Matthew 26:36-46 (ESV)
³⁶  Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit here, while I go over there and pray.”
³⁷  And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled.
³⁸  Then he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.”
³⁹  And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.”
⁴⁰  And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. And he said to Peter, “So, could you not watch with me one hour?
⁴¹  Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
⁴²  Again, for the second time, he went away and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.”
⁴³  And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy.
⁴⁴  So, leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words again.
⁴⁵  Then he came to the disciples and said to them, “Sleep and take your rest later on. See, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.
⁴⁶  Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand.”

As we come nearer to the celebration of Easter, I want to begin a three-part series covering the events of that first Easter.

I recently completed a verse-by-verse exposition of Matthew 24 and 25, so this series will pick up where that one left off. Our passage picks up where John Chapters 13 through 17 give us the events of that first Lord’s Supper, the promise of the Holy Spirit, and the High Priestly Prayer of Jesus for HIS people.

In our focal passage for this Lord’s Day, Matthew shows us how Jesus begins to prepare HIMSELF and HIS disciples for the coming events that will culminate in HIS death and resurrection on that first Easter morning!

I want us to think through five specific things found in this passage:

Jesus prepares HIMSELF for the cross by prayer…

Jesus prayed just like any human would do…

Jesus prayed like any completely committed, fully sold-out, and godly man would do…

Jesus prepared HIS followers for the Cross…

Jesus prepared for the Cross by giving HIMSELF into the hands of those who would betray, arrest, beat, and crucify HIM…

Of course, the work of Jesus on the cross is the single most important thing God has ever decreed!

The death of Jesus was voluntary… no man took HIS life from HIM; HE gave it up willingly…

The death of Jesus was substitutionary… that is, HE took our place!

The death of Jesus was satisfactory… that is, God was completely satisfied with (and by) the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross…

So what? What does all of this mean to me and to you?

It means this: God has decreed a way to forgive the sins of sinners! That way is through repentance from our sins and believing in Jesus Christ as Savior and LORD!

I hope you will take the time to read over, think over, and pray over these eleven verses as you prepare your mind to hear the Word of God on Sunday.

I hope to see you with your Bible in your hand, a smile on your face, and your family and friends by your side!