PRAYER SPEAKS LOUDER THAN WORDS (MATTHEW 26:36-46)
A concerned Charlie Brown came to Lucy the psychiatrist setting up shop in her counseling booth and poured out his heart: “I’m worried about my dad.” She instinctively questioned him, “How old is your father?” He turned to her, hoping for some words of advice, and said, “I think he just turned forty.”
Charlie Brown revealed, “Every night he sits in the kitchen eating cold cereal and looking at the pictures in his old high school year book.” Lucy replied without further analysis: “Nothing to worry about. He’s right on schedule. Fifty cents, please.”
The disciples first heard Jesus mentioning his betrayal while they were in Galilee (Matt 17:22) and the next time when they were going up to Jerusalem (Matt 20:17-18), but now on the last night they were together in Jerusalem they heard Him repeating the same thing, whether breaking bread together (Matt 26:21, 23) or heading to Gethsemane (Matt 26:45, 46). Altogether Jesus used the word “betrayed” on himself as many as six times in Matthew. It would make any normal and sane man nervous, sorrowful and helpless. Jesus urged the disciples to watch and pray. Instead, for the third time (v 44), Jesus found His closest three disciples sleeping because they were tired.
What would you do if things are not what you are expecting or what you can fix, when all is doom and gloom, when you feel abandoned, alone or afraid? When things are over your head, do you get down on yourself or get down on your knees in prayer?
Prayer is Proactive, Not Passive
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.” (Matt 26:36-38)
Living in Monterey Park was an interesting experience as far as home security was concerned. We lived in a house without an alarm system but it came with bars installed all over the windows, even the bathrooms windows! Iron bars are unsightly, but we never had a burglary in the five years I had lived there.
After that, we lived five months in an apartment without iron gates, steel bars or alarm system. We secured all the windows with the use of sticks, broomsticks and rods, except for a non-ventilated bathroom that we left open an inch of window space to rid the room of moisture. The tiny stick propping one end of the window did not work. Burglars broke into the apartment, ransacked the entire place and gave us sleepless nights!
Later we moved to a home that has a security alarm installed. You have 15 seconds to arm or disarm the alarm. Testing its effectiveness, my wife set the alarm from inside, walked all over the place and grumbled at the alarm’s non-response. It eventually sounded when she reached certain spots.
Jesus had previously used three analogies for “watching” or “gregoreuo” in Greek (v 38), the precursor for the name Gregory, which literally means Watchman. Elsewhere in the Bible, Jesus uses this word to describe a homeowner’s vigilance in guarding his house from break-ins had he known at what time of night the thief was coming (Matt 24:42-43).
Another analogy Jesus used for vigilance is the task of the doorkeeper, who had the assigned task of guarding the door (Mark 13:34). Have you noticed that big wholesale markets like Costco and Sam’s Club have employees at the entrance and exit doors to check if shoppers have membership cards, if they have receipt for the goods and that the items on the receipt tally with the items in the cart before they slash a line across the receipt with a highlighter to signify aproval? Even non-membership stores like electronic giants Best Buy and Fry’s assign one or two employees to do checks, sometimes one at the exit and possibly another at the entrance.
The last analogy is another doorkeeper analogy, but this time his or her sole task is more specific, not just to keep watch but to open the door immediately for the Master of the house who knocks at the door on his return from a wedding banquet (Luke 12:35-38), especially into the sleepy third watch of the night, between midnight and 3 a.m. Jesus expects us to be aware, attentive and alert even in doing small jobs and managing odd jobs such as opening the door.
In Luke’s parallel passage, Jesus had a plan for Peter: “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” (Lk 22:31-32) Satan is a crouching lion and an impostor angel. He masquerades as an angel of light (2 Cor 11:14), looking for believers to devour (1 Peter 5:8-9). Sleepy and sorrowful believers are the perfect appetizer, snack and prey. Watching implies attentiveness, awareness and alertness.
Are you alert to the devil’s schemes? Have you submitted yourself to God? Come near to Him (James 4:7-8)? Have you allowed him to put a foot in your door, to plant a thought in your mind, to lend a hand in making decisions?
Prayer is Persistent, Not Pessimistic
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. “Could you men not 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 body is weak.” (Matt 26:39-41)
Napoleon was asked in exile why the British had prevailed at Waterloo. Did the British have better training? Did they have more soldiers? He said, “Well, it wasn’t because they were better trained; we were. It wasn’t because there were more of them; there were more of us.” “Well, then, General Napoleon, why did they prevail?” was the next question. He answered,” The British won at Waterloo for one simple reason: because they fought five minutes longer.”
About a century ago, Charles H. Brent said, “Only he who flings himself upward when the pull comes to drag him down, can hope to break the force of temptation. Temptation may be an invitation to hell, but much more it is an opportunity to reach heaven. At the moment of temptation, sin and righteousness are both very near the Christian; but of the two, the latter is the nearer.”
Jesus next told the disciples, especially Peter, James and John, why they need to be watchful: “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.” (v 41) A Russian proverb says, “There is no heart so hard that the knife of temptation cannot cut into it.”
The words “temptation” and “test” share the same root word in Greek – differing between the two is unnecessary. A temptation is a test of one’s dependence is on God or self; an opportunity to turn to Him or an occasion to turn from Him.
It’s been said:
“Temptation is not sin but playing with temptation invites sin.” (J. C. Macaulay)
“Temptation can cause us to succumb, sink, sin, or stand.” (William A. Ward).
In other passages, Jesus used two prepositions to describe two ways believers respond to “temptation.” One is to “fall into” when they are tempted (Luke 8:13), in reference to “soil people” who believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away (Luke 8:13). They fall away because not only did the rising sun scorch the plants (Mark 4:4-7), but that they had no moisture (Lk 8:6) and not much soil (Matt 13:5-6). The other response is to “remain through” (diameno) (Luke 22:28), in the context of charging the disciples to stop disputing who was the greatest but to stand by Him in his trials (Luke 22:28). In this Greek rendition, they volunteer walking right into temptation (eis-erchomai) (v 41).
None of us are born mentally, emotionally, or spiritually strong. Prayer to God allows us to counter, combat and contain the weak flesh, the spineless body, and the fallen nature.
Jesus is our model for persistent prayer. He prayed early in the morning (Mark 1:35); He prayed till evening (Mark 6:46, Matt 14:23); He prayed at night (Luke 6:12-13), and overnight, especially before picking the twelve apostles (Luke 6:12-13).
Gethsemane was His last uninterrupted private prayer session with the Father. He prayed to the Father when He was sorrowful and troubled (v 37), but the gulf grew to the point that His soul was “overwhelmed with sorrow” to the point of death (v 38). Luke 22:44 said Jesus suffered “agonia” or agony this last time, and that His sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground (Luke 22:44). Heb 5:7 wrote that Jesus offered up prayers and petitions with “loud cries and tears” to the One who could save him from death.
Did you pray when you are discouraged? Depressed? Defeated or deserted? Did you pray steadfastly when you have problems with others? When you are dissatisfied with yourself? When the world is about to cave in and when things are beyond your control?
Prayer is Participation, Not Presumptuous
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 is near, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46 Rise, let us go! Here comes my betrayer!” (Matt 26:42-46)
Have you heard of Satan’s beatitudes? It goes like this:
“Blessed are they who are too tired and busy to go to church on Sunday, for they are my best workers.
Blessed are they who are bored with the minister’s mannerisms and mistakes, for they get nothing out of the sermon.
Blessed is the church member who expects to be invited to his own church for he is part of the problem instead of the solution.
Blessed are they who gossip for they cause strife and divisions that please me.
Blessed are they who are easily offended, for they soon get angry and quit.
Blessed are they who do not give their offerings to carry on God’s work, for they are my best helpers.
Blessed is he who professes to love God but hates his brother and sister, for he shall be with me forever.
Blessed are the troublemakers, for they shall be called the children of the devil.
Blessed who have no time to pray for he will be easy prey.”
Peter’s willingness to go to prison and to death (Lk 22:33) was in sharp contrast to Jesus’ willingness to drink the cup and to do the Father’s will. Peter’s declaration of death was of a display of chivalry, not an act of commitment (33-34), self-promotion and not self-sacrifice. God did not call us for martyrdom, but ministry. He had called us for service, not suicide. Jesus is not interested in brave, fighting and inspirational words. He recognizes confession from profession, distinguishes willingness from willfulness, and separates faithfulness from feistiness.
True prayer is selfless. Jesus did not ask the disciples to pray for Him, but to pray with (v 38 - meta) and like Him. His prayer was a spiritual battle and a cosmic struggle. He needed their commitment rather than their company in prayer. He asked, “My Father, if it is possible...” (v 39) before He submitted, “My Father, if it is not possible....” (v 42), and began by deliberating, “Yet not as I will, but as you will” (v 39), but ended by declaring, “May Your will be done” (v 42).
True prayer is not asking God for the things you think you need but asking Him to do His work in your life. The most fascinating word in prayer is the word “with” (v 38, 40), meta in Greek. Prayer is not what you can do “for” God, but what God does with you, in you and to you; not for the things you can have but for the person you can be. It is not informing or intervening, but interceding with Him.
On the subject of prayer, Mother Teresa said, “I do not pray for success, I ask for faithfulness.”
Don Wiggins, a CMA pastor, says, “You have no right to ask God to show you His will unless you agree to do it in advance.”
Conclusion: It’s been said: “The price of freedom is eternal vigilance.” Vigilance must be sought and fought. Do you want to look good before others? To impress men or God? To satisfy oneself or fulfill God’s will? Do you still perceive things from a human, selfish, carnal point of view? Does Satan need to tempt you, or are you tempting him by your actions, mindset and life?
Victor Yap
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