“Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you.
Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”
Mark 14:36
Did you know that on the lower slopes of the Mount of Olives still stands an olive grove? Gethsemane (which means “oil press,” a great place for making olive oil) is still there overlooking the Temple Mount. On a recent visit, our guide shared that it’s quite likely that the root systems of some of the trees are from the time of Jesus. While the trees have no doubt been burned and cut down in the past during times of war and distress, we were told it is basically impossible to kill an olive tree without thoroughly digging up its roots. It is unlikely this took place due to the number of trees and the extensive effort it would have taken.
The point is, visiting this place does indeed give a glimpse into where Jesus was when He agonized in prayer before His arrest and death. But an important principle to remember is that what took place is far more significant than where it took place.
After the Passover meal, Jesus took His disciples to Gethsemane and had three go farther into the grove with Him to pray, specifically Peter, James, and John. (He didn’t do this to fulfill Matthew 18:20, which says, “For where two or three gather in my name, there I am with them.” Isn’t God there when less than two or three are gathered?! That passage is about dealing with sin in the church.) I believe Jesus didn’t go alone because He didn’t want to be alone; the burden was so great. As a human, He needed His closest friends.
Unfortunately, these friends were too sleepy to stay awake. You might think they were still tired from their journeys or sleepy from the Passover meal. Actually, Luke records that they were “exhausted from sorrow” (22:45). Three times Jesus went a little farther away to pray, and each time He checked on them, they were asleep. After His third check-in, it had come time for His betrayer to show up with the arresting party, which we’ll look at tomorrow.
John 17 blesses us by sharing some of the content of Jesus’ prayers. It covered three basic areas: (1) that God would be glorified through Jesus; (2) for God to sanctify, unify, and protect the disciples as they went out into the world; and (3) for all believers going forward. Did that last point sink in? Jesus prayed for YOU that night! I truly believe the omniscient God of the universe had your name on His heart in the olive grove.
Let me close this sorrowful occasion with some positive, practical steps to take in regard to prayer:
- Involve others with your prayer burdens
- Pray in a place where you can focus
- Present your requests (for yourself and others) to the Lord
- Be both fervent and diligent
- Pledge total submission to God’s will