One of the most dramatic scenes in the Bible is that of Jesus’ agony in the Garden of Gethsemane. On the night before He was crucified, Jesus and His disciples had their Passover dinner together. It was then that He initiated the first Lord’s Supper that we will celebrate at the conclusion of today’s service. As they left that place of fellowship together, Matthew’s Gospel describes what happened next.
36 Then Jesus went with His disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and He said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” 37 He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee [i.e., James and John] along with Him, and He began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38 Then He said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with Me.” 39 Going a little farther, He fell with His face to the ground and prayed: My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from Me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” 40 Then He returned to His disciples and found them sleeping. “Could you men not keep watch with Me for one hour?” He asked Peter. 41 “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.” 42 He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may Your will be done.” 43 When He came back, He again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. 44 So He left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing. 45 Then He returned to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour is near, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46 Rise, let us go! Here comes my betrayer!” Matthew 26:36-46 (NIV)
The “garden,” to which Jesus and His disciples walked, was located on the Mt. of Olives outside the gates of Jerusalem, just beyond the Kidron Valley. This garden was very familiar to them. They had gone there many times before to pray and enjoy some badly needed solitude.[1] In fact, this was one of the reasons that Judas Iscariot knew where to go when he betrayed Jesus by leading the high priest’s soldiers there to arrest Him. Notice that the name of the garden was significant. The name “Gethsemane” is derived from a Hebrew or Aramaic phrase meaning “oil-press.” [2] An oil-press was used to crush the olives that grew on the trees in this garden to make olive oil. From what we have just read, Jesus’ spirit felt as crushed as an olive in an olive press.
However, Jesus was not crushed by fear. Had you or I been facing the terrible beatings and abuse that Jesus was about to endure at the hands of the Romans and the Jewish leaders, we would have surely been gripped with fear. That fear would have matured into absolute terror if we were facing the unbearable pain of the Cross. Instead, Jesus was overcome with sadness, not fright.[3] Why? Well, the pain of the Cross, followed by death, was not going to defeat Him. Jesus knew with absolute certainty that He would endure the pain and ultimately defeat death when He would rise from the tomb. He had supreme confidence in His upcoming Resurrection. And so, pain and death were of little concern to Him. So, why was Jesus so deeply grieved?
Well, the description of His own grief, along with an Old Testament prophecy, provides us with the answer. Jesus described His emotional and spiritual state by saying that He was “sorrowful and troubled”—so much so that His soul was “overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death.” Another way of stating this anguished state of mind and spirit was that His heart was ready to break with grief [4] and His soul was crushed by sorrow. What the prophet Isaiah had predicted about Jesus was now becoming a reality, for Isaiah prophesied: 3 “He was despised and rejected— a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on Him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care. 4 Yet it was our weaknesses He carried; it was our sorrows that weighed Him down. And we thought His troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for His own sins!” Isaiah 53:3-4 (NLT2)
The unspeakable sorrow that Jesus experienced there in the Garden of Gethsemane was bound up in the fact that Jesus—the only perfectly sinless man who ever lived—was about to experience the weight of all the world’s cumulative sins from the time of Adam and Eve through the End of Time. He would be crushed in an “olive-press of sin.” He, who had never sinned, was going to bear the crushing guilt and shame of every murderer, every rapist, every robber, every prostitute, every drug addict, every liar, every adulterer, every sin of every sinner who had ever lived (including your sins and mine). That is why Isaiah further prophesied: “He was pierced for our rebellion [PIERCED BY THE NAILS OF THE CROSS], crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed.” Isaiah 53:5 (NLT2) But, we still have to understand why taking on all those sins caused Jesus this overwhelming sadness.
The answer lies in a couple of things that Jesus said as quoted in John’s Gospel. Jesus said, “I and the Father are One.” John 10:30 (NIV) In other words, Jesus—the Son of God, God the Father and the Holy Spirit form the Trinity. It is a divine Oneness that is a sacred mystery and a holy reality. Furthermore, Jesus was one with the Father when this universe was created. The Book of Genesis says, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1, NIV) to which John’s Gospel adds: 1 “In the beginning was the Word [referring to Jesus], and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made.” John 1:1-3 (NIV) Consequently, what this is telling us is that there was never a time when Jesus was separated from God the Father. But, while there in the garden, Jesus knew what sin does to anyone’s relationship with God. He knew all too well some other sad words from the Prophet Isaiah who said: “IT IS YOUR SINS THAT SEPARATE YOU FROM GOD.”[5] Jesus was so distraught because those sins He would bear on the Cross would separate Him far away from His Father and that very thought was unbearable. That is why when Jesus was at the height of His misery on the Cross, He cried out, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” Matthew 27:46 (NKJV)
Now, how did Jesus face this overwhelming sadness? It is an important question because the answer is also the means by which you can face the sad, trying and difficult times in your life. Well, Jesus went to God in prayer. At first, He made a request to the Father. Jesus asked if there were any other possible way to achieve God’s plan of salvation than for Him to bear all the sins of the world on the Cross. He said: “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from Me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” The “cup” to which Jesus referred was the “cup of suffering” that He would drink from upon feeling the crushing weight of the world’s sins. It was a bitter “cup” filled with the wrath of God that you and I, and the rest of humanity, should have been forced to drink. Notice that Jesus added that most important part of any prayer that you might pray. He made His request contingent upon God the Father’s will, not His own personal will. Jesus’ brother, James, would one day express a similar thought when he wrote: 13 “Look here, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.’ 14 How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. 15 What you ought to say is, ‘If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.’ 16 Otherwise you are boasting about your own plans, and all such boasting is evil.” James 4:13-16 (NLT2)[6] All that we do, say, think—and, yes, pray—should be accomplished according to God’s will and not our own wills. Isn’t this exactly what Jesus taught in His model prayer: 9“Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. 10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in Heaven.” Matthew 6:9-10 (KJV) There in Gethsemane, as Jesus worked through His prayers and committed to the Father’s Will, His great sorrow dissipated. He felt the courage and renewed strength that comes when one knows that they are pursuing God’s will, and not their own agenda. We can see this in Jesus’ reaction to the approaching footsteps of Judas and the soldiers who had entered the garden to arrest Him. It was then that Jesus boldly urged them: “Get up, let us be going; behold, the one who betrays Me is at hand!” Matthew 26:46 (NASB) And with that, Jesus headed directly toward His captors and met them courageously face to face. What a marvelous example of the transforming power of prayer when practiced according to God’s will![7] This is a wonderful lesson for us. Bible scholar and theologian, Craig Keener puts it well when he said: “Only devotion to prayer can carry us through the hardest times. Our best intentions cannot protect us in the time of severest testing unless we have learned how to seek God in prayer.”[8]
Now, let’s retrace our steps and focus upon Jesus’ instructions to three of His disciples—Peter, James and John. While Jesus was praying, they were supposed to “watch and pray” so that they would “not fall into temptation.” Matthew 26:41 (NIV) What was it that they were to “watch” for? Well, let’s first get it straight that Jesus wasn’t posting them like lookouts to warn Him if anyone, such as the temple police, were headed their way to arrest Him. Jesus knew Judas was on his way to betray Him and that He’d soon be dragged before the Jewish religious leaders and later would be tried by Pontius Pilate. No, Jesus did not instruct them to be watchful with their eyes. Rather, Jesus urged them to be watching carefully with their hearts. He wanted them to be spiritually attentive[9] and, thus, to be on guard against “temptation.”
Again, Jesus’ model prayer in Matthew 6 speaks of such “temptation.” In that prayer, many Bible translations have Jesus teaching His disciples to pray: “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” Matthew 6:13 (ESV) That translation is true to the ancient Greek, but it may not convey the message so clearly in English. Rather, the real meaning is more like: 13 “Don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one.” Matthew 6:13 (NLT2) [10] That is exactly the kind of temptation Jesus was warning His disciples about in the Garden of Gethsemane.
The temptation that would soon descend upon His disciples would come directly from Satan. Satan would urge them to abandon their faith in Jesus. And, that’s where that second part of Jesus’ instruction comes into play. Jesus also instructed them, not only to “watch,” but also to PRAY. They too needed to pray for strength to weather the terrible spiritual storm with its dark clouds of doubt that would surround them when Jesus would die on the Cross. They needed to carefully “watch” their hearts, for Satan was on the prowl and approaching the garden. Later that night, Satan would “sift Peter like wheat”[11] (to use Jesus’ words) when Peter denied Christ three times before the rooster crowed. Years later, Peter must have been reflecting upon this awful time of denial and doubt, when he wrote: 8 “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. 9 Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith.” 1st Peter 5:8-9 (NLT2)
Of course, the darkest time for Peter and the rest of the disciples was on that Saturday following Jesus’ crucifixion. It was then that their temptations to doubt and to fear would be the greatest as Jesus’ body lie there in the tomb. It always seems darkest before the dawn. But, on Sunday, the dawn did come. And, with it, came the most wonderous event in human history—The Resurrection of Jesus Christ! Upon realizing that Jesus had, indeed, risen from the tomb, the disciples’ doubts and fears quickly disappeared.
As it was with Jesus’ disciples, so it is with us today. When we have our doubts and fears, Jesus wants us to “watch and pray.” Watch not only with your physical eyes, but watch with your spiritual eyes so you can focus on Jesus rather than whatever trials you may be going through. His Hand is outstretched to pull you through your despair. He did it for the disciples. He will do it for you as well if you will diligently “watch and pray.”
There is something very special to note about those prayers in the Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus was praying, and He wanted Peter, James and John to be praying as well. Jesus was encouraging them to engage in corporate prayer—not just one person praying, but four. Today, one sincere prayer is a powerful thing. And, many such prayers offered together can be even more spectacular. There is a reason for this power of corporate prayer. Jesus said: “Where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.” Matthew 18:20 (ESV) When two of us pray together, the Spirit of Christ is with us and the power of prayer is magnified. When three are praying, the power is three-fold, and so on. That is why it is so important that we, as followers of Christ, meet corporately to worship and pray together. When we do this, we come to realize that “watching and praying,” as Jesus directed His disciples to do in the garden, is exactly what He is asking us to do today. When we watch with spiritual eyes and pray with open and humble hearts, we gain the firm confidence that Jesus is here among us. Then, we can be assured that He will “lead us not into temptation,” but to “deliver us from the evil one.” And, having been delivered from the evil of sin, Jesus cleanses us by His blood and will one day usher us into the presence of God.
But, please note this: Corporate prayer is not restricted solely to when you are in church. Its power is not limited to an hour on Sunday mornings. Rather, the power of team prayer is available throughout the week.
For instance, consider White House Press Secretary, Karoline Leavitt. This 27-year-old working mom has an intensely challenging time dealing with a largely antagonistic press corps. Many in the press find her Christian faith distasteful to their secular mindsets. I am sure that, at times, Mrs. Leavitt must feel like she is being crushed in an “olive press.” But, as she approaches the podium in the White House press room, she is confident and fearless. What’s her secret? She engages in something that her detractors have no power to defeat. She describes it this way: “I think that team prayer before [taking the podium] is just a moment to be silent and still and ask God for confidence and the ability to articulate my words, knowledge, prayer, protection, and it is a nice moment to reset. It's the last thing I do before I go out there, and then it just gives me the confidence to do a briefing.”[12] It works for her on the job. It will work for you anywhere you go—including at home. The old adage is true: “The family that prays together, stays together!” Commenting on this very thing, Billy Graham once said: “Prayer drives people to God—and God is ready to listen and answer. What a privilege that so many families miss out on. Prayer unifies and energizes the family unit. It can be a reminder that we do not have to go out into the world without the power of God going with us. Only by direct contact with God through prayer can we hope to have the serenity and security that will enable us to be a witness for Him in a dark and confused world.”[13] Jesus’ disciples eventually learned this. Billy Graham knew this. Karoline Leavitt knows this. And you can rely upon the power of corporate prayer today! So, watch and pray, for the Lord hears the cries of all His children and yearns for them to lay their burdens at His feet.
The problem with many in the Churches across this nation is that they are like Peter, James and John as they were sleeping there in the Garden of Gethsemane. Each time Jesus returned, they were snoring away. Jesus could only look at them in frustration and say: “The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.” Matthew 26:41 (NIV) Yes, the “body” is weak in the sense that it gravitates to satisfying its worldly desires. That will always be the case for those who yield to temptation rather than giving priority to the spiritual things of God.[14]
And, that brings us to the question of the day. Will you be “sleeping” when Jesus returns? Or, will you be diligently “watching and praying”? We’d better be watching and praying, for Satan is surely on the prowl. If he could overpower Peter, he can overpower you as well if you fail to “watch and pray.” So, keep watching by focusing your eyes upon Jesus! Pray that He will deliver you from the evil one! Do it in your room alone. Do it as a team with like-minded Christians. Today, Jesus is crying out to all those sleepy Christians in churches throughout this nation to “GET UP AND LET US BE GOING.”
Let us pray.
Darvin Satterwhite, Pastor
Forest Hill Baptist Church
April 6, 2025
©2025 All Rights Reserved as follows:
Anyone is at liberty to use this sermon or any portions thereof for educational or religious purposes, with or without credit. The pastor believes the material presented herein to be true to the teaching of Scripture, and desires to further, not restrict, its potential use as an aid in the study of God’s Word. The publication of this material is a grace ministry of Forest Hill Baptist Church in Louisa, Virginia.
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[1] John 18:2 “Judas, the betrayer, knew this place, because Jesus had often gone there with His disciples.” (NLT2)
See: “What happened in the Garden of Gethsemane?” Gotquestions.org, https://www.gotquestions.org/garden-of-Gethsemane.html (accessed April 1, 2025).
[2] Michael Wilkins, NIV Application Commentary, Matthew: From biblical text...to contemporary life, (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2004), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, 840.
[3] David Abernathy, Exegetical Summary of Matthew 17-28, An, (Dallas, TX: SIL International, 2015), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, 215.
[4] Ibid.
[5] Isaiah 59:2 “It is because of your sins that He doesn’t hear you. IT IS YOUR SINS THAT SEPARATE YOU FROM GOD when you try to worship Him.” (TEV)
[6] Bible Hub, James 4:15, https://biblehub.com/study/james/4-15.htm (accessed April 2, 2025).
[7] Larry Chouinard, Matthew, ed. Jack Cottrell, Ph.D. and Tony Ash, Ph.D., (Joplin, Missouri: College Press Publishing Co., 1997), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, 466.
[8] Keener, Craig S. Matthew. Vol. 1. The IVP New Testament Commentary Series. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1997.
[9] David Abernathy, Exegetical Summary of Matthew 17-28, An, (Dallas, TX: SIL International, 2015), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, 216.
[10] Ibid, 190.
[11] Luke 22:31-32 31 [Jesus said:] “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift each of you like wheat. 32 But I have pleaded in prayer for you, Simon, that your faith should not fail. So when you have repented and turned to Me again, strengthen your brothers.” (NLT2)
[12] David Brody, “In God She Trusts: Karoline Leavitt's Journey to the White House Podium,” Christian Broadcasting Network, https://cbn.com/news/politics/god-she-trusts-karoline-leavitts-journey-white-house-podium (March 28, 2025).
[13] Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, “Is family prayer is a thing of the past. Does it really matter? BillyGraham.org, https://billygraham.org/answers/why-is-family-prayer-important?ri=wc (accessed April 3, 2025).
[14] Larry Chouinard, Matthew, ed. Jack Cottrell, Ph.D. and Tony Ash, Ph.D., (Joplin, Missouri: College Press Publishing Co., 1997), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, 465.
