Good Friday
(Community worship)
While We Slept
Matthew 26:36-46
April 3, 2026
Have you ever been so tired, that you couldn’t wait to go to sleep? There’s lots of reasons that happens.
In fact, the other day, I looked at Debbie and said, “I can’t believe it’s only 8:30, it feels like 11 PM.” I was exhausted, but 8:30 for me is just too early to go to sleep.
Maybe in your world it’s been a long day of work, or a long day of fun and play, but now you’re exhausted.
Or maybe it’s a matter of grief. You’re grieving the loss of a loved one. Or you’re grieving a situation. Maybe it’s the fact that you’re sick and tired of being sick and tired and it doesn’t seem to stop and closing your eyes and drifting off to sleep seems like a great solution. At least the pain will stop for a bit.
Well, at FBC we’ve been talking about awakening this year. What does it mean to be fully alive and awake in the name of Jesus.
And . . . we’re going to carry this theme as well. As we look at the events from the final night of Jesus’ life, I want you to reflect on what the disciples were doing and if you and I would be any different.
Before the torches arrived …
before the soldiers came …
before the kiss of betrayal …
There was a garden.
And in that garden something deeply human happened.
The Garden of Gethsemane was a familiar place. A place where Jesus went to pray. But this night was different. Something in Jesus had changed.
You’ve heard the scripture from Matthew 26. Jesus tells the disciples He’s going to pray. On the surface, that wasn’t a big deal. Jesus often prayed. But this time it was very different. His affect was different, the words He was saying were different.
He takes Peter, James and John with Him and He tells them 3 things about His nature. And this is a game changer. Jesus tells them, I am - - - -
Extremely sorrowful
I am deeply distressed
I am exceedingly or intensely anguished.
Even to the point of DEATH.
Jesus used 3 very different phrases to describe His state of mind and feelings. Understand this . . . Jesus said this to the 3 men who were part of His innermost circle. The 3 men who were closest to Him and knew Him best. Hey guys, I’m at the point of death.
He’s already proclaimed to the disciples, 3 times that He is going to be betrayed . . . And He’s going to be killed.
They’re hearing His words, but they’re not listening to His words.
So, let’s stop there for just a moment. If someone who you considered to be one of your absolute best friends called you over and said ‘I need to pray, come with me to this area. I need to tell you . . .
I am extremely sorrowful,
I am deeply distressed and in fact
My sorrow is so intense.
I feel I’m at the point of death.
Would you stay here and pray for me?
What would you do?
Would you say, “Absolutely!! Let’s pray?” Would you say, “Sure, I’ll be thinking about you.” And you stay back and hang out.
I find it fascinating what the disciples do, and I wonder if we’d really be any different, even though we would like to think we’d be different.
But notice what Jesus said . . . it’s easy to miss the real meaning. In verse 38, He told the disciples - - - -
38 “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and WATCH with me.”
That statement from Jesus, watch with me . . .
Literally, it’s a request to the 3 disciples — not just to watch, but be alert, have a wakeful attentiveness.
In other words, Jesus is telling them not just to stay awake. Be on the lookout. Jesus is telling them - - - -
STAY AWAKE!!
Peter had already declared Jesus to be the Son of God, the Messiah! And now this was the Son of God staring into the full weight of what’s coming.
The betrayal.
The rejection.
The mockery.
The humiliation.
The beating.
The cross.
And then after He goes off to pray, with no support, Jesus returns and what does He find - - - -
40 And Jesus came to the disciples and found them sleeping.
Peter. James. John. Sleeping.
Then Jesus said to Peter - - - - “So, could you not watch with me one hour?
Can’t you hear the rejection and sorrow in that question? Put yourself in Jesus’ shoes, not as the Messiah, but as someone who needed a friend.
Now before we judge them too quickly . . . .
We should remember . . . . they still had no clue what was going to happen that night. They had already rejected what Jesus said was going to happen.
So, yes, they were exhausted. Confused. And overwhelmed.
They were trying their best to process everything Jesus had been saying about suffering and death. In their humanity, they slept.
And while they slept . . . . Jesus prayed.
Jesus fell to His face in humbleness to His Father, praying . . . .
“Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”
This is the moment where the battle is fought. The battle is not yet taking place on the cross! But here. In the garden.
And while Jesus pours His heart and soul to the Father . . . . the disciples sleep.
And while they slept, Judas was awake and evil was at work. Finally, the hour arrived. In the darkness, footsteps begin to move toward the garden.
Jesus knows it. After praying 3 times, Jesus tells the disciples - - - -
45 “Sleep and take your rest later on.”
Do you see what Jesus is telling them? It’s time!! Sleep later. Now’s the time to move. It’s time for action. This moment is what that prayer was about.
See, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.
46 Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand.”
Torches flickered. Soldiers were approaching. Their armor was clinking. Silence was broken by the marching of the soldiers.
And leading them . . . . one of theirs! How confusing it had to be for the disciples. It’s Judas! Judas? What’s he doing? He’s one of us!
He already knows the place. He knows where Jesus will be.
And while the disciples slept . . . . the betrayer was busy at work. Walking through the darkness.
The time has come. Judas kisses Jesus. Imagine being Jesus, knowing your betrayer is upon you, and you actually allow him to kiss you.
As if he’s your friend.
I mean . . . would you allow that? Accept him as if he’s a friend?
The soldiers seize Jesus.
Everything’s moving quickly.
Fear spreads through the group. Peter does the impulsive. He’s finally going to fight . . . against the entire army. Jesus calms him. And they prepare to take Jesus.
And then Matthew records one of the saddest commentaries in the Bible. In verse 56, - - - -
56 Then all the disciples left Him and fled.
Not some of them. All of them. The men who promised loyalty. The men who said they would die with Him. Running into the darkness.
But here is the deeper truth of Good Friday. This story is not just about the disciples.
It’s about us. Because the truth is . . . . it’s the question of truth . . . . would we have slept too? We’ve often slept when we should be awake.
We don’t like to call it sleep . . . we call it drift. We assume there will always be more time. We fail to see the weight of the hour.
The disciples slept in the garden. The crowds slept through the meaning of the cross. The world slept while salvation was unfolding.
And while we slept … Jesus stayed awake.
While we slept … He stood before false accusations.
While we slept … He endured mockery and shame.
While we slept … He carried the cross through the streets.
And the nails were driven through His body.
The Son of God hung on a cross.
And while the world slept … Jesus carried the weight of sin for us.
By the end of that day everything felt lost. Jesus was dead. Eventually, His body was taken down and laid in a borrowed tomb. A stone rolled into place.
And somewhere in the city the disciples sat in fear and silence.
Now they were fully awake. But the night felt darker than ever. Because the one they loved . . . the one they followed . . . the one they believed was the Messiah . . . Was gone.
The torches faded. The crowds went home. The city grew quiet. It’s back to business as usual. But outside Jerusalem . . . a tomb sits sealed in the darkness.
The disciples are awake now. But it feels too late.
And tonight we sit in that silence.
Because the story is not yet finished. But for now …
We remember this haunting truth.
While we slept . . . . The Son of God stayed awake long enough to save and redeem us.
