The moment for his death had almost come and Jesus found himself in the garden with 3 of his friends who didn’t understand why he kept telling them he was leaving soon. And then there was that moment with the bread and the wine just a few hours earlier…what was that about exactly and why was he talking like that?
It was late at night during Passover so the garden was dark and quiet. But I’m sure Jesus’ mind was anything except quiet. His heart was surely heavy for what lie ahead. No one truly grasped all that Jesus was yet- that he was fully God and fully human. So in his divinity, he knew all that was about to happen. He knew the betrayal and the suffering and the death that await him. But in his humanity, he knew emotions. And he’d have to wrestle them down that night. He knew fear and grief and pain..the Bible says his tears flowed like blood. And we can hear it in his prayers from that night..
“Father, if it’s possible please take this cup from me.”
..Silence.
“but even so, not MY will, but Yours be done.”
He knew what he had to do.
There are so many things Jesus could have done on that last night in the garden. But Jesus spent the rest of that precious time praying for you and me. Praying that we would stay away from evil. Praying that our lives would show the world who he really is. Praying we would be united. That we would love each other well…
Church. Brothers and sisters. How are we doing with that?
Jesus got up from that prayer and went back to his friends. They had all fallen asleep, again, but it didn’t matter much anymore because his time had come. The religious leaders and the rest of the mob were headed towards him under the cover of the night.
They were there to take him away…
PRISONER OF HOPE 