Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye 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 further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt. 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 indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. Matthew 26:36-41

Gethsemane is where Jesus came to die, the cross is only the evidence – Leonard Ravenhill

What did Ravenhill mean by this? Well this is where Christ knew His hour has come, to go to the cross, and pay for the sins of the world. We must remember Jesus is fully God and fully Human, He knew He was going to be tortured and put to death, however Christ did it because He loves us. Jesus went to the cross, as a demonstration of his love towards us,(Romans 5:8) there is no greater act of love than what Christ did on the cross for us!

Jesus asked his disciples to stay awake while He prayed to The Father, but the disciples repeatedly fell asleep. This is the same as the Church today, Jesus has continually told us to “Watch and Pray” however the Church is asleep. We have lost our focus on Christ, we have forgotten our mission to share the good news and be the hands and feet of Christ. 

Christ said “Watch and Pray , You don’t enter into temptation, the Spirit is willing but the flesh is weak” (v41) The warning by Jesus, Don’t fall asleep! Don’t fall into the temptations of this world! Watch and Pray! Keep your lamps lit for the return of Christ!

He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done. And he came and found them asleep again: for their eyes were heavy. And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words. Then cometh he to his disciples, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going: behold, he is at hand that doth betray me. Matthew 26:42-46

While Jesus agonized over going to the cross, he sweated blood (Luke 22:44) Think about that! The Lord in anguish, continued in obedience and love to the cross! As Christ said “Thy Will Be Done”, Jesus was obedient to our Heavenly Father, even to the point of death on the cross! Reminds me of Philippians 2:6-11

Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:

But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.