Man of Sorrows

When we look at Jesus we typically forget that He was human and we forget that he did in fact struggle with things throughout his life. He had to be completely dependent on his Father to make it through the difficulties of His life. If Jesus couldn’t handle this life on his own, why do we think that we can handle all that comes with this life. Do we take the stance that we are better than Jesus or stronger than Jesus that when life becomes difficult then we just think that we can just persevere through the difficulty on our own? This would be nonsense! We CAN’T do this life on our own!

We are going to look at the Jesus’ last recorded prayer before His crucifixion.

Matthew 26:36–46 ESV

36 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.” 37 And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38 Then he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.” 39 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.” 40 And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. And he said to Peter, “So, could you not watch with me one hour? 41 Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 42 Again, for the second time, he went away and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.” 43 And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. 44 So, leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words again. 45 Then he came to the disciples and said to them, “Sleep and take your rest later on. See, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46 Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand.”

1. Jesus brought friends with him into his sorrow

He knew that this burden was too difficult to bear own his own, so He asked his friends to bear it with him. Jesus was a man who relied on His friends during difficult circumstances and he friends did the same with him. This life we live was never meant to be lived alone we are a very social individuals. We thrive when we are with other people especially when we go through a difficulty in our lives.

The reason is our friends encourage us and help us persevere through the difficulties in life. Jesus was struggling physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Jesus was at a point in his life in which he knew that his time on this earth was coming to an end. He needed the extra encouragement of prayer from his closest friends. Jesus did not try to hide his sorrow from those closest to Him, nor did He walk away from them and try to face the sorrow on his own. Jesus brought his friends into the sorrow with him. He knew that his friends would pray for him through the difficulties in life and Jesus need this extra encouragement to endure the next couple hours.

2. Jesus prayed in the suffering.

When Jesus enlisted his friends to assist in the suffering they all went and prayed for strength in this time. We see 3 different times in which Jesus went away from his disciples to pray for strength and also for this death to be passed on from him. Jesus dreaded the inevitable fate that awaited and needed God to strengthen Him through it. During the 3 different prayers we see that His friends couldn’t stay awake and endure the sorrow with Jesus so Jesus had to completely rely on God to strengthen him through it. Jesus loved the companionship of his friends but when life really got difficult the only person he could truly rely on was God. When Jesus prayed to his Father he prayed honestly knowing that he could not endure the upcoming torture and pain that awaits him. He knew that he had to go to God in prayer in order to be able to withstand all of these events.

So many times we tend to go to prayer as our last resort after we are in the midst of the trials, after we have exhausted all other forms of support, and after we have finally reached the bottom of the rope. Jesus went to God in prayer before anything ever started going downhill. Jesus knew that He could not do life without a constant reliance on God. When the difficulties come Jesus was already looking to God in his normal life so when Jesus needed him most his faith was already on the source of peace.

3. Jesus understood that God’s plan is best.

This is a one of the most difficult things to truly follow and believe in. We always want what we want when we want it in our lives. We never want to be dependent on someone else when it comes to our lives. People like to have a 10-year plan on their lives and if our reality doesn’t match our plan then we feel as if we have failed. The thing is that when our plan does match with God’s plan for our lives we will be miserable until our plans line up with his. Jesus in his final prayer explains that if this death cannot be avoid and God will not take it away then Jesus knows that it is best for Him to endure this. Jesus knew that for God’s overarching plan to be achieved for all to come to salvation then He must die in the sinners place. Jesus knew God’s plan is best.

When we realize that God is God and we are not then we can truly say that what ever God wills for our lives is best. We can then be dependent on God and it is ok. We no longer care if our 10 year plan lines up with what we want because we know that God is in control. Again does that make it easy to do rely on someone for your future. Not really… but we can be certain that God will direct us if we let him.

You are always going to be given more than you handle.

We are a people who need to be around others who can support us and suffer along side us. We also must pray for God to help us in the troubles of this life because God will give you more than you can handle on your own. But not to much that you can’t handle through Him.

Morris says “Prayer recognized the limitations of the human frame and seeks divine assistance.”

We also must allow for God’s will to be done in our lives. God is God and we are not so we must trust in His plan for our lives. If you ever get cut from a team or don’t get accepted into the college you were hoping for, then pray that God will help you through it. There is always a reason for things not happening in our lives. We just have to be open to the sovereignty of God.