THE EASTER STORY (1)
THE EASTER STORY (1)
BY EVANGELINE UNITY ESAABA FOLSON
MATHEW 26 : 36 – 41
Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit here, while I go and pray yonder. And he took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy. Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death; tarry ye here and watch with me.
And He went a little farther, and fell on His face, and prayed saying, O my father if it is possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will but as thou will. And He cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What could ye not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation; the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.
Easter is a festival commemorating Christ’s death and resurrection. This festival is very important for Christians because Jesus’s death and resurrection is the main event that forms the basis of the Christian faith. Easter reminds us that:
Christ died to save us from our sins.
Christ died to reconcile man with God.
Christ died to give us hope for a future in heaven with God.
Christ died to give us eternal life.
MATHEW 26: 36 – 41
Describes how Jesus prepared for His ordeal on the cross. He did the following things:
He went to a quiet place to pray. Mathew 26:37
He went with his disciples. Mathew 26:37
He shared His fears with His disciples so that could help Him pray. Mathew 26:38
He poured out His heart to God. Mathew 26:39
He emphasized to His Disciples that it was important to watch and pray. Mathew 26:41
MATHEW 26: 36
Jesus went with His disciples to a place called Gethsemane to pray. This implies that it is very important to spend time praying in a quiet place where you will not be distracted (unable to concentrate). Secondly, it is important to pray earnestly before you undertake any difficult task or project. Read Jeremiah 33:33 and Philippians 4:6-7. Even, Jesus who is the Son of God had to pray before undertaking a difficult task. Pray for grace and strength.
MATHEW26:37
Apart from praying on your own, it is also necessary to share your problems and ask others to pray with you.
Galatians 6:2says
Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. Jesus prayed with His disciples. Every Christian has to have a trusted Christian friend(s), he/she could pray with when it is necessary.
MATHEW 26:38
Jesus made His disciples aware that He had a difficult task before Him and needed to pray. Individual prayer is good but certain situations call for corporate prayer.
Acts 12:5 says
Peter, therefore, was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.
When the church prayed for Peter, God sent an angel to take him out of the prison miraculously. The prison doors opened automatically for Peter and the angel. Even the guards did not see them go out. There is power in corporate prayer. When you face difficult situations share the burden with your Christian brethren.
MATHEW 26:39
Learn to pour out your heart in prayer to God as Jesus did. Tell Him exactly how you feel and what you would like Him to do for you. After you have done this, pray that He will be done. Jesus knew He had a difficult task ahead of Him yet He did not insist that God give Him what he desired. He asked for God’s will to be done.
God’s will for your life might not be what you desire for yourself but allow Him to move according to His will, God’s will is Superior to ours because:
He knows us better than we know ourselves. He created you.
He can see into the future and knows what you will need in order to fulfill your mission on earth.
When you pray always ask for God’s will to be done in your life.
MATHEW 26: 41
Though Jesus asked His disciples to pray, He found them sleeping. Then He warned them to watch and pray. It is important to watch and pray in order to cancel or overturn future calamities. If Peter had prayed, he might have averted His denial of Christ.
CONCLUSION
This is the first part of a series on the “Easter Story”. Jesus’s preparation before His ordeal has been explained. Let this guide you whenever you need to take an important decision or undertake a difficult task.
REFERENCES
