Matthew 26:36-39
New International Version 1984 (NIV1984)
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.”
John
17:1-26
New
International Version 1984 (NIV1984)
Jesus Prays for Himself
Jesus Prays for His Disciples
Jesus Prays for All Believers
As I
looked at the account of Jesus at Gethsemane, I decided to look at each Gospel
to see if any of the others stated portions of Jesus prayer that Matthew had
not reported. Interestingly enough, Matthew, Mark, and Luke
are very much the same but John’s is quite lengthy and did not mention this
portion in his account.
As we
look at the account in John we find that Jesus first prayed for Himself, then
those closest to Him, and then all believers.
That must mean that Peter and James must have fallen asleep towards the
beginning of the prayer as this is when Jesus was praying for Himself. Is this all that was given to them to record
or was it just the most amazing portion of the prayer to them? Life the main point of a sermon.
All
account make it very clear that there is no doubt that Jesus was in
anguish. In the account in Luke, it is recorded
that an angel came and gave Him strength yet His sweat was like drops of
blood. He either had large drops of
sweat or He was in so much anguish that His sweat was actually drops of
blood. Wow, that is a lot of anguish placed
on Him. Sometimes I think I am full of
anguish but it does not even come close to what Jesus went through for us!
What can
we learn from this?
1. Even when we are in anguish, it does not
compare to the anguish that Christ went through for us.
2. Not even
Christ wanted to have to go through this horrible death but He did it anyway to
bring Glory to the Father. When we
suffer, may it always be for the Glory of God.
3. In our
times of grief we need to do as Jesus did:
a. Pray for
ourselves;
b. Pray for
those closest to us;
c. Pray for
all believers
d. Do all
things for the glory of the Father.
Seek Him
when you go through times of grief as well as times of joy. May the angels strengthen you as they did
Christ when you find that you are anguished.
Seeking
His with all my heart,
Sheila
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