Forsaken for Me

Bible Passage: Matthew 26:36-44

Introduction

Do you know when tragedy next strikes you, who you will go to for help? Hopefully, all of us have friends, probably even right here in this church, that we know we can go to for help. We want to be a part of the community for you. It’s why we’re here. It’s why we get together regularly to do things together, to build that community of people that you know you can trust. Regardless, some of us are closer to people outside are group and that’s ok. I’m just saying if you have an honest to goodness real emergency, think of the person you’re going to call, that you know will say “give me 1 minute and I’m out the door. I’ll be there.” This is your closest of friends. In the popular speech, your “Ride or Die”. This is the one who will always come running. Until tragedy strikes at a very inopportune moment. Those of you who know me and my relationship to Pam, know that if she calls I’m moving, almost every time. But when the tragedy was a snake in the basement window well and I was at work 125 miles away, I knew there was no point in jumping in the car. The odds it would still be there by the time I arrived were next to zero. For whatever reason, there are times when we need our friend and they just can’t be there. There are times when we want our friend and it’s just not possible. Another emergent issue is in the way. You ask for help and it just doesn’t seem to come.

We know from years of reading Scripture, that the Holy Spirit is always there for us. Once you’ve come into a relationship with God. He makes His home inside of you. So you can call out to Him at any time and know that He won’t run. Now lets just be real with each other. Even knowing that He is there, we have times when we pray and ask for help and you can see the sign swinging from the door. “Back in 1 hour.” We really need the one who’s always with us and we’re certain no one is home. We’re positive He left and didn’t leave a forwarding address. Cause we’re crying out, we’re fasting and praying, and we’re not getting anything but crickets. Know Christian, this is not the truth. He doesn’t abandon us, he doesn’t forsake us. Jesus’ came to earth and he most definitely was forsaken by the Father and the Spirit, for three days in hell. And He did that so that we don’t ever have to experience it ourselves. He didn’t do it for any other reason than for you and for me and for that jerk across the street. He lived and died so that we don’t have to.

I. Separated to Greive

Matthew 26:36–37 “Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit here, while I go over there and pray.” And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled.”

Took Friends to a place

Went to the Garden

Took disciples with Him

Got away from the crowds

Spoke to the disciples

Wait here

I’ll go over there

You wait here for me

Took closest allies

Peter, James and John pray with me

Pray with me

Allowed sorrow and worry in

Have you ever been overtaken by a season of sorrow and grief? All of us experience seasons of sorrow and grief. You know those days when they overtake you. Let’s not trivialize what Jesus’ was experiencing though. This wasn’t sadness over lost opportunity or things not going our way. Jesus’ knew what was coming for Him. He knew full well what he was about to experience. He knew He needed time to prepare and He went where He always went we He had a need. He went to the Father to pray. We’ve all said it “I guess there’s nothing left to do but pray.” Jesus’ repeatedly gives us the example, prayer isn’t the last resort of the hopeless. It’s the place we should start when we have needs. It’s the shelter we run to when the storms start brewing. It’s the place we take a few trusted friends and go and seek the presence of the Triune God. What else can you see here though? This was the perfect, sinless, Son of God. This is the redeemer and savior of all mankind. Jesus’ is the Word become flesh and He went away, He stepped aside, and He took His most trusted allies with Him to go and deal with the sorrow and trouble that were overwhelming Him. This prayer in the Garden wasn’t your average Wednesday night Prayer Meeting. This was the prayer group at eh bedside in the cancer ward. This was the prayer group in the home of recently, tragically, unexpected widow. This is the gathering across town as the young child lays dying in the hospital. This is deep grieving, blood sweating prayer of the Savior who is about to take on your sins and mine. This is the preparation of the savior who is about to be separated from the Father and throw into Hell. This is the worst day you could ever imagine. This is the loss of your greatest hope in the world kind of grief. This is gathering everyone you know and love to pray fervently for the Hand of God to move, because the weight of sin and tragedy has so overwhelmed us we can’t even stand any longer.

II. Seeking Solace

Matthew 26:38–39 “Then he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.” And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.””

Asked for help

Spoke to His guys

Asked for their help - Remain her and watch with me

Told them why - my soul is very sorrowful to death

Went a little further

Stepped off to pray

Trusted his friends for help

Let the weight of now overwhelm Him

Prayed for Reprieve

Spoke to His Father

If it be possible - Is there any other way

“Not as I will, but as you will”

This is the moment we all come to eventually. We see what is coming and know the depth of the sorrow we’re about to get hit with is even greater than what we currently face. Unlike Jesus, we never really know what even the next moment will bring. We’ve all been there or watched as it happened to others. The diagnosis gets made or the accident happens or the evil overtakes someone we love. I’m thinking now of the parent with the young person addicted to opiates. You watch the downward spiral. You see the addiction take over there life and every time the phone rings or the knock comes you hold your breath. You know if God doesn’t intervene they will be overcome. Fortunately, I’ve not lived through that tragedy personally. But I’ve seen it often enough. We’re surrounded by it. We’re touched by it. And so we pray a little more diligently when it starts getting to close for comfort. Jesus’ was born for this very moment. He knows it’s why He came down out of heaven in the first place. And still He prays and asks for a reprieve. “If there be any other way let this cup pass from me.” He asked God to not require Him to go through what was to come. But in the end acknowledged it was the Father’s will that He wanted to be done. I would advise you never make this statement to the individual experiencing deep grief. It’s so tempting and it is overwhelmingly true. But from the inside looking out, it’s not helpful in the slightest. Keep that prayer between you and the Father.

III. Completely Forsaken

Matthew 26:40–43 “And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. And he said to Peter, “So, could you not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Again, for the second time, he went away and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.” And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy.”

Found the Disciples Sleeping

Got up and came for support

Found them where He left them

Found them sleeping

Could you not watch 1 hour

Points out Peter’s betrayal

Put an explanation point on it

Called him out for sleeping

Be alert, Pray with Me

Watch yourself, Spirit is willing

Your help is needed

Pray to the Father with me

Jesus’ request in the moment was to avoid the very thing He came to earth to endure. It is one thing to look at tragedy from a distance and be able to empathize with it. We turn on our TV and see the war going on and we feel some sense of loss for those who are being immediately touched by it. Regardless of our political leaning, we know for those in the fight and those waiting for them to come home, the weight and the sorrow of loss is real. You cannot see the devastation and destruction and not relate, especially for those who aren’t seeing it for the first time. But then you change the channel and you start watching more cheerful things, House Hunters, basketball, Comedy Central, anything else and the weight is lifted by time and distance. Peter, James and John no doubt felt chastised, but they weren’t bearing the real weight. They weren’t experiencing the actual tragedy. They were just seeing it from a distance. So despite the no doubt impassioned plea, the look of sorrow and deep betrayal, they didn’t pray long before they were asleep again. It’s very hard to understand the depth of tragedy in someone else’s life. It’s always there for someone close by us. But any distance at all and we won’t hang onto it. It’s the reason they really couldn’t be relied upon to pray for even an hour. If you’ve never prayed for an hour this might seem hard to believe. Trust me, if you can’t enter into the needs of someone you’re praying for, an hour is a very long time. If you’re already tired from the walk across distance to the Garden, you’re already pre-disposed to failure. Keep in mind the very thing Jesus’ is asking them to pray for is the betrayal that brought Him to that point in the first place. It is our betrayal, our sin that caused this pain and sorrow. We forced Him into it. We are responsible.