Jesus' Death Crossroads: God’s will, not my own

Matthew 26:36-40a, 42-46 | Then Jesus went with them to the olive grove called Gethsemane, and he said, “Sit here while I go over there to pray.” He took Peter and Zebedee’s two sons, James and John, and he became anguished and distressed. He told them, “My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”

He went on a little farther and bowed with his face to the ground, praying, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” Then he returned to the disciples… 

Then Jesus left them a second time and prayed, “My Father! If this cup cannot be taken away unless I drink it, your will be done.” 

When he returned to them again, he found them sleeping, for they couldn’t keep their eyes open. So he went to pray a third time, saying the same things again. 

Then he came to the disciples and said, “Go ahead and sleep. Have your rest. But look—the time has come. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.  Up, let’s be going. Look, my betrayer is here!”

• What crossroad was Jesus facing in the garden?

• Why do you think Jesus prayed three separate times for the same thing?

• Do you think this crossroad was an easy one for Jesus? What made it so difficult for Him to go God’s way?

• Jesus prays for God to change the suffering that was to come. But at the end of His prayer, what does He say?

• What can you learn from Jesus’ example in this passage?