Not Even for an Hour?
Matthew 26:36-56
Maundy Thursday 2008
It was the night before Easter 1994. I was a senior in college and at 8:00 p.m. I decided to make the 5 hour drive home to spend Easter with my family. Of course, I hadn’t packed or done any of that, so it was probably almost 9:00 before I actually got on the road. The first couple hours of the drive were fine. But then the sleepiness set in. And being a young female driving by herself at night, I didn’t dare stop anywhere to take a nap! I remember being so tired I couldn’t keep my eyes open! I tried coffee. I tried snacking. I tried singing. I tried driving with the window down – but nothing could wake me up! So, I’d drive for a few minutes with one eye shut, then switch eyes and drive for a few minutes with the other eye shut... I thought I’d never make the last couple of hours of driving through the pitch darkness of central Ohio… Even though the my will was to stay awake – the power of sleepiness was almost overwhelming and had I not been driving, I certainly would have succumbed to the power of sleep…
The disciples had had quite and eventful week with Jesus. On Sunday they were with him when throngs of people greeted Jesus at the gates of Jerusalem like a king returning to his kingdom. They were with him when he accused the moneychangers of making a house of prayer into a den of robbers and drove them out from the temple. They were with him as he healed the blind and the lame. They were with him as children continued to greet Jesus with Hosannas! They were witnesses as Jesus cursed the fig tree and it withered at the words of Christ. The disciples were with Jesus as he taught in the temple courts and as the temple leaders questioned his authority and Jesus silenced them through parables and condemnations. Just last night, the disciples were with Jesus at the house of Simon the Leper when a woman came and anointed Jesus’ feet with expensive perfume and dried them with her hair…
And then tonight, they were with him, gathered in the upper room dining with Him at the Passover celebration. Remembering the works of God as God delivered the Israelites from the oppression of slavery in Egypt. They had feasted on the ceremonial meal and were lounging around the table when Jesus started talking again about his death. And he told them that one of those closest to him was going to betray him. Then he started talking about the broken bread being his body and the cup of wine being the cup of new salvation! It was just too much to comprehend! And the week just continued to get more strange and unbelievable!
And after the celebration Jesus said to his disciples, let’s go out to the garden of Gethsemane and pray. It was a strange request – for it was late, and their stomachs were full and after the events of the past few days the disciples were tired – emotionally and physically. But Jesus persevered. So after singing a hymn, Jesus and eleven disciples went into the chill of the night air and walked to the Mount of Olives, to the garden of Gethsemane that overlooked Jerusalem. And when they arrived, Jesus stopped them and left the disciples by themselves, telling them to stay awake and to keep watch while he went on a little further to pray.
It was so difficult to stay awake! It was late and the week had been an emotional roller coaster – from triumphs to curses to anointing to talk of betrayal and death. It was all too much to handle! And though the spirit was willing, the flesh was weak.
The disciples gathered in the darkness, in the silence of the garden, felt the overwhelming power of sleep. And try as they might, they couldn’t stay awake – not even for an hour! Though the spirit was willing, the flesh was weak and even after Christ woke them and encouraged them – they still couldn’t stay awake. Again they fell asleep.
Then it happened, Christ woke them – saying his betrayer was coming. And before you knew it, he was betrayed with a kiss – and the disciples scattered.
Not even for an hour, could the disciples do what Christ asked of them. Not even for an hour could they lay aside their mortal desires and needs in order to be in prayer with Christ. Not even for an hour, after sharing the Passover with the Christ, could they stand for their faith in the face of adversity and persecution. Not even for an hour…
What about us? How committed are we to doing the Lord’s bidding? Can we stay awake and alert? Can we - in and through faith - face the temptations of the flesh and the trials of persecution?
Can we ride the emotional roller coaster of life and remain faithful in the ups and the downs? Or do we allow our faith to fall asleep? When life gets complicated do we turn and scatter - running FROM our Savior instead of TO our Savior?
Peter and the others, never thought they’d desert Jesus. But then life happened. They got scared – and they ran.
Too often we do the same. Like the popular saying, when the going gets tough, the tough get going. Think of the people that you know, perhaps even you, who have turned from the Lord at times of death and hardship, in times of weakness, in times of questioning and doubt. Just when we should be clinging to the Lord, we turn and run. When people and circumstances challenge our faith we too easily let go and deny the Savior and our relationship with Him.
Unfortunately many Christians around the world will go from the Hosannas of Palm Sunday to the joy of the empty tomb – without ever walking in the garden with Christ or coming to the foot of the cross. For it is here as we journey in the garden tonight, as we will journey to the cross and tomb tomorrow, that we meet our own sinfulness. It is here that we realize the need for Christ’s sacrifice. It is here that we admit our own inability to stay awake and alert to what Christ is telling us. It is here that we admit our own inability to save ourselves or others!
The truth is, not even for an hour can we stay awake and alert enough to live without the need for grace. We cannot live without the need for Christ’s sacrifice. We cannot live without the need for the bread of Heaven and cup of Salvation. We cannot live…not even for an hour…
The next 72 hours are the most solemn and holy hours of our faith. They are the days above all others when we remember in our weakness, God’s strength prevailed.
This is a holy night, while eleven of the disciples slept and one went off to betray him, Christ knelt down in the garden, praying not for his own will, but for the will of God the Creator to be done. Christ prayed for us that night – he prayed that in our own weakness, may we find the strength of the Spirit. He prayed that in our sinfulness, may we find redemption through grace and faith. He prayed that we may never forget the sacrifice of his body for our salvation.
After he prayed he was handed over into the hands of his betrayer, so that we, whose faith cannot stay awake for an hour, may have life eternal.
Christ knew the struggles of his disciples. He knew they would not be able to stay awake, he knew they would desert him and deny him. And yet he continued to encourage them in their faith. He encouraged them to stay awake. He encouraged them to remain faithful and to rely on his teachings and the fulfillment of the promises and prophecies of scripture.
This feast of bread and wine which we are about to share is Christ continuing to encourage us to remain awake and to remain faithful. This bread reminds us of his broken body, his sacrifice made for each of us. It reminds us of the pure, spotless lamb who was slain for all. And this cup of salvation reminds us of the promises made to us. Though we live in a world of brokenness and of broken promises, let us remember that Christ does not give as the world gives.
This is my body broken for you. This is the cup of salvation sealed with my blood, for the remission of sins. As often as you eat of this bread and drink from this cup, do so in remembrance of me.
In the name of Christ who was, who is and who will come again.
Amen.
