The Work of Gethsemane Matt 26:36-46
Today we see Jesus at Gethsemane minutes before his arrest. But before we get into the verses, let’s look at the significance of the location.
Gethsemane is a garden at the foot of the Mount of Olives in east Jerusalem. The word Gethsemane is translated as “olive press.” Jesus being arrested here represents him being sent out of the garden to endure crushing and pressing; Jesus leaving heaven to endure the crucifixion for the redemption of all mankind.
Jesus has been working for three years preaching, and teaching men about the kingdom of God. He is now on the cusp of the hardest part of his task, his scourging and the cross. And when all this is over, he is resurrected and returns to heaven. His job is complete. Or is it?
In John’s gospel Jesus tells Peter to “feed my lambs…take care of my sheep…feed my sheep.” Jesus tells Peter to do three things: three, the symbol of God and perfection.
I recently a minister online say Resurrection Sunday is the completion of Jesus’ work on earth. Maybe, on one hand you could think this way; Jesus work at creating the means of our redemption is complete. But on the other hand, Jesus’ work on earth is nowhere near done.
Let’s look at Jesus’ life. He fed the hungry. He healed the sick. He led others to God. Look around our world. There are millions of poor, hungry, and destitute. There are multitudes at risk of dying from malnutrition. There are millions who are sick, at the point of dying from diseases we have treatments to cure. There are millions of lost souls, all at risk of eternity outside of heaven. Jesus’ work on earth is nowhere near done, but through Peter, he tells us it is our time to pick up the mantle and do his work in the world, in his name. With Easter right around the corner, how does all this relate to what’s happening in the Garden of Gethsemane?
Verse 38, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”
I’ve always been taught that Jesus is talking about his crucifixion here, but what if it’s more than that? What if Jesus is seeing his return to heaven and the billions yet to be born. And the needs of all those who will suffer in this life. To a loving God, this must overwhelm his heart with sorrow.
“Stay with me and keep watch.” Jesus tells his disciples to stay alert, be aware of him, and keep vigilant. Here in Gethsemane, Jesus starts the process of handing over his work in the world to his followers, a process he finishes when he gives his instructions to Peter later. In Gethsemane Jesus tells his disciples to be alert, aware, and vigilant. For us these same instructions go beyond the garden, they are the guidelines for our work in the world all in Jesus’ name.
We believe, we accept Christ, we are saved, but our work is just beginning. James 2:16, “If one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace; keep warm and well fed, but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?’” Our faith saves us, but if we do nothing for others like the disciples sleeping in the garden, we sleep in the world. “Stay here and keep watch.” Keep Jesus close to your heart and be aware of the needs around you.
Verse 40, “Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. ‘Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?’”
It’s no secret that I’m getting older. I can go from one room to the next and forget what I needed. Humanity as a whole, is similar. We may see the need around us, but we get distracted. I’ll help when I have more time, when the kids are grown, when I retire. More often than not, men have a fair amount of leisure time, yet we don’t use it to serve at a food kitchen or volunteer at a shelter. Now I don’t mean you need to give away all your money, nor neglect your family to give to others. I am saying the needs of others, and the absolution of those needs should be part of your lives. “Couldn’t you keep watch with me for one hour?” Jesus isn’t asking for your whole life in service, just a part of it.
Hebrews 4:15, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses…” Our Lord understands our nature and always offers us ways to correct our direction. Verse 41, “Watch and pray so you will not fall into temptation. The Spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
“The Spirit is willing.” Most of humanity is not hard, cold, or uncompassionate. I believe few actually can turn their back and totally ignore the plight of others. God knows this. “But the flesh is weak.” God also knows that despite the vast majority of mankind being “good,” we can be distracted by our own ambitions, by fear, or by the mindset that we can’t really do anything anyway.
“Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.” Jesus tells us that in order to combat our very human nature, keep you eyes open; open to God, open to what’s around you. And pray for God to help you keep focused in doing his work as you can.
Verse 43, “When he came back, he again found them sleeping.” Even now Jesus didn’t admonish them, didn’t send them away, didn’t even wake them up.
We are meant to help others, but if you don’t, God will not send you to the depths of hell. But as it says in James 2:17, “…faith by itself, if not accompanied by action, is dead.” This does not mean you can lose your salvation by failure to act. It means that as a believer, if you do not reach out to others, your faith never goes beyond the boundary of your body, it never spreads in the world, your faith never reveals itself to others. It is dead and doing nothing to further the kingdom of God. But as long as we are alive, we have the opportunity to make our faith alive.
Verse 45, “Look, the hour has come, the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners.”
There was a timetable God had for Jesus and his work. God has a timetable for the world also. All creation will come to an end at the time God has set, when that will be I do not know. But when that day is at hand, God will remove from us the opportunity to live a life honoring him through service.
Jesus time on earth was short, his ministry even shorter. But every moment of his life here was dedicated to us, to our betterment, and our salvation. Our time on earth is short, and for some he does, but for the majority of us God doesn’t demand every second of our lives to be in service, he asks for an hour, a part of our lives, a part of our time and resources; just a part of us.
Good Friday and Easter are upon us. Take time to see what Jesus accomplished for us through his passion, his death and resurrection. Take time to see what God has given us through Christ, nothing short of redemption, salvation, and glory in heaven. Don’t let your faith die, let it go into the world and do good. Willingly and joyfully, give Christ the hour of you that he is asking for.
During this week of death and resurrection, let each of us, and each follower of Christ, rededicate ourselves to doing the work of Gethsemane.
May Christ’s peace
And God’s grace
Be on each of you.
Amen.