Daily Devotions
Luke
Luke 22 : 39-46; Matthew 26:36-46; Mark 14:32-42 "THE THREE CHECKS"
Day 295 – Luke 22
Text: Luke 22 : 39-46; Matthew 26:36-46; Mark 14:32-42
THE THREE CHECKS
Three times Jesus sought His Father in prayer. Three times, He checked up on His three disciples. Let’s read Matthew’s account of the time Jesus spent in the Garden of Gethsemane once again. This time, we will look at the words Jesus spoke to His Disciples.
The first time Jesus checked up on His Disciples and found them asleep, He said,
“What? Could you not watch with Me one hour?
Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation.
The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
Matthew 26:40-41
Luke recorded only one instance of Jesus speaking to His Disciples. He said similar words,
“Why do you sleep? Rise and pray,
lest you enter into temptation.”
Luke 22:46
It is interesting to take note of what Mark wrote when Jesus checked up on His Disciples the second time.
“Again He went away and prayed,
and spoke the same words.
And when He returned, He found them asleep again,
For their eyes were heavy;
And they did not know what to answer Him.”
Mark 14:39,40
Perhaps, there was no need for Jesus to say anything to His Disciples the second time round. What further words could Jesus say that would have roused them to greater prayer efforts? The Disciples knew only too well that they had failed their Master. They could not answer Him, simply because there was no excuse for their failure to stay up with Jesus in His hour of great sorrow.
What about the third time around? What did Jesus say to His Disciples? We read from the accounts of Matthew and Mark for the answers.
“Then He came to His 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.
Rise, let us be going. See, My betrayer is at hand.’ “
Matthew 26:45-46
Mark’s account is a little different. But there is no mistaking the tone of gentle rebuke.
“Then 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.
Rise, let us be going. See, My betrayer is at hand.'”
Mark 14:41-42
GENTLENESS IN WORDS OF REBUKE
“But we see Jesus…” How gracious Jesus was as He rose from prayer the third time round. He knew that His hour had come. He had known that this hour would come soon enough.
His disciples had been a disappointment. They had slept through His hour of sorrow in the Garden of Gethsemane. They were still sleeping when He went to check on them after His third season of prayer.
He knew His Disciples only too well. They had not yet learned this lesson on prayer. They were still easily overcome by fatigue. They needed to be rebuked for their lack of prayer. But upbraiding them further would serve no purpose.
Thus Jesus spoke to them gently. He would not need them to watch and pray with Him any longer. The need to seek God in special prayer efforts was now over. The opportunity had come and gone. Their weakness, their failure would bring much hurt to the heart when this night was remembered. The need of the hour was to prepare the Disciples for His betrayal and His arrest. No more words of rebuke! Further words of advice to struggle and persevere in prayer would be out of place at this point of time.
How did Jesus overcome His obvious sense of disappointment? These three disciples had been the closest to Him, and they had utterly failed Him. To a lesser person, the failure of three special friends would have been enough to crush the soul. But not Jesus, He would not dwell on their failure. The gentle love of Jesus shone through the dark and dismal hour of failure on the part of His Disciples.
The crisis had come and gone. He had triumphed in prayer. That was important. That was enough. There was no point haranguing His Disciples. The need now was to rouse His Disciples to be ready for the next event.
NO CONDEMNATION! PRESS ON!
How did the Disciples feel as Jesus spoke to them? Their hearts must have spoken the strongest words of self-condemnation for being so weak! They had failed their Master miserably! Of what use were they?
However words of self-condemnation would not enable them to pray any better. They would have to come to terms with their failure one day. The important thing to note was that Jesus had not condemned them. Neither had He given up on them. They must not give up on themselves either. They may fail today. They must press on. They may succeed tomorrow!