Pray, Or Sleep? Series

• Ill.The Preacher and the Bus Driver in heaven.

• Jesus was on His way to a terrible death of suffering.

• On the way, He stopped to pray.

• Today, we will focus on this event and how it relates to our lives.

Mar 14:32-42 And they went to a place called Gethsemane. And he said to his disciples, "Sit here while I pray." 33 And he took with him Peter and James and John, and began to be greatly distressed and troubled. 34 And he said to them, "My soul is very sorrowful, even to death. Remain here and watch."

35 And going a little farther, he fell on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. 36 And he said, "Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will."

37 And he came and found them sleeping, and he said to Peter, "Simon, are you asleep? Could you not watch one hour? 38 Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."

39 And again he went away and prayed, saying the same words. 40 And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were very heavy, and they did not know what to answer him.

41 And he came the third time and said to them, "Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? It is enough; the hour has come. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 42 Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand."

Recap.

• Gethsemane was a place well known to the disciples.

• It was obviously a place where Jesus had taken His disciples regularly.

• Judas, as we will see, knew exactly where to take the soldiers to arrest Jesus.

• Gethsemane was a garden containing an olive press at the foot of the Mount of Olives.

• Olive oil was an important product and resource in the area.

• It was used not only in cooking but also in the lamps of the day.

• To get oil from an olive, it has to be crushed to the point where the olive is no longer recognizable.

• Do you get where this is going?

• This is where Jesus entered into the crucible of suffering, to be crushed for our sins.

• It started here.

• Jesus asked eight of his disciples to wait and watch while He prayed.

• He asked three of them to go deeper with Him into His personal struggle.

• Peter, James and John were previously the three disciples who saw the Transfiguration.

• They were much like an inner circle of friends for Jesus.

• The impact of what He was asked to face hit Jesus at this point.

• It was something the disciples could see and be witness to, as He was greatly distressed and troubled.

• The language here (ekthambeo) illustrates a visible change in personality, translated as sore amazed, greatly distressed. Some say struck with terror.

• The addition of adamoneo indicates the direction of His personality change.

• Very heavy, troubled, even depressed has been used to describe this word.

• And if His change in personality (or mood) wasn’t clue enough for Peter, James and John, His words should have grasped their full attention.

• "My soul is very sorrowful, even to death. Remain here and watch."

• Let me explain something. Jesus was a very colorful speaker.

• However, He was not one prone to exaggeration, especially when it came to His comfort or discomfort.

• Many of us can say, “I am starved to death,” as a figure of speech.

• But probably none of us have fasted 40 days, and we have no record of Jesus using such figures of speech.

• When He said, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death. Remain here and watch," the disciples should have joined in His personal battle.

• Jesus then went a little farther, fell on the ground, and began agonizing in prayer.

• Because His words are clearly recorded in other gospel records, it is obvious that Jesus agonized in a way that the three disciples could hear His pleadings.

• Because each of the gospel records record prayers that are slightly different, we can assume that Jesus stated the same request repeatedly, using different words each time.

• But the pleas always included the declaration of God’s capability to change any situation.

• They always include a request that the plan outlined be changed.

• And they always included a surrender to the will and decision of the Father.

• If you want a good outline for prayer, this is a great place to start.