Luke 22:39-46 – Agony
Our Lord Jesus Christ sets us an example of what believers should do in times of trouble. Both the Old and New Testaments give the same pattern for bearing trouble. Prayer is what Jacob uses when he is afraid of Esau. Prayer is what Job uses when property and children are suddenly taken from him. Prayer is what Hezekiah uses when Sennacherib’s threatening letter arrives. And prayer is what the Son of God uses in His time of agony. If we want to be comforted in time of trouble, let’s use what God has given us. The first Friend we turn to ought to be God. The first message we send should be to God. Let us pray.
Jesus also teaches us what kind of prayers we should make to God in time of trouble. Like Jesus we should tell God what we desire, what we want, without reservation. But like Jesus, we should submit our will to the will of God. We should never forget that there may be wise and good reasons for our troubles. When we are willing to say in our darkest hour, “Your will be done”, our Christian character will shine brightly, drawing others to ask about Christ.
These verses also give us an example of the feebleness of Christians. While Christ is in agony, sweating drops of blood, His disciples are sleeping. This should teach us humility. When apostles can behave in this way, we should certainly be careful. We should long for the day we stand in heaven with a new body and are able to tirelessly serve Christ without fighting against physical weakness or sin.
Questions
- What should we do when we face hard times?
- How should we pray to God?
- How can we use our troubles to speak to others about Christ?
Prayer Points
- Pray that God’s will will be done in your life.
- Use prayer points from your congregation.
- Pray for family matters.