Jesus has designated that Judas will be his betrayer. After sending him away, Jesus has taken the Passover and reconstituted it into a new memorial in which the disciples will remember his body and his blood of the covenant. The disciples are instructed to remember his sacrifice and remember the effect of his sacrifice. It is now late at night and Jesus is taking his disciples to the Mount of Olives. If you will open your copies of God’s word to Matthew 26 we will look at these final hours of Jesus’ life beginning in verse 30.
Falling Away (Matthew 26:30-32)
Jesus shocked his disciples as they were preparing for the Passover feast. Jesus told them that one of them would betray him. Now Jesus is going to shock his disciples again. Look at Matthew 26:31. “You will all fall away because of me this night.” The disciples have been with Jesus for years. Now, as they are crossing the Kidron Valley and walking to the Mount of Olives, Jesus tells them that tonight they will all fail. Tonight they will all fall away. Tonight everyone’s faith is going collapse. Your faith will fail tonight. What a shock this must have been to hear these words! No one is going to get through this night spiritually unscathed. Then Jesus continues by showing that this also was part of God’s prophetic plan. Look at the rest of verse 31.
Jesus quotes from Zechariah 13:7 to prove that his disciples are going fail. The prophecy proclaimed that when the shepherd is struck, the result will be that the sheep will be scattered. Now the context of this prophecy is helpful. Zechariah 13:7 begins by declaring that it would be God himself who will strike the shepherd. What is happening and why is this happening? Zechariah’s prophecy continues. God is putting his sheep into the fire. God is using this time of striking the shepherd to put the sheep in a test. Zechariah 13:9 says that this was a time of refining fire. Some sheep will not be refined but perish in the fire. But some sheep will be refined by the fire. You are going to be tested and those who pass the test will call upon the Lord and the Lord will answer them (Zechariah 13:9). The Lord will call them his people and the survivors of the refining fire will say, “The Lord is my God” (Zechariah 13:9). You are coming into the hour of trial.
I want us to appreciate this discussion that Jesus is having with these disciples. Jesus at this moment also tells Peter that Satan has demanded to have him, to sift him like wheat (cf. Luke 22:31). Jesus is not only saying that these disciples’ faith will fail tonight. Jesus is also telling them that Satan is actively going to work to destroy them tonight. But by quoting Zechariah 13 Jesus is also showing that God is using this fire to refine his disciples.
Now look at verse 32. Jesus has told his disciples that their faith will all fail. But verse 32 does not say that the battle is over. Jesus does not tell them that he will quit on them because they are going to fail him. Rather, Jesus says that after they have failed, he will go ahead of you. You will fail but Jesus is not done with you. You are in the fire but that does not mean God has abandoned you. He is going ahead of you. He is not leaving you.
Believe the Warning (Matthew 26:33-35)
Peter has a response to Jesus’ shocking words. Peter says in verse 33 that these other disciples could fall away, but I will never fall away. Peter says, “No way!” Peter says, “Not me!” They might not have the faith. But I have the faith. Their faith may fail but my faith will not. They may fall away but I will not. Now I want us to listen to what Peter is saying and note that we would say the same thing. We think the same thing. We think other people will give up, but not me. I will stay with Jesus no matter what. We do not want to listen to the warning. We want to believe that we are strong. We want to believe that we are ready. We want to be that we can withstand the fire.
But Jesus tells Peter you are not going to stand. Jesus tells Peter in verse 34 that Peter will deny Jesus three times tonight. Jesus tells Peter that you are not going to fail me once tonight. You are going to fail me three times tonight. You are going to collapse under the weight of the trial three times tonight. We want to think we are fine. We want to pretend that we are strong. But we are not. Peter does not listen. Peter proclaims that he is ready to die with Jesus and would never deny him. Not only does Peter say this, all the other disciples said the same thing. We are fine. We do not need help. We can do this. We connect to this kind of thinking. We are independent. We are spiritual. We do not need anyone else. We are spiritually strong. Gathering with other Christians is a waste because we would never fall and never fail. The disciples are saying that they are ready and that Jesus is wrong. Listen to God’s warning through the apostle Paul.
So, whoever thinks he stands must be careful not to fall. (1 Corinthians 10:12 CSB)
This is the important setting to understanding the scene as it unfolds on the Mount of Olives.
The Need For Prayer (Matthew 26:36-46)
Now Jesus has his disciples sit and wait while he goes a little distance to pray. Jesus just told the disciples what is about to happen to them. Satan is trying to destroy you tonight. You will all fall away because of me. Strike the shepherd and the sheep will be scattered. You are being put into the fire tonight. You are going to deny me three times. Jesus is now going to pray. Jesus knows what he needs to do right now. Jesus knows the path to get through trial.
Jesus then goes a little further with Peter, James, and John. Please notice that Jesus is sorrowful and troubled. Jesus is not impervious to this moment. Jesus is not emotionless. Jesus is distressed and in anguish. Jesus is troubled because of what is about to happen at any moment now. Jesus is so troubled that he tells the three disciples in verse 38 that he is deeply grieved, even to the point of death. The anguish and sorrow is overwhelming at this point. The humanity of Jesus is fully displayed to us right now. Jesus is not saying that it is fine. Jesus is not saying that he has this and does not need anyone. Jesus knows that he needs his Father. Jesus knows he needs his disciples to watch and pray. Jesus knows that we need to turn to his Father during this time of anguish. This is exactly what Jesus does. Jesus is praying. We are not told everything that he said. We are told this one important part of his prayer in verse 39.
“My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” (Matthew 26:39 ESV)
Jesus is experiencing the conflict of the flesh and the spirit. The flesh does not want any part of what is coming. But the spirit knows this: “Not as I will, but as you will.” Notice that this is the point that Jesus wants his disciples to understand. Look at verses 40-41.
Jesus comes to his disciples and he finds them sleeping. In light of everything Jesus has told them, they are sleeping. Now it is important to be mindful that it is late. It is likely deep into the middle of the night now. But what is the problem with the disciples sleeping? Look carefully at verse 41. They need to be awake praying so that they do not enter into temptation. Jesus told them that their spiritual lives are on the line. Jesus has told them that the devil is coming after them. Jesus has told them that they are going to fall away. The thing that needs to happen right now is prayer, not sleep. But Jesus observes the problem. “The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” It is easy to fail at what we need the most. You need to be praying right now but you are sleeping. Don’t give into the flesh. Don’t give into your tiredness. Pray and watch out for your souls!
So Jesus leaves them with those words and goes and prays again. We are told in verse 42 that he prayed similar words. “Your will be done.” If this is the path, then I will follow your path, Lord! If the path of suffering cannot be avoided, then I will accept this path. I will not get off the path or change the path. Friends, please realize that Jesus can stop this at any time. Jesus has the power to stop this. Jesus has the knowledge to stop. Jesus can leave this place. Jesus has myriads of options and ways to avoid this moment. But this is the moment that God has brought him to. So he is praying again.
Jesus comes to his disciples again and they are sleeping again (Matthew 26:43). So Jesus goes back alone and prays the same thing again for a third time. Then Jesus returns and the disciples are still sleeping again. I want us to see that the disciples have already failed three times. Three times the disciples should be awake, alert, and praying. Three times Jesus finds them sleeping. Friends, please notice that Jesus does not find them sinning. Jesus finds them sleeping. Jesus finds them unprepared. Jesus finds them not ready for what is about to happen. Sleep later because the betrayer has arrived (Matthew 26:45-46). Now Jesus will be betrayed and handed over to sinners.
The Victorious Path
I want us to see that Jesus shows us the path of victory in the time of trial. How are we to stand in the face of temptations and trials? What does Jesus show us?
First, Jesus teaches us that the flesh is weak even though the spirit is willing. We need to admit and acknowledge that the flesh will let us down. As strong as we might think we might be, our flesh is weak. Your flesh can betray you. Satan will use your flesh against you. Regarding the disciples, sleep was the obstacle. Regarding Jesus, the anguish was the obstacle. Satan is going to challenge our flesh so that our flesh will change our spirit’s mind. If we are honest, we realize that this happens a lot. We realize that we allow our flesh to change our mind’s dedication. The spirit is willing. But the flesh changes our minds so that we sin rather than stay strong. We must admit the problem of the flesh if we are going to experience any spiritual victory. If we do not admit this problem, then the flesh will keep blindsiding us and winning. The flesh is weak and we are being told that the spirit needs to overthrow the weakness of the flesh.
Second, the path to glory is the path of difficulty. One of the key areas where the spirit needs to overthrow the flesh is to understand that the path to eternal glory is to go through difficulty and hardship. We read this point earlier. God would strike the shepherd so that the sheep would be scattered. Why did this need to happen? God did this so that the sheep would be tested in the fire. Faith must be tested. Faith must be refined. Faith must be challenged if it is going to be found pure and true. So we must go through extreme hardships. We must go through the time of trial. We must be placed into the fiery furnace. Jesus is leading the way, showing us that the way to glory must pass through the valley of the shadow of death. Jesus’ words show this truth. Jesus asks that if there is another way, to then let the cup pass from him. What is the point of this? The point is to show us that there was no other way. There is no other path. There is no way to avoid the fire. The path to victory is always through the fiery trials, not going around the trials. You must drink the cup to enter glory.
Third, prayer is the necessary key to victory. Jesus did not leave us to figure all of this out. Jesus shows us exactly what we need to do. Prayer is the necessary key to victory. Jesus spends this evening alone in prayer because this is the answer. God in the flesh showed that the response to the trial and temptation is prayer. Jesus even taught his sleeping disciples that prayer is the response. Jesus told his disciples later that they can sleep later. Pray now. Jesus showed us that when you are done praying, then pray again. When you are done with that prayer, then you need to pray again. When Satan is coming after you, to have you, and to sift you like wheat, you must go on the offensive with prayer. Prayer is the needed response.
Finally, the attitude necessary for victory is clear. Jesus’ words in his prayer show us the attitude we must have in the time of trial. God’s will, not mine. God’s way, not mine. God’s wisdom, not mine. Friends, it is easy to say, “Not my will, but your will.” But it is another thing to do it. Indeed, the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. The spirit affirms that it must be God’s will. But the flesh disputes that and tells us to follow our will. The attitude needed for victory is that God’s will must be done, not mine. We will choose to go forward with God, even in the face of extreme suffering and even death.
In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. (Hebrews 5:7-8 ESV)
Why was Jesus heard? Was he heard because of who he was? That is not what the writer of Hebrews says. Jesus was heard because of his devotion and reverence. What was his devotion and reverence? He was seeking God’s will and not his own. The attitude necessary for victory is to have the same attitude that Jesus had. It is not my will that leads us to victory. It is seeking God’s will that will lead us to victory.
Let’s end with where we began. Jesus told the disciples they would fail but he would still lead them after their failure. The flesh is weak. But it is not too late to come back to him. Jesus knew you would fail. Learn from the failure and seek the will of the Lord.