When Will We Wake Up? (Luke 22:39-46)

Intro

Christ’s Agony (vs.44)

Agony - (only mention) extreme anguish and distress of body and mind.

Matthew 26:37–38 “And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy. Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.”

Sorrowful - to grieve, feelings of sadness and unhappiness

Very Heavy - to be in anxiety, subject to extreme mental, spiritual anguish, sometimes at the point of losing one’s mind.

Mark 14:33 “And he taketh with him Peter and James and John, and began to be sore amazed, and to be very heavy;”

Sore amazed - to be alarmed, excessively affected by emotion.

Christ’s Appealing (vs.42)

Hebrews 5:7–8 “Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared; Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;”

Christ is not just talking to His Father, He is crying out to His Father!

Strong crying - producing great volume or intensity; a loud, articulate, emotional utterance

And Tears

Christ’s Asking (vs.45-46)

Why sleep ye?

Jesus is praying only a stone’s cast from Peter, James, and John. (vs.41)

In Matthew 26:38 “Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.” (would you stay here and stay awake with me?)

It has come time for Christ to endure the cross. Christ is afraid, yet willing to go to the cross so that everyone’s sin debt can be paid for. Christ let’s us know in vs.46, that we are going to be tempted to sleep. Some have already went to sleep. Some are awake, but some are still sleeping. When will we wake up?

In Sleep, there is Pathetic Devotion

Acts 16:25

This Philippian Jailor is not doing his job! In fact, he’s asleep!

Proverbs 6:9 “How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? When wilt thou arise out of thy sleep?”

Romans 13:11–14 “And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.”

It’s real easy to stay awake for things we love and care about. More often than not, people are sleeping on the Lord Jesus because they don’t love and care for Him like they should!

In Sleep, there is Phony Dreams

Jeremiah 23:24-32

If you’re not living by the word of God, you’re living a dream. Dreaming is getting away from reality. You’re living in a fake world!

In Sleep, there is a Picture of Death

You know what dead people do?

They do nothing. They have no life.

James 2:17–20 “Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?”

They decay. They wither.

Matthew 15:6 “And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.”

They stink.

Ecclesiastes 10:1 “Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour.”

Folly is senseless behavior.

If you are saved, and claim to be saved, and claim to be a Christian, then you have a reputation for wisdom and honour. You’re reputation is to act like Christ. If we have a little folly (senseless behavior), we stink.

Here’s what makes sense.

Romans 12:1–2 “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable (rational/senseble) service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

They’re stiff.

Jeremiah 17:23 “But they obeyed not, neither inclined their ear, but made their neck stiff, that they might not hear, nor receive instruction.”

How Do We Wake Up?

Jesus asked the same question to the disciples I’m asking you today. Why sleep ye? When will you wake up?

I can ask you this question, but it won’t help much. But when Christ asks you this question, it may just wake you up!