Stay Awake: Jesus' call in the garden

Stay Awake: Why Jesus Asked His Disciples to "Watch With Me" (And Why We're Still Sleeping)

Have you ever been around someone having the absolute worst day of their life? I'm not talking about the "Hee Haw" kind of gloom and despair - "Deep, dark depression and added misery" - but that soul-crushing sorrow where you can't eat, can't sleep, can't do anything. That's exactly where Jesus was in the Garden of Gethsemane, and what happened next reveals why so many of us are missing what God wants us to see.

The Call to Watch

Let me take you to that garden moment in Matthew 26. Jesus knows his end is drawing near. Judas has gone to get the religious police. Jesus grabs his disciples, leaves most of them farther out, and takes his inner circle - Peter, James, and John - deeper into the garden.

Here's what he tells them: "My soul is very sorrowful, even to death. Remain here and watch with me."

Notice those words carefully - "watch with me," not "watch out for me," not "stand guard." He's not asking them to protect him. Jesus knows what's coming and knows it's the right thing. He's asking for something different entirely.

What Does It Mean to Watch?

"That word watch is this alert, wakeful attentiveness to the unfolding events. He says, I want you to watch. I want you to stay awake. I want you to have your eyes open so you see what's going on."

Church, we need to watch. We need to focus. We need to watch and understand and see the unfolding events around us. Not to just have blinders on, waiting for the trumpet call, but to pay attention to what's happening in the spiritual realm right now.

But what did the disciples do? "They take a siesta."

Picture this: Jesus is sweating blood and he tells his three best friends, "Can you watch with me because I'm sorrowful to the point of death?" And they take a nap.

We're Still Sleeping

"Church, we're asleep. We’ve gotta wake up."

Just like those disciples, we've gotten comfortable. We've put on blinders and convinced ourselves that as long as we go to church, read our Bible occasionally, and avoid the "big" sins, we're good. But we're missing the spiritual battle happening all around us.

Paul knew this would happen. That's why he wrote to the Ephesians: "Therefore, be alert. Pay attention. Wake up." To the Corinthians, he said, "Watch. Stand firm in the faith. Act like men and be strong." And Peter warned us in 1 Peter 5:8: "Be sober-minded. Be watchful. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour."

The Enemy's Strategy

Here's what you need to understand about that prowling lion: "He doesn't come full frontal at you. He wants to get behind you. He wants to get to the point where you can't see... I'm going to attack him here. I'm going to find his blind spot. I'm going to find a place where he's not focused."

The enemy is smart. He doesn't announce himself with a roar. The environment gets quiet. Have you ever seen it before? You watch, and all of a sudden, when that lion gets ready to kill, everything gets quiet.

When Good Things Become God Things

Let me share something personal. I love video games - I'm that Atari generation. "I was playing one day, one of my favorite games, Forza. It's a racing game... I was just playing that, just driving, enjoying. I was driving my Bugatti in Italy and just having a great old time racing. And God spoke to me at that moment and said ‘So you turn to video games to relax instead of me?’”

When I was stressed, when things got too heavy, I turned to my video games to relax. And what I realized is the Enemy had been prowling around, and he used something I enjoyed. And it took the place of God.

This is how the enemy works. He doesn't use obviously evil things - he uses good things that gradually replace God in our hearts. Entertainment, sports, hobbies, and even ministry can become idols if we're not watching.

The Danger of Spiritual Blindness

"Parents, can I just beg you, take your blinders off. Your kids are being devoured. They're being devoured by social media. They're being devoured by their teachers... They're being devoured by their friends... And we put these blinders on and think our kids are mature enough. We put these blinders on, say it's going to be all right, but understand it's not all right."

But it's not just parents who need to wake up. We all need to ask God for spiritual insight. I know there is a real enemy that is after your soul, that desires to kill you, to steal from you, and to destroy you. And until we realize that we will never truly see clearly.

Seeing with Spiritual Eyes

Remember the story of Elisha in 2 Kings 6? The Syrian army had surrounded the city to kill the prophet. Elisha's servant woke up, saw the enemy army, and panicked: "What do we do? We're lost!”

But Elisha prayed: "Oh, Lord, please open his eyes that he may see." Suddenly, the servant could see the chariots of fire and angels all around them.

"When Elisha prayed for his servant, he said... just open his eyes to really see what's going on. Too many of us want God to remove the enemy. I need to see the enemy, but I need to be aware enough and be focused enough that I see the angels camped around."

Head on a Swivel

“Jenn and I have dove with sharks... the dive guides told us... You've got to have your head on a swivel... Well, let me tell you, Church, we need to have our head on a swivel. We need to be able to look around and realize, okay, where's the enemy coming at this point."

Being focused doesn't mean having blinders on - it means being spiritually alert. "When I say focus, it's not about blinders. We have to see, and we have to have our head on a swivel."

Called for Such a Time as This

"Children of God. God handcrafted you, made you, formed you for such a time as this. You weren't born in the wrong century. You weren’t born into the wrong area. You were brought into this area for such a time as this."

Like Esther, we're positioned for a purpose. But we need some Mordecais and Elishas who will speak truth into people's lives, helping others see what God is doing and where the enemy is attacking.

Life Application: Putting Spiritual Focus Into Practice

WAKE UP AND ASSESS

Take an honest look at your life. What things have gradually taken God's place as your source of comfort, entertainment, or identity? "God, would you show me what's going on? God, would you give me spiritual insight."

DEVELOP YOUR SPIRITUAL VISION

Start praying like Elisha: "God, open my eyes to see." Ask God to help you see both where He's working and where the enemy is attacking - in your life, your family, your relationships.

KEEP YOUR HEAD ON A SWIVEL

Stay alert to the enemy's subtle tactics. Remember, "the enemy's tactics don't surprise us. We know them." Don't be caught off guard by things that seem innocent but gradually pull your heart away from God.

SPEAK TRUTH INTO OTHERS' LIVES

When you see clearly, help others see. "There are people around you, and they're going to say things like, ' What shall we do? And you need to be able to look at them and say, " Let me show you, God. Let me show you where God is at in this moment."

"You've got to decide if you're going to use it or not, that you need to be in Elisha. You need to be a Mordecai. But you've got to see it for yourself first. You've got to see where God is moving and where the enemy's trying to kill, steal, and destroy."

The disciples fell asleep when Jesus needed them most. Don't make the same mistake. It's time to wake up, stay focused, and watch with Jesus as He works in our world today.