Discipleship Training by Heather ComptonWeek 13

Turn in your bibles to Matthew 26:36-46 (You can also read about this in Mark 14, Luke 22, and John 17)

We are gonna take some time over the next few lessons and look at the events leading to Jesus’ death, the crucifixion and resurrection.  Let’s begin today by looking at the hours leading to his arrest.  It is important to read about the events in all 4 gospels as you will find different details in each one.  These are the eye witness accounts of 4 of the closest to Jesus and they each find different things important. 

We find Jesus greatly distraught in the garden. He was planning to take some time to pray with his disciples but none of them were able to stay awake long enough to pray with Him.  Can you imagine facing the toughest fight of your life and your closest friends can't even stay awake long enough to pray with you. We see Jesus praying about the events coming in the near future. He asks a few times if there is any way he could get out of doing it, but each time He says “not my will but yours be done!” Fulfilling the will of the Father was much more important to Him than His personal comfort, or what He wanted. We can learn so much from this. The Bible talks about the stress He was under while he “wrestled” with this decision.  He was actually sweating blood from the stress of this. The weight of all of this was nearly crippling. Can you even imagine?

Internal Reflection: Jesus in the garden depicts a man (fully human) struggling with the future He was facing. He knew death was in His future. A painful horrible death. Yet, he went forward knowing it was the will of His father. What has the Father asked you to do? Whatever it is, I know it isn't anything compared to what He endured.  Are you struggling with being obedient?  If so, think back to this story. If He can go forward and say YES, so can you!

Luke 22:43  says an angel came and strengthened Him. When you choose to be in HIS perfect will and do everything He has asked, angels are there to strengthen you. You never have to do anything alone. We also have the Holy Spirit to go with us and give us power to accomplish any task. 

He was Jesus, the son of God. He was also a man.  A man with a free will, just like you and me. A man who could have said NO!  He could have given up that night, walked away and sealed our fate of eternal suffering.  He didn’t!  Thank you Jesus!!  We can never repay Him for saying YES that night. 

This passage also speaks to the importance of prayer. Matthew 26:41 (Jesus talking) says the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. How much weaker is our flesh. Meaning we need to bathe decisions in prayer.  Don’t just say no because you are uncomfortable. Don’t just say no because you can’t see how you could do it.  Pray and then say YES to His will even when your flesh is screaming NO!

What is God asking you to do?  Take some time to write down things you feel God is leading you to. He is asking all of us to do things. Next to each item place a check mark if you are actively doing it.  If not, say YES today and get started. 

1. Witness to others

2.   

3.   

4.     

5.     

Any others?  You can list them on a separate sheet of paper. 

For all the details on what happened that night, visit my church youtube page and watch the message Pastor Chuck preaches called “In the Garden”.  This message was preached 4/5/23. After watching you will have an in depth view of all the events of the night.  There actually was a naked boy in the garden that night.  Who was it? ____________

Memory Verse: (take time to memorize) Matthew 26:41

Keep watch and pray so that you will not give into temptation. For the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.