Matthew 26:36

 Matthew 26:36 says, Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder.  After declaring that they would never forsake Him, Jesus came to Gethsemane and asked the disciples to sit while he went to pray.  Verse thirty-seven adds, And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy.  Jesus took Peter, James and John on with Him a little farther.  Jesus began to really feel the heaviness of what awaited Him, and was very sorrowful.  I believe that we sometimes forget that Jesus was a man in every aspect of what this means, and the choice was still His to make about dying on the cross or not.  Verse thirty-eight declares, Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.  Jesus told Peter, James and John that He was sorrowful even to the point of death and asked them to wait where they were and watch with Him.  There was no one attempting to physically attack Jesus, and all these three were asked to do was wait and watch with Jesus.  We may at time declare how strong we are in the Lord and yet fail in the simplest of tasks that He calls us to do.  When the disciples declared their undying loyalty to Jesus they were speaking from their own strength and not from the leadership and strength of God.  Verse thirty-nine adds, And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.  Jesus went a little farther by Himself, fell on His face praying and asked if there was any other way for people to be saved to let that happen.  I believe that we sometimes fail to understand that this was a real request by Jesus and not just some empty prayer.  Verse forty states, And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?  When Jesus returned to the disciples, He found them asleep.  Jesus asked Peter, who was always so bold, if he could not watch with Him for even an hour.  How often might we be found to be spiritually asleep in the world today, unable to remain alert for God even when nothing bad is even going on at the moment?  Verse forty-one adds, Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.  Jesus told Peter, and James and John as well, to watch and pray that they might not enter into temptation.  This is still a warning to us toady.  If we begin to follow in the flesh, we may fail spiritually.  Verse forty-two says. He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.  Jesus went away alone again, and repeated His petition to the heavenly Father.  When we have a great concern today, we need to bring it to our heavenly Father.  Verse forty-three declares, And he came and found them asleep again: for their eyes were heavy.  When Jesus returned to the three disciples, He found them asleep again because their eyes were heavy.  They were relying on physical strength and not spiritual power.  When we attempt to do things for God by our physical strength alone, God may find us spiritually asleep.  Verse forty-four adds, And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words.  Jesus left them asleep this time and went again to pray, praying the same thing again.  Hopefully Jesus will not leave us spiritually asleep today, but will awake us when necessary.  Verse forty-five continues, Then cometh he to his disciples, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, take your rest, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.  When Jesus returned to the disciples, He told them to sleep on because the hour was at hand for Him to be betrayed.  Verse forty-six concludes, Rise, let us be going: behold, he is at hand that doth betray me.  Jesus then told them to rise and for them to be going because the one who was going to betray Him was at hand.  Jesus had accepted what was about to happen, and now He knew that there was no other way for mankind to be redeemed to God.  We want to be with those standing with Jesus and not with the ones who betray Him.