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 that you will not fall into temptation.
Well, we're going to pray now.
So, let's do that together.
Father, we pray that we will not fall into temptation.
That as we hear your word,
we would not be tempted to look away from you
and to trust ourselves or other things,
but that we would trust the truth of your word.
help us that we would obey your word.
And we ask that you would change us
and make us more like Jesus.
We ask it in your name.
Amen.
Well, it's now Thursday evening.
By mid-afternoon tomorrow,
Jesus will be beaten, mocked,
brutally nailed to a wooden cross and left to die.
These last few hours are spent with his closest disciples.
They've just celebrated the Passover meal together,
but there's a heaviness and there's a sadness in their hearts.
Jesus has been talking about denial,
betrayal,
and death.
Jesus, too, is struggling.
So, verse 39,
Jesus went out as usual.
This was his common practice to go and pray.
So, Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives
to a familiar spot with his disciples,
a little olive grove,
and his disciples followed him.
You see, as Jesus makes his way to the cross,
as he gets closer to the cross,
disciples follow him.
You see, it's only as we follow Jesus to the cross
that we begin to see our need of the cross.
So, here's an invitation for us all
to step out and to follow Jesus
as he makes his way to the cross.
Three things we're going to see as we follow.
First,
we all fail in temptation.
We all fail in temptation.
Look at verse 40.
On reaching the place,
this little olive grove,
he said to them,
pray that you will not fall into temptation.
And then Jesus goes off on his own
and he prays,
and when he is finished,
he comes back to his disciples,
and verse 46,
why are you sleeping?
He asked them.
Get up and pray
so that you will not fall into temptation.
Why this persistence?
Why this reminder?
Pray that you will not fall into temptation.
temptation.
Well, Jesus knows that temptation will come.
He's already told them that's what's going to happen.
Look back a few verses to verse 31.
Here Jesus is addressing
Peter or Simon as he's referred to here.
Simon, Simon,
Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat.
A temptation is going to come upon you
to see if you will stand.
It's a striking picture,
that image of Satan wanting to sift you.
This newly harvested wheat is being sifted.
It's being shaken
to separate the good grain from the useless husk.
So Satan is out to shake
and destroy the faith of the disciples.
So as Jesus makes his way to the cross,
will they follow him?
Or are they going to abandon him?
And if you're a disciple today,
a follower of Jesus,
you will know that temptation also comes to you.
Perhaps it's different for each one of us.
Maybe it's a particular temptation
to lose your cool
or to say words that you shouldn't say.
Maybe it's a temptation
to never admit that you're wrong.
Maybe it's a temptation
with particular addictions.
Maybe pornography.
Maybe it's a temptation
to be buying things that we don't need
and looking for our comfort in shopping.
Well, you see,
we've all got a common enemy.
His name is Satan.
And his one aim and purpose
is to keep people like us
from following Jesus.
And when that pressure comes on,
will we resist temptation
temptation?
Or will we fall into temptation?
The problem is,
and that's certainly my experience,
the problem is
we all fall into temptation.
Now, temptation is not sinful in itself.
We'll see that Jesus is tempted.
He already faced Satan in the wilderness.
So, temptation is not wrong.
The problem is,
we don't resist it
or reject it.
We willfully enter into it.
We fall into following our own desires.
Just like Adam and Eve did in the garden.
Just like the disciples did.
We fall into temptation.
Instead of saying,
God's will be done,
we say,
my will be done.
And sadly,
the evidence is there to
see in our own lives
and all around us.
Broken relationships.
Conflict with our spouse.
Divisions in our families.
All because we fail to resist.
And we fall into temptation.
So the first thing we see
as we follow Jesus to the cross is,
well, it's uncomfortable
because we're confronted
with our own failure.
We fail.
We fall.
So what do we do?
Well, thankfully,
Jesus deals with our failure.
As we follow Jesus,
and that's what we're to do,
we're to follow him
to the olive grove.
We're to watch Jesus
face his own temptation.
We're to listen to Jesus
as he prays.
And as we do that,
we will see our need,
our desperate need
for Jesus.
First,
the suffering of Jesus.
As Jesus begins to pray,
something has gripped him
with fear.
Verse 44.
And being in anguish,
he prayed more earnestly.
Jesus is in physical
and emotional agony.
It's not what we always expect
of Jesus.
Jesus is always in control.
He's always strong,
always confident.
Jesus is the fearless one.
But this time,
it's different.
Jesus is so overwhelmed,
verse 43,
that an angel from heaven
appeared to him
and strengthened him.
The God-man,
the creator of the universe,
is weak
and needs strengthened.
In fact,
he is in so much turmoil.
Look at verse 44 again.
Being in anguish,
he prayed more earnestly,
and his sweat
was like drops of blood
falling to the ground.
When you or I get scared,
we might shake or stutter.
But Jesus is so overcome
with fear,
he starts to literally
sweat blood.
Jesus is in great physical
and emotional agony.
Well, what is it
that is causing Jesus
so much anguish?
Well, look back to verse 41.
Jesus withdrew
about a stone's throw
beyond them,
so just enough
to be private in prayer.
Father,
knelt down and prayed,
Father,
if you are willing,
take this cup
from me.
The cup.
That's what's causing
Jesus so much turmoil.
It's not a literal cup,
it's a metaphorical cup.
That means Jesus
is going to face
something so terrible.
Jesus will have to
endure something
so awful.
He pleads with his Father,
take this cup
from me.
Now, for us to understand
what this cup is,
to know what it is
that Jesus is going to face,
we need to read
from the book of Jeremiah.
So, if you keep your finger
in Luke 22,
go back to Jeremiah,
chapter 25.
If you're using
the red-covered Bible,
it's on page 786.
786,
Jeremiah 25,
verse 15.
And in this section,
God had been saying
to his people that,
well, you've been wandering,
you've been rebelling,
a judgment is going to come,
you are going to be taken over
by the Babylonians
and be taken into exile.
So, he's talking to the people
about what happens
when we turn against God,
against the evil
and wickedness.
So, Jeremiah,
chapter 25,
verse 15.
This is what the Lord,
the God of Israel,
said to me.
Take from my hand
this cup filled
with the wine of my wrath,
and make all the nations
to whom I send you
drink it.
When they drink it,
they will stagger
and go mad
because of the sword
I will send among them.
Now go down to verse 28.
But if they refuse
to take the cup
from your hand
and drink it,
tell them,
this is what the Lord
Almighty says,
you must drink it.
See, I am beginning
to bring disaster
on the city
that bears my name.
And will you indeed
go unpunished?
You will not
go unpunished.
For I am calling
down a sword
on all who live
on the earth,
declares
the Lord
Almighty.
Terrifying.
this cup
is not
literal.
It's a symbol
of God's wrath,
His anger.
It's a dramatic
picture of God's
judgment,
the punishment
that God will
pour out on those
who live sinful lives,
who willingly
fall into temptation
and say,
my will be done.
So as Jesus
prays,
He cries out
to His Father,
if you are
willing,
take this
cup
from Me.
You see,
it's not death
that Jesus fears.
He knew He was
going to Jerusalem
to die.
It's judgment
that He fears.
Jesus knows
that when He dies,
He will have
to drink the cup.
He will have
to face God's
wrath,
His punishment.
Let's go back
to Luke 22.
Now you might
not like the idea
of God being angry.
It might not fit
into your understanding
of God.
Maybe you just
like to think
of God being
loving and kind
and nice.
Well, let's
understand that
God's anger
is not like ours.
He doesn't lose
His temper.
He doesn't have
uncontrolled fits
of rage.
No, God's anger
is an expression
of His personal
hate for all
the injustice
and all the evil
that there is
in the world.
In other words,
it is God's
just,
fair,
and reasoned
response to sin.
And we might
be content
that God
is angry
with other
people and
all the bad
people,
but what about
me?
What about
you?
Has God
got a right
to be angry
with me?
Do you think
God should just
turn a blind eye
to all the times
that I fall
into temptation
and say,
Johnny's will
be done,
not God's?
Do we expect
God to put up
with our sinful
lives?
All the lies,
the crosswords,
the hurts
that we cause,
the selfishness,
the disobedience,
and just say,
you know what,
it doesn't matter.
Of course it
matters.
It's personal
to God.
Do you think
God is just
to look back
at all the wars
that are going on?
The trafficking
of children
into the sex
industry?
It doesn't
matter.
Just let
people do
what they like.
It's okay.
It does
matter.
We deserve
to face
God's judgment.
So what are we
going to do
about it?
Well,
second,
the obedience
of Jesus.
Listen again
to what Jesus
prays in
verse 42.
Father,
here's the
cry of agony.
Father,
if you are
willing,
take this
cup from
me.
Jesus is
fearing what
is ahead.
His sweat
is like
drops of
blood.
He's in
emotional
anger.
In a few
hours'
time,
Jesus is
going to
be nailed
to a
cross.
But he
knows it's
not just
physical death
that he
faces.
It's God's
judgment
that he
faces.
So as
Jesus
prays to
his
father,
it's as
if he's
looking into
the cup.
He sees
something of
what lies
ahead.
He knows
that he
will be
separated
from his
father.
He knows
he will
have to
suffer
hell.
This is
not some
rehearsed
play,
some
acted
out drama
where
Jesus
has been
before.
This is
the real
temptation
that Jesus,
the God
man,
is facing.
Father,
is there
some other
way that
we can
do this?
Father,
can you
take the
cross away
from me?
I don't
want to
go through
with this.
You see,
we mustn't
think that
Jesus is
some kind
of robotic
person that
just does
without any
thinking.
Jesus was
not immune
to temptation.
temptation.
He might
have
experienced
all the
kinds of
temptations
that we
have
experienced,
but he
experienced
them in
a way that
just built
up one
after the
other.
The
pressure
increased
more and
more.
But as
the writer
to the
Hebrew
tells us,
Jesus was
tempted in
every way
just as
we are,
but he
did not
sin.
He did
not cave
in under
the pressure.
He did
not bow.
Verse 42,
Father, if
you are
willing, take
this cup
from me,
yet not
my will,
but yours
be done.
Jesus
resists
temptation
and in
obedience to
his Father
he prays.
Not my
will,
your will
be done.
Not my
wants,
but Father,
what you
want.
Not my
desires,
but Father,
what will
please you.
How easily
we fall
into temptation.
How willingly
we just so
quickly fall.
It comes
upon us,
the pressure
builds,
we fail
to resist
it.
Jesus
is the
only one
who stands
strong in
the face
of temptation.
The only
man
who has
resisted.
God's
is the
God's
judgment
is to
drink that
cup for
us.
In other
words,
he has
come to
prepare himself
through prayer,
to take
that place
for you
and me
and to
drink the
punishment
that you
and I
deserve.
He exchanges
places with
us on the
cross.
You see,
Jesus never
fell into
temptation.
Jesus always
resisted.
He never
disobeyed.
He always
obeyed his
father.
He is the
only one
free from
God's
judgment,
the only
perfect man
who doesn't
deserve it.
But yet in
love he comes
to this world,
he comes to
people like you
and me and
he says,
I will take
all your
disobedience
on myself.
Jesus is
treated on
the cross as
the one who
has fallen
into temptation.
He makes
my sin his
own so
that I can
be free
from what
I deserve.
Imagine
you're holding
that cup.
It's
symbolic,
I know,
but as
you look
into it,
you see
this is
God's
judgment.
You get
a glimpse
of hell
itself.
And to
drink it,
you know,
will be
separation
from God
for all
eternity.
Nothing,
there's no
beauty,
there's no
goodness,
no laughter,
no joy.
And you
have no
choice but
to drink
it.
And yet
standing
before you
is the
Lord Jesus.
Jesus.
And in
love he
reaches out
and he
takes that
cup from
your hands
and he
drinks it.
And he
drinks it
to the
very last
drop.
So there
is nothing
left for us
to drink,
not even
a taste.
For when
Jesus died
on the cross,
he is
drinking that
judgment for
you and
for me.
Do you
see,
as we
follow Jesus
into the
garden,
not only
do we
see that
we fall
in temptation,
but we
meet the
perfect man
who passes
the test,
who passes
temptation,
who resists
it,
and drinks
judgment for
you and
for me,
dealing with
our failure.
So how
do we
respond?
Well,
third,
we pray
not to
fall into
temptation.
You see,
because of
Jesus'
death on
the cross,
temptation
is now
no longer
this
irresistible
force that
we have
to give
into.
Three
things that
we can
pray in
regards to
our
temptations.
And before
we look at
these three
things,
let me
just
encourage
you right
now,
each of
you
personally,
try and
identify for
yourself right
now,
what is the
area of
weakness?
What is the
temptation that
you most
succumb to?
What is it
that you so
easily fall
into?
It could be
an anger
issue.
It could be
addiction
issues.
it could
be the
temptation
to find
your comfort
in material
things and
physical
things.
Where are
you most
likely to
fall?
And when
you've got
that in
mind,
now let's
think through
what we
pray.
First,
admit to
our weakness.
Look at
verse 45.
When he
rose from
prayer and
went back
to his
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.
Jesus
does not
say,
when you
enter into
temptation,
pray.
No,
Jesus knows
our hearts.
He knows
what we are
like.
He knows
that we
are weak
people.
So he
says,
pray that
you will
not fall
into
temptation.
So it's
a cry for
help saying,
help me
before the
temptation
comes.
Isn't
that what
Jesus taught
his disciples
to pray in
the Lord's
Prayer?
Father,
hallowed be
your name,
and lead
us not
into
temptation.
Jesus
knows how
weak we
are.
And
Jesus
knew what
it was
to be
weak.
And so
he cries
out in
prayer more
earnestly
in the
midst of
temptation.
If
Jesus
knew that
he had
to pray
in
temptation,
how much
more do
you and
I need
to pray?
We
admit our
weakness
weakness.
And that
we so
easily fall
and fail.
Second,
we pray to
be
strengthened.
As
Jesus
prays,
he is
dependent
upon his
father for
help.
So,
verse 43,
an angel
from heaven
appeared to
him and
strengthened
him.
God
knows our
weakness.
He knows
how we're
so prone
to wander.
So,
when we
call out
to him
in prayer,
he will
strengthen
us.
The writer
to the
Hebrews
reminds us.
I haven't
got it
here,
I'll just
read it
out to
you.
Hebrews
4,
verse 15.
He says,
we do
not have
a high
priest who
is unable
to feel
sympathy
for our
weaknesses,
but we
have one
who has
been
tempted
in every
way just
as we
are.
So,
he knows
what we
go through.
Yet,
he did
not sin,
therefore,
he's in a
position to
be able to
give to
us.
So,
let us
then approach
the throne
of grace
with confidence
so that we
may receive
the mercy
and find
grace to
help us
in our
time of
need.
Through
Jesus'
death,
we now
have access
to our
Father,
a generous
Father who
gives what
we need.
In the
face of our
temptation,
we pray
for grace
and mercy,
pray to
be
strengthened
so that
we do
not fall.
So,
we admit
our weakness,
we pray to
be strengthened,
and third,
we rejoice
in our
Savior.
You see,
because of
Jesus'
death on
the cross,
us,
even when
we fall
into
temptation,
it is
not the
end.
Remember
what Jesus
said to
Simon Peter?
Go back
to verse
31.
He's putting
it up to
them,
saying,
temptation is
coming.
Verse 31,
Simon,
Satan has
asked to
sift all
of you
as wheat.
we're going
to face
temptation.
It's going
to happen.
But that's
not all that
Jesus says.
Read on
verse 32.
But I
have prayed
for you,
Simon,
that your
faith may
not fail.
And when
you have
turned back,
strengthen
your brothers.
it's an
enlightening
verse.
Jesus is
saying,
I pray
that your
faith may
not fail.
And when
you have
turned back,
in other
words,
look Simon,
and to
all the
disciples,
you will
fall,
but your
faith will
not fail.
The prayers
of Jesus
on our
behalf
cause us
to turn
back to
him when
we do
fall in
temptation.
And as
we'll see
that next
week,
Simon Peter
did fall,
but the
prayers of
Jesus means
that Peter
will turn
back and
be restored.
His
faith
will not
fail.
And because
Jesus died
for us
on the
cross,
because he
drank that
judgment for
you and
for me,
he now
continues to
intercede for
us.
You see,
Jesus'
death is
not just a
partial
rescue,
it's a
rescue for
all eternity.
He doesn't
save us
until we
fall and
go,
right,
okay,
I've
saved you,
but now
you've
fallen,
that's
it,
you're
on your
own now.
Jesus
saves us
even
when we
fall.
He
drinks the
cup of
judgment
so that
we will
never,
ever have
to drink
of its
dregs
again.
Look at
verse 32.
Read it
and put
your own
name
instead of
Simon.
But I
have prayed
for you
that your
faith may
not fail
and when
you have
turned back,
strengthen
your
brothers.
Jesus
has
overcome
temptation
for us
so that
we can
be
restored,
not
living in
a depth
of guilt
and despair,
but raised
up,
go and
strengthen
your
brothers.
Go and
encourage
them.
Go and
encourage
fellow
disciples
who are
going
through a
hard time,
who are
struggling
in their
faith.
As we
follow Jesus
to the
cross,
we begin
to see
our great
need of
the cross.
Let us
pray that
we will
not fall
into
temptation.
As we
pray,
we all
know the
areas that
we struggle
with,
the areas
where we
conform.
Father,
forgive us
for the
times we
say,
my will
be done
and not
your will
be done.
Father,
we admit
to our
weakness
that we
so often
fail to
resist.
We
cave in
under the
pressure.
Father,
draw near
to us
and strengthen
us as we
go about
this week,
as we
go into
our workplace,
our schools,
amongst our
friends where
we are
challenged to
doubt you,
where we are
pushed to
remain silent
about you.
Strengthen
us,
pour out
your grace
and mercy
and fill us
with the
power of
your Holy
Spirit,
that we
may walk
obediently to
you and
to your
word.
And,
Father,
may we
rejoice in
a wonderful
Savior,
who has
walked the
path for
us and
drunk the
cup of
judgment so
that we
never have
to,
who has
rescued us
completely
and forever,
who forgives
even when
we do
fall,
and who
prays for
us even
now,
so that
our faith
may not
fail.
What a
great Savior.
Thank you,
in Jesus'
name.
Amen.
Here's
another
prayer,
a prayer
in song,
picking up
on some
of the
things we've
been looking
at.
Before the
throne of
God above,
I have a
strong,
a perfect
plea,
a great
high priest
whose name
is love,
whoever lives
and pleads
for me.
You ever
think about
that as you
go about
your day,
oblivious to
what's going
on?