Lack Of Support

Matthew 26: 36 – 56

Lack of support

36 Then 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 along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38 Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me. 39 Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” 40 Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. 41 “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 42 He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.” 43 When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. 44 So he left them and went away once more and prayed 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 delivered into the hands of sinners. 46 Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!” 47 While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived. With him was a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and the elders of the people. 48 Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The one I kiss is the man; arrest him.” 49 Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed him. 50 Jesus replied, “Do what you came for, friend.” Then the men stepped forward, seized Jesus and arrested him. 51 With that, one of Jesus’ companions reached for his sword, drew it out and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear. 52 “Put your sword back in its place,” Jesus said to him, “for all who draw the sword will die by the sword. 53 Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? 54 But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?” 55 In that hour Jesus said to the crowd, “Am I leading a rebellion, that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me? Every day I sat in the temple courts teaching, and you did not arrest me. 56 But this has all taken place that the writings of the prophets might be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples deserted him and fled.

Reviewing this chapter, I’m wondering, why are the people closest to us the very last to support us when you really need them?

When the people you love the most don’t support you, I think it’s because you didn’t choose the path they thought was “right”. Many people hold onto your past, subconsciously use it against you, and project those things into your future.

So, the question we need to ask ourselves is ‘How do we handle lack of support by our loved ones?

We must understand that we can only influence how people view us, but we cannot control them. Sometimes I don’t think our loved ones realize how much their words and personal involvement impact us. Even if they’re not saying anything negative, sometimes the lack of encouragement is negativity within itself.

I believe people’s lack of support has more to do with them than it has to do with you.

To gain victory we need to stop and gain control of our thoughts and not let our thought control us.

You need to put your thoughts on The Lord Jesus Christ Who loved you and gave His life for you. You are special to Him no matter what you achieve in life. When you realize that you are in good stead with Him what does all this earthly success really mean in the long run?

In today’s teaching we are going to see that our Lord Jesus Is not going to be supported by the men who were closest to Him. The Lord Jesus and His disciples arrive in Gethsemane. We who know what to expect recognize that the crucial hour has come, but it is beneficial to recognize that prior to His ordeal our Lord Jesus finds it necessary to pray. Aware of something of what lies ahead His prayer is agony as He seeks to ensure that what He is facing is really His Father’s will. As with His not knowing the time of His coming (24.36) it is a sign of His true humanity that He must verify the path that He is treading because of how awful it will be. And He does it hoping that He might be wrong in His recognition of the path that He must take, that even at this eleventh hour it might prove not to be necessary. But despite all His thoughts and fears He is determined to obey the will of His Father. We should note that the resources that He calls on as He faces His cup of suffering are only those available to any man. His anguish too is like theirs. And in that Garden, unlike one who had failed in a previous Garden (Genesis 3), He prays through until ‘He is heard for His godly fear’ (Hebrews 4.7). Then at last He can cease praying, with His soul at rest. He has prayed through to victory. Gethsemane means ‘the oil press’. It was a suitable name for what He would endure.