Our very first Conversation about Jesus was “Jesus loved naps!” This was a reminder of Jesus’ humanity. But I wanted to go one step further today and examine a few of those times Jesus was weary…because y’all, how many of you are feeling weary? We’re EXHAUSTED!
But first, questions!
· When do you feel your weariest?
· Do you gain energy from being alone, or by feeding off a crowd?
· Do you find it necessary to restore and refresh your energy when you have endured a period of difficulty?
· Does continual stress zap your energy?
· What happens when you are weary? How do you treat others?
A couple of weeks ago, we talked about Jesus with the woman at the well in John 4:6, “and Jesus, tired from the long walk, sat wearily beside the well about noontime.”
· The Greek word used here is kopiao. This means tiredsome, toil, work with effort (of bodily and mental labor alike), depleted (exhausted).
#1 - There was a limit to Jesus’ physical endurance, and He honored that limit.
Mark 1:35, “Before daybreak the next morning, Jesus got up and went out to an isolated place to pray.”
Luke 6:12, “One day soon afterward Jesus went up on a mountain to pray, and he prayed to God all night.”
Finding moments alone to renew himself must have been hard for Jesus. Demands on His physical strength and the stress He endured frequently had to be beyond measurement.
#2 - Jesus had no privacy. Someone always needed or wanted something.
Matthew 14:13, 14, “Now when Jesus heard it, He withdrew from there in a boat, to a lonely place by Himself; and when the multitudes heard of this, they followed Him on foot from the cities. And when He went ashore, He saw a great multitude, and felt compassion for them, and healed their sick.”
Daily demands on Jesus were enormous. If you had the power to heal incurable sickness, can you imagine how many requests you would receive? If you could teach in the manner Jesus did, can you imagine how many people would follow? If you said, “no” to someone who was counting on your help, can you imagine how the person would react? There was always just one more paralyzed person, just one more blind person, just one more lame person, etc., who needed help.
#3 - Garden of Gethsemane
Luke 22:39-45, “Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him. On reaching the place, he said to them, “Pray that you will not fall into temptation.” He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground. When he rose from prayer and went back to the disciples, he found them asleep, exhausted from sorrow.”
Jesus prayed to the Father - Lord, Your Will. Nothing more. Nothing less. Nothing Else. Amen.
Here Christ did not ask the Lord to be “magical” and eliminate all the bad that was coming His way nor did He ask the Father to change His mind. He simply said Father let Your will be done…for I know that You love me and that Your love for me is so great that it will lead me only to what is good for me. In the end, the Father did not take away Christ’s Cross but He did answer His prayer bringing about the Resurrection. He answered His prayers in the most ever-lasting way, eternal life.
#4 - How can we be like Christ when we’re weary?
After His baptism, Jesus was led into the desert to be tempted by Satan. Each time Satan tempted Jesus, Jesus cited scripture. Matthew 4:4 says Jesus quoted Deuteronomy 8:3, “man does not live by bread alone.” He knew Satan was tempting him to be a materialistic Messiah, and Jesus turned to scripture to resist him.
He fell back on what He knew and what He could trust. When we’re weary, fall back on what we are confident in - scripture. Psalm 119:11 says, “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.”
