Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him. On reaching the place, he said to them, “Pray that you will not fall into temptation.” He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground. When he rose from prayer and went back to the disciples, he found them asleep, exhausted from sorrow. “Why are you sleeping?” he asked them. “Get up and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. (Luke 22:39-46)
What happens when the source of all comfort, who we have seen showing up in compassion, anger and intimacy, confronts unimaginable pain Himself. We continue to focus on Jesus during Passion Week and today we see Him showing up in anguish. We would be wise to meditate on what our perfect example does in the face of extreme adversity and consider what motivates Him.
Please prayerfully read the passage above and answer the questions below.
Today’s Questions for comments:
- How did Jesus deal with His anguish, and what Disciplines do you see manifested?
- What do you take away for your times of pain and to help those around you in need of comfort?
Tomorrow we will consider how Jesus showed up in the most important way for all humanity.
April 2, 2015 at 12:42 am
What do you take away for your times of pain and to help those around you in need of comfort?
In this passage Jesus says, “yet not my will, but yours be done.” I’m learning more and more to say this in times of happiness and in times of pain. This reminds me to hand my worries/my future over to God because what He has planned is greater than anything I could even think of. I need to remember (and remind those around me) that God is in control, and it is only through His will that we can cope with our pain, and grow after healing.
April 2, 2015 at 3:53 am
How did Jesus deal with His anguish, and what Disciplines do you see manifested?
He sought strength, through Prayer, from the ultimate source of all strength. He recognized the Father’s sovereignty and submitted to His good and perfect will. He also continued to exhibit Service in love as He cared for and directed His disciples to prayer for themselves, despite His own situation – amazing.
What do you take away for your times of pain and to help those around you in need of comfort?
Follow the Master Teacher and perfect Lover of my soul. Turn to the Father in all circumstances, not being afraid to be real/sincere with Him re my feelings and desires, my struggles, but always looking to Him, and always submitting to Him in faith and trust of His food and perfect will, for our good and fornHis glory.
April 2, 2015 at 7:21 am
How did Jesus deal with His anguish, and what Disciplines do you see manifested?
I see prayer and fellowship. Jesus Himself prayed during this time and fellowshiped with God the Father. He had asked the disciples to do the same but they slept. He dealt with the anguish by submitting His will to God’s.
What do you take away for your times of pain and to help those around you in need of comfort?
Jesus knows how I feel. Ask others to support me in prayer but withdraw and pray unhindered to God the Father petitioning His will in the situation be fulfilled and not my own.
April 2, 2015 at 8:17 am
How did Jesus deal with His anguish, and what Disciplines do you see manifested?
Jesus brought the situation to God in prayer and gave it to him by accepting whatever it was that the God thought was best. Fellowship and prayer and spiritual warfare are the disciplines that I see. While the scripture is silent in this regard I have to think that the enemy was somehow present in this garden hoping to influence Jesus (the Second Adam) to choose his own will as he (the enemy) had been successful in doing with the 1st Adam in the Garden of Eden many years before.
What do you take away for your times of pain and to help those around you in need of comfort?
We will always highlight the value of what God has to offer when we, or others, are experiencing difficult times, recognizing him as the source of divine comfort. However this passage again highlights to me the value of human relationship. While they did not come through for him, Jesus by bringing his inner circle (Peter, James and John) along with him, was giving us an example of how he expects believers to live . I also see Jesus teaching us the need for preparation. The garden experience was in preparation for the experience yet to come. I am to prayerfully prepare for challenges ahead so that when they come I will, by the grace of God, be ready. Finally I walk away with the truth that some people are called by God to do tasks that are extremely challenging., requiring agonizing moments of decision-making. I find comfort for myself and others in knowing Jesus is more than qualified to be by help and comfort in whatever situation I am going through because he has already experienced it.
April 2, 2015 at 8:53 am
Jesus channeled His anguish into something productive: prayer. Instead of placing blame or trying to find relief in the world, He put His trust in the Lord, fully and without hesitation. Not only did He do this Himself, Jesus encouraged His disciples to do the same. Jesus very easily could have focused on His own prayers, yet you can still see the importance of fellowship in His actions.
Jesus’ words “…yet not by my will, but yours be done” are some that I am making more of an effort to use myself. I am learning not to let my emotions control me, and instead be open with the Lord and allow His will to be done. This passage is also reminding me that even when I’m experiencing pain, I must not focus only on myself, but to also look for ways to use my experiences to help others.
April 2, 2015 at 9:03 am
Jesus dealt with his anguish the way we as Christians should. He left his circumstance totally in God’s hands.
As long as we are in the will of God, we should remember that we are not exempt from pain, suffering, and consequences of sin. However, we should also remember that God ALWAYS knows what’s best for us, and even when we, or loved ones around us, feel like what we’re going through is too much to bear, we must keep in mind that God is in control.
April 2, 2015 at 9:47 am
Amen!
April 2, 2015 at 10:42 am
I am so struck by what could almost be a throw away sentence at the start of this passage – “Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives “. In a time of severe crisis and spiritual warfare, Jesus resorted to something he was accustomed to doing, He went to his special place for special time with His Father. I know that crises can drive us to seek God but Jesus’ approach is much more appealing. We should habitually meet with God and when crises come we will just be meeting with Him “as usual”.
April 2, 2015 at 1:06 pm
Jesus had quite a battle on His hands and he resorted to a weapon, prayer to deal with it. Reminds me of so many psalms where David in particular pours out his pain but in the end knows where to find solace by running to God.
Today’s blog reminded me so much about the Germanwings plane crash in France. What can we say to a relative of one was on that flight? There is so much grief and pain. But our first commenter is so right. Go and read it again. After the pain subsides it’s the only place to be.
Thanks for the focus on Jesus this week. We do have a perfect example and close friend in Him.
April 2, 2015 at 11:24 pm
Thank you commentators! From His birth to the temptations in the desert, to the prayer on Mount Olives Satan wanted Jesus to pursue an alternate plan to God’s salvation plan. Praise God Jesus went all the way for us. The comments today also reminded me of Hebrews 4:15 – ” For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.”
Yes, we do have a perfect example in Jesus!