Prayer, Trials and Temptation
Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him. 40 On reaching the place, he said to them, “Pray that you will not fall into temptation.” 41 He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, 42 “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” 43 An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. 44 And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.
45 When he rose from prayer and went back to the disciples, he found them asleep, exhausted from sorrow. 46 “Why are you sleeping?” he asked them. “Get up and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.” Luke 22:39-46
It had been a long day for everyone. The disciples were tired, so tired, that even Jesus couldn’t keep them awake. In the three and a half years they had followed Jesus, there had never been a night like this night. And there never would be again.
Jesus is agonising in prayer but the disciples can’t keep their eyes open. Twice He’s woken them, each time trying to motivate them to pray. They need to be praying with Him. He needs their prayer support right now more than He’s ever needed it before.
But more than that, prayer will keep them strong in the face of temptation. Because the most commonly used word in the New Testament for ‘temptation’ can also mean ‘trial,’ it’s not clear which Jesus had in mind.
The disciples were about to face their greatest temptation. The devil and darkness were about to descend on them, driving fear and terror into their souls. But this would be more than just temptation. This would test their metal like nothing before ever had. From one point of view it was temptation but from another, it was a trial.
Jesus had a single answer for both – prayer. “Get up and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.” He knew prayer was the only way they would get the strength to be all they needed to be.
And prayer is the only way you will get the strength to be the man or woman you need to be. You might have fallen over. Well get up; dust yourself down and begin to pray.
Prayer makes Christ’s reward available to us. His death and resurrection made it potentially ours but prayer makes it a reality.