Sermon Tone Analysis

Matthew 26:36-46.

"The Dark Night of the Soul"

Safe Haven Community Church.

Sunday March 27th, 2022.

Matthew 26:36-46.

[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." (ESV)

After years of searching, studies, meetings, reports, submissions, and a ton of other work, our efforts to begin construction of a new worship building are coming to fruition.

We've wondered about the timing, obstacles, work and delays in getting this going.

But God has a purpose in the timing.

He has a purpose in the striving and His plan is becoming evident in putting things in motion.

In Matthew 26, we see the divine sovereign hand moving plans into motion.

The People of God have waited thousands of years to see the Messiah come and deliver his people.

But on the eve the most significant event in history coming to fruition, we see the great anguish of the saviour.

For the first time ever in history, the eternal son of God will be cut off from His Father.

He will face great physical and emotional distress in being abandoned by those who were closest to Him.

On this eve of His crucifixion, He experiences "The Dark Night of the Soul".

People right now are experiencing sickness, loss, isolation and pain and wonder where is God?

We wonder if He is listening or if He even cares.

As we pray for lost loved ones and recurring problems that have lasted decades for some, we wonder if there is any point.

Here in Matthew 26, ever and always the teacher, Jesus used even this struggle with the enemy in the garden the night before the cross to teach the disciples and every future believer a lesson about facing severe trial.

The Lord not only was preparing Himself for the cross but also, by His example, preparing His followers for the crosses He calls them to bear in His name (Matt.

16:24).

The record in Matthew 26:36-46, most likely records the events near midnight on the Thursday of Passover week in A.D 33 (or perhaps 30).

Jesus' three years of ministry were completed.

He had preached His last public sermon and performed His last miracle.

He also had celebrated the last Passover with His disciples.

But infinitely more important than that, He had come to be the last and ultimate Passover Lamb, the perfect and only sacrifice for the sins of His people.

Matthew 26:36-46 reveals three aspects of Jesus' striving in the garden.

In this "Dark Night of the Soul" we see the relationship between prayer and action through three things: Through 1) His Sorrow Matthew 26:36-38), 2) His Supplication (Matthew 26:39-45a), and 3) His Strength (Matthew 26:45b-46).

The relationship between prayer & action is first seen through Christ's Dark Night of the Soul in:

1) His Sorrow (Matthew 26:36-38)

Matthew 26:36-38.

[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." (ESV)

After the eleven disciples echoed Peter's boast and insisted on their loyalty to Jesus even to the point of dying with Him if necessary (v 35), they then moved with Him to a place on the Mount of Olives called Gethsemane.

Although He had not announced in advance where He was going, "Jesus had often met there with His disciples," and it was that fact that enabled Judas to find Him so easily later that night (John 18:2).

The name Gethsemane means "olive press," and the garden probably belonged to a believer who allowed Jesus to use it as a place of retreat and prayer.

As William Barclay points out, the owner of Gethsemane, like the owner of the donkey on which Jesus rode into Jerusalem and the owner of the upper room, was a nameless friend who ministered to the Lord during His final hours.

"In a desert of hatred, there were still oases of love" (William Barclay: The Gospel of Matthew, vol 2 [Westminster, 1958], p 384).

* It is much the same way that God intends His church to be.

In a world of pain and disappointment, there needs to be an oases of love and acceptance.

Please turn to Luke 22

There our Lord Jesus began his passion; there it pleased the Lord to bruise him, and crush him, that fresh oil might flow to all believers from him, that we might partake of the root and fatness of that good Olive.

There he trod the wine-press of his Father's wrath, and trod it alone.

It is likely that the garden was fenced or walled and had an entrance, perhaps even a gate.

Jesus asked His disciples to sit at the entrance and keep Him from being disturbed while He went into the garden to pray.

Jesus had told the disciples two days earlier that "after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man is to be delivered up for crucifixion" (26:2).

And just a few moments earlier He had told them, "You will all fall away because of Me this night" (v 31).

They knew they were at a crisis point, and, like their Lord, they should have seen it as a time for deep concern and fervent prayer.

(Henry, M. (1996).

Matthew Henry's commentary on the whole Bible : Complete and unabridged in one volume (Mt 26:36-46).

Peabody: Hendrickson.).

Luke reports that Jesus told the disciples now that they should "pray that [they might] not enter into temptation" (Luke 22:40; cf Matt.

6:13), a warning He later repeated (Matt.

26:41).

Notice the details in Luke's parallel account in the need for prayer:

Luke 22:39-46.

39 And he came out and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed him.

40 And when he came to the place, he said to them, "Pray that you may not enter into temptation."

41 And he withdrew from them about a stone's throw, and knelt down and prayed, 42 saying, "Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me.

Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done."

43 And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him.

44 And being in agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

45 And when he rose from prayer, he came to the disciples and found them sleeping for sorrow, 46 and he said to them, "Why are you sleeping?

Rise and pray that you may not enter into temptation."

(ESV)

* The tragedy for Jesus' disciples is that there is no indication that they uttered a single breath of prayer, no hint that they called on the Father to strengthen them.

In smug self-confidence, they still thought of themselves as loyal, dependable, and invincible.

Like many believers throughout the history of the church, they foolishly mistook their good intentions for strength.

The sinless Son of God felt a desperate need for communion with His heavenly Father, but His sinful, weak disciples, as so often they do today, felt no desperation about their weakness and vulnerability.

* It is appropriate in crisis times where self-examination is not only necessary but essential.

The easiest way to fail is to be lax in prayer and negligent in self-examination.

Leaving the other eight disciples at the entrance, Matthew 26:37 says that Jesus went with James and John as it says that he went taking with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee.

While in the transfiguration scene they are witnesses to Jesus' transcendent glory, now they see His sorrow and dread as He faces the prospects of his approaching death.

While the three are present for possible human support, Jesus must separate himself from them to engage his Father in prayer.

(Chouinard, L. (1997).

Matthew (Mt 26:37-38).

College Press.)

* In the midst of a crisis, there is nothing wrong with "circling the wagons" uniquely support one another.

It is during this time that we most need one another.

In this time, Corporate prayer can often prove more powerful and supportive than personal prayer.

(Blomberg, C. (1992).

Matthew (Vol.

22, p. 394).

Broadman & Holman Publishers.)

Jesus most likely wanted to teach these three, about facing strong temptation with confidence in God rather than in themselves.

In light of their self-declared dependability (v 35), the disciples needed to learn the humility and poverty of spirit that is necessary before God can effectively use His people.

Matthew 5:3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

(ESV) He wanted Peter, James, and John to be convinced and convicted of their foolish smugness and feelings of invincibility.