Jesus The Son: Agony In Gethsemane
The Road to Redemption P2 - Matthew 26:36-46
March 29, 2025

Introduction:

Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to His disciples, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” 37 And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be grieved and distressed. 38 Then He said to them, “My soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death; remain here and keep watch with Me.” 39 And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will.” 40 And He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “So, you men could not keep watch with Me for one hour? 41 “Keep watching and praying that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the Klesh is weak.” 42 He went away again a second time and prayed, saying, “My Father, if this cannot pass away unless I drink it, Your will be done.” 43 Again He came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. 44 And He left them again, and went away and prayed a third time, saying the same thing once more. 45 Then He came to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Behold, the hour is at hand and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46 “Get up, let us be going; behold, the one who betrays Me is at hand!” —Matthew 26:36-46

The Bible contains passages that we often handle lightly….but other passages draw us up short and seem to cry out sharply, “Take off your shoes, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” —Jim Boice

1. v36-38

Luke 22:39 And He came out and proceeded as was His custom to the Mount of Olives; and the disciples also followed Him.

John 18:2 Now Judas also, who was betraying Him, knew the place, for Jesus had often met there with His disciples.

2. v39a, 42a, 44

Mark 14:36 And He was saying, “Abba! Father! All things are possible for You; remove this cup from Me; yet not what I will, but what You will.”

Psalm 75:7-8 But God is the Judge; He puts down one and exalts another. 8 For a cup is in the hand of the Lord, and the wine foams; it is well mixed, and He pours out of this; surely all the wicked of the earth must drain and drink down its dregs.

Jeremiah 25:15-16 For thus the Lord, the God of Israel, says to me, “Take this cup of the wine of wrath from My hand and cause all the nations to whom I send you to drink it. 16 They will drink and stagger and go mad because of the sword that I will send among them.”

Job 21:20 Let his own eyes see his decay, and let him drink of the wrath of the Almighty.

Mathew 27:46 About the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”

2 Corinthians 5:21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

1 Peter 2:24 and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.

3. Luke 22:43-44

Luke 22:43-44

Hebrews 5:7-9 In the days of His Olesh, He offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His piety. 8 Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered. 9 And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation.

Hebrews 1:4-6 [Jesus] having become as much better than the angels, as He has inherited a more excellent name than they. 5 For to which of the angels did He ever say, “You are My Son, today I have begotten You”? And again, “I will be a Father to Him and He shall be a Son to Me”? 6 And when He again brings the Oirstborn into the world, He says, “And let all the angels of God worship Him.”

4. v39b, 42b, 44

Matthew 6:10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

John 14:31 I do exactly as the Father commanded Me.

HOW TO GUARD AGAINST TEMPTATION: (v40-42)

— you are in a spiritual battle v40

He….found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “So, you men could not keep watch with Me for one hour? Keep watching and praying that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.

— your flesh is weak v41

He….found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “So, you men could not keep watch with Me for one hour? Keep watching and praying that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.

James 1:14 But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust.

— prayer is your strength v41

He….found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “So, you men could not keep watch with Me for one hour? Keep watching and praying that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.

Matthew 6:13 And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

— God’s will is your best v42

He went away again a second time and prayed, saying, “My Father, if this cannot pass away unless I drink it, Your will be done.

2 Corinthians 10:5 Take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.

5. v45-46

John 8:59 Therefore they picked up stones to throw at Him, but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple.
John 10:39 Therefore they were seeking again to seize Him, and He eluded their grasp.
John 12:36b These things Jesus spoke, and He went away and hid Himself from them.
Luke 4:28-30 And all the people in the synagogue were filled with rage as they heard these things; 29 and they got up and drove Him out of the city, and led Him to the brow of the hill on which their city had been built, in order to throw Him down the cliff. 30 But passing through their midst, He went His way.
Mark 14:41 And He came the third time, and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? It is enough; the hour has come; behold, the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners.
John 12:27 Now My soul has become troubled; and what shall I say, ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour.

Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

1 John 4:10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

Romans 8:32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?