SOLITUDINAL INTERVENTION
MATTHEW 26:36-46
#SpiritualDisciplines
JOURNEY THROUGH THE SCRIPTURES
As we begin this morning, I want us to take a journey through the Scriptures in the life of Jesus. Jesus Christ demonstrates, by His own life and example, the spiritual discipline we will dig into today. We are talking about the spiritual discipline of solitude and Jesus is a wonderful example for us with this aspect of the Christian life.
Mark chapter 1 describes the beginning of Jesus’ ministry:
READ MARK 1:35-38 (ALSO FOUND IN LUKE 4:42-44)
35 Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. 36 Simon and his companions went to look for him, 37 and when they found him, they exclaimed: “Everyone is looking for you!”38 Jesus replied, “Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.”
As we look at this passage, it seems quite clear that Jesus spent time by Himself to prepare Himself for preaching, teaching, healing, and facing His ministry which was so very important. The Gospel of Luke Chapter 5 continues to show us that Jesus used solitary times in His life. As Jesus taught and healed people, the size of the crowds grew and I can imagine so did the amount of effort and stress in His life. Luke 5 says:
READ LUKE 5:15-16
15 Yet the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. 16 But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.
The next passage, Mark 6, shows us that Jesus had a normal habit of getting by Himself. He did take time by Himself, but He also was trying to teach His disciples to do the same. He was trying to instill in them the need for solitary times in their lives:
READ MARK 6:30-32
30 The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. 31 Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” 32 So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place.
One of the next times in Jesus’ life where we see Him taking time for Himself is when heart hurting tragedy strikes. Jesus had family that we know of: His mother, brothers and sisters, and a cousin. His cousin was John the Baptist was the first prophet in Israel in 400 years and was the Herald of the Messiah. John baptized Jesus. John pointed people to Jesus. John preached about Jesus. John was beheaded in prison. Matthew 14 shares with us:
READ MATTHEW 14:11-13
11 His head was brought in on a platter and given to the girl, who carried it to her mother. 12 John’s disciples came and took his body and buried it. Then they went and told Jesus. 13 When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place.
Our journey in the Scriptures now arrives at Matthew 26 and is a key point in Jesus’ life. To be honest with you, it is a key point in our lives and means a great deal to us whether or not we realize it. It is a key point in our lives because Matthew 26 begins the account for us of the rapid succession of events that led Jesus to the cross.
PAUSE FOR THE GOSPEL MESSAGE
I probably shouldn’t do this, but I want to pause for a moment and reflect on the significance of the death of Jesus. Matthew 26 recounts for us the preparation, the arrest, and the unlawful trial before the Jews that Jesus willingly endured. After all those events, Jesus was crucified on the cross. Why is the cross important?
The cross is important because on the cross Jesus Christ, the Son of God, willingly died for us.
The cross is important because that willing death provided a way for us to be forgiven of our sins.
The cross is important because it is the only way that sins are forgiven by God.
The cross is important because it proves that God’s offer of forgiveness and eternal life is genuine.
Please please understand that any person at any point in their life can come to belief in Jesus, confess Him, and be forgiven by His blood. Maybe you are here today and you have never accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior and been immersed into Him. That is the most important decision you will ever make. Acts 2:38 tells us, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Please please read the Gospels and dig into Jesus’ life and His death. Without Jesus, we are eternally lost. If you aren’t sure where to start, start with the Gospel of Mark, the second book of the New Testament, which will give you a great foundation on who Jesus is and what He did for us.
RETURN TO THE JOURNEY THROUGH THE SCRIPTURES
Let’s get back to the task at hand and read the passage that recounts for us another time when Jesus practices the Discipline of Solitude. Jesus has just finished the Last Supper with His disciples and He leads them to the Garden of Gethsemane.
READ MATTHEW 26:36-46
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!”
Jesus is in a situation that is quite stressful. Jesus knows exactly what is about to transpire and it troubles Him greatly (verse 37). What was going to happen to Jesus? Well, the end of the passage that we read has a ‘betrayer’ coming to meet Jesus. This betrayer, Judas Iscariot, was one of Jesus’ closest friends who sold Him out to the authorities (Matthew 26:14-16). Judas came with armed guards who arrested Jesus. Upon Jesus’ arrest, the other disciples became afraid and fled (Matthew 26:56). Jesus was alone and was marched before the high priest who falsely accused Him. They told Him He was a liar. They punched Him and slapped Him (Matthew 26:67). Then Jesus was marched before the governor. The governor allowed the people present to have their way and consented that Jesus would be crucified. Jesus was beaten severely and mocked by the soldiers (Matthew 27:28-30). Jesus drug His own cross through the streets to the place of execution and was nailed to it. While on the cross, Jesus took on the sins of the world and was separated from God and punished for our sins. Jesus died.
Jesus knew that all of that was coming in just a few short hours. He did have a choice… He could run or He could face what was coming. Jesus knew that there would be emotional pain due to His dearest friends abandoning Him. Jesus knew that there would be public humiliation. Jesus knew the physical pain would be unbearable and it would kill Him. Jesus knew that He must take on the sins of the world. Jesus knew He would accept the wrath of God for us. Jesus knew all of that was coming.
What decision was Jesus supposed to make?
What path was Jesus supposed to take?
What was God’s will for Him?
How would He endure all of this?
Jesus goes by Himself and prays. Jesus was under such stress that the Gospel of Luke (22:44) tells us that “He prayed more earnestly, and His sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.” Jesus’ body was feeling the stress of His situation. The strain and agony and the knowledge of what was to come was bursting the capillaries in His head and He was sweating blood (http://www.apologeticspress.org/articles/2223). Jesus’ body was physically weak. In addition, Jesus prayed and then went to His three friends who were watching and praying with Him… and they were asleep! Their bodies could not even last one hour praying. This did not happen once, but twice. The disciples slept while Jesus was having the hardest time of His life. Jesus’ body was weakening. The disciples bodies were weak. Jesus even tells them that He knows they are “willing,” but that their flesh is weak.
Jesus’ situation was one that brought Him a great deal of stress and agony. He says to God, “may this cup be taken from me” (verse 39). There was no doubt that the road ahead for Jesus was tough and we was hoping for another option, but He knew what had to be done. Jesus prayed that God’s will would be done, and not His own.
TAKE A STEP BACK AND REVIEW: PATTERN OF SOLITUDE
I would like to take a step back for a moment and review the Scriptures that we have traveled through this morning.
When preparing to preach, teach, and heal, Jesus spent time by Himself and prayed.
When facing a time of great effort and stress, Jesus spent time by Himself and prayed.
When processing the activities of their work, Jesus encouraged His disciples to spend time apart.
When life was busy and stressful, Jesus encouraged His disciples to spend time apart and rest.
When tragedy struck His family, Jesus spend time in solitude.
When Jesus was facing a hard time physically and emotionally, He spent time alone praying.
When Jesus was facing a hard time spiritually, He spent time alone praying.
When Jesus was facing His dearest friends’ betrayal, He spent time alone praying.
When Jesus was making decisions, He spent time alone praying.
There is great spiritual value in being in solitude and in prayer and the pattern and practice of the life of Jesus shows us this. I hope that I can convince you of this today that you might spend time alone with God on a regular basis. I believe that more than anything Jesus got away by Himself to spend time with God in order to better hear the Divine Whisper of God.
THE DISCIPLINE OF SOLITUDE: RECENTER, BLOCK OUT, FILL UP, PREPARE
The discipline of solitude means valuing those times and creating specific times when we can be by ourselves for the purpose of being able to hear God’s voice. This is another one of those disciplines that has a specific end result, much like fasting. We can abstain from food at any time, but if it is not paired with prayer and reading Scriptures, it is just a diet. So it is with the discipline of solitude. We can spend time by ourselves, but if it is not paired with prayer, reading Scriptures, and being silent so we can hear God’s voice, we are just being antisocial or a loner or just maybe are tired of people.
The purpose of spending time alone with God is to recenter ourselves on Him and His Word.
The purpose of spending time alone with God is to block out distractions so we can hear Him.
The purpose of spending time alone with God is to fill up our spiritual tank to face life with faith.
The purpose of spending time alone with God is to prepare ourselves for hardships.
Remember those words: recenter, block out, fill up, prepare.
Say those words with me: recenter, block out, fill up, prepare.
All of those purposes of solitude are based on the life of Jesus and how He showed us He lived His life. His life is THE pattern for ours. If Jesus did it, we should to. If Jesus avoided it, we should as well. Jesus made it a regular habit to spend time alone with God and so should we.
Think back if you would please, on this past week or maybe the last two weeks:
Have you taken the time to be silent and block out distractions to listen to God?
Have you taken the time to be by yourself with the Bible in your hands?
Have you taken any time alone praying and recentering on God?
Have you spent any time alone with God thinking through your life and asking God’s opinions on it?
Have you had a stressful situation on the horizon and you spent time with Him to prepare?
SOME PRACTICAL STEPS INTO SOLITUDE
As with any of the Spiritual Disciplines we talk about, I do not want to present the discipline and then not give you some kind of practical way to implement it into our lives. Having times of solitude with God is extremely important in the life of a believer. Here are three practical suggestions for us as we look at our lives and apply the example of Jesus Christ.
First, we can take advantage of the “little solitudes” that fill our days. Consider the solitude of those early morning moments in bed just as you awaken before the whole day gets started and the dog licks your face off. Think of the solitude of a morning cup of coffee before beginning the work of the day and taking that time to center ourselves on God. There can be little moments of refreshment and silence throughout our day… we just have to look for them and enjoy them when they arrive. These small moments are many times lost to us, but can be found again as a way to orient ourselves back to God. I imagine it is a lot like looking at a map when on a trip. I say “imagine” because I am a man and we don’t use maps. Anyway, small moments of silence and solitude in the day can keep us on track with God and where we recenter, block out, fill up, and prepare.
Second, we can find or create a place where we can be by ourselves. Perhaps there is a chair in a particular room in our home that could be reserved for times when people want to be alone. Make it known and use that chair when needed. There is nothing wrong with taking time out of our day to say, “Please don’t bother me, I need a few moments alone with God.” That spot is where we recenter, block out, fill up, and prepare.
Third, if we truly would like to develop this discipline of silence and solitude, we may want to take a day or two and withdraw for spiritual purposes. What is stopping us? Usually a whole lot. This is an area where I struggle quite a lot. We can and should take a day or more to think about our life’s goals, our accomplishments, our problems, and our dreams. We can do all of that with a prayerful heart and with God’s Word in our hands. In the quietness of those hours, we can listen to the silence of God and be filled with His peace as we recenter, block out, fill up, and prepare.
CHALLENGE
I honestly feel like this is one of the spiritual disciplines that I fail at. I get busy. I think I can do things myself. I get off center and then I do not get reconnected with God on a regular basis. I need time in my life to recenter, block out, fill up, and prepare.
Challenge 1: Recenter on God on a regular basis twice a week.
Challenge 2: Block Out phones and people to focus on listening to God.
Challenge 3: Fill Up in Prayer and the Scriptures on a regular basis. Daily? Every other day?
Challenge 4: Prepare ourselves spiritually when we know stress is on the way.
CONCLUSION
