“Watch and pray so that you will not enter into temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak.”Watch and pray, that you don’t enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
3 sermons cite this verse
… that's Jesus from prayer and went back to the disciples, he found them asleep, pulling a Eutychus, exhausted from sorrow. And he goes, why are you sleeping? Get up and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. Now think about that. What in the world does sleeping and temptation have to do with each other? In another version, he'll say the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. Why are you talking about sleep, Jesus, and talking about temptation? I'm wondering if He's given us a picture that in the same way, when you're fighting to fall asleep and stay awake, that is the fight between your flesh and your spirit. And it is the fight of your life to stay spiritually awake, to stay attentive, because everything in our culture will try to put you to sleep. the Bible is replete with examples telling us to be alert, to be sober, to be vigilant. First Thessalonians 5 verses 5 through 6 says, you are children of the light and children of the day. …
… I'm going to give you another chance to watch and pray. Lest you enter into temptation, the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. Then he goes back to God a second time. He says, oh, my father, if this cup cannot pass away from me unless I drink it, your will be done. I love this because we talk about this, nevertheless, not my will, but your will be done, as if he said it only one time. But he had to go back and say it again. Lord, are you sure, sure? And then he goes back to the disciples, and he came, and he found them sleeping in, for their eyes were heavy. They just couldn't do it, so he left them. And he went away again, and he prayed the third time, saying the same words. Lord, are you really going to make me go through this? Lord, are you sure you can't change this situation? Is this really the world that we're living in right now. Is this really what I'm up against? Then he came to his disciples and said to them, are you still sleeping and resting? 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. Spirit of the living God, I love you. Thank you for meeting me in the area of inadequacy and weakness and allowing your strength to stand tall in me. God, I am asking for a fresh outpouring of your …
2. It is probable that Christ died to make atonement for that individual actual wickedness that wrought his sufferings, that reproached, mocked, buffeted, and crucified him. Some of his crucifiers, for whom he prayed that they might be forgiven, while they were in the very act of crucifying him, were afterwards, in answer to his prayer, converted, by the preaching of Peter; as we have an account of in the 2d chapter of Acts. 2. Another circumstance of Christ’s agony that shows the strength of his love, is the ungrateful carriage of his disciples at that time. Christ’s disciples were among those for whom he endured this agony, and among those for whom he was going to endure those last sufferings, of which he now had such dreadful apprehensions. Yet Christ had already given them an interest in the benefits of those sufferings. Their sins had already been forgiven them through that blood that he was going to shed and they had been infinite gainers already by that dying pity and love which he had to them, and had through his sufferings been distinguished from all the world besides. Christ had put greater honour upon them than any other, by making them his disciples in a more honourable sense than he had done any other. And yet now, when he had that dreadful cup set before him which he was going to drink for them, and was in such an agony at the sight of it, he saw no return on their part but indifference and ingratitude. When he only desired them to watch with him, that he might be comforted in their company, now at this sorrowful moment they fell asleep; and showed that they had not concern enough about it to induce them to keep awake with him even for one hour, though he desired it of them once and again. But yet this ungrateful treatment of theirs, for whom he was to drink the cup of wrath which God had set before him, did not discourage him from taking it, and drinking it for them. His love held out to them; having loved his own, he loved them to the end. He did not say within himself when this cup of trembling was before him, Why should I endure so much for those that are so ungrateful; why should I here wrestle with the expectation of the terrible wrath of God to be borne by me to-morrow, for them that in the mean time have not so much concern for me as to keep awake with me when I desire it of them even for one hour? But on the contrary, with tender and fatherly compassions he excuses this ingratitude of his disciples, and says, Matt. xxvi. 41. “Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak;” and went and was apprehended, and mocked, and scourged, and crucified, and poured out his soul unto death, under the heavy weight of God’s dreadful wrath on the cross for them. …