Thu Oct 1

Listen up, little ones

Especially for the littles in your household.

Listen for the words watch and pray and cup.

Reading

Matthew 26:36-46—A Place Called Gethsemane

Optional Reading

Luke 22:40–46

Keys for kids

Also for the littles. Young households might choose, after Keys for Kids, to go directly to praise and prayer.

Jesus went to Gethsemane with His disciples.
There He prayed that He might avoid, if possible, God’s wrath.
But He was willing to do the Father’s will—to suffer and die.

Questions

(Some read the ?s before the notes/ ask them after.)

What is Gethsemane?
What did Jesus go there to do?
What is the cup that Jesus desired not to drink?

Catechism

WSC 83

Are all transgressions of the law equally heinous?

Some sins in themselves, and by reason of several aggravations, are more heinous in the sight of God than others.

(Ezekiel 8:6, 13, 15; 1 John 5:16; Psalms 78:17, 32, 56)

Notes

(See Saturday for authors.)

Gethsemane is a place on the western slopes of the Mount of Olives, the hillside where Jesus had given his recent Olivet Discourse (Matthew 24, 25) and where he and his disciples climbed after they celebrated the Last Supper (26:30). …

Jesus took “his disciples,” … those most recently with him in the upper room. At this point that would be the Twelve minus Judas. Judas must have sneaked out at some point during the meal because he arrives with his evil entourage in verse 47.

[Jesus] went there to pray. … Jesus gave an order: “Remain here, and watch with me” (v. 38b). … Whatever Jesus meant by “watch,” it did not mean “sleep.” …

If you are sleeping, now is the time to wake up. Wake up. Watch. Pray. Listen. When Jesus prayed for those hours, he prayed about the removal of some cup. … The cup refers to his awful sufferings and death. … Who drank the cup? I summarize it this way: Jesus, the Son of Man and the Son of God. And to that theological truth—that realest of realities, I could call it—what should be our response? How do we respond to Gethsemane? Praise! Adoration! Glory! Honor!

Douglas Sean O’Donnell, Matthew: All Authority in Heaven and on Earth

Swedish Method questions

See the Sunday notes for meaning of the symbols.

Praise

Psalm 40a, 104a

Prayer

Rejoice that Jesus drank the cup of God’s wrath for you.
Pray for the preparation for preaching God’s Word this Lord's Day.
Pray for a member of our church, for your family, and for a non-Christian friend/family member.