“And He withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and began to pray,”
Luke 22:41
WHO KNOWS WHAT JESUS IS THINKING AT THIS PRECISE MOMENT as he entered the Garden? His disciples waited for Jesus and scripture states that he proceeded ahead of them to find some needed strength through prayer— this verse tells us he went “a stone’s throw.”
We often share in the sorrows of the people closest to us, and Jesus wants His disciples to follow him. And they do, but not all the way. They came close, but were oblivious to the full nature of the pain that was beginning for Jesus. They slept while he agonized.
He was for the first time perhaps, needing someone close.
Many of us will make the same trip to the garden. Soon every believer makes the trip to ‘Gethsemane,’ but not as mere observers. It is a distinct place of testing and of sorrow. And each will experience it for themselves. “The servant is not above his master.”
But Jesus is close— he completely understands what it means to be alone with sorrow. The believer can lean on Jesus as the pain continues. He sends his “Comforter” to each, as he escorts us through this time. He comes in grace, and is completely kind.
He is truly just a stone’s throw away.
“God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble.”
Sometimes we live in darkness. We suffer and it’s hard. We mentally accept God’s grace and His love for us, but in our heart we remain untouched. Pain saturates everything it seems. We seem to go through the motions, but deep down we’re convinced that we’ll never find the light that so many claim to have.
Are we “cursed?”
Pain fills our life. We live with something that is persistent, and our hope is a day when it’s all over. Psalm 88 is our Psalm. Nothing is sugar-coated. It is raw and unabridged. It’s pain under a microscope. That Psalm is yours.
“The Morning of the Fisherman,” Valentina Kostadinva, oil
“And so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon,
“Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.”
Luke 5:10
Fear is an ugly thing, it turns men into timid cowards who cannot really trust God. Simon Peter is promised courage. Throughout his life this will be a constant battle for him. It seems like Simon Peter will always struggle with what people will think about him. He is ‘crippled’ and he needs Jesus to intervene. And He does.
I remember Jody and I were sent out by a pastor to do “door-to-door” evangelism. I was terrified. We knocked on a door and then I sort of freaked out, I left her on the porch and hid behind a tree. Witnessing scared me. She shared Jesus while I ran away. How ‘Peter-like’ I am.
“Catching men” is a reference to Peter’s occupation as a fisherman. Jesus speaks so Peter will understand. He expresses evangelism in a way that describes the work of the Kingdom. Fishing describes the main task of the believer. All too often we’re ‘fixed’ on self-improvement, and our vision becomes blurred. Evangelism is to be our work.
“Evangelism is not a professional job for a few trained men, but is instead the unrelenting responsibility of every person who belongs to the company of Jesus.”
“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavily burdened [by religious rituals that provide no peace], and I will give you rest [refreshing your souls with salvation]. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me [following Me as My disciple], for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest (renewal, blessed quiet) for your souls.”
Matthew 11:28-29, Amplified Bible
He is inviting us.
Jesus requests our presence in one simple statement, “come to Me.” This phrase must be our starting point. It’s how you begin daily. If you’re His disciple, it’s imperative that you obey. But this concept is nuanced, it has profound meanings.
“All who are weary.” Each of us carries a heavy load. Sin has weight, whether we believe it or not. When I start to see this, I really begin my discipleship. Apart from Jesus’ invitation I will try to carry this heaviness on my own. This is called “religion,” and it’s a bad thing.
“My guilt overwhelms me— it is a burden too heavy to bear.”
Psalm 38:4
“I will give you rest.” It’s His gift, given to each believer. It isn’t earned, you don’t deserve it. His heart is for you to “rest.” The original Greek word often means “to refresh, or to cease your work.” Every true disciple knows this, and understands that Jesus rather laying a terrible burden on us, takes it off.
We must understand our calling.
Another burden (His own burden), is now given to us. It’s Jesus’own weight shared with believers. But it’s a restful burden that gives joy and peace. There are no longer sweaty religious rules, but authentic rest. Real discipleship is now based on love, not duty.
To follow Him in obedience is the happy delight of every disciple. When you are in love with Him the rigors of obedience have little weight.
“It never cost a disciple anything to follow Jesus; to talk about cost when you are in love with anyone is an insult.”
“For I am gentle and humble in heart,” is His nature. He always acts this way, it is who Jesus is. This is how He behaves to each of us. It becomes the very essence of how He relates to human beings, always gentle and completely humble. Sometimes we add things that obscure this, and we see Jesus in our own particular image. (Maybe that’s a way of defining idolatry?)
And finally--“and you will find restfor your souls.” Again, the Greek here is quite instructive: rest, “cessation of any motion, or labor.” My walk, following Him, isn’t working harder, but being in a joyful rest. God’s saints aren’t called to sweat, but walk in the sureness of the presence of Jesus inside them.
Life can be awfully hard. Trials come and we get overwhelmed.
The joyful rest is only a slice of what heaven will be like. If joy and peace are a wonder now, just you wait, our future holds promises of a continual awareness of Him in our new bodies. This fallen world will be completely remade. Sin, sadness and Satan will be no more.
“And me? I plan on looking you full in the face. When I get up, I’ll see your full stature and live heaven on earth.”
“Praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,
19 and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.”
Eph. 6:18-20, ESV
I am convinced that our most challenging work is learning to pray. Whenever we experience revival, whenever we rediscover our true calling and purpose for living, we do so by prayer. Prayer isn’t the way to get things, it’s how we change.
Prayer is the way we become like Jesus.
Satan’s primary focus is to destroy our prayer lives, he works to eliminate our communion with our Father. He detests that, and he and his demons (and the world system) work overtime to tear down our walk. The enemy concentrates everything on our prayer life.
This passage (v.v. 18-20) emphasizes several truths about prayer. If you take apart these you’ll discover how to shape and direct your ‘time on your knees.’ Notice the following.
There are four “alls” used in verse 18, and they must be understood.
All times
All prayer
All perseverance
All the saints
If we go further we see that the word “all” in Greek, (although it’s a simple adjective), gets used 1245 times in the Bible. It can mean:
all manner of
the whole or entirety
everything, or the totality of
completely
With this in mind we see that Paul stresses the complete effort of prayer and its focus. All the time, every kind, no matter what and for your brother and sisters in Christ need. It’s work, spiritual work. It seems that once we put the armor on (verses 10-17) we can stand in God’s own strength. It’s from that we start to learn prayer.
It’s not enough to wear your armor. There’s something you must do wearing it.
If we’re clothed in armor it’s pretty much for the exclusive purpose of prayer. Yes we must dress for war and protection, true, but its ultimate purpose is prayer and intercession. Don’t just wear it but pray out of it. It’ll be work, but you must do this, even if you sweat. You must strive in prayer, so much is counting on you.
You can make a difference.
The Church is counting on you. “Paul,” (symbolizing all pastors and elders, teachers and leaders), absolutely need your prayers. We need boldness, and we need grace and love, and only God can give it, if you’ll only intercede for us.
God will do nothing unless you start to pray. He’s waiting for you to ask. He wants you to intercede for others.
It will not be easy. The enemy wants to suppress your prayer life. He absolutely hates it. Satan wants to see you passive and dull and you cannot let him do this. You have a very critical part and place in God’s kingdom. Perhaps others are waiting for you, and perhaps you’re the only one who can step in the gap for them.
You’ve been given a part of God’s field to care for, you have your own sphere of influence. No one else has it, but you.
There many different ways to pray:
On your knees
walking
standing or sitting
vocally, or in your focused thoughts
with others, a group
using a prayer list, (very helpful).
“arrow” prayers, (those with 1-2 sentences that end up in His throne room).
using the Psalms or reading the many prayers in the Bible
(I know there are many more, but these are what comes to mind right now.)
There’s a “school” of prayer and the Holy Spirit intends to teach you.
Don’t play hooky. You’ll make mistakes or perhaps lose focus. The Spirit will teach you holy stamina. You might pray for one or two minutes at first, but it’ll grow and you’ll learn endurance. Remember though–you’re most like Jesus when you start to intercede for others.
Just maybe your sanctification will come when you start to pray?
“You need not cry very loud; he is nearer to us than we think.”
“Behold, these are but the outskirts of his ways, and how small a whisper do we hear of him! But the thunder of his power who can understand?”
Job 26:14
Job’s suffering has led him to this point. He realizes how little he understands God. I guess pain can have a powerful effect on how we see things. Job has learned the immensity of God.
In verse 14 he speaks about the “outskirts” the word in Hebrew means the mere edge, or fringe. One translation of this verse reads like this: “These are only a few of the things that God does. We only know about a few small things. If he used all of his power, we could never understand.“
“That being the case, let’s consider God’s capacity for just a moment. He’s not only “high capacity”, He’s “infinite capacity.” He never sleeps or slumbers. He is perfect in all His abilities. There isn’t a single thing that He doesn’t know, and there is no one more powerful than Him. And unlike humans who can only be in one place at one time, He is everywhere at the same time. This is amazing, and just like the Psalmist said in Psalm 113, “Who is like the Lord our God?”The answer, very simply, is no one.”
John Piper
“For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.” (1 Cor. 13:12)
I’m thinking about Moses who asked to see God’s glory. Moses was called “the friend of God,” but he wanted to see more. God’s response was that He couldn’t because it would kill Moses. But provision was made for him to see the backside of God as Moses was in a cleft of a rock. (Exodus 33.)
The Bible doesn’t reveal it all. But we’re given enough. Job told us that only the outer fringes can be seen by men and women. We see His periphery, but we must understand our limits. We’re told that we will see Him someday–but not yet. But at the moment of death, we will see Him.
The Lord Jesus came to show us the Father. “In [Christ] all the fullness of deity dwells bodily.” When we see Jesus we see the Father. Reading the Gospels we are encountering God, because Jesus reveals Him fully.
“He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power.”
Hebrews 1:3
“Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!”
“Having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God.”
Col. 2:12
Perhaps the most significant decision we’ll make is to follow Jesus Christ into the waters of baptism. This is just obedience to the Lord’s command to be baptized. Discipleship begins when we appropriate baptism into our faith. Ideally, it should forever alter your life. At least that is the Father’s intention.
Baptism becomes a public declaration to the physically seen world as well as to the invisibly unseen world of the Spirit.
It takes faith to be authentically prepared for baptism. You will be taking a stand. By faith, you’re making public your allegiance to Christ. It is an important and critical step.
“Baptism was to put a line of demarcation between your past sins when you are buried with Him by Baptism–you are burying your past sins–eradicating them–putting a line in the sand saying that old man is dead and he is no longer alive anymore and I rise up to walk in the newness of life.”
T.D. Jakes
I suggest that you prayerfully attend examine the process listed below. You’ll find there’s a big difference between truly being baptized, and just getting wet!
The interrogative process can be used to solidify the faith before man and in front of His people. In a sense, it’s much like the vows made by a husband and wife in the vows of marriage.
Here are some suggestions you should consider:
A series of questions are asked, to which the reply is always, “I renounce them.”
Do you renounce Satan and all the spiritual forces of wickedness that rebel against God?
Do you renounce the evil powers of this world that corrupt and destroy the creatures of God?
Do you renounce all sinful desires that draw you from the love of God?
The second half also must be asked, to which the reply is always, “I do.”
Do you turn to Jesus Christ and accept him as your Savior?
Do you put your whole trust in his grace and love?
Do you promise to follow and obey him as your Lord?
The Apostle’s Creed can be recited publicly (or privately in prayer).
This creed is our faith boiled down to its core essence. This declaration helps set us apart from the World, the flesh, and the devil:
“I believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth. And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, and born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, who was crucified, died and was buried.
He descended into hell. and on the third day, He rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of the Father. From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.”
We need to develop these into a living discipleship; you’ll see that water baptism is analogous to a master key that opens the door to a special joy. Obeying the command to be baptized pleases Jesus. And that is what we long to do.
“Indeed, baptism is a vow, a sacred vow of the believer to follow Christ. Just as a wedding celebrates the fusion of two hearts, baptism celebrates the union of the sinner with the Savior.”
–Max Lucado
“Baptism is an outward expression of inward faith.”
–Watchman Nee
“Baptism separates the tire kickers from the car buyers.”
–Max Lucado
A special word to “older” believers:
There may come a time when you feel that you would want to be baptized again. I believe that this is not only allowable but commendable. You may have not had a good understanding of the baptismal process, but now it makes more sense to you. I would encourage you to follow your heart. God will honor your re-dedication.
Ask your pastor or an elder what they think.
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I just saw a t-shirt. “It gets better,” and inside me something connected, it resonated. If there is something like spiritual mirth and laughter, I could barely contain myself. I wanted to shout and dance, but being an old man I knew I had to take extra Advil if I did. (Besides I was in Safeway.)
“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.”
Romans 8:18
The last 20 years are something I’d rather forget and erase. It seems I’ve been hit with just about everything awful you can imagine. After each incident I find myself thinking, “finally, it’s done,” but no, it’s not really done, there’s more coming. I’m smiling as I write these words. “But no, it’s not.” Ha!
Being slammed over and over has created within me a special longing for my real home. When I ponder the eternity of heaven the knots of this life begin to unravel, and I see life as it really is. You see present day life is quite temporary, and these many issues will be forgotten.
The Apostle is remarkably clear about this.
“Neither count my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy,” is Paul’s take on his life’s issues. To finally complete all of the moments–and do it with joy, is his goal. Crossing the tape triumphantly is the hope of the staggering believer. And it is mine.
My pain is just for a simple singular moment, but eternity is time on steroids.
It is forever and ever and ever and ever.
On my end, the exchange I make is hardly perfect. I turn in my “sawdust” and get gold in return, and who can turn this trade down? My ugliness becomes eternal beauty and who can resist such a deal? These terrible things that hurt me so badly carry an everlasting weight of glory.
Brother, please believe this. Yes, I know, it hurts.
The Greek word “worthy” in verse 18 can be translated “having weight” which suggests a heaviness or burden that must be carried. But even so, it’s temporary. It enters but passes, even though at the moment it seems forever. You carry it for a moment–but that is all. and it’s done.
“Forwe do not want you to be unaware,brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. Forwe were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself.”
2 Corinthians 1:8
“As I look back over fifty years of ministry, I recall innumerable tests, trials and times of crushing pain. But through it all, the Lord has proven faithful, loving, and totally true to all his promises.”
The word is in New Testament Greek is θλῖψις, or thlipsis. It means affliction, trouble, or pressure. It’s used 45 times in the NT and it seems to be used in a negative sense. Personally I think “pressure” is the most intriguing.
To write anything on suffering and pain is a bit of a fool’s errand.
It’s a broad subject and it will vary from person-to-person.
And I’ve no special insight to give. I know this. Perhaps though, something will come of this. Personally, I have had several traumatic (and dramatic) brushes with pain and suffering. Almost all of them have come as a believer–(I hope that doesn’t mess with your theology).
Looking at the Apostle Paul we can see suffering clearly. Often his ministry was extremely hard. He wrestled repeatedly over his churches and his own sin. When we look at the totality of his work we start to realize that being crushed was part of calling. He understood the challenge of himself and his message.
It meant a crushing cross and it is only the crushed grapes that yielded the wine.
I write this first to remind you that to minister true grace in any real capacity will mean difficulty. But I also want to encourage you to see that God will always bring life when we remain obedient to Him.
That’s how it works. (At least I think so.)
“When God wants to do an impossible task Hetakes an impossible man and crushes him.”
“Therefore I will hedge up her way with thorns, and I will build a wall against her, so that she cannot find her paths.”
Hosea 2:6
A holy prophet is told to marry a prostitute–sounds crazy I know, but this union was intentionally commanded by God. It served to announce to Israel the present condition of their hearts, (1:2). In God’s eyes, Israel was nothing more than a spiritual whore. They would now be forced to grapple with this truth.
Her name was Gomer, and the prophet was Hosea.
The truth is sometimes a very hard thing. God has a bellyful of Israel’s prostitution, the nation has repeatedly went astray, they’re full of sin and idolatry. What else can God do to break this ‘spell’ and get their attention?
O.K. So why this hedge of thorns?
This hedge was initiated by God Himself
It was not vindictive; it wasn’t meant to destroy
Sin will never satisfy those in a covenant relationship with Him
Repentance was the goal God wanted to see
It’s function was to resist their sin and idolatry
This hedge was to bring Israel back into a right relationship with Himself
Imagine being restrained by the Lord in this way. Spiritual handcuffs and fetters and anything else that would restrict you from sin. He loves you and as a believer you belong to Him exclusively. He will discipline you if you persist in your sin. (But that is a good thing.)
He does this out of an everlasting love that’s forever loyal to you.
The very next verse (v. 7) is the response of Israel to being hedged in. It seems to be doing what He intends it to do. The ‘block’ seems to be working. (This sounds a bit like the “prodigal son.”)
“She shall pursue her lovers but not overtake them, and she shall seek them but shall not find them. Then she shall say, ‘I will go and return to my first husband, for it was better for me then than now.’“
Hosea 2:7
When you receive Jesus as your Savior you now belong exclusively to Him. That covenant is far more than eternal life. It also means that He is fully and irrevocably committed Himself to making you a holy person. He disciplines when you persist in sin. But it’s done out of love.
Some have suggested praying the hedge of thorns over straying children or family. Perhaps that’s what is necessary. Pastors and elders could intercede for wandering believers using the same example found in Hosea 2. I believe God hears us as we pray.
“We often learn more of God under the rod that strikes us than under the staff that comforts us.”
Alaska Bible Teacher 