Day 3 | The Garden of Gethsemane
Lisa Scheffler, author
Most of us know the knife-in-the-gut feeling of being rejected, abandoned, or betrayed. It’s excruciating. Though he demonstrated endless compassion and wisdom in his time on earth, Jesus knows those feelings too.
Having just celebrated the Last Supper, Jesus is surrounded by his closest disciples. These are people he’d poured his life into for years, yet they will fail him during his greatest time of need.
Read
Matthew 26:31-56
31 Then Jesus told them, “This very night you will all fall away on account of me, for it is written: “‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ 32 But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.”
33 Peter replied, “Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will.”
34 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “this very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.”
35 But Peter declared, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” And all the other disciples said the same.
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 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. “Couldn’t you men 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 flesh 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 has come, and the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners. 46 Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!”
47 While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived. With him was a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and the elders of the people. 48 Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The one I kiss is the man; arrest him.” 49 Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed him.
50 Jesus replied, “Do what you came for, friend.”
Then the men stepped forward, seized Jesus and arrested him. 51 With that, one of Jesus’ companions reached for his sword, drew it out and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear.
52 “Put your sword back in its place,” Jesus said to him, “for all who draw the sword will die by the sword. 53 Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? 54 But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?”
55 In that hour Jesus said to the crowd, “Am I leading a rebellion, that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me? Every day I sat in the temple courts teaching, and you did not arrest me. 56 But this has all taken place that the writings of the prophets might be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples deserted him and fled.
Reflect
God created human beings to live together and rely on one another. When he made the very first human, he said “it is not good for the man to be alone” (Gen. 2:18). Relationships are essential to who we are. God himself lives in supernatural harmony in a bond our minds cannot fully grasp: one God existing as Father, Son and Spirit.
Yet because of sin, our human connections can be the source of tremendous pain. Selfishness, fear, resentment, anger, cowardice and stubbornness can make relationships that were meant to strengthen and bless us tear us down. Sometimes even in spite of our best efforts, our relationships can lead to big disappointments.
Though we may have poured ourselves into relationships that end up hurting us, we have a Savior who endured much worse. Jesus sympathizes with our pain because the ones he loved most failed him completely.
Remarkably, even Judas’ betrayal and the disciple’s cowardice and lack of faith did not prevent Jesus from dying for them. It was their sin, along with ours, that he would pay for on the cross. We can find great hope in Jesus’ disciples because they were as imperfect as we are.
Take time today to thank God for saving you. Be honest with him about your current struggles with sin and doubt. We’ve all missed the mark as followers of Christ. Happily, he wasn’t looking for disciples who were good enough to save. We are not worthy of his perfect love and goodness, but he gives it to us anyway. Jesus sacrificed himself for us because we need of saving. He then gives us his Spirit to shape and transform us into who he created us to be. We come to Christ broken and soiled, but because of the cross we have the assurance of healing, restoration, and new life.
Pray
In prayer, reflect on the grace that God has shown you. If you’re feeling frustrated, afraid, angry, sad, or all of the above, take a moment to breathe in the grace of God and exhale those negative emotions one by one. Then praise the Father for his grace.