The Gethsemane Prayer

Scott Sutton • April 6, 2022

Notes from Scott Sutton's message on Matthew 26.


This past Sunday, we began a short Easter series by picking up where we left off in Matthew.


In contrast to the chapters that precede it, Matthew 26 marks a significant shift in the story being told. It zooms in from the big picture movement of the Kingdom (Matthew 25) to examining the minutes, hours, and days leading up to the cross.


After telling His disciples of what was to come in God’s final judgement, he says “You know that after two days the Passover is coming and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified.” (Matthew 26:1-2)


Jesus seems to expect and even welcome crucifixion. He has spoken of this on multiple occasions to His disciples.


But then, in verses 36 - 39, Jesus prays against the cross.


These two bookends are shocking.


At the end of the chapter, in Gethsemane, consider what Jesus was praying for. He had taken Peter, James, and John with him, just a stone’s throw away so they could hear what he was praying. And what they heard was Jesus pleading to the Father, “If there is a way that I don’t have to go the cross, that’s what I want.”


We cannot overemphasize the significance of this moment.


All the way back to Genesis, we see that there would one day be one who redeems us from the fall. Generation after generation were awaiting a Messiah. The sacrificial system of the Old Testament was a tutor that helped us understand that day after day we were an unclean people in need of a blood sacrifice to make us right with God. King after king could not reign and rule over God’s people in perfect holiness. Priest after priest would have to offer daily sacrifice over daily sacrifice because they could not reign and rule in perfect holiness. There was SUCH a longing for the long-awaited Messiah.


In the Passover, God’s people sought a sacrificial lamb without blemish, in its first year, with no bones broken, whose blood would be slathered on the doorposts of God’s people so that the winged destroyer would “PASSOVER” God’s people and let their firstborn live. Families would feast on that lamb together in the safety of their homes. 


Before he goes to Gethsemane, Jesus essentially celebrates the Passover with His disciples, acknowledges that He will be betrayed, but then institutes the Lord’s Supper – effectively saying that this thing that has been done for thousands of years, generations after generation, is now about me.


He says – the bread broken represents my Body that will be broken on the cross. The cup will represent my blood, that creates a new covenant by purchasing you.


Throughout all of human history, there has been a plan unfolding for Jesus to die on the cross for the sins of the world. He proclaims the cross in the beginning of this chapter. The chief priests and elders plot to kill Him, and He knows it. Mary anoints Him with expensive oil that He proclaims is preparing His body for burial. Jesus knows that Judas will betray Him as a part of God’s plan for Jesus to be crucified. Jesus knows that the prophecy is about to be fulfuilled where He, the Shepherd, will be struck and the sheep will scatter.


All of human history has been marching toward the crucifixion, and here, in this garden in Gethsemane, the Messiah, the Savior, the Redeemer, the unblemished sacrificial lamb says,


“Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me…”


If God says, “Yes”, nobody gets saved. If what Jesus is praying for is granted by His Father, we’re dead. Eternally separated from God.


So, why did Jesus pray for this? What happened from the original proclamation of the cross to praying against the reality of the cross?


Jesus was in sorrowful agony. The weight of what lay ahead felt unbearable to Jesus. 


John Piper described this moment as a “sinless distaste for pain.” Jesus knew what was at stake and the price to be paid, and He asked if there was any other way. Jesus took on flesh precisely for this moment, but He felt His flesh too weak.


Jesus models prayer for us. Notice that Jesus didn’t say the same thing three times in a row. The Gospel of Luke tells us that after the first prayer, God sent an angel to strengthen Jesus. That’s why He doesn’t ask again for the cup to pass, but that the will of the Father be done.


His prayer – “God, here is what I want. But more than that, I want what you want… not my will by your will…”


Jesus models here what Philippians 4 tells us, that God allows our requests to be made known to Him. The result is either God granting us what we have asked, or Him giving us a “peace that exceeds understanding” – what rich mercy!



Now the disciples – particularly Peter and the Sons of Zebedee – would have had a crazy opportunity to see this modeled by Jesus Himself. But instead, they fell asleep!

Moments earlier, Jesus foretold the denial of Peter and everyone else in the group saying, “you will all fall away…” Peter responds, saying, “Even if I must die, I will not deny you!” and all the disciples said the same… EVEN IF I MUST DIE! 


…well, what if you simply must stay awake?


Prayerless proclamation is weak. How often does our prayerlessness simply come from the fact that we are just tired? We are undisciplined. 


In modeling prayer, Jesus reminds us that without God’s strength, we are hopeless.


Ephesians 6:12 says, “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.”


There is no other way to “overcome”.


The suffering of the Suffering Servant wasn’t just from the cross itself, but the weight that He carried to get there.

Freed to Serve

April 28, 2025
Notes from Scott Sutton's sermon on Sunday, April 27, 2025. Sermon text: 1 Peter 2:11-17 This is the beginning of a section addressing how God's people now function in this world. It begins with aliens and exiles and continues with servants, wives, husbands, and finally, all of you. 1.) Our identity defines our actions. We are sojourners and exiles (temporary, passing through, not at home) We have a heavenly citizenship Actions We abstain from the passions of the flesh Keep conduct among the Gentiles honorable (our conduct is for the benefit of other people) Honorable conduct wins souls… sojourners, exiles, and soul winners “Peter’s point is that believers’ behavior creates a context in which people will listen to God’s word. He is not teaching that ‘good deeds’ in themselves convert unbelievers, but they establish an environment for the Gospel-word to do so.” -Barnett 2.) Our identity defines our expectations (Unbelievers will respond to honorable conduct in 1 of 2 ways) Some will speak evil against us as though we are evildoers Some will see our good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation 3.) Our identity defines our view of authority (Does anyone here ever just want to do whatever you want to do, whenever you want to do it? That’s why laws exist) Be subject to every human institution (for the Lord's sake) This includes governors and emperors (no distinction between good/bad) The will of God... by doing good, we silence the ignorance of foolish people 4.) Our identity defines our view of freedom Don't use freedom as a cover-up for evil We are freed to serve God Honor, Love, and Fear Discipleship Questions: 1.)Why is it so important to understand our identity before talking about our behavior? 2.) How might this reality impact your parenting? For real, what are 3 ways that you can apply that this week? 3.) How is good conduct a form of evangelism? 4.) What do these verses say that we can expect from others? 5.) How can we honor a government that isn't always honorable? Seriously, what are 5 things we should immediately stop doing and 5 things we should immediately start doing? 6.) What are some tangible ways to honor others? Love the brotherhood? Fear God? Honor the Emperor? 7.) Should we fear the Emperor?

Cornerstone

April 22, 2025
Notes from Ky Martin's sermon on Sunday, April 20, 2025. Sermon text: 1 Peter 2:4-10 Everyone must accept or reject Jesus. He is the cornerstone. We choose to accept Him as the foundation of our lives or toss the truth aside. When we come to Jesus… We become part of His People 1 Pe 2:4-5 As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, 5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. The cornerstone is The New Temple. From this we learn that following Christ entails joining his community, the church…The freelance Christian, who follows Jesus but is too good, too busy, or too self-sufficient for the church, is a walking contradiction. -Daniel M. Doriani We join a royal, holy, priesthood 1 Pet. 2:9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Because of who Jesus makes us. We receive God’s mercy Fallen man is not simply an imperfect creature who needs improvement: he is a rebel who must lay down his arms….Now repentance is no fun at all. It is something much harder than merely eating humble pie. It means unlearning all the self-conceit and self-will that we have been training ourselves into for thousands of years. It means undergoing a kind of death. Acts 17:30-31 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, 31 because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.” Discipleship Questions: Why is it impossible to be neutral about Jesus? Why do you believe that Jesus truly is the Son of God? Do you ever have doubts about this? If yes, what are they? According to 1 Peter 2:9, who are we after we come to Christ? Why does Paul say (in 1 Corinthians) that if Christ is not risen, our faith is in vain?

Born Again

April 16, 2025
Notes from Scott Sutton's sermon on Sunday, April 13, 2025. Sermon text: 1 Peter 2:2-3 Why do our souls ache for certainty? We are so eager for certainty that we will look for it in all the wrong places. - Certainty in our Finances [show slide from news] - Certainty in our Jobs [Acts 17:24-27] - Certainty in our Health [Covid] - Certainty in our Abilities [Ecclesiastes 3:11 “God has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.”] “Things that have never happened before are happening every day.” -Morgan Housel In these verses, God gives us what our souls ache for! 1.) You must be born again of imperishable seed - We have all been born of perishable seed o Impure souls o Disobedient to truth o Unloving insincerity toward others o Lack of loving effort o Impure hearts - We are withering grass and falling flowers - The imperishable seed is the living and abiding Word of God o Does not wither o Does not fall o Does not let us down o It remains forever o It MUST BE PREACHED! But still, how can we be certain that we have been born again? 2.) If you are born again, hope will be seen in your relationships When your relationship with God changes, God changes your relationships! - Sincere brotherly love - Love earnestly - Put away… o Malice o Deceit o Hypocrisy o Envy o All Slander 3.) If you are born again, hope will be seen in your appetite for God’s Word - Like newborn infants - Long for the pure spiritual milk Discipleship Questions: 1.) Where are some unhealthy places where you look for certainty? 2.) Why do you do that? 3.) What were some evidences of your perishable seed before you came to Christ? Any of that still lingering that needs to be repented from? 4.) Why does Peter call the Word of God the imperishable seed? 5.) In light of the text, how would you describe being "born again" to a 5-year-old? 6.) How has imperishable hope proven itself in your relationships? OR How might it if you lean into loving others earnestly? 7.) Why does Peter tell us that hope will be seen in our appetite for God's Word?
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