March 13, 2022
Morning Service

On our journey together to Easter morning, we have experienced a lot during this “Passion Week.”  On Thursday, Jesus began the evening by washing our feet and then instituted what we now partake of each week in the Last Supper, the Eucharist, or Communion.  It is to be an intimate time of remembering, being thankful, and communing with our Lord and Savior as we partake of His Body and His Blood.  Jesus then troubled us as He told us that one of the twelve would betray Him.  Each of us looked deep within ourselves and asked “Is it I?”  The troubling news was not finished as we begin today right where we left off last week.

Mat 26:30-35 And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.  (31)  Then Jesus said to them, "All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written: 'I WILL STRIKE THE SHEPHERD, AND THE SHEEP OF THE FLOCK WILL BE SCATTERED.'  (32)  But after I have been raised, I will go before you to Galilee."  (33)  Peter answered and said to Him, "Even if all are made to stumble because of You, I will never be made to stumble."  (34)  Jesus said to him, "Assuredly, I say to you that this night, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times."  (35)  Peter said to Him, "Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!" And so said all the disciples.

            This memorable meal ends with the singing of a hymn before we head out to the Mount of Olives.  I find that comforting that Jesus in the midst of the turmoil He is experiencing, takes time to sing a song of praise; probably a Psalm.  I too have found comfort in a stressful time to sing a song on the inside to return my focus to Christ instead of on myself or my circumstances.

            After the song however, more news from our Master that we ALL will “stumble because of Me this night” just as Zechariah had prophesied they shall strike the shepherd and the sheep will be scattered.  This time a different attitude arises as Peter sounds off that “these other guys may stumble but not this guy.”  Jesus then reveals to him that he will not only stumble, but deny that he knows Jesus three times before morning.  Peter passionately proclaims that he would die before doing such a thing and we all agree.  Don’t we often feel the exact same way at times, invincible?  Last week we mentioned the fine line we all walk between obedience and failure.  Don’t ever become over confident in your abilities or commitment or a humbling moment will be coming.  True repentance can be a painful, but it is a cleansing experience that is necessary to be forgiven and reestablished in our journey.  Jesus did not leave the disciples without hope however as He promised to meet them in Galilee after the resurrection.

            We now enter a most sacred time, place and event that reveals to us more clearly than ever before the humanity of Jesus.  The struggle He experiences here shows us the spiritual battle that is occurring; a true struggle like no other time in history between Good and evil between Light and darkness.  Gethsemane was a place Jesus knew well and had often come here to be enjoy the presence of His Father.  This time was different and He was preparing to face something that truly is beyond our understanding.  He needed help and knew where it would come from.

 

Mat 26:36-38 Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to the disciples, "Sit here while I go and pray over there."  (37)  And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed.  (38)  Then He said to them, "My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me."

            Have you ever been at a place similar to this falling on your face before God; “exceedingly sorrowful, even to death?”  I have and I believe each of us have experienced this.  We have this ache or mourning that comes from deep within our soul as we are faced with a circumstance beyond our control; a loss, an unwanted diagnosis, or standing in the shadow of a massive mountain that lies before us.  Magnify that moment by a million and you have what Jesus faced; the shadow of the cross.  He not only faced a painful and gruesome death but He, the very sinless Son of God, faced becoming the final sin offering to pay the price for all of mankind’s sin.  A task for greater than ever before withstood.  Paul wrote this:

 

2Co 5:21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

            The struggle was real and the weight of knowing what the future held was baring down on Jesus as He asks His closest friends to be there for Him and with Him but it was His Father’s presence that He needed.  In this moment in the Garden, Jesus displays both His humanity and divinity to us.

 

 Mat 26:39 He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, "O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will."

            In the agony of the moment, Jesus prays to His Father and asks “if possible, let this cup pass from Me.”  He asks “is there any other path that I can take to accomplish My task without facing the cross?”  He was standing in the shadow of the cross and asks for confirmation, resolve, and strength to go down this path (His humanity).  This was not a request of rebellion as He knew this was the only way as He stated:

 

Joh 12:27 "Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? 'Father, save Me from this hour'? But for this purpose I came to this hour.

             It was a cry from His flesh to empower Him through the Spirit to enter into the dark path that lay before Him.  He, however, immediately follows that request with a yielding of all that He is to His Father and the purpose of the hour; “Nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.” (His divinity) The answer to the request was silence from heaven.

 

Mat 26:40-42 Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, "What! Could you not watch with Me one hour?  (41)  Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."  (42)  Again, a second time, He went away and prayed, saying, "O My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done."

            The struggle continues and the disciples are not grasping the seriousness of the hour.  Jesus gives them and us great advice in saying “Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation.”  Our resolve may be strong, but all of us are weak in the flesh and prayer strengthens us; keeps us focused on task.  Jesus mentions this in the midst of being strengthened as He again returns and prays for the cup to pass from Him, but again yields His will to His Father’s.  Often we know God is leading us, but we just cry out to Him for the strength and resolve to take another step through faith.  The answer again was silence.

 

Mat 26:43-46 And He came and found them asleep again, for their eyes were heavy.  (44)  So He left them, went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words.  (45)  Then He came to His disciples and said to them, "Are you still sleeping and resting? Behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners.  (46)  Rise, let us be going. See, My betrayer is at hand."

            In Luke’s gospel, he states there that an angel came and ministered to Him as He prayed earnestly and in agony as “His sweat became like great drops of blood falling to the ground.”  Reality comes to light and Jesus accepts that He must go forward. After the third time of opening His heart and soul to His Father, He is granted the resolve to fulfill His destiny.  He has asked and the answer is there is no other way but through the cross, so He accepts it and is ready to take the next step.  He is ready to drink of the cup that is before Him.  There is never a place to quit and turn back away from following the Lord.  There will be difficult times that we are asked to do things, go places, and endure circumstances that we would not choose to do.  Jesus shows us it is okay to ask for an alternative path, but only with a yielded spirit that is willing to take “no” or to hear silence as our answer.  Remember He is leading and we are the ones following; Jesus models that here for us in the Garden.  It is God who directs our path, not us; we must yield our will to His and trust that He knows best; that is the part of following that can be difficult but our faith must be greater than our fear and doubt.

            The picture of Jesus in the Garden should be enlightening for us on three fronts.  First we truly see the humanity side of Jesus as He struggles with the magnitude of the task before Him.  This was something He knew He was destined to do, but the choice to fulfill it was not easy.  Secondly we see his divinity as He yields His will to His Father and chooses to be “in it to win it.”  Thirdly we see how much He loves us.  He is doing all of this for you; to offer you the “free” gift of salvation and eternal life.  As we walk with Jesus the next few week, we will see that our salvation came at a tremendous price.

 

Heavenly Father, thank You for the faithfulness of Jesus to drink from the cup that lay before Him.  Please grant to us the faithfulness needed to follow You and trust You down the path that lay before us.  Thank You for loving us this much.

 

As we head into the time of Communion, remember the cost, be thankful that He loves you enough to go through all of this struggle, and enjoy His presence in your life.  I pray over the next few weeks, culminating with Easter morning, that we receive a clearer picture of what Jesus did for us.  The One we have chosen to follow is worthy of all we have to give to Him.