The Garden

Introduction

We are well into the school year. Think back on the first day of school. Remember what had to be done to get ready? Clothes and supplies had to be bought. Lunch prepared or money to buy lunch. Careful plans were made for time to get up. Clothes laid out. Schedules discussed. There is much to do in order to be ready for the first day of school. After a time a routine is established and one is less inclined to prepare. It just happens.

New events and situations often result in us making lots of preparation—a first date, a wedding, a new job, the first child, getting a house ready to sell—lots of preparation. We tend to make less of an effort for preparation when an event is more common. There may be a number of reasons but one of the reasons why the common gets less preparation is because we are more sure of ourselves and our response. The more we engage in an event, the more we have learned to manage the nerves and before long it has become a part of us to the point that we can engage the event with little preparation. That confidence is a good thing most of the time. It becomes arrogance when we refuse to listen to the warnings of others and believe that we do not need the advice of others.

Like the teenager who feels confident driving on dry roads but has little experience on wet roads, the confidence becomes arrogance as the parent warns about the increased dangers of wet roads. The teen may say in exasperation “I know what I’m doing.” Or the employee who has done a task a certain way for quite some time may be resistant to a new approach even expressing to the employer “I know what I’m doing.” Confidence gives way to arrogance.

In our text we have a contrast in preparation. Jesus is moving swiftly toward the cross. He is confidently humble. The disciples are moving toward chaos. They are confidently arrogant. The contrast reminds us that we too live in this world—humbly or arrogantly—depending on our preparation. Let’s learn.

Preparation

The Passover meal is over. The mention of betrayal has caused the disciples to question one another. They begin to boast about their status with Jesus. Luke’s writing differs from Matthew and Mark in the emphasis. Notice that Luke says the greatest should be like the youngest. The emphasis is on status. The youngest rarely gets a hearing. It also gives us a clue about how the conversation might be going. Peter, James, and John were the closest. It is speculated that Peter is oldest. We also know that James and John have asked for special places with Jesus in his kingdom. Being a servant is what God is looking for. Jesus has demonstrated service as he has served this Passover meal to his disciples.

Beginning in verse 35 Jesus emphasizes the need to be prepared. Things are going to happen quickly. They need to be ready. His call for swords is misunderstood. They point out that they have 2 swords ready. Jesus dismisses their bravado in verse 38 with “That’s enough.”

The group heads out to the Mount of Olives. Luke is clear about who the leader is—Jesus. The disciple follow. Jesus gives one clear instruction. Pray. Pray that you avoid temptation. Satan is going to tempt them to defect. Jesus steps away from the group and he, too, prays. In anguish or mental agony he prays with great fervency. He prays with sweat pouring out of his body. He does not sweat blood. This is a metaphor for how much he is sweating. His prayer is fervent and it is simple. “Father, is there another way which meets your plan? Your will first.” Over and over he pleads his case before the Father. And over and over again he wants only to do God’s will. He returns to find his disciples asleep and not prepared. They are emotionally drained from the night’s events.

Lessons

Two things I want us to see in this text. First, in his obedience Jesus demonstrates that God’s will is all that matters. Jesus prayed for a change of plans. He prayed for another way. He prayed for the situation to change. But God’s will was the cross. In his obedience Jesus wanted God’s will to be done. Notice verse 43. Jesus has prayed and Luke tells us that an angel is sent to strengthen Jesus. The angel has a two-fold purpose. The angel is there to give Jesus his answer. God’s will is the plan that was set out before time began. Nothing has changed. But the angel gives strength to go through. This is also God’s will.

Situations arise which we do not like. We want change. But the situation remains. But God gives strength to go through. Live long enough and we have experiences that when we are through them we don’t know how we got through it. It was God’s strength. That strength may have come from the assistance of his children or it may have come through extended times of prayer or in some other way, but the strength came to more than survive—to finish the task and to finish it well.

Second, the contrast for preparation is seen between Jesus and his disciples. Both need to pray. But the disciples overwhelmed by their emotional grief fail to pray. They are confident that they are prepared. Two swords and a will of determination. Not more is needed. Jesus is also emotionally spent. He is also confident but his confidence is not in his determination or his power. His confidence is in the God whose will he wants to demonstrate—fully and completely.

We talk about prayer casually. We pray. Do we pray with dependence? Do we pray begging God to use us to complete his will on this earth through us? Do we pray in order to be prepared to meet challenges? Or do we trust our strength? Are we confident in our abilities?

Jesus tells his disciples that diligence is necessary in order for faithfulness to come through. Twice Jesus tells his disciples that they need to pray in order to avoid temptation.

There are some who may be so discouraged that they do not pray. They are prayed out. They are emotionally spent and the point of praying seems out of reach. Start simply. Start with a prayer that you want to do God’s will and that strength is needed to continue. Repeat that prayer over and over. Pay attention to the small victories. Pay attention to the small changes. Reflect at the end of the day on the strength that allowed you to get through the day. And thank God for that strength. Do not give in to the feeling that prayer makes no difference. Just as Jesus prayed for God’s will to be completed in him, strength was given to him to complete his mission. The same God will give you strength as well.

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