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“Dead Man Walking”
Matthew 26:36-39
IPC, April 9, 2009
Maundy Thursday Communion

“A three year old had figured things out and she announced to her mom:  “When I get older and have babies, you’ll be their grandmother.”  The mom was impressed with her daughter’s deductive reasoning until the child added with a glint in her eye, “That is, if you live long enough.”  Parents of young children have often thought if they will survive until the kids reach school age.  (And, at times, they wonder if their kids will live that long.) 

If you were given a choice, how would you choose to die?

• In an accident—quick and relatively painless?

• In your sleep?

• Surrounded by friends and loved ones?

Of course, we at least know the last words of some Southern Rednecks as they die:  “Hey, y’all, hold my beer and watch this!” 

We know that we are not given a choice on how we die—or even the time frame.  Jesus, however, was aware of how He would die.  We looked at the Triumphal Entry last Sunday and talked about the road that Jesus had to travel during Holy Week—the road of humility, fulfillment, obedience and destiny.  Here it is Thursday—the night Jesus was arrested and the cross is now looming closer.  Jesus and the disciples had eaten the Last Supper in the Upper Room and Jesus is entering the Garden of Gethsemane to pray.  Matt. 26:36-39 “Then Jesus went with them to a placed called Gethsemane, & he said to his disciples, ‘Sit here, while I go over there & pray.’ And taking with him Peter & the two sons of Zebedee (James and John), he began to be sorrowful & troubled.  Then he said to them, ‘My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, & watch with me.’ And going a little farther he fell on his face & prayed, saying, ‘My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.’” 

This passage shows our Lord in deep distress and anguish.  We’re not used to seeing this side of Jesus, are we?  We are used to seeing the confident Jesus who confronts and challenges.  At times, many of us picture the Lord Jesus walking the road to the cross with a kind of John Wayne/Arnold Schwarzenegger type of attitude—NO FEAR!  A model of grit and determination. 

But this is not what we see.  Instead we find a Man who is vulnerable and somewhat uncertain. 

 Why was Jesus so Distressed?

1.  Jesus Understood What Was About to Happen to Him.

Jesus knew what was going to happen in the next few hours.  Earlier in chapter 26, look at what He said to His followers:

• Verse 21—“And as they were eating, he said, ‘Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.’”  He knew that one of His followers would turn his back on Jesus, betraying Him for money.

• They went to the Mount of Olives. And in verse 31, Jesus told His disciples quoting the Book of Zechariah:  “You will all fall away because of me this night.  For it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, & the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’”  Jesus knew they would turn and run, fearing for their lives, leaving Jesus to face death alone.

• Of course, Jesus knew how He was going to be killed.  The first two verses of chapter 26: “When Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said to his disciples, ‘You know that after two days the Passover is coming, & the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified.’”  Jesus didn’t only know He was going to die, but He knew how He would be dying—by crucifixion, which was the cruelest, most torturous way for a person to die.  Death by crucifixion was designed to produce the greatest degree of shame and to inflict the greatest amount of pain for the longest possible period of time.  Jesus knew what was about to happen.

2.  Jesus Understood What Was at Stake.

Jesus knew that this was more than just a physical struggle.  This would be a spiritual struggle.  In His death, He would be taking on the guilt and sin of all humanity.  Isaiah 53:5-6 “But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, & with his stripes we are healed.  All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; & the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” 

In Max Lucado’s book And the Angels Were Silent, he describes the scene:  “The final encounter of the battle has begun.  As Jesus looks at the city of Jerusalem, He sees what the disciples can’t.  He sees the Evil One preparing for the final encounter.  Hell is breaking loose.  History records it as the battle of the Jews against Jesus.  It wasn’t.  It was a battle of God against Satan.  AND JESUS KNEW IT.  He knew that before the war was over, He would be taken captive.  He knew that before victory would come defeat.  He knew that before the throne would come the cup.  He knew that before the light of Sunday would come the blackness of Friday…AND HE WAS AFRAID.” 

We often don’t think of Jesus as being afraid, but He was.  He could not be human without really knowing what it meant to be afraid, especially of His own death.  But that leads us to a more helpful question: 

How Did Jesus Face His Fear? 

1.  Jesus Sought Encouragement from Others.

Jesus took Peter, James and John with Him to pray and He told them, “My soul is crushed with grief…stay here & watch with Me.”  (Matt. 26:37-38 –New Living Translation)  Our Lord knew what lay ahead and He realized that He needed support and encouragement to face it. 

Last Saturday a number of our folks came out for our yard work day and to build a fence around the First Fruits Garden.  Our “grounds deacon,” David Weigand, provided the leadership and coordination for this project.  However, the job was completed with the help of a bunch of volunteers.  How do you think Dave would have felt if no one had shown up last Saturday?  After making arrangements and having pine straw delivered and announcing it publicly and contacting people through the week—how would he have felt if no one had shown up to help?  Probably disappointment and maybe a little anger.  He would have probably felt overwhelmed by the task at hand.  However, Dave looked fairly peaceful after the work day and was grateful for the help.  If he had been the only one, however, he may have come to church the next day and said something like, “Where were you? Why didn’t you come help me?” 

That is probably how Jesus felt.  He asked these three disciples for help and encouragement in prayer, but what did He find instead? Matt. 26:40-41 “And he came to the disciples & found them sleeping.  And he said to Peter, ‘So, could you not watch with me one hour? Watch & pray that you may not enter into temptation.  The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.’” 

2.  Jesus Poured Out His Heart.

Our Savior didn’t just pray at times of crisis.  It appeared to be routine throughout His life.  It was probably His foremost coping skill—it was the way that He stayed connected to His Heavenly Father.  And, at the point of Jesus’ deepest need, He hit His knees!  Actually, He fell on His face, praying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.”  At this point, Jesus may have appeared to be vulnerable, uncertain or afraid.  In a sense, He was saying, “Father, won’t You please get me out of here?”  There was covering it up or faking it for the camera—Jesus was totally honest.   

He was in great pain and prayed so earnestly that his sweat fell to the ground like drops of blood.  Luke 22:44 “And being in great agony he prayed more earnestly; & his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.”  Heb. 5:7 “In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers & supplications, with loud cries & tears, to him who was able to save him from death, & he was heard because of his reverence.”  Jesus poured out His heart before His Heavenly Father. 

3.  Jesus Humbly Yielded to His Father’s Will.

While Jesus honestly asked for a reprieve, notice His response to His Father—He yielded to His Father’s will.  In Max Lucado’s book “And the Angels Were Silent,” he writes:  “He knows what it’s like to beg God to change His mind & to hear God say so gently, but firmly, ‘No.”  For that is what God says to Jesus.  And Jesus accepts the answer.” 

4.  Jesus Received Comfort & Strength from God.

Luke 22:43 “And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him.”  This is an interesting event—there was no blazing fanfare from the Heavenly Father… there is just this simple phrase that an angel came to strengthen Jesus.  God sent an angel to support Jesus, to encourage His spirit and to help Him during His time of uncertainty.  Can’t you imagine our Lord lying on the ground and an angel simply coming up behind Jesus and placing his hand on the Lord’s shoulder and saying, “You’re not alone.”?   God provided what Jesus needed at that point. 

5.  Jesus Completed the Journey to the Cross.

At the close of this prayer time, do you see what Jesus did next?  Matt. 26:45-46 “Then he came to the disciples & said to them, ‘Sleep & take your rest later on.  See, the hour is at hand, & the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.  Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand.” 

After receiving strength and comfort, Jesus steadfastly faced His death and actually walked toward it.  Judas comes to Jesus and gave Him the kiss of betrayal.  Then the officers grabbed Jesus and arrested Him.  One of the men with Jesus pulled out a sword and slashed off an ear of the high priest’s servant.  Jesus told him (Matt. 26:52-54) “Put your sword back into its place.  For all who take the sword will perish by the sword. Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, & he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then should the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must be so?” 

Jesus is not some poor, helpless victim, unwittingly caught up by circumstances beyond His control.  Jesus freely, deliberately, and willingly completed the journey to the cross.  John 10:17-18 “For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again.  No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord.  I have the authority to lay it down & I have the authority to take it up again.  This charge I have received from my Father.”  Back to Hebrews 5 (Vs. 8-9) “Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him.” 

Max Lucado  And the Angels Were Silent:  “The battle is won.  You may have thought it was won on Golgotha.  It wasn’t.  You may have thought the sign of victory is the empty tomb.  It isn’t.  The final battle was won in Gethsemane.  And the sign of conquest is Jesus at peace in the olive trees.  For it was in the garden that He made His decision…He would rather go to hell for you than go to heaven without you.” 

How Should We Respond?

• With gratitude and praise.

• With humble submission.

• By following Christ’s example.  Heb. 12:2-3 “Looking to Jesus, the founder & perfector of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, & is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.  Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.”

• By reflecting on His sacrifice.

As we come to the Lord’s Table in just a moment until we gather together to celebrate His resurrection on Easter Sunday morning, please take time to remember all that Jesus did for us. He did this to pave the way for us to spend eternity in His presence in Heaven and provided a day-to-day relationship with Him while we’re living here on earth.  Let’s pray. 

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In Christ,
Bill Bratley - Pastor