Read Mark 14:32-42
Jesus takes Peter, James and John to the garden of Gethsemane. Jesus asks them to remain awake while he prays. By now Jesus was agitated, “I am so sad that I feel like I am dying” he tells these disciples, “just stay here and stay awake” he asks.
Jesus then goes a little further into the garden by himself and throws himself on the ground. Pleading out to God, Jesus cries “Father if there is any other way, please let this cup pass from me, yet Father may it be what you want and not what I want that occurs”.
In distress Jesus return to his companions only to find the three who had promised loyalty to death are now fast asleep. In understandable frustration Jesus quizzes Simon “could you not stay away for just 1 hour? Stay awake now whilst I go and pray, your spirit is willing but your flesh is weak”.
Again Jesus goes back into the garden by himself, again he prays the same words, begging God for another way. Pleading with God that if there was any other way to accomplish his purpose, to bring reconciliation between humans and God that God would do it, and yet there was no other way.
Jesus returns to find the disciples asleep once more. Again Jesus rebukes them, begging them to stay awake as he prays and again Jesus returns to prayer. A third time Jesus returns from prayer to find the disciples asleep again. This time Jesus asks, “are you still sleeping, well awake for the time has come – look here comes my betrayer”.
Questions/Discussion;
- What stood out for you in today’s story? Do you have any questions?
- Instead of staying awake, the disciples fell asleep. Can you think of a time that you have struggled to do what Jesus has asked you to do?
- Why was it hard?
- How has your life looked more like what everyone else’s does and less like what King Jesus says it should look like? Is there anything you can do to change this?