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Jesus Prays
(Matthew 26.36-46; Luke 22.39-46)
32Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he told them, “Sit here while I pray.”
33Jesus took along Peter, James, and John. He was sad and troubled and 34told them, “I am so sad that I feel as if I am dying. Stay here and keep awake with me.”
35-36Jesus walked on a little way. Then he knelt down on the ground and prayed, “Father, if it is possible, don't let this happen to me! Father, you can do anything. Don't make me suffer by drinking from this cup. But do what you want, and not what I want.”
37When Jesus came back and found the disciples sleeping, he said to Simon Peter, “Are you asleep? Can't you stay awake for just one hour? 38Stay awake and pray that you won't be tested. You want to do what is right, but you are weak.”
39Jesus went back and prayed the same prayer. 40But when he returned to the disciples, he found them sleeping again. They simply could not keep their eyes open, and they did not know what to say.
41When Jesus returned to the disciples the third time, he said, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough of this! The time has come for the Son of Man to be handed over to sinners. 42Get up! Let's go. The one who will betray me is already here.”
Jesus Is Arrested
(Matthew 26.47-56; Luke 22.47-53; John 18.3-12)
43Jesus was still speaking, when Judas the betrayer came up. He was one of the twelve disciples, and a mob of men armed with swords and clubs were with him. They had been sent by the chief priests, the nation's leaders, and the teachers of the Law of Moses. 44Judas had told them ahead of time, “Arrest the man I greet with a kiss. Tie him up tight and lead him away.”
45Judas walked right up to Jesus and said, “Teacher!” Then Judas kissed him, 46and the men grabbed Jesus and arrested him.
47Someone standing there pulled out a sword. He struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear.
48Jesus said to the mob, “Why do you come with swords and clubs to arrest me like a criminal? 49 Day after day I was with you and taught in the temple, and you didn't arrest me. But what the Scriptures say must come true.”
50All of Jesus' disciples ran off and left him. 51One of them was a young man who was wearing only a linen cloth. And when the men grabbed him, 52he left the cloth behind and ran away naked.
Reflect
In the timeline of our tiny lost planet, its most horrifying yet critical pivot point remains a day of slaughter. The Final Sacrificial Lamb. The Perfect One. The Human One. Jesus Christ. From the tributary of Calvary, his blood traced a river to the end of Earth-time. A lively river; with a flawless current intended to usher imperfect humans into the heart of God himself.
But before Calvary, in the hour before Jesus’ arrest, he made a simple request of his closest disciples: remain alert. Watch and pray. They fell asleep instead, and two more reminders didn’t help.
Hesitate before you criticize these men. Have you ever prayed for a full hour? It’s difficult enough at the best of times. Even harder when you’re terrified and exhausted. Uncertain of all previous certainties. Under the worst possible spiritual attack. Tempted to toss your faith. Not to mention grieving an imminent inevitable loss.
Today in circumstances like that, rather than urge similarly distraught people to stay awake and pray, doctors hastily prescribe sleeping pills and soft music.
Not Jesus. He knew what his faltering followers needed most desperately: a vice-grip on God. Only that would enable them to accomplish the role for which he had discipled them. But while Christ prepared for the terror of the cross with intense prayer and bloody sweat, his closest friends prepared with snores.
Crisis assaults us today. Our world, many pastors and theologians believe, heaves its death pangs. Biblical prophecy points to Christ’s return. How much time remains? One figurative hour? Two? Yet many of his followers sleep, lulled into apathy by an “all will be well” mindset.
Jesus’ question for us today remains: “Are you asleep? Couldn’t you stay alert for one hour? Stay alert and pray so that you won’t give in to temptation. The spirit is eager, but the flesh is weak.”
Respond
Father God, your world has become gangrenous; rotting with hatred of the only means of eternal salvation. Yet too many of us who follow Jesus sleep; lulled by the siren songs of comfort, luxury and safety. Forgive us. Wake us to watch, and move us to pray.
Kathleen Gibson
Kathleen began following Jesus at six. The Word and words have captivated her ever since. Her career has included time as a freelancer, columnist, broadcaster, conference speaker, workshop leader and magazine editor. She has authored two books and currently works full-time as constituency and communications assistant for a Canadian Member of Parliament. Kathleen and her husband, Rick, spent thirty years pastoring churches across Western Canada. They have two children and six grandchildren. Publications: Practice by Practice, the art of everyday faith, 2010, Word Alive, Winnipeg; West Nile Diary, one couple’s triumph over a deadly disease, 2009, BPS Books, Toronto; Sunny Side Up, Faith and Life newspaper column, published weekly since 2001. (Also posted weekly at www.kathleengibson.ca/sunnysideup); 90 second inspirational radio spot, Simple Words, airs on a syndicated program in over twenty countries