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Matthew 26:44-46
A third time Jesus leaves His disciples (Peter, James, and John) and goes to pray alone. He asks His heavenly Father the same words – the same prayer as we learned in Matthew 26:42 (NKJV), “O My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done.” Jesus then returned to His disciples and found them once again, for the third time, sleeping. At this point Jesus makes the declaration, “Behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going. See, My betrayer is at hand” (Matthew 26:45c-46).
This is the promise and example of Jesus alone being our Savior.
While most of the disciples of Jesus were left behind, Jesus took with Him Peter, James, and John. But while they were with Him remotely, He Himself went further by Himself to pray and to petition His heavenly Father in preparation to be the ultimate sacrifice for all sin – for the sins of all humanity, including your and mine.
Even the disciples that were considered the closest to Jesus could not help Him in His time of need – they fell asleep – in their desires to follow Him, they still yet were restricted by their human sinful nature to be attached to their own desires of needing sleep.
We too cannot help Jesus pay for our sins as we too are sinful and in need of forgiveness. But as Jesus would soon be crucified for the sins of His disciples, His crucifixion would pay the price for our sins too. We are all one in Christ as the Apostle Paul would teach us in Galatians 3:28. There is freedom from sin in Christ Jesus; we cannot help ourselves obtain it, but if we will come to the foot of the cross and recognize Jesus as our Savior, He is faithful and will forgive you too and welcome you into the family of being a child of God. The Bible teaches us in John 1:12-13, “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”
Dear LORD,
Please help us to see that we cannot save ourselves from sin or the wages of sin as we learn in Romans 3:23; 6:23. But please help us to also see that as the wages of sin is death, that we would grasp the second part of Romans 6:23, “but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Please let it be so LORD. In Jesus name I pray, amen.