Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

Grace and peace be yours in abundance. You are invited to come to the Wednesday evening prayer meeting and pray. (8:30 PM EST Wed., Jan. 30, 2002) (If you have e-mail prayer requests, please send them before 5:00 PM.)

Today's passage describes some of what happened on the night before Jesus was crucified. Today's passage is about prayer. It's about victory through prayer. And it's also about following Jesus. At one point in his ministry, Jesus said to his disciples (and to everyone else that was listening, and to us also), "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it (Luke 9:23,24)." This is the way to follow Jesus. If you try to save your own life, you will certainly wind up destroying it. But if you lose your life to Jesus, you will keep it for eternal life.

Verse 39 in today's passage says: "Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him." Evidently, it was his custom to go to this place to pray. According to John, he went there often with his disciples (John 18:2). This would be the last time for him to go to this place with his disciples.

Verse 40 says: "On reaching the place, he said to them, 'Pray that you will not fall into temptation.'" Jesus knew that this would be the very last time that he would be able to be with his disciples in the place of prayer before his crucifixion. He gave his last instructions to his disciples: "Pray that you will not fall into temptation." "Pray that you will not fall into temptation." "Pray."

Before going on, there's an additional point I want to make. The text literally says, "Pray that you will not ENTER into temptation," rather than, "Pray that you will not FALL into temptation." Most translations say 'enter.' The point is that 'enter' is something you do of your own volition. The implication is that the 'falling' is not accidental.

To continue, we know that Jesus predicted that all of his disciples would fall away. He quoted Zechariah 13:7, "Strike the shepherd and the sheep will be scattered (Matt. 26:31, Mark 14:27)." Jesus knew that they would 'strike the shepherd and the sheep would be scattered,' so he told them to pray. Are any of you subject to entering into temptation. Jesus says, "Pray!" Jesus, himself, went a little ways away from the disciples and prayed.

Verses 41 and 42 say: "He withdrew about a stone's throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, 'Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.'" Jesus expressed two desires. The first was to not go to the cross ("Take this cup from me."). The second desire he expressed was for God's will to be done. That was his greatest desire. Right at this moment is when the real battle was fought. And I think that it's safe to say that it was the greatest battle of all history.

At the beginning of Jesus's ministry, he was lead into the desert to be tempted -- that is, to be tested and proven -- by the devil. He had fasted and was hungry (see Luke 4:1-13, Matt. 4:1-11). The devil said to him, "If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread." Jesus knew that he didn't need to turn stones into bread to feed himself. He said, "It is written, 'Man does not live on bread alone.'" The devil also showed Jesus all the kingdoms of the world and said that he would give them to him if he would just bow down and worship him. Jesus answered, "It is written, 'Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.'" Jesus knew that he did not need to ask Satan for anything. Finally, the devil took him to the highest point on the temple in Jerusalem and told him, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here. For it is written: 'He will command his angels concerning you to guard you carefully; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.'" Jesus answered, "It says: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'" Jesus knew who he was. He didn't have to prove who he was or who his Father was. He didn't need to save his own life. ("Whoever wants to save his own life will lose it.") (And, incidentally, do you know who you are? Do you know that all that Jesus has is your and that you don't have to ask the devil for anything?)

At the end of Luke's description of Jesus's temptation by the devil, he says that when the devil had finished his tempting, he left Jesus until an opportune time. That opportune time is what today's passage is telling about. Jesus prayed to make his decision to go to the cross -- that is, to do his Father's will rather than his own will. That is the last thing the devil wanted him to do!

In case you might think that Jesus's decision was easy (after all, he was God), remember, he came in the flesh (1 John 4:2) and he was tempted in every way just as we are (Heb 4:15). The point is that he was just as subject to temptation as any of us. The passage in Hebrews tells us that he is able to sympathize with us because he knows what we are going through.

One time, I wanted to make a resolution to stay below the speed limit at all times. Even to make that decision was an extreme battle. The flesh is really rebellious and the devil is good at encouraging that rebellion. I finally, with considerable prayer, was able to make the resolution by limiting it to a six-month duration. Sounds ridiculous. But...

Jesus had to decide not just to die -- and not just to die on the cross -- which is vastly more than the things we usually struggle with -- but also to carry our sins with him -- all of our sins. He literally sweat blood in making that decision. It was Jesus's decision to do his Father's will in this that defeated sin and death and Satan.

Jesus had figuratively picked up his cross when he started his ministry -- or when he made the decision to empty himself of his glory and humble himself and take the form of a man (Philip. 2:6,7) -- or before all creation. He knew exactly who he was and why he was there.

If you read Revelation chapter 19, you will find that there will be a time when all the armies of earth will make war against Jesus and his army (us, I think, but maybe angels). All the armies will be completely defeated. If you read Revelation chapter 20, you will find that at the end of the millennium, an army as numerous as the sand on the seashore will surround the 'camp of God's people, the city that he loves.' Fire will come down from heaven and devour them. They will be completely defeated. These are victories that will happen. They will be great victories over vast armies. But the greatest victory that ever will be is the victory that Jesus won when he prayed, "Not my will, but yours be done."

I think that Jesus's death and resurrection completed and demonstrated the victory, but it was a victory that was already won in the garden on the Mount of Olives. And how was it won? By prayer!!

Jesus knew who he was and exactly what he was doing. Do we know who we are and what we are doing? -- even as we meet in the prayer meeting?

When Jesus rose from prayer and went back to the disciples, he found them asleep, exhausted from sorrow. "Why are you sleeping?" he asked them. "Get up and pray so that you will not fall into temptation." Jesus's last instructions to his disciples were to pray not to fall into temptation. How important do you think it is to pray?

The temptation is to believe that what God has for you is not absolutely the best possible thing and, therefore, to save your own life. Pray to trust and obey.

Come and let's pray for each other as well as for the whole church. Come and encourage your brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus. Love them.

Love in Christ,
Dean

PS: If you absolutely can't make it to the prayer meeting, send your prayer requests back to me by e-mail and we'll pray for them.