34"My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death," he said to them. "Stay here and keep watch."
35Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him.
36"Abba, Father," he said, "everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will."
- P90
Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak."- P91
41Returning the third time, he said to them, "Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough! The hour has come. Look, the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners.
42Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!"
- P91
Jesus prays in the garden of Gethsemane. He expresses deep sorrow andasks the Father if the cup of suffering can be taken away, but submits to Hiswill. Jesus finds His disciples sleeping and urges them to stay awake and pray.
- P91
After praying three times, Jesus declares that the hour has come and the Sonof Man is delivered into the hands of sinners.- P91
He is overwhelmed with sorrow. He knows that He will bear the burden of the sins of the world upon Himself, suffer on the cross, and experience the pain of His impending separation from the Father. - P92
Yet, Jesus’ prayer shows us the extent of His love. He willingly submits to the will of the Father despite the immense difficulties of the task ahead. We see the level of Jesus’ dedication to the Father and His commitment to us. - P92
Though He is deeply troubled about what will happen in the next few hours, Jesus is ready to lay down His life.- P92
Jesus warns the disciples not to fall into temptation. This is a time to be spiritually alert, not physically inert. Sometimes our drive to satisfy our physical desires distracts us from recognizing the spiritual needs inside and around us. - P92
The spirit may be willing but good intentions are of little use without physical discipline. May we heed Jesus’ words in our own lives to "stay alert" and be ready for action when He calls.- P92
Dear God, thank you for showing me what faithful obedience looks like through Your Son. In Jesus’ willingness to suffer and die, I see Your love for me. Give me the discipline to be spiritually alert to the spiritual needs inside and around me. In Jesus’ name, amen.- P93
Friends, I encourage you to wake up early and spend time in prayer this week. Yes,
it will at first make you tired. But through prayer, God sets us free from our self-soothing rituals, and guides us away from unproductive conflict. Trusting it willlead to greater rest in the end, let us give our early mornings to God.
-Pastor Sam An- P93
Jesus is tried before Pilate. The chief priests accuse Him of many things, butJesus remains silent. Pilate offers to release one prisoner for the Passover, andthe crowd chooses Barabbas over Jesus. Wanting to satisfy the crowd, Pilategives in to their demands and orders Jesus‘ crucifixion.- P95
The people had a choice: Barabbas the murderer or Jesus the Redeemer.
They could choose a rightfully convicted criminal or a wrongfully accusedSavior. One had taken lives; the other surrendered His life for others. - P97
Byboth Jewish and Roman law, Barabbas deserved to die, but he would live.
Jesus deserved to live, but He would die. Yet, without realizing it, the peoplemade the choice that they needed for their salvation. They could not receiveeternal life if Jesus did not die on the cross. - P97
They thought they were puttingto death a troublemaker when, in fact, they were giving life to a movementof "troublemakers;" Jesus‘ followers spread throughout the Roman empireand would be accused of causing "trouble all over the world" (Acts 17:6).
- P97
As sinners deserving death, we see ourselves in Barabbas. Just as Jesus ex-changes places with Barabbas, allowing Himself to die while Barabbas lives,
Jesus also exchanges His life for ours. He died so that we might live. "Goddemonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christdied for us (Rom. 5:8). We are all rightfully convicted criminals, guilty ofbreaking the holy laws of God, but Jesus has taken our guilt upon Himself,
granting us forgiveness through His righteousness.
- P97
Thank God for this great exchange which allowed Jesus to take our place!
By God‘s grace, He gives us this gift "through faith in Jesus Christ to allwho believe (Rom. 3:22)- P97
