“WHEN LIFE IS NOWHERE NEAR A BOWL OF CHERRIES”

“WHEN LIFE IS NOWHERE NEAR A BOWL OF CHERRIES”

THE CALL CHURCH * February 23, 2025 * MT. 26:36-45

Mt. 26:36a “Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane…”

Isa. 51:17 “…you who have drunk from the hand of the Lord the cup of his wrath…”

Rom. 2:5 “But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed.”

Rev. 14:10a “He will drink of the wine of God’s fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath…”

SOME OBSERVATIONS FROM AN AGONIZING PRAYER

1. IMPORTANT RELATIONSHIPS…

Mt. 26:36-37a “Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, ‘Sit here while I go over there and pray.’

VS37 He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him…”

2. SOLITUDE IS DIFFERENT…

Mt. 26:36-38 “Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, ‘Sit here while I go over there and pray.’

VS37 He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him

VS38 Then he said to them, ‘My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.’”

Mt. 26:39 “Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed…”

Mt. 26:42 “He went away a second time and prayed…”

Mt. 26:44 “…and (a third time, he) prayed…”

3. EMOTIONALLY HEALTHY PEOPLE…

Mt.26:37,38a “He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled.

VS38 Then he said to them, ‘My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death…’”

4. SOMETIMES IT’S OKAY…

Mt. 26:20 “When Evening Came…”

Mt. 26:38 “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death.”

Mt. 26:39 “…he fell with his face to the ground and prayed…

Mt. 26:42 “…(and) a second time he prayed…”

Mt. 26:44 “…And once more he prayed the third time, saying the same thing.”

5. STRUGGLING CAN BE PART OF THE PROCESS…

VS39 “Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, ‘My Father, if it “is” possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.’”

VS42 “He went away a second time and prayed, ‘My Father, if it is “not” possible There= Process=’g for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it,

may your will be done.’”

VS44b “…he prayed the third time, saying the same thing.”

6. JUST BECAUSE I’M LONELY WHEN I SUFFER…

VS40 “He returned to his disciples and found them sleeping…”

VS43 “When he came back (a second time), he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. VS44 So he left them and went away…”

VS45 “Then he returned to the disciples (a third time) and said to them,

‘Are you still sleeping and resting? Look… (I am) being betrayed…”

7. THE LAST DAY OF MY LIFE…

Jn. 12:23,27,28,32 “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified… VS27 Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour.

VS28 Father, glorify your name! Then a voice came from heaven, ‘I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.’ …

VS32 …When I am lifted up from theearth, will draw all men to myself.”

AND NOW, SOME FINAL THOUGHTS ON THE AGONY OF GETHSEMANE MOMENTS…

1. IF I’M OFTEN IN A “GETSEMANE MOMENT”…

Mt. 26:20,37 “That evening… he began to be troubled and sorrowful…”

2. IF I’M NEVER IN A “GETSEMANE MOMENT”…

Heb. 4:15 (Msg) “We don’t have a priest who is out of touch with our

reality. He’s been through weakness and testing, experienced it all…”

Heb. 7:25 “Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to

God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.”

3. IF I’M SKIPPING MY “GETSEMANE MOMENT”…

2 Co. 1:4 “(God) comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort

those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.”

1 Thes 4: 17, 18 “Therefore comfort one another with these words.”

Ps. 30:5 “Weeping may linger through the night, but joy comes in the morning.”