u2019 disciples had not the slightest idea of what was going on in the evening and night prior to Jesus\u2019 crucifixion. At one level we cannot blame them because they simply had no categories in which to place these events to give a framework of understanding. God was never more honoured or glorified in human history than in these extraordinary few days in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. On earth to this group of men what happened was probably the most confusing time of their lives. Yet in heaven there was absolute clarity about what was going to happen to Jesus. In their darkest hour God\u2019s light would ultimately shine its brightest. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In our lives today we too sometimes feel confused, maybe even experience the darkness, but the brightness of God\u2019s light and love may suddenly appear on our horizon to give a sense of meaning and purpose. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Take a few moments to read Luke\u2019s account of this event that demonstrated the priority of prayer for our Lord, recorded in Luke 22:39-46).\u00a0<\/sup><\/em><\/strong>Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him.\u00a0<\/em>40\u00a0<\/sup><\/em><\/strong>On reaching the place, he said to them,\u00a0\u2018Pray that you will not fall into temptation.\u2019\u00a0<\/em>41\u00a0<\/sup><\/em><\/strong>He withdrew about a stone\u2019s throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed,\u00a0<\/em>42\u00a0<\/sup><\/em><\/strong>\u2018Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.\u2019\u00a0<\/em>43\u00a0<\/sup><\/em><\/strong>An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him.\u00a0<\/em>44\u00a0<\/sup><\/em><\/strong>And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.\u00a0<\/em>45\u00a0<\/sup><\/em><\/strong>When he rose from prayer and went back to the disciples, he found them asleep, exhausted from sorrow.\u00a0<\/em>46\u00a0<\/sup><\/em><\/strong>\u2018Why are you sleeping?\u2019\u00a0he asked them.\u00a0\u2018Get up and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.\u2019\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Here we see Jesus as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1.The disciplined Saviour <\/strong>(Luke 22:39) Jesus went out <\/em>as usual<\/em><\/strong> to the Mount of Olives<\/em>\u2026<\/em> I hope and pray that for each of us like our Lord and Saviour here we will have our regular routine of prayer and seeking God through His Word. Jesus\u2019 followers knew His prayerful routine when in the Jerusalem area. This quiet olive grove on the edge of the city was a place of refuge and peace where time alone with God could be spent in the absence of the hustle and bustle and the demands of the crowds. He could not withdraw into a bedroom or other home venue to be alone with His Father, but instead he creatively found another setting for seeking the presence and will of God the Father. <\/p>\n\n\n\n 2.\u00a0The obedient Saviour<\/strong>\u00a0(Luke 22:40-42)\u00a0He did not neglect the needs of His followers that night. Luke tells us in Luke 22:40\u00a0On reaching the place, He said to them,\u00a0\u2018Pray that you will not fall into temptation.\u2019\u00a0<\/em>\u00a0What Jesus did was not only something for His benefit but also for ours. He said to His disciples:\u00a0Pray that you will not fall into temptation.\u2019<\/em>Temptation to do what? \u00a0Surely it was to avoid being too spiritually weak to stand when the tests of adversity would come that night. Jesus would stand firm adhering resolutely to His calling, but the disciples would flee or deny Him under the pressure of the unexpected circumstances.\u00a0 Jesus led by example here. Luke 22:41-42 illustrates this fact in Luke 22:41-42:\u00a0<\/sup><\/em><\/strong>He withdrew about a stone\u2019s throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed,\u00a0<\/em>42\u00a0<\/sup><\/em><\/strong>\u2018Father, if You are willing, take this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done.\u2019\u00a0<\/em>\u00a0Clearly Jesus was visible to them,\u00a0but almost certainly the vast majority of His words were not audible at this kind of distance. It was private prayer alone with His heavenly Father. It was an agonising prayer because He knew that to follow through on what God the Father had asked Him to do would be the hardest thing He had ever done.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 3.\u00a0The supported Saviour<\/strong>\u00a0(Luke 22:43-44)\u00a0Luke tells us:\u00a0<\/sup><\/em><\/strong>Anangel from heaven appeared to Him and strengthened Him\u00a0<\/em>(Luke 22:43).<\/em>\u00a0We do not live for God on our own. We do not stand for God on our own. \u00a0We sometimes say to someone \u2018I don\u2019t know how you did that. I couldn\u2019t do that.\u2019 Now it may be not humility but truthfulness being uttered here. God only gives the strength we need to do what He asks us to do or allows us to pass through.\u00a0It was an agonizing time for Him as Luke reminds us in\u00a0Luke 22:44.\u00a0\u00a0<\/sup><\/em><\/strong>And being in anguish, He prayed more earnestly, and His sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.\u00a0<\/em>Life as a Christian is not easier than life outside of faith in Jesus Christ. Sometimes it will be harder and more challenging as our goals and ambitions\u00a0may be\u00a0quite different to many people around us. In terms of our prayer life there will be agonising times as we cry out to the Lord when some particularly tough situation presents itself before us. Yet we have the reminder here that the Lord has not called you and me to do anything He did not expect first of His beloved Son.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 4. The disappointed Saviour<\/strong> (Luke 22:45-46) 45 <\/sup><\/em><\/strong>When He rose from prayer and went back to the disciples, He found them asleep, exhausted from sorrow.<\/em>46 <\/sup><\/em><\/strong>\u2018Why are you sleeping?\u2019<\/em> <\/em>He asked them.<\/em> <\/em>\u2018Get up and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.\u2019<\/em> (Luke 22:45-46) Our faith can so easily be spoken and the language of faith commitment can pass our lips with ease at times, but how will Jesus view your commitment and mine to His invitation to follow Him? I sincerely hope we are choosing to live as His followers. Amen<\/p>\n\n\n\n A hymn that we can use to help in our reflection is \u2018King of my life I crown Thee now\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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