MATTHEW 26:36-46 SLEEPLESS IN THE MOURNING

Written by , Rector of St. Matthew's Episcopal Church, Richmond, Virginia
 

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. “Could you men not 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 body 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 is near, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46 Rise, let us go! Here comes my betrayer!”

From the beginning, God has blessed humankind by letting us participate in his work in the world. God brought order to the chaos and could have finished the job himself, but he graced us by giving us the role (as his vice-regents) of cultivating the garden, which is bringing order to the disorder of the wilderness. Likewise, God does not need human beings make new human beings, but he has delegated to us the function of procreation. These two roles in our physical existence also apply in the spiritual, what we call mission and evangelism. The growth of the Church and the introduction of people to Jesus for rebirth are the ways in which God has blessed us to be a blessing to the world (Genesis 12:2-3).

On the night before he died, Jesus took Peter, James and John apart with him when he went to experience his anguish over what he was to face over the next 24 hours. The Son of Man certainly did not need three fishermen to defend him from the “things that go bump in the night.” After all, he could have called on legions of angels to fight even greater foes (Matthew 26:53), and was not he the one who had demonstrated repeatedly his power over the demons? The invitation to the disciple to “keep watch with” Jesus was an invitation to participate with him in his agony at the level appropriate to their humanness. Yet, they proved unable to provide that simple service, even after being given three chances.

What a gracious, patient, merciful and faithful God we have, that he continually provides us with opportunities to participate in his magnificent plan for creation, in spite of our continually proving unwilling or unable to perform. How many opportunities to see and participate in a revelation of God and his incredible love have we missed because we were “sleeping?” The fishermen could stay up all night trying to catch fish (John 21:3), but could not stay awake “for one hour” with Jesus in the Garden. How many times have we been kept awake all night by a problem at work, an unfinished assignment at school, distress over a relationship or the welfare of a family member? How many nights have we spent sleepless because of our mourning for the sins of the world?

Dear Lord, my spirit is willing, strengthen my body and discipline my soul to accept your invitation to join you in the work of your kingdom. Amen.

Attachment	Size
Download and Print This Devotional	127.62 KB