(Albrecht Dürer [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons)
Mari Ikeda (Luke22:39-46)
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Jesus’ Fear
39 Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him. 40 On reaching the place, he said to them, “Pray that you will not fall into temptation.” 41 He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, 42 “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” [43 An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. 44 And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.] 45 When he rose from prayer and went back to the disciples, he found them asleep, exhausted from sorrow. 46 “Why are you sleeping?” he asked them. “Get up and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.”
1. Jesus’ fear
a. Physical and mental pain
b. Fear is temptation
2. Our hope
a. Because God suffered God’s absence
b. We can pray “Your will be done”
Summary
Jesus knows how fearful we feel to be left alone in spite of our desperate prayer and asking for help. He also experienced himself how weak and vulnerable we feel in such fear. That’s why we can believe, through Jesus, that our weakness and sin are all known to God and yet we are forgiven and loved by Him. Let’s understand it is God Himself who suffers the most in situations where we feel no presence of God.
For Discussion
1) What is temptation? How can we overcome it?
2) What does it mean that God suffered God’s absence?