DEVOTION + SLEEPY DISCIPLES

 

 

MONDAY, MARCH 31, 2014

21 Days to Resurrection Sunday

Mark 14:38  “Watch and pray lest ye enter into temptation…”

SCRIPTURE READING: MARK 14:32-41

32 And they came to a place which was named Gethsemane: and he saith to his disciples, Sit ye here, while I shall pray.
33 And he taketh with him Peter and James and John, and began to be sore amazed, and to be very heavy;
34 And saith unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death: tarry ye here, and watch.
35 And he went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him.
36 And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt.
37 And he cometh, and findeth them sleeping, and saith unto Peter, Simon, sleepest thou? couldest not thou watch one hour?
38 Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak.
39 And again he went away, and prayed, and spake the same words.
40 And when he returned, he found them asleep again, (for their eyes were heavy,) neither wist they what to answer him.
41 And he cometh the third time, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: it is enough, the hour is come; behold, the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.

REFLECTION:  It wasn’t the first time that Jesus had to wake up His disciples.  Luke tells us that they fell asleep on the Mount of Transfiguration.  Both Matthew and Mark tell us that they fell asleep in the Garden of Gethsemane. At our Lord’s invocation and at His benediction the disciples couldn’t keep their eyes open. Why are these disciples so drowsy?

Jesus seems disappointed as he stirs them in Gethsemane, “Watch and pray, lest ye enter into temptation.”  He explains their failure, “The spirit is ready, but the flesh is weak.”

Physically worn from the Passover preparations, emotionally drained by all that they had experienced that evening, Jesus explained their sleepiness, “the flesh is weak.”

It would be imprudent to assume that the Lord had reference only to the disciples’ physical exhaustion.  This was more.  This was a spiritual weakness of the flesh that the Apostle Paul identifies as our carnal disposition that lusteth against the spirit. (For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. Galatians 5:17).

Dr. Benner observed, “It is this condition in the hearts of professing Christians today that produces, sleepy, stupefied, apathetic, disciples.” (Herald of Holiness, 1955)

All around us we see challenges and opportunities but too many disciples have been anesthetized by the carnal impulse within and the distracting din of this world without.

The Apostle Paul urges the Christians at Rome, “It is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.  The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us cast off the works of darkness, and up on the armor of light…Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.” (Romans 13:11-12,14)

He exhorts the Ephesians, “Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.  See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise. Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” (Ephesians 5:14-16)

To the Corinthians he simply says, “Awake to righteousness, and sin not.” (1 Corinthians 15:34)

How tragic that at the precise moment when the people of God need to be “watching” and “praying” for themselves, for their families, for their churches, and for their nation, the Savior finds us sleeping.

Benner’s prayer is our heart’s cry: “May the Church of this day hear the clarion call of the prophet, “AWAKE THOU THAT SLEEPEST!” Shake off the temptation to lethargy, let the burning Spirit of God cleanse from every disposition to spiritual drowsiness, and face the tremendous challenge of these times with energy, courage, resourcefulness, and full devotion to our Lord!” 

PRAYER: Father in Heaven, It thrills our souls to know that “He that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.”  Whenever, wherever, and for whatever, we know that our help “comes from the Lord who made heaven and earth.”  What assurance and comfort we find in the awareness that you are there even now for us.   Our hearts are challenged and convicted by your Word. Oh Lord, wake us if we are sleeping, rouse us if we are drowsy, and may we be fully awake to your Word, to your Will, and to your High and Holy calling for us today.  In the name of Jesus, Amen.“Our Father, &c.”