Vigil in Gethsemane: Prayer, Communion, and Presence

Jesus did. He spoke to his heavenly father in as childlike, trustful, and intimate way as a little child to its father. Remember back to the very beginning of this sermon, I said this quote. Surely, this is a passage which we must approach on our on our knees. Here, study should pass into wondering adoration. I would say that sometimes we need to lay aside all the self help, all the prayer books, all the little earthly trinkets, and be present with the one who has asked us to be present, Abba. [00:59:38] (68 seconds)  #ChildlikePrayer

Joachim Jeremiah was a German Lutheran theologian in the nineteen hundreds. And when I say nineteen hundreds, mean, like, 1900 to 1970 something. So not like forever ago. And he wrote this book, the parables of Jesus. He said, Jesus' use of the word abba in addressing God is unparalleled in the whole of Jesus literature. Abba was the word used by a young child to its father. It was an everyday family word which no one had ventured to use in addressing God. Jesus did. [00:58:55] (46 seconds)  #AbbaInScripture

even if we don't have the companion or the someone that wants to stay awake and be present with us or they say they will, and yet they fall away as we see here. One commentator puts it like this. But in that loneliness, there is for us the presence of one who in Gethsemane experienced it and came through it. Lesson one from this passage is being a true, good, and present friend. Lesson two from this passage is seeing an intimacy with God that can be found in prayer. [00:57:35] (56 seconds)  #PrayerInLoneliness

Doctor Barclay writes it like this. This is what prayer is for. In prayer, a person kneels before god that they may stand erect before people. In prayer, a person enters heaven that they may face the battles of earth. So now what? Where do we go? We've been in the desert wilderness for the last several weeks learning from wisdom from from the desert mothers and fathers that took their time away from the world to grow in relationship with god in order to come out and share it with the world. [01:00:46] (54 seconds)  #PrayerEmpowers

How are we present with our friends when they need our presence? Are we awake? Are our eyes open? Do we care? That's the challenge. That's the challenge tonight. And we have to look beyond ourselves and know when to call on others to be with us and to look beyond ourselves and to know when someone is calling us to be with them. [00:53:42] (34 seconds)  #BePresentForFriends

Walk out of the desert, out of the wilderness because now we are prepared to go into the world that needs us, to come out of that space and be with Abba and be with one another. And maybe for all of us is to finally say, Abba, yet not my will, but your will be done. [01:01:58] (44 seconds)  #FromDesertToWorld

Or a friend has asked us to be present and keep awake with them through something they may be going through, and we fought through the temptation to fall asleep or the temptation to not even be there. When we are troubled, are we supported, or are we left alone in that? When we know a friend that is troubled, are we supported supportive, or do we fall away? Because we don't wanna get in that. It's a reflective moment for us all. Me too. Me too. [00:52:54] (49 seconds)  #StayAwakeWithFriends

I'm a call Nadia out. She didn't know I'm doing it. I'm a call her out because I see Nadia walk around, and Nadia will say, can I pray with you? Can I pray for you? And I bet you, even if you say no, she's done it anyway. Where are my friends with me in prayer? Where are they at? When is the last time we asked a friend to stay with us and pray? Or a friend has asked us to be present and keep awake with them through something they may be going through, [00:52:17] (43 seconds)  #FriendsWhoPray