Mark 14:26-52
Alone and Abandoned
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Sermon Summary
Trusting in Christ's Strength - Mark 14:26-52
Introduction: The sermon opens with the story of Mark 14:26-52, highlighting Jesus' prediction of Peter's denial, the prayer at Gethsemane, and the betrayal by Judas. It contrasts human weakness and divine strength, using a personal story of battling sin to illustrate the point that victory over sin comes not from self-effort but through reliance on God.
Peter’s Overconfidence: Peter's assertion that he would never stumble (v. 29-31) is contrasted with Jesus' prediction of his denial. This showcases the danger of overestimating our strength and the necessity of trusting in God's word and plan.
Jesus’ Agony in Gethsemane: Jesus' prayerful struggle in Gethsemane (v. 32-42) demonstrates His humanity and reliance on the Father's will. Despite His disciples’ failure to stay awake, Jesus submits to God's will, showing the path of true strength through surrender.
The Betrayal and Arrest: The narrative of Judas betraying Jesus with a kiss and the disciples fleeing (v. 43-52) underscores the fulfillment of Jesus' predictions and the disciples’ inability to stand firm in trial, highlighting human frailty and the necessity of divine strength.
Main Applications:
Recognition of Weakness: Like Peter, we often overestimate our spiritual strength. Acknowledging our weakness is the first step toward true spiritual victory.
Reliance on Christ: Victory over sin comes through reliance on Christ's strength, not our own. Jesus, in His agony, chose submission to the Father’s will, demonstrating where our strength should lie.
The Means of Grace: Jesus’ strength was sustained through the means of grace: Word, sacrament, and prayer. Our spiritual vitality depends on these ordinary means.
Conclusion: The sermon concludes with an exhortation to look to Jesus as our virtuous and victorious hero. Our strength and victory over sin come from abiding in Him and relying on the Holy Spirit. We are reminded that Jesus is the only true hero in our spiritual journey, and through Him, we find the strength to face our weaknesses and overcome them.
Sample Bible Study
"Relying on Jesus in Our Weakness"
Introduction:
Explore the theme of reliance on God's strength in the face of temptation and trials, as illustrated in Mark 14:26-52.
Scripture Study:
Mark 14:26-31: Discuss the disciples' overconfidence in their own faithfulness and contrast it with Jesus' knowledge of human frailty.
Mark 14:32-42: Reflect on Jesus' prayer in Gethsemane, focusing on His submission to the Father's will and the disciples' inability to watch and pray.
Mark 14:43-52: Examine Judas' betrayal and the fulfillment of Jesus' prediction about the disciples deserting Him, emphasizing the theme of human weakness versus divine purpose.
Practical Applications:
Acknowledging Weakness: Encourage participants to acknowledge their own weaknesses and the futility of relying on personal strength to overcome temptation.
Seeking God's Strength: Discuss the importance of seeking strength and guidance through prayer, Scripture, and the Holy Spirit.
Living in Dependence on Christ: Explore ways to live daily in dependence on Christ, recognizing Him as our source of strength and victory over sin.
Westminster Standards
Westminster Confession of Faith:
Chapter V (Of Providence): Discuss how God's providential care extends to the protection and governance of His people, ensuring that even their temptations and trials are used for their ultimate good and sanctification.
Chapter XIII (Of Sanctification): Examine how sanctification is a work of God's grace, whereby believers are renewed in the whole man after the image of God and are enabled more and more to die unto sin and live unto righteousness.
Westminster Larger Catechism:
Question 154 (Of the Means of Grace): Reflect on how the means of grace, such as the Word, sacraments, and prayer, are effectual to the elect for salvation, and how these means are to be used in reliance on the Holy Spirit for strength in our daily walk with God.
Question 191 (Of the Lord's Prayer): Delve into the petition "Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil," discussing how this prayer acknowledges our inability to withstand temptation without God's leading and delivering power.
Westminster Shorter Catechism:
Question 26 (Of Christ's Exaltation): Explore how Christ's exaltation as Lord over all provides the foundation for our confidence in His ability to intercede for us, secure our victory over sin, and empower us through His Spirit.
Question 85 (Of What Does God Require of Us to Escape His Wrath and Curse): Consider how reliance on Christ's strength is not only for salvation but also for our daily sanctification, as we seek to obey God's commands and live in a manner worthy of the gospel.
Conclusion:
Conclude the study with a time of prayer, specifically asking for God's strength in areas of personal weakness and for the grace to rely more fully on Jesus, our virtuous and victorious Savior.
Weekday Devotionals
Monday: The Foretelling of Denial
Scripture Reading: Mark 14:26-31
Read and reflect on Jesus' prediction of Peter's denial. Why did the disciples have such overconfidence? Jesus, knowing the hearts of men, foretold the scattering of His flock, yet promised restoration and reunion in Galilee. What does this teach us about who Jesus was? How are we vulnerable? And how often do we harbor the false sense of self-reliance?
Prayer Prompt: Pray for humility. Acknowledge to the Lord your limitations. Ask the Father for the grace to rely on Christ's strength rather than your own. Confess your tendencies toward self-sufficiency and ask for a heart that trusts in God's plan above your understanding.
Tuesday: The Agony in Gethsemane
Scripture Reading: Mark 14:32-42
Read of Jesus' deep sorrow and distress in the Garden of Gethsemane. Try to picture the scene in your mind. Imagine what it would have looked like in the garden as He faced the imminent cup of suffering. Hear the tone of his voice as he submits to the Father's will. Witness the profound example of obedience and trust amidst unbearable anguish.
Prayer Prompt: Pray that the Lord would give you the courage to submit to His will in your life, especially during times of trial and suffering. Ask for the comfort of the Holy Spirit in moments of despair and for the faith to say, "Not what I will, but what You will."
Wednesday: The Betrayal and Arrest
Scripture Reading: Mark 14:43-52
Meditate on the betrayal of Jesus by Judas and the subsequent arrest. Have you ever had someone betray you? How did such a betrayal feel? Consider the symbolism of betrayal with a kiss. Why did Judas call Jesus Rabbi? How often have you fallen short in following Jesus? Have you ever thought of abandoning the faith?
Prayer Prompt: Pray for forgiveness for the times you have betrayed Jesus in thought, word, or deed. Ask for strength to stand firm in your faith, even in the face of trials, and for the grace to remain loyal to Christ. Please with the Lord not to allow Satan to sift you out.
Thursday: The Virtue and Victory of Christ
Scripture Reading: Reflect on the entire narrative of Mark 14:26-52
As you near the end of the week focus on the virtue and victory of Christ throughout the trials He faced. Unlike the disciples, Jesus remained faithful and obedient, securing our salvation through His suffering and death. How did Jesus demonstrate virtue? How did Jesus show courage, resolve, and determination in the face of what was to come?
Prayer Prompt: Give thanks to the Lord for the sacrifice of Jesus. It is only through His obedience and suffering we are provided the way to eternal life. Pray for a deeper relationship with Jesus and for the Holy Spirit to mold you more into His likeness. Ask God to teach you not to rely on your own strength but to actively rely on His strength in every aspect of life.
Friday: Peter's Denial Foreseen
Scripture Reading: Mark 14:66-72 (Looking Ahead)
Reflect on Jesus' foreknowledge of Peter's denial. How did Jesus know this would happen? How do you see Jesus's strength contrasted with the human weakness of Peter? What do you think were Peter's intentions and motivations in denying Jesus. Take to heart that this incident highlights the mercy and foreknowledge of Christ.
Prayer Prompt: Pray for the awareness to recognize your own weaknesses and the propensity to fail. Ask for a repentant heart that seeks reconciliation with God and for the assurance of His forgiveness, even before you fall. Thank the Lord that your salvation depends not on your own strength.
Reflective Article
Finding Strength in Weakness: Lessons from Gethsemane
In the dim light of the Mount of Olives, amidst the ancient olive trees of Gethsemane, we find a narrative rich with vulnerability, temptation, and ultimate surrender. Jesus doesn’t find himself alone and abandoned. Rather, we find a Lord who was willing to fulfill his messianic office alone even through all of his closest friends would abandon him. This story, taken from Mark 14:26-52, not only unveils the humanity of Jesus and His disciples but also offers profound lessons for our journey of faith today. Where do we find strength?
The Prelude to Gethsemane
Before venturing into the garden, Jesus shares a moment of intimate fellowship with His disciples, marking it with the singing of a hymn. They most likely took up the Hallel Psalms as they finished the newly instituted Lord’s Supper. It’s a calm scene leading to the impending storm. As they cross into the darkness of Gethsemane, Jesus forewarns of the trials they are about to face, citing, "I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered" (Zechariah 13:7). This prophecy sets the stage for a night of testing and betrayal.
The Vulnerability of Strength
A core theme of the Gethsemane’s story is the contrast between human frailty and divine submission. Jesus, in a moment of profound distress, reveals the depth of His anguish to His closest companions, Peter, James, and John. He expresses that His soul is "exceedingly sorrowful, even to death" (Mark 14:34). Jesus commands their vigilance as He seeks solace in prayer, wrestling with the cup of suffering and wrath He is about to drink.
Yet, in this hour of need, the disciples succumb to sleep. Not once. Not Twice. But, three times. They slept despite Jesus’ plea for watchfulness. This contrast between Jesus’ earnest supplication and the disciples’ inability to stay awake serves as a poignant reminder of our own spiritual somnolence in moments that demand vigilance.
How often do we find ourself spiritually asleep? How often have I fallen asleep reading my Bible? How frequently have I felt my eyes heavy during prayer as my mind drifts? How many times have I had to bite the inside of my lips to stay awake during a sermon?
The Illusion of Self-Reliance
Peter’s vehement assertion that he would never deny Jesus, even in the face of Jesus’ explicit prediction of his denial, underscores a common human folly: the illusion of self-reliance. We all like to imagine we are stronger than we really are. This is a portrayal of our tendency to overestimate our strength and resolve. Our self-reliance often leads to our downfall. It’s a powerful illustration of Proverbs 16:18, "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall."
The Surrender to Divine Will
The climax of this story is Jesus’ surrender to the Father’s will. Despite His plea for the cup to pass from Him, He submits saying, "Nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will" (Mark 14:36). This act of submission is not a sign of weakness but the ultimate demonstration of strength and trust in the Father’s plan.
Practical Applications for Today
Recognize Our Vulnerability: Like the disciples, we are prone to spiritual drowsiness and overconfidence in our abilities. Acknowledging our weaknesses is the first step toward true strength in Christ.
Lean Not on Our Understanding: Peter’s failure reminds us of the dangers of self-reliance. Proverbs 3:5-6 calls us to trust in the Lord with all our heart and lean not on our own understanding. We don’t know what the future holds. Do we trust His providence?
Embrace Divine Surrender: Jesus’ submission to the Father’s will serves as a model for our own lives. In moments of trial and uncertainty, may we too say, "Not my will, but Yours be done."
Engage with the Means of Grace: A surprising means that Jesus gives us to find such strength is the ordinary means of grace. Jesus partook of the old testament sacrament of passover (newly transformed into the Lord’s Supper). He found guidance and strength by having the Scriptures a the forefront of his mind. And, he found peace and strength in prayer. These 3 ordinary means of grace (sacrament, word, and prayer) are practices which fortify our faith and prepare us for the challenges ahead.
Seek the Spirit’s Power: Our battle against sin and temptation is not won through human effort but by the power of the Holy Spirit within us.
Conclusion
The garden of Gethsemane, with its shadows and struggles, reveals much about the nature of faith, the reality of human weakness, and the power of divine surrender. As we navigate our own challenges in life, may we find solace in the One who has fought the battle and come out victorious. Jesus offers His strength in our weakness. Jesus invites us to share in His victory over sin and death.
Automated Transcript
You may be seated. This morning's sermon is going
to come from Mark chapter 14, verses 26 through 52. Mark chapter 14, beginning at
verse 26. You're using the New King James
Pew Bible provided for you. You can find that on page 899. Mark chapter 14, beginning at
verse 26. Brothers and sisters, this is
God's perfect Word. It's a familiar story. Try to hear it for the first
time. And when they had sung a hymn,
they went out to the Mount of Olives. Then Jesus said to them,
all of you will be made to stumble because of me this night. For
it is written, I will strike the shepherd and the sheep will
be scattered. But after I have been raised,
I will go before you to Galilee. Peter said to him, Even if all
are made to stumble, yet I will not be. Jesus said to him, Assuredly,
I say to you that today, even this night, before the rooster
crows twice, you will deny me three times. But he spoke more
vehemently, If I have to die with you, I will not deny you."
And they all said likewise. Then they came to a place which
was named Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, sit here
while I pray. And he took Peter, James, and
John with him, and he began to be troubled and deeply distressed.
And he said to them, my soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even
to death, Stay here and watch. He went a little further and
fell on the ground and prayed that if it were possible, the
hour might pass from him. And he said, Abba, Father, all
things are possible for you. Take this cup away from me. Nevertheless,
not what I will, but what you will. Then he came and he found
them sleeping and said to Peter, Simon, are you sleeping? Could
you not watch for one hour? Watch and pray lest you enter
into temptation. The spirit is indeed willing,
but the flesh is weak." Again, he went away and prayed and spoke
the same words. And when he returned, he found
them asleep again. And their eyes were heavy, and
they did not know what to answer him. Then he came the third time
and said to them, Are you still sleeping and resting? It is enough. The hour has come. Behold, the
Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise,
let us be going. See, my betrayer is at hand."
And immediately, while he was still speaking, Judas, one of
the twelve, with a great multitude with swords and clubs came from
the chief priests and the scribes and the elders. Now his betrayer
had given them a signal saying, Whomever I kiss, he is the one. Seize him and lead him away safely. As soon as he had come, immediately
he went up to him and said to him, Rabbi, Rabbi! And he kissed him. Then they laid their hands on
him and took him. And one of those who stood by
drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest and
cut off his ear. Then Jesus answered and said
to them, Have you come out as against a robber with swords
and clubs to take me? I was daily with you in the temple
teaching and you did not seize me. But the scriptures must be
fulfilled. Then they all forsook him and
fled. Now a certain young man followed
him, having a linen cloth thrown around his naked body. And the
young man laid hold on him, and he left the linen cloth and fled
away from them naked." Well, in this portion of the reading
of God's Word there, let's pray. Father, we need your help this
morning to teach us. Please, God, give
us wisdom. Give us knowledge, give us insight. Lord, we pray that your spirit
would work in our hearts in Jesus' name. Amen. I'm going to tell you a very intimate
and personal story right now that I don't often tell. I never
plan to tell this story publicly, but I think it's important for
illustrating the main applications of today's sermon. When I was
in middle school, Somewhere in middle school, I don't remember
exactly, but pretty young. There was a boy, a neighbor in
the back behind our house, kind of back and one house over. And
in between our houses, there was a wall. Actually, we had
a wall and they had a wall. And in between was a space of
a couple feet, just enough where, you know, you can sit and use
it as a hideout. And there this boy from the neighborhood
showed me a magazine he had taken from his father. You can imagine
the type of magazine he showed. And there was a dopamine hit
like I had never felt before, a thrill, a rush, a sense of
shame that I shouldn't be looking at something like this, and yet,
I couldn't stop. And an uninhibited kind of chain
reaction started in my heart and in my mind that ran into
a red-hot lust that would last for a decade. And when I became a Christian,
I knew it had to stop. But I didn't know how. I think if I just mustered up
enough resolve, I could finally put this sin to death. I thought
if I could just put the right internet blockers on things,
if I just put up a 10 foot high wall around me, I'd live in my
fortress of security and protection and I'd be safe. But it failed.
I would promise God I would be stronger than I was last time,
and again I would fail. I thought I could be virtuous,
I could be strong if I just tried and tried and tried hard enough. But inevitably, I would fail
my Lord time and time again. Then one day, things changed. Olivia and I were engaged, and
it was a cold winter day in the Pittsburgh region. And smartphones were brand new
then and I went to a familiar website for the first time on
that phone and the page started loading. And as the page loaded, I watched
my relationship with my Lord and with my future wife erode.
I threw that phone across the room and I cried out to God. For the first time, God truly
ruined me. See, I had been saved just a
few years before, but I didn't know that I wasn't
virtuous. I wasn't strong enough. I couldn't muster up enough courage.
I couldn't do that. And I pleaded with God for the
first time that day with the true humility of what a Christian
heart says. And I told God I wasn't strong
enough. I couldn't do this. And I needed Him. I needed Him to do a radical work
in me. I called Olivia and I confessed. I talked to her father and I
confessed. Fifteen years of freedom later
from that specific addiction, I've asked myself multiple times,
what changed? There were years of trying before
that, nothing changed. So what happened? And as I've
reflected on this and thought about other guys I've worked
through with this, the thing I've come to is I've seen men
who have reality of victory over specific sins. It's kind of an
irony. The guys I see who have a victory
over this type of sin are the guys who finally admit they're
not strong enough to do it themselves. Are the type of people who realize
they're not the hero of the story. I had to see myself for who I
was and for who God really was. I couldn't look to myself for
strength. I couldn't look to myself for courage. That had
to come from the Lord. To be honest with you, as I was
writing this introduction, even this morning, I was wondering,
should I really say this story to you all? One, it's sensitive. Two, it's personal. And three,
heed you who think you stand lest you fall. But I'm convinced this is the
same way in which the Lord gives us victory over all sorts of
sin and something that Peter didn't understand when Jesus
was with him in that garden. Your besetting sin may be different
and that easily entangles you or ensnares you than mine was.
But how will you escape the snare of anger or of rage? of malice, or gluttony, or slander,
or filthy language, or of greed. If any one of these sins of the
flesh so easily entangle you, how will you free yourself from
it? Our call this morning is to recognize
that our life must be hidden in Christ, and we must look to
Jesus alone as our victorious and virtuous Savior. It is Jesus
alone in the Christian life who is both virtuous and victorious. We need a hero who is truly virtuous
and victorious, because if we're honest with ourselves, it certainly
isn't us. So first, we look at Jesus and
Peter's confidence and how they're contrasted. Look with me at verses
26-31. where they're going up the Mount
of Olives. It's like the scene is panning from Jerusalem to
the Mount of Olives. It's late at night. It's like
10, 11 o'clock at night. Remember, they just ate the Passover.
Meals would take a long time. It's dark out. There's very little
light. They're heading up the path to
the Mount of Olives. And Jesus predicts His abandonment
and His resurrection. All of you will be made to stumble
because of Me this night, for it is written, I will strike
the shepherd and the sheep will be scattered. But after I have
been raised, I will go before you to Galilee." Notice where
Jesus' confidence is. It's in God's Word and God's
work. He knew what His Father said,
He knew His Father's plan, and He knew that His Father would
make it good. But notice how Peter responds. Peter said to him in verse 29,
even if all are made to stumble, yet I will not be. Just to make sure we understand
Jesus' omniscience, and we understand Jesus' confidence in His Father's
plan, Jesus points out to him again in verse 30. Very specifically
towards Peter. Assuredly, I say to you that
today, even this night, before the rooster crows twice, you
will deny me three times. If it happened the next night,
Jesus was a liar. If the rooster didn't crow, Jesus was fake.
If it was John instead of Peter who denied Him three times, Jesus
was wrong. But Jesus is very clear here with His prophetic
voice that this is going to happen specifically with Peter. But
Peter's pride only increases. But He, being Peter, verse 31,
but He spoke more vehemently. vehemently for children, that's
like, he said it even more like, no, I'm not going to do it! Right,
he resolved in his heart, he said, no, I'm not going to die,
I'm not going to die, you Lord, it's not going to be me, even
if I have to die, I won't deny you. And in his pride, in his
own self-confidence, he pulled all the other disciples along
with him. Did you notice that? The last part of verse 31, and
they all said likewise. They took their eyes off the
hero Jesus, and they put their eyes in their own resolve, their
own confidence, instead of listening to Jesus and taking seriously
what He had just told them. What's going on here? Jesus knows what needs to happen.
Jesus knows the Scriptures need to be revealed, or must be fulfilled. Jesus knows who He is and He
knows the Father's plan and what will happen to Him. But for us,
there's an application. We're not to trust in our own
reasoning of what we think is best. And only God knows what's
going to happen. Peter and the disciples didn't
believe Jesus knew their hearts or the right path forward. They
thought they would fight to the death for Jesus. How often in
our own lives do we think that we know the path that God should
choose for our lives? We boldly follow our own plans,
sure of our own integrity, sure of our own devotions, absolutely
certain in our motivations. But when God in His all-wise
providence changes the plan, what happens to us? Man, when
things don't go my way, I often turn bitter, mad, resentful,
disappointed. It's easy to wake up in the morning
and say, I'm going to obey my... Right, children? It's easy to
wake up in the morning and say, I'm going to obey my mom and dad. I'm not going
to get in any fights with my brothers and sisters. This is
going to be a great day. And then by the time dinner happens,
you're like, what happened here? Somebody to eat your favorite
cereal. Somebody takes your thing. Somebody messes up your space.
Someone has a bad attitude towards you. And before you know it,
you've acted out an anger, harsh word, impatience, or buried it
down in your heart with hatred, envy, or bitterness. If you think
I'm just talking to children here, just put yourself as thinking
this is you and your spouse. You woke up thinking you would
conquer the world, but when things don't go according to your plan,
all bets are off. If only God knew how selfish
and wicked the other people were, maybe He would understand. Faith's
easy when things are going the way we expect them to go. But what Peter has to find out here
is things aren't going to go the way he expects them to go.
God calls us to trust in Him, even when we see things going
in a direction that we think might be wrong or evil. If there's
anything we learn from the stories of Job and Esther and Joseph
and from Jesus, the Lord loves to turn things on its head. We
think things are going a wrong way, going even a disastrous
way, but the Lord knows his plans. Do we trust his plans or do we
trust our confidence and our ability to make his will happen? But Jesus doesn't respond to
them here in verse 31. He lets the disciples think so
highly of themselves and they keep on walking. He lets them
have their resolve as they enter the Garden of Gethsemane and
we enter into our second point. Jesus and Peter's strength are
contrasted in verses 32 through 42. The scene changes. The story gets a little darker
as they enter into the trees. The narrow lens comes on, and
we see less and less people and focus here. Jesus leads the majority,
at least eight of the disciples, in the outer part of the Mount
of Olives, and He takes three of them in. He tells the three
to sit here while I pray. And in the first garden scene,
we find the inner three going in with Jesus. And he took Peter, James, and
John, verse 33, with him, and he began to be troubled and deeply
distressed. Then he said to them, My soul
is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch.
He went a little further and fell on the ground, and prayed
that if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. And
he said, Ah, but Father, all things are possible for you.
Take this cup away from me. Nevertheless, not what I will,
but what you will. Then He came and He found them
sleeping. Found them sleeping. We find Jesus in one of the darkest
hours of His life when He finds Himself thinking He has disciples
out there and three of His closest friends near Him. He goes a little
bit further and now Jesus is the only character in the story.
He falls down on His face. It's summarized for us that He
pleads with God. that the hour might pass from
Him, and then we get to hear His actual words. Abba, Father. Normally people don't talk about
God that way in Jewish communities. Speaking of God as Abba, they
might refer to Him as Heavenly Father, but not as Abba Father. All things are possible for you.
Jesus submits Himself to the Lord's will, even though He cries
out in His humanity. for God to let this cup pass
from him. He turns back and he finds them sleeping. And he confronts
them. Right? Are you sleeping, Simon?
What happened to your resolve just a few minutes ago? You couldn't
even stay awake for an hour. Watch and pray lest you enter
temptation. The spirit is indeed willing,
but the flesh is weak. Jesus goes alone again. Second
guard unseen and to pray by himself in verse 38. Says the same words
and he comes back in verse 40. And what are the disciples doing
again? They failed him. He told them to stay awake, keep
guard, watch, pray. He found them asleep again with
their eyes heavy. And this time they don't have
anything to say to him. Jesus goes again, and he prays, and he comes back a
third time, and he finds him sleeping and resting again, and
now he says, alright, it's done. It's over. The hour's at hand, and my betrayer
is here. Get up. You know, this isn't
the first garden scene in the Bible. It's almost like we're
back to the Garden of Eden. God had walked in a garden before.
The One who had created these trees through His power was walking
in them. Jesus would now face the biggest
trial of His earthly life. And the question we have is,
is Jesus really going to go through with what He's saying is about
to happen? Where would Jesus get His strength?
Where would Jesus find His confidence? How would Jesus endure what was
going to happen? Notice Jesus is no stoic. Jesus
doesn't just swallow it down. Jesus doesn't just bite His bottom
lip and put down His shoulders and say, I'm just going to get
through this. I have the resolve to do it. No. God is very merciful
in letting us know. that Jesus, and my only sense
here is that it's in His humanity, cries out to His Father, and
He says, God, please, if there's any way possible, let this cup
pass from me. Jesus doesn't harden His heart.
He doesn't rely on Himself. He knew His Heavenly Father sent
Him for this very hour, and He says, Your will be done. Imagine
how hard this must have been for Jesus. Three closest friends,
We would die for you. Can't stand watch for an hour
with him. Jesus is on death row. He's eaten
his last meal. He's commanded them to stay and
to watch. He hasn't even hid from them the turmoil of his
soul. He's expressed to them, my soul is exceedingly sorrowful
even unto death. He's alone by himself. pleading with God. And as he's in this garden again,
I wonder if what was running through his mind was the first
Adam who failed in a garden, the test that the Lord had set
for him there. Would he rise up and be a true second Adam?
Satan had tried to tempt him before in his life. Just bow
down to me and I'll give you all the kingdoms. Would Jesus endure this test?
Knowing He had to go at it alone? Knowing the cup of His Father's
wrath was poured out? Would Jesus continue knowing
that keeping His Father's will would literally destroy Him and
His body? We should not take lightly the
phrase which Jesus says, Not what I will, but what you will. This is Jesus submitting Himself
to His righteous Father in Heaven. The price of redemption had to
be paid. The Passover Lamb had to be slain. The Only Begotten One had to
suffer. So what does this mean for your
life? How does this apply to you? We must not look to our
own selves, for Jesus Christ, for strength. I'm of the opinion
that if any single one of us were to be there in Jesus' shoes,
not a single one of us would have followed through. We're more like Peter than we
want to acknowledge. If you don't think that when
you read this story, some of us are like, yeah, yeah, I'm
on team Jesus, I'm on team Jesus. But when we come to this passage,
I need to ask you, how many times have you failed in your resolve
when you've been reading your Bible and fallen asleep? How
many times have you thought, I'm going to be strong in prayer,
I'm going to do this. And yet, you get a few minutes
into prayer and your mind is already wandering off onto what's
going to be for lunch. How many times have you thought,
I'm going to love God today, I'm going to do this well, and
yet you find yourself eyes heavy, head bobbing, doing touch and
goes, even during worship. The point is, we're not the hero
of the story. God requires us to look to Jesus for our strength
because we're Peter in this scenario. We are not to trust our own ability
to withstand temptation. When the heat of temptation comes,
let me ask you, what do you rely on? Do you rely on your own strength? Or do you rely on your relationship
to Jesus Christ? When lust tugs at your eyes,
where do you go for strength? When anger fills your heart,
where do you go to put out that fire? When the seed of bitterness
takes root, are you strong enough to pull it out? When gluttony
tempts you, how will you resist those delicious treats on that
forbidden table downstairs? When you're with your friends
and the gossip starts again, when people's reputations and
families are talked about, how will you keep from joining in?
Where do you go? We go to Jesus Christ. God does
not require you to muster up the courage and human strength,
but to be filled by the power of His Holy Spirit. The flesh
is willing, but the spirit is weak. Your body is susceptible
to exhaustion and weakness. You need to understand that,
recognize it, be okay with it. You're not strong enough. I'm
not strong enough. No one is strong enough. It was
only Jesus who could accomplish this. You cannot possibly fight Satan
and your own inclination towards evil on your own. I promise you,
if you go toe-to-toe with the devil by your own strength, you
will be outgunned and you will lose. The Holy Spirit is poured
into our hearts. So that we can fight this fight
from a position of strength and Jesus died that you might receive
that Holy Spirit. This application starts before
temptation comes. And it's also there when temptation
is hot upon you. Your natural default position,
if you're anything like me or the people I talk to, your natural
default position will be to just go back to your own resolve or
your own strength. You need to do the unnatural
thing and flee to God in heaven and plead with Him to lead you
not into temptation, but deliver you from evil. Let me just give
you a practical application, right? This is one that I need
to eat myself. Next time you're in a fight with your spouse,
stop and pray with and for each other. Next time you find yourself caught
in the heat of anger or the throes of some ungodly thinking, stop
and ask God to lead you not into temptation, but deliver you from
the evil one. You're not strong enough. I'm
not strong enough. The devil's too smart. Pray with
and for others that God will not lead us into temptation,
but deliver us from evil. But just as midnight is coming,
there's one last transition in the scene. Praying wasn't enough. Jesus
had to actually walk. Verses 43 through 52, and we're
almost done here. The glowing amber lights from
torches begin to light up the scene. They're coming up from
the hill below as you hear a voice, a voice of united people walking
up the hill. It's dark. The disciples are
still trying to rub the sleep out of their eyes and Jesus tells
them, it's time. And we have the final scene in
the garden. Judas arrives with his band of
thugs. And we're given the details of the betrayal. The worst of
which is he made a prearranged sign. He premeditated this out. He would walk up to Jesus in
the dark of the night. They couldn't search all throughout
the hill of the Mount of Olives. He was going to lead them directly
with pinpoint accuracy to the leader of this group. He would
call them out by name. Teacher, teacher, rabbi, rabbi. And with a sign that was supposed
to show of endearment and respect and love, Judas kissed Jesus. So there was no mistaking for
the guards who it was they were looking for. And then we find out in John's
gospel, it's Peter himself who takes out his sword. and cuts
off the right ear of the high priest, the servant named Malchus.
And Jesus' prophecy is fulfilled. As soon as he tells them, this
isn't going to be an armed resistance. I was teaching this in the synagogues.
Are you coming out here? I'm not some type of common thief
or robber. What are you doing, guys? The disciples realize what's
about to go on and they flee. One of them is so scared, he
literally runs away naked when somebody tries to grab onto his
clothes. The applications of this sermon
of looking to Jesus Christ as our hero is rooted in the grace
that God has shown us in Jesus' actions in this garden. We don't
look to our own strength, we don't look to our own courage,
we don't look to our own reasoning, we don't look to ourselves. We are not by nature virtuous,
but Jesus is. We have proved time and time
again that we are not victorious by ourselves over sin, but Jesus
is. He was tempted in every way as
you are, yet never sinned. We look to Jesus, who with perfect
reasoning knew why He was walking through the valley of the shadow
of death. We look to Jesus because Though he knew what was coming
and even pleading with God through tears for another possible way,
it is Jesus who courageously fulfills the role of the victorious
and virtuous hero that we needed. How do you get the strength that
Jesus displays here? By trusting in Him, confessing
who you are like Peter, and having the Holy Spirit poured out in
your heart. When we recognize who we are, the path to strength
looks clear. Because we recognize we need
to be in Christ Jesus. We believe that Jesus is the
vine and that we are the branches. If we're disconnected from Him,
relying on ourselves, relying on our own strength, you're going
to wither and die and the Father will come and prune you away. But we maintain vitality. We
maintain vitality. in an amazing and ordinary way. This is probably the biggest
letdown of the entire sermon, I'm just letting you know. How did Jesus find His strength?
How did Jesus find His strength to fulfill His office as our
vicarious sacrifice and Messiah? The ordinary means of grace are
all here. Word, sacrament, prayer. Jesus has just celebrated the
Last Supper with His disciples. He instituted the first sacrament,
the Lord's Supper. Jesus had God's Word in His mind. He looked through Zechariah chapter
13 and knew that tonight was the night. He knew God's Word
and it strengthened Him in His resolve. And Jesus went to His Father
in prayer. I know that sounds simplistic.
It almost sounds so easy as if, like, you could just brush it
off. Because it's so mundane. But you will not find the courage
to stand up to the throes of temptation if you ignore the
ordinary means of grace. We go to God to the sacraments
and we're strengthened in our faith. We go to the Lord in prayer
because it strengthens us in our faith. We go to the Lord
in His word because we are reminded of who He is and what His promises
are and we receive strength. Do you want to be strengthened,
brothers and sisters in Christ? Then I hope you'll behave like
Jesus and partake of the ordinary means of grace. If it was good
enough to strengthen Jesus, maybe it'd be good enough for us. Jesus is our virtuous victor. As we wrap up this very long sermon,
there's just one point. There's only one hero in the
story. His name is Jesus Christ. He was willing to suffer and
endure all these things. and had the courage and the strength
because He is our virtuous and victorious hero. So look to Jesus
Christ. Find your life in Him and find
strength through the power of the Holy Spirit that He promises
to give to you. Let's pray. Lord, we thank You for Jesus
Christ. Lord, there are many things that
in here just seem so simple and easy, and yet we know by experience
it is hard So we plead with you that by your spirit you would
take these many foolish words that the world would cast off
and father we pray that what is good and what is gold would
be left in our hearts that you would strengthen us not in and
of ourselves but by the power of your spirit that we might
abide in jesus christ and bear much good fruit in keeping with
repentance we pray in jesus's name amen let's stand together
we'll sing psalm 22