The events of this text occurred one evening about 2000 years ago. The participants involved here, in many respects, were quite different from you and me. They had no technology; they spoke a different language, and their clothing was different. They ate different kinds of food, and what entertainment that they had, was nothing like ours. And yet, we are going to spend eternity in fellowship with them, because there are some important similarities between us. They were and still are children of God by the Lord’s grace – just as many of us are children of God.
Not only that – the situation of which we have read has been repeated in kind ever since that first episode. The Lord Jesus has been saying to you and me, every day of our lives, “Watch and pray, lest ye enter into temptation.” This recorded, not just twice, but three times – in each of the synoptic Gospels – because we need to read and heed. Other than this morning, I have never preached from this scripture before. But this message may sound familiar, because I looked at this basic subject four years ago while studying another passage. If the Bible can look at it three times, then we can look at it at least twice.
I come to you with the same words as Christ Jesus. It’s not because I’m so smart, but rather because of just the opposite. I need to hear these words, and I need to meditate on them. You and I need to hear them for the same reasons that Christ gave them to the first disciples. Watch and pray for the seriousness of the hour, for the shortness of time, and for the shallowness of our natures.
Think with me of the SERIOUSNESS of the HOUR.
The Lord was well into the agony which ultimately produced our salvation. What occurred in the garden was not sufficient to save us, because there was need of a blood sacrifice. But Christ knew full well what was coming up, and its seriousness was beginning to weigh heavily upon Him. Remember that this was the infinite Son of God who was suffering so much. I don’t think that any of us can imagine what the Lord was enduring that evening. I have no doubt that we would have died from fear, if we knew what He knew. In many respects there is little comparison between the Son of God and the sons of men. We rarely shed even small, briny tears – let alone drops of blood – for our own sins let alone for the sins of others. We don’t grieve over our failures and weaknesses the way that the Saviour does. We don’t long for Jesus’ glory and satisfaction with us. We don’t mourn over our conditions – we are more likely to cater to them. There is very little with which to compare ourselves and Christ. But there is a great deal of similarity between modern disciples and the first disciples of Christ.
As I say, that hour in Gethsemane was very, very serious, both for the Lord and for the disciples. But has that seriousness diminished one bit for us? What of this hour? Jesus used the word “temptation” in all three accounts of the story. “Watch and pray, lest ye enter into temptation.” We don’t know exactly how He meant the word – temptation to sin, divine testing, a serious trial? Perhaps, or even probably, it was in all three ways. And what about the “watching?” Some suggest that Jesus was referring to watching Him as His prayed. Sadly, that is all that some people ever do – they are never more than observers and audiences. They are like Ananias and Sapphira – only pretending to participate – fooling themselves. They are like Eutychus siting in the window, until the flesh gives up, and they fall asleep.
The “watching” that Jesus demands entails several things: A nurse watches the monitors or watches the patient himself. The guard watches for the enemy attack. Watching demands a close observance, like a scientist peering into microscope to see how the experiment is progressing. And that watching provides the materials about which to pray. If we pray and don’t watch, it is like sowing the seed, but letting the pigs come in to root it back out. It is like planning to be healthy, but toying with AIDS or an STD. Watching is important when things appear be quiet, but there is a possibility of that coming to an end. And it is even more important when the situation is more dangerous and difficult. Watching is easy when the enemy is attacking, guns are firing, men are screaming and blood is flowing. But when the night is black, and the enemy is quiet, it is easier to sleep than to watch. And this is how it usually is with us these days. On that fateful evening, was David expecting to be attacked with lust? Was Peter anticipating the accusing finger of the servant girl?
Satan was out stalking that night, and the evening of May 31, 2015 isn’t the least bit different. He wants to make you sever your fellowship with Christ – and to be blind to that loss. He wants to destroy your current ministry, and your potential future ministry. He wants to ruin you as a Sunday School teacher; as a potential Deacon, as a future missionary. He wants to end your prayer life, and tear you away from this church. He wants to build a hedge between you and your Saviour. Sometimes he “goeth about a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” But at other times he sends his wicked ambassadors to flutter about like a butterfly, almost unseen.
For what we should watch and pray includes our propensity to be unconcerned. Oh, it’s not that we are totally unconcerned, but we are more concerned about other things – like sleep. Had the disciples completely forgotten about Jesus’ warnings of the upcoming cross? Unlikely. And yet now, He was in pain, begging for comforters, but his pain was ignored. If they saw it, the disciples appeared not to care that their Master was in agony. Three times He reasoned with them, “Why hast thou forsaken me? Why have fallen asleep?” They are like Jonah in bottom of the ship – “Arise and call on thy God.” They are stripped bare like trees in winter. They refuse to recognize the battle being fought right in front of them. Souls are at stake, and they can’t even lift their eyes toward the harvest. Rather than missionaries, they are monuments to past victories, frozen in marble. Oh, how easy it is to succumb to unconcern – we just don’t care. We don’t care whether or not we even pray for the lost. Perhaps we even cast reproach on someone who is attempting to bring another sinner to Christ. We are asleep, while the Lord is in agony over sin and souls – including our own souls.
There is a great need to watch and fear – the spread of fear and/or desertion. Remember that this has been prophesied to be one of the characteristics of the last days – desertion. But of course that prophesy relates only to other people and not to us. “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, unthankful, unholy…” Not any one of the things mentioned there in I Timothy can be confined to the unbeliever. Some of them are as common in Christians as wrinkles around their eyes. “Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first.” I’ve seen it in during ministry time and time again – desertion. They leave to go to school and desert the Lord’s army entirely. They choose some sin, like adultery, and quit the Lord’s cause. They give up their Bible class, saying that they aren’t good enough teach. Why aren’t they good enough? Sometimes because they had made themselves unfit. They forsake the assembling of themselves together with the Lord’s church. They drop their support for missions or for the church in general.
Watch and pray Christian, because these are very serious days – these are the last days. These are days when doctrine is thrown down quicker than beer cans on the side of road. These days when churches switch their colors like chameleons. These are serious days requiring us to get on your knees with watching and prayer.
And watch and pray especially in light of the SHORTNESS of the TIME.
Our text describes the last few hours of one phase of Jesus’ ministry. For thirty-three and one half years He had been THE prophet of God upon the earth. He was one raised up like unto Moses – but far superior. “Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou does, except God be with him.” In a few hours, Jesus will move out of his roll as prophet into his roll of priest. It will be His own blood that He shall take into the Holy of Holies. He will give his life a ransom for many, presenting His sacrifice to the Father. Forever He is a priest after the order of Melchizedek. The time had come, and the hour was definitely at hand as Jesus had said in John 17. The purpose of His incarnation was being fulfilled. “He came not to be ministered unto, but to minister and to give his life a ransom for many.” That was all falling into place.
And for us today, the situation is somewhat similar. These are the last days of the age of Grace – the Lord will soon return. He is soon going to make another exchange – His High priestly robes for the robes of the King. Even so come quickly LORD Jesus. “He who now letteth (or hinder) – (the Holy Spirit) will let until he be taken out of the way.” The Spirit will be taken out of the way with the translation of the saints. Within minutes or hours or days, but no doubt within our life-times Christ will come. “Cannot you watch with me one hour?”
The Lord certainly demands, and deserves, a lifetime from each of us. The missionary may serve eight years in a foreign country and then return to pastor in States. But the one who claims be servant of God, and yet who returns to his sinful vomit – is not a servant at all.
But please understand, the important thing right now is not your life twenty years from now. As in the Garden, Christ cares about your soul right now, in this hour. If we will watch with him this hour, then after that the next and the next will eventually comprise a whole life. One hour Peter, that is what the Lord requires, just one hour – at a time. Jesus said, “Hold fast til I come” (Revelation 2:24). That is, hold fast, watch and pray, until I come. And “behold I come quickly” (Revelation 3:11). One day before we know it, the hour will end – as that one did in the Garden. It is enough, the next hour has arrived – a new ministry – a new sphere of existence.
Watch and pray, especially considering the SHALLOWNESS of our NATURES.
Have you ever noticed Jesus’ use of the names of Peter? That man’s common, earthly name was “Simon Bar-Jona” – Simon Johnson. But in Matthew 16 the Lord gave him a new name – “Peter.” Upon that disciple’s expression of faith, Jesus called him – “stone.” Maybe that would make him Peter Johnston. No man could have said what Peter said, apart from genuine faith at that point. But Jesus doesn’t use that name here – why? Because Peter was back in the flesh. He was not walking in the Spirit, He was not filled with the Spirit. He was not controlled by the Spirit, just like most of us here tonight. “Oh, is the Lord having a bad time of it over there? It is probably something that He ate. I hope that He feels better soon.” When God is disturbed, then the people of God, filled with Spirit, should be disturbed as well.
Remember that not many minutes before this – all the disciples, especially Peter were promising to give their very lives for the protection of the Messiah – verse 29. They were ready to promise the moon – just as many of us have done at some point in our lives. Indeed the spirit is willing, but the flesh is very, very weak. “Walk not in the flesh to fulfill the things flesh, but walk in the Spirit.” “Be ye filled with the Spirit.” When will we admit that we cannot adequately serve the Lord? Isn’t it true that we are a part of the sufferings of Jesus, even yet today? The Lord asked for an explanation of the disciple’s problem, but none was given. It was just the sinful nature of the human being.
Christian, you don’t need to try to experience all the things of this life. You simply are too weak to fight the world, when once gets into your blood. I have never tasted vodka. Would a little taste help me to understand its wickedness? I don’t need to do that to know there is a viper in that cup that could strike us down on our very first sip. Try your hand at a little shoplifting, and you may become the next Al Capone. The taste of fornication, adultery or pornography may make you a gutter-occupying drunkard addicted to these things for the rest of your life.
Watch and pray, the temptations are too strong to permit into your life. The Saviour pleads with you – watch and pray, watch and pray, watch and pray. Get on your toes and watch and pray; get on your knees to watch and pray. But you can’t watch for snakes from within the asps den. Plead with the Lord for the right spectacles or even binoculars with which to watch. Lord, teach us to pray; and then pray without ceasing.
These days are every bit as dangerous as they were in the Jesus’ time “Knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand, let us therefore cast off the works of darkness. And let us put on the armor of light.” “Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ and make not provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof.”