‘Tis Midnight and on Olive’s Brow

1. Read: Matthew 26:30

2. About the Text:

1) This song is about Jesus’ prayer in the garden of Gethsemane before His crucifixion.

2) The song emphasizes the suffering that Jesus went through.

3) It was written by William B. Tappan.

4) He wrote many other hymns, but this is the only one that has attained prominence.

5) This is a great song to sing before the Lord’s Supper because it reflects on Jesus’ sacrifice.

3. Ref. to S, T, P, O, and A.

1. “‘Tis midnight, and on Olive’s brow the star is dimmed that lately shone. ‘Tis midnight; in the garden now the suff’ring Savior prays alone.”

2. Read Matthew 26:36 and 40-41.

3. Even though Jesus had people with him, He was still lonely.

1) Loneliness is the result of Adam’s letting sin into the world.

2) God did not make man to be alone (Genesis 2:18).

4. Sometimes we get lonely too; we can be assured that Jesus knows what that is like.

5. “Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’ So we may boldly say: ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?’” (Hebrews 13:5-6).

6. “Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10).

7. Prayer helps with loneliness – “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Phil.4:6-7).

1. “‘Tis midnight, and from all removed, Immanuel wrestles ’lone with fears. E’en that disciple whom he loved heeds not his Master’s grief and tears.”

2. Read Matthew 26:39, 42.

3. Jesus was tempted with fear and anxiety as he awaited to suffer for others’ sins.

1) He did not allow these temptations to take control of His life.

2) He did the Father’s will despite His own sufferings.

4. Jesus was tempted – “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15).

5. Why was Jesus so overwhelmed with suffering?

6. “No man knows how bad he is till he has tried very hard to be good. A silly idea is current that good people do not know what temptation means. This is an obvious lie. Only those who try to resist temptation know how strong it is. After all, you find out the strength of the German army by fighting against it, not by giving in. You find out the strength of a wind by trying to walk against it, not by lying down. A man who gives in to temptation after five minutes simply does not know what it would have been like an hour later. That is why bad people, in one sense, know very little about badness — they have lived a sheltered life by always giving in. We never find out the strength of the evil impulse inside us until we try to fight it: and Christ, because He was the only man who never yielded to temptation, is also the only man who knows to the full what temptation means — the only complete realist” (C.S. Lewis).

1. “‘Tis midnight, and for others’ guilt the Man of sorrows weeps in blood. Yet he who hath in anguish knelt is not forsaken by his God.”

2. “And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground” (Luke 22:44).

3. The most difficult emotions to manage are those that are the result of injustice against you.

4. Jesus was about to suffer the greatest injustice every committed by man.

5. He took all the sins of the world from the past, present, and future upon himself.

6. He had to do this while maintaining absolute control of Himself and His responses.

7. Is it any wonder that His sweat became blood?

8. “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit” (1 Peter 3:18).

9. “Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him” (Luke 22:43).

1. Jesus suffered in the Garden of Gethsemane due to . . .

1) Loneliness

2) Temptation

3) Injustice

2. Invitation