Luke 22:39-46 - Submit and pray

All the events leading up to this moment in Gethsemane had been disappointing to Jesus. Think of the impending betrayal; the disciples' fight on who would be the greatest; the Lord’s prediction of Peter's impending failure; and the disciples' lack of perception that led to Jesus’ disappointing words, "It is enough." Now we see His disappointment about to be carried into Gethsemane. In verse 40, Jesus instructed them to pray, and came finding them asleep instead of praying (verses 45-46). At a time when their support for Him was most needed, they failed Him. They couldn't even stay awake to pray for Him. This account re-enforces the importance of prayer. It is in prayer that we find the strength to avoid temptation. It is the best defence from temptation. Here the Lord demonstrated it.

Luke tells us that Jesus withdrew a little distance from them and He knelt down to pray to the Father. There He struggled with the anguish of death. He pleaded to the Father to spare Him this moment of death. The fact that the angel had to come and minister to Him attests to the fact that death was not an experience Jesus took lightly. In verse 44, coupled with the angel’s ministering to Him, Jesus continued, in great agony, in prayer fervently. His was an intense moment in prayer. So much so that beads of sweat fell off His brow became drops of blood. He refused to yield to temptation. He was demonstrating His instruction - prayer is the answer to triumph over temptation.

What could Jesus be thinking about when He was praying for the cup to be passed? There are many possibilities. Here are two sanctified postulations: Firstly, Jesus' relationship with the Father had never been broken but now it was about to happen because of the sin of the world. He couldn't bear the thought of that separation. So in anguish He asked for the cup to pass. Secondly, Jesus knew what death meant. It is the wages of sin and the judgment of God. As He thought of the immensity of the wrath of God that would be poured out because of sin, He recoiled. If it could be avoided, He would rather avoid it.

But in this account, we also see Jesus' total yieldedness to God. His submission has no equal. His was a life of total and utter submission to the Father. This moment in His prayer was the ultimate expression of His submissiveness. Much as He would prefer another way to deal with the sin of mankind, He would only yield to the one that the Father had chosen. Hence His words, "Not My will but Yours be done."

Thoughts to take away. First, sin must not be regarded lightly. It could mean an eternity of intense pain and agony and total separation from God. Even Jesus shuddered as He thought of the wages of sin. How then, should we estimate sin? Second, prayer must be given top priority. It's the one instrument that God has given to us to deal with Satan's luring temptation. Pray that you may not fall into temptation. Third, live a life of total submission to the Father. Like Jesus, let's live to please the Heavenly Father. His will must always come first. Not my will but Yours be done. Amen.