B17a-devotions

Matthew 26:36-46

Alternative devotions for Tuesday 23rd December

There is something profoundly holy about this passage of scripture. Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane and submitted to the will of His Father for all that lay ahead, and in these moments we can see Jesus’ humanity and divinity exposed side by side in a turmoil of agony. The extraordinary nature of this incident has been recognised for centuries, and we can imagine that when Jesus spent time with the disciples after the resurrection, He told them (Luke 24:13ff, 44) all about these traumatic moments. Matthew’s brief and poignant story is sufficient for us to grasp the significance of what was happening, and it reveals Jesus’ agony of soul and spirit to us as he approached His death. It also prepares us for the weakness and failure of the disciples, for despite Jesus’ express need of them in these critical moments, they were unable to support Him.

Going to Gethsemane The Mount of Olives appears to have been a place of rendezvous for Jesus and the disciples (21:1, 24:3, 26:30), and it is not surprising that this incident should happen in a garden (John 18:1) at the foot of the Mount across the Kidron Valley from Jerusalem, called Gethsemane (meaning ‘oil press’). Jesus could have gone elsewhere, for Judas would have known where He was, but there was no avoiding the purposes and will of His Father. As it was, He took Peter, James and John with Him to pray; the same trio who had been up the mountain with Jesus to see him transfigured in the presence of Moses and Elijah, and of God Himself (17:1ff). All three had expressed their willingness to share Jesus’ destiny (20:22, 26:35), but this was the beginning of their sternest test.

Matthew may have wished us to see a connection between this incident and the story of Abraham taking his son Isaac for sacrifice (Genesis 22). In that story, Abraham told his servants to stay at a distance (Gen 22:3) and then went with Isaac in order to worship God and perform the sacrifice. It was Abraham’s supreme test of faith as the Lord God finally provided a way out of what seemed an impossible situation. It is worth re-reading this story in order to better understand what Jesus went through in Gethsemane.

The prayers of Jesus As Jesus came to pray, He said ‘I am overcome with sorrow …’ (26:38); echoing Psalm 42:4,5 and 45:5 which express the anguish and suffering of a righteous man who trusted in the Lord’s vindication. These words indicate Jesus’ trust in the Father at this, His point of need. Jesus then asked the tired disciples to stay alert (26:38), as if acting as ‘look-outs’, and moving on, He fell down before God, not just on His knees, as was common in worship and in many dramatic pictures of this famous scene, but as it says in the Greek text ‘on his face’. He laid Himself down in abject submission to the Father, and it was in this position that he prayed His famous prayers.

In the first of His three prayers (26:39), Jesus showed his humanity by asking God if there was any other way than the ‘cup’ of suffering and death He faced. The word ‘cup’ usually represents the judgement of God in the Old Testament (see Psalm 11:6; 75:8; Isaiah 51:17 etc.), but it also reminds us of the supper He had just shared with the disciples, in which Jesus had spoken of a new cup of ‘the covenant … for the forgiveness of sins’! Then in Jesus’ second prayer (26:42) He said ’if this cannot happen unless I drink the cup, then may your will be done’, and in so saying, Jesus’ heart accepted God’s will. It was not fatalism, but courage to face the hardest test and stand in the face of the fiercest enemy, despite everything. The third time Jesus prayed, Jesus prayed as before; He asked the same question and came to the same conclusion; He accepted God’s will, and in so doing reflected His own teaching; ‘Your will be done …’ (for the ‘Lord’s Prayer’ - 6:10). At this most crucial of times, Jesus put into practice what He Himself preached.

The tired disciples Between Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem and the story of the ‘Last Supper’, Jesus had taught about His coming in glory at the end of time, when God alone would bring all things to their conclusion. In this, Jesus’ main message was ‘watch’ (24:36,42 etc); and here, the same word is used by Jesus; ‘stay alert’ (or, ‘keep awake’). This is Jesus’ powerful command to His followers to this day; the mark of discipleship is watchfulness.

I suspect that Jesus knew the disciples were failing Him, and He knew He was on His own. It was the only way that His Father’s will could be done for the salvation of all humanity. However, out of faithfulness to the disciples, He did not give up on them, and kept returning to them, arousing them and trying to keep them alert. They fell asleep, as we all know, but they did not abandon Jesus, at least, not yet. Jesus may have been disappointed in them, but was not angry with them even when He said ‘why, could you not stay awake with me one hour?’ (26:40). Jesus then rose to face His betrayal, being prayerfully prepared and now standing firm in the spiritual strength for which His prayers had prepared Him.

It is hardly possible for any of us to enter into Jesus’ experience. We glimpse some of the emotions he must have felt, and we can empathise with His deep sadness, even His desire that there might be another way. But the spiritual strength Jesus showed was a result of His divinity and His closeness to the Father. Many people in this world have done heroic things and even died for others. However, no man or woman has ever faced complete worldly and spiritual rejection in the same way that Jesus did, whilst knowing that He loved all people and was doing the Father’s will for the good of all.

36 Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane; and he said to them, ‘Sit here while I go over there and pray.’ 37 He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and became upset and distressed. 38 Then he said to them, ‘I am overcome with sorrow, even to the point of death; stay here, and keep alert with me.’ 39 Going a little farther, he fell face down on the ground and prayed, ‘My Father, if it is possible, let this cup be taken from me; yet let it not be by my will, but yours.’ 40 Then he returned to the disciples and found them sleeping. He said to Peter, ‘Why, could you not stay awake with me one hour? 41 Watch and pray that you may not be tested; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.’

42 He went away for the second time and prayed, ‘My Father, if this cannot happen unless I drink the cup, then may your will be done.’ 43 He came and found them sleeping again, because their eyes were heavy. 44 So he left them again, and went away to pray for the third time, saying the same thing. 45 Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, ‘Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour has come, and the Son of Man is to be handed over to sinners. 46 Get up and let us go. Look, my betrayer is here!’

Dear Lord and Father, bring us the precious gift of love

And may we take it and use it for forgiveness and healing

Dear Lord and Father, bring us the gracious gift of faith

And may we take it and use it to enable us to do what is right

Dear Lord and Father, bring us the glorious gift of hope

And may we take it and use it to bless and inspire each other

You both gave and received these gifts at Christmas; so may we. AMEN

Come, my Saviour, Jesus Christ,

For after all my wandering and searching

I need the grace of love’s redeeming liberty.

If I am lost, then find me;

If I am stubborn, then move me;

If I am resistant, then melt me.

If I am weary, then give me rest;

If I am troubled, then soothe me;

If I am sick, then heal me.

If I am ready, then take me;

If I am willing, then lead me;

If I am able, then empower me.

Come, my Saviour, Jesus Christ,

For if I live by faith and seek the heart of God

I will truly find my bonds released, and be set free.

Weekly Theme: Christmas

Pray for those who struggle over Christmas, wanting to enjoy the festival, but remaining hurt by friends or family. Pray that the season will be a time of healing for all who seek it.

On-going prayers

Pray for those who have lost money in recent financial scandals
Give thanks for your home, and everything within in it
Pray for all who work across the world for the health of nations

THIS IS THE ALTERNATIVE BIBLE STUDY FOR TODAY - ON THIS PAGE ONLY, and the discipleship page see below

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