SCRIPTURE BY Deborah Hillman
Scripture Lesson Text: Matthew 26: 36-50
Related Scriptures: Psalm 88: 1-18; Mark 14: 32-42; John 12: 20-26; Hebrews 5: 7-9
Our lesson this week tells us Jesus took John, Peter and James with him to the Garden of Gethsemane, praying to God to take the cup from Him. Once they were there He left the three afar off to pray by Himself. Jesus returned three times to find them asleep. Jesus knew Judas would betray Him, by a kiss on the cheek, notifying the officers the man they intended to crucify on the cross.
Psalm 88: 1-18 reminds us of the suffering we may endure as followers of Jesus and salvation is what will see us through even when God appears to be silent. Mark 14: 32-42 ,speaks of the betrayal of Jesus by Judas and that Peter, James and John could not keep their eyes open to pray. They do not take the time, as Jesus does to prepare for hardships in front of them. John 12: 20-26 shows us why Jesus must die for our sins so that the will of the Father would be fulfilled, and knew that the only way to victory over the power of sin and death was through the cross. Hebrews 5: 7-9 emphasizes while Jesus was on earth He offered prayers and pleadings to the Father on our behalf with loud cries and tears, God heard Him, as He had learned obedience while enduring suffering.
SYNOPSIS BY JANICE HALL
Matthew 26: 36-50, shows us Jesus and the disciples in a place called Gethsemane, on the Mount of Olives. Gethsemane means “ oil press”. He takes Peter, James, and John from the others, then prays to God the Father. In the Garden we get a glimpse of Jesus, as being fully man and fully God. Jesus entirely submits to the will of God the Father.
Jesus was “ sorrowful “ and “ troubled “ ( vs.37,38); “ My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death”. It is rare that the gospels don’t often describes Jesus’ emotions other than compassion. We see the disciples continually falling asleep, being awakened by Jesus three times. Jesus questions Peter, asking could he not even stay awake for one hour.
A sorrowful Jesus came to the Father with His prayer for deliverance . Jesus being pressed with abandonment, betrayal, injustice towards Him, impending crucifixion, but worst of all the reality that He would have to endure the wrath of God. At this time, the crowd along with Judas were coming to arrest Jesus and He would be identified with a kiss by His betrayer. “ For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him”(2 Corinthians 5:21).
PRACTICAL APPLICATION BY Brittenne Boykin
This week’s text provides a lesson in humanity and the place prayer has in our most difficult moments. We see one of the most harrowing scenes in scripture, when Christ is in the Garden of Gethsemane wrestling between his humanity and his divinity. He is fully God and fully man, intimately aware of the chain of events about to be set in motion. He does what he has always done, He retreats to a solitary place to pray. He is accompanied by His close companions and one who will soon betray him.
He confides in his friends that his very soul is exceedingly sorrowful (Vs.38), even asking his Father if at all possible to let the coming events pass (Vs.39). I can only imagine the full magnitude of emotions and thoughts swirling through Christ’s mind but he then pins the entirety of the moment on this one phrase, “Nevertheless not my will but as thou wilt” (Vs. 39). To add insult to injury he finds his closest friends not only distracted but sleep. It reminds me that in all things Christ knows the pain we sometimes feel. Can you relate to just needing your friends and they as humans sometimes do miss the moment leaving you, feeling alone even in their midst?
This difficult scene shows us how to respond in these situations. What does He do next?, He goes a little further and prays! (Vs.42) and when his friends fail and disappoint Him, when he is afraid, he turns to His Father in prayer. He surrenders his wants and turns to the one who can give him the strength that he so desperately needs. Once he submits His will to the Father, an amazing thing happens, God provides strength and courage and resolve for the next leg of the journey. Let us be ever mindful in our most uncomfortable and difficult moments that God’s grace and care is only a prayer away., and when you feel anger, disappointment, grief, insecurity and doubt creep in, pray to the Father and watch Him abundantly answer you!
