Watch and Pray
Sermon • Submitted • Presented • 31:32
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Introduction
When is the last time you had to pull an all nighter? I have not done so in quite a while and was never really good at it. I’ve gone to bed really late and I’ve had to get up really early, but at least I got a little sleep. I just don’t do well without sleep.
I’m not unusual. That’s the way that the human body was designed to work. Did you know that we actually do most of our cell repair, or healing, while we are sleeping?
But sometimes it’s necessary to stay up late. In college I had to do this a few times with assignments that were due. I’ve had to do the same as an adult when I was working on something. Usually it’s something important. We would never stay up all night unless something was extremely important, or we got really distracted and lost the concept of time.
What about staying up all night to pray? Have any of you done this? There are several notable examples in the Bible who did. We know that Jacob did when he was about to come back into the promised land and meet his brother. He wrestled with God and ended up getting his name changed to Israel.
We know that Samuel did so when he was grieved over the Lord’s rejection of Saul as king of Israel. Jesus often would do this and so did Paul and Silas.
People stay up into the night for prayer when their heart is heavy and they need to hear God speak.
Well, tonight I want to encourage us to watch and pray. Let’s take a look at what happened to Jesus on one such occaision.
Well, tonight I want to encourage us to watch and pray. Let’s take a look at what happened to Jesus on one such occaision.
32 And they went to a place called Gethsemane. And he said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.”
33 And he took with him Peter and James and John, and began to be greatly distressed and troubled.
34 And he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death. Remain here and watch.”
35 And going a little farther, he fell on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him.
36 And he said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”
37 And he came and found them sleeping, and he said to Peter, “Simon, are you asleep? Could you not watch one hour?
38 Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
39 And again he went away and prayed, saying the same words.
40 And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were very heavy, and they did not know what to answer him.
41 And he came the third time and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? It is enough; the hour has come. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.
42 Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand.”
Pray.
1. Prayer Prepares Us to Engage in Spiritual Warfare (vv. 32-36)
1. Prayer Prepares Us to Engage in Spiritual Warfare (vv. 32-36)
32 And they went to a place called Gethsemane. And he said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.”
33 And he took with him Peter and James and John, and began to be greatly distressed and troubled.
34 And he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death. Remain here and watch.”
35 And going a little farther, he fell on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him.
36 And he said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”
Focus on the mission God has called us to
Jesus prays that if their is any other way possible, He might avoid temptation (this shows us there was not, it is not a reluctance on the part of Jesus to do the will of God)
Jesus puts His fate in the Father’s hands and prays for God’s will to ultimately be done
Notice, Jesus acknowledges God could do anything He wanted, but God chose to save us through the sacrifice of His son to demonstrate the extent of His mercy, grace, and love to us
Have you gotten to the place in your life where you could pray as Jesus did, “Yet not what I will, but what you will”?
2. Prayer Helps Us Fight Temptation (vv.37-38)
2. Prayer Helps Us Fight Temptation (vv.37-38)
37 And he came and found them sleeping, and he said to Peter, “Simon, are you asleep? Could you not watch one hour?
38 Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
-Jesus uses the word watch to instruct the disciples to be on the ready
-It is almost as if Jesus is telling them to stand guard like a soldier on guard duty
-How watchful are we to avoid temptation? Do we pray that God would lead us not into temptation and are we watchful of the ways in which we wander ourselves into temptation?
-Will we stand guard and be in prayer to avoid falling?
3. Prayer Allows Us to Come to the Aid of Others (v.37, 39-42)
3. Prayer Allows Us to Come to the Aid of Others (v.37, 39-42)
37 And he came and found them sleeping, and he said to Peter, “Simon, are you asleep? Could you not watch one hour?
39 And again he went away and prayed, saying the same words.
40 And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were very heavy, and they did not know what to answer him.
41 And he came the third time and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? It is enough; the hour has come. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.
42 Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand.”
Jesus needed a prayer companion but the disciples were too busy asleep.
Sometimes what a person needs most is just someone to pray with them. Jesus needed that.
Conclusion