Word of Salvation – April 2010
GETHSEMANE
A Sermon by Rev John Haverland
(A Sermon for Good Friday)
Readings: Psalm 69:1-18, 29-36; Mark 14:12-31
Text: Mark 14:32-42
Theme: In Gethsemane Jesus faced the trial of the cross and accepted his Father’s will, and urged his disciples to watch and pray in their trial.
Purpose: To help you understand more of the suffering of Christ at Gethsemane and to urge you to watch and pray in your trials.
The gospel of Mark has been described as a passion narrative with a long introduction. The word “passion” in this context refers to the suffering of Jesus; and the word “narrative” means a record or the story. Mark wrote about this record of the suffering of Jesus.
He wrote it for the Christians in the city of Rome who were suffering for their faith. He wanted to point them to the suffering of the Lord Jesus to encourage them to remain faithful to their Lord.
His gospel has 16 chapters. The first eight describe Jesus’ ministry of teaching, preaching and miracles.
Then, at the end of Chapter 8 he records the first of three predictions Jesus made about his death.
In chapter 11 he describes Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday; so the last six chapters cover the final week of Jesus’ life. One third of the gospel covers one week of Christ’s life and his final trial.
The prayers of Jesus in Gethsemane give us a graphic insight into that suffering and trial. But Jesus wasn’t the only one about to be tried. Gethsemane also gives us an insight into the trial and temptation facing the disciples.
1. THE TRIAL FACING JESUS
On the Thursday evening before his death Jesus celebrated the Passover with his disciples in an upper room in Jerusalem. After the meal they all left and went through one of the city gates, across the Kidron Valley and up the slopes of the Mount of Olives to the Garden of Gethsemane.
Space in Jerusalem was so limited that people could not have gardens in the city, so those who were wealthy owned private gardens outside the city wall. It seems the owner of this Garden of Gethsemane allowed Jesus to use it whenever he wanted to.
Jesus knew that Judas had gone off to betray him to the religious leaders, and he knew he would return and look for him in this place; so he was not trying to hide. Jesus knew that his time had come and he knew he was about to face his greatest suffering.
When they all arrived at the garden he asked most of the disciples to sit down while he went to pray. He took with the three who were closest to him, Peter, James and John – the three who had been with him on the Mount of Transfiguration.
Vs 33b-34a: “…he began to be deeply distressed and troubled. ‘My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,’ he said to them.”
The word translated as “distressed” is a strong word meaning troubled, or alarmed. Jesus was in great agony of mind because he knew what lay ahead of him; he knew the depth and extent of his suffering.
There was, of course, the physical agony of the crucifixion. Out of the sinful perversity of the human heart the Romans had devised the cruelest form of death they could think of. It was a slow, painful, torturous execution where a person died of dehydration and suffocation. But that was not the worst of what he would go through.
Of much greater weight was the spiritual trial he would have to endure. He was perfect, but he was about to take on himself the sin of all of his people. He would die in our place.
When he bore our sin on the cross God the Father turned away from him and left him alone. This was the first time this had ever happened. Up to this point they had lived in an unbroken communion for all eternity; they had lived in perfect fellowship and unity. But when Jesus hung on the cross he felt the full weight of the wrath of God against sin; he endured the suffering and forsakenness of hell.
Jesus knew this was coming. In this garden he turned to his Father in heaven and saw hell open up before him; he could feel “the flames of hell licking their way up into Gethsemene.” (Schilder)
His physical and mental distress was so great that he could not stand up any longer but fell to the ground and prayed.
With this suffering so close at hand in his mind he began to explore other possibilities. Was there some way around this? Were there other options?
Verse 35f: he “prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. ‘Abba, Father’, he said, ‘everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me.’”
There are depths in the suffering of Jesus that we will not fully understand this side of heaven and there is a mystery about some of this.
Here we see his full humanity . He was a man like us, tempted in every way just as we are. He experienced all the emotions we experience. He shrank from the pain and suffering and death that lay ahead. As a man he wondered if there was some other way of doing this, some alternative means of saving his people. In his prayer he honestly expressed what was on his mind.
But as the Son of God, who was fully divine , he knew that this was the only way.
It was necessary that Jesus die because this was what they had decided together as the triune God even before the creation of the world, in what is called ‘the Covenant of Redemption’.
This was also necessary because of the character of God, who is just and righteous and holy. His character demanded that he must punish sin. Having elected to save his people he had to send his Only Son as the perfect sacrifice for sin. This was the only means of saving the people God had chosen in Christ.
This is why Jesus accepted the will of his Father ; “yet not my will, but yours be done.” (vs 42) He did this willingly.
His submission was not forced; it was not a mere resignation; it was not, “Okay then, you win”.
Nor did he submit with bitter anger as though God had twisted his arm.
No, he did this voluntarily. He was prepared to lay down his life for the sheep.
Mark wanted the Christians in Rome to know that Jesus had suffered for them and to realize the depth and extent of that suffering.
He also wanted them to see that in their suffering they were following in the footsteps of their Lord. Jesus himself had warned them that if they hated him they would also hate his followers.
We need to see this also. We must realize what Jesus went through for his people. He suffered for all who believe in him. He died for his sheep. He went through the agony of hell for those the Father had chosen. If you believe in Jesus as your Lord and Saviour he suffered for you. And you and I are called to suffer for him.
We see that as we go on in this passage, because it is not only about the trial of Jesus but also about
2. THE TRIAL FACING THE DISCIPLES
Jesus had taken Peter, James and John with him as he went to pray. If there was ever a time he needed the company and support of his friends, this was it. He wanted them close by him for companionship.
But even in his great time of personal need he was concerned about them; he thought of them; he loved them. He knew they were about to face temptation and trial and so he warned them; “Stay here and keep watch” (vs 34). He knew that Satan was going around like a roaring lion looking to devour them. He warned them to be alert, to stay awake, to be on their guard, to be attentive.
But when he came back to them he found them sleeping. What made this even more difficult was that these three men had assured him they would stand by him through thick and thin!
Earlier in the evening Jesus had warned them of the prophecy of Zechariah; “I will strike the shepherd and the sheep will be scattered.” (Zech 13:7, Mark 14:27) In response Peter had declared; “Even if all fall away, I will not.” (vs 29)
Some time before that James and John had asked for the most important places in the kingdom of Christ and had assured him that they were prepared to drink the cup he drank and to be baptized with his baptism (Mark 10:39).
But in this time of great trial, for him and for them, they were sleeping!
So he urged them again – Verse 38: “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.”
These men were about to face many temptations. There was the danger that their faith would fail and that they would desert him and disown him. They were willing enough, but Jesus knew that though the spirit is willing “the body is weak”. (vs 38b)
That was true of the disciples and it is true of us; we are weak and feeble and frail.
This is why we needed to watch and pray. J C Ryle reminds us of the importance of both of these.
If we watch without praying we are trusting in ourselves and not depending on God and his strength.
But if we pray with out watching we are not exercising our own responsibility and common sense.
Jesus wants us to do what he himself did – to watch and pray. In the Greek text the two verbs are present imperatives. Imperative means they are commands; being in the present tense means we must keep on watching and keep on praying.
Jesus taught us this in the Lord’s Prayer; “And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.”
When you face trouble, or trial or temptation the first remedy is to pray: turn to God, ask for his help, seek his guidance. He is “an ever present help in trouble” (Ps 46).
When Jacob was worried when he was about to meet Esau his brother he prayed.
When Job experienced his great loss he prayed to the Lord.
When the Assyrian army threatened King Hezekiah and Jerusalem he turned to God in prayer.
When you are tempted to sin, to unbelief, to discouragement, to anger, or jealousy, or pride, then pray. “Pray that you will not fall into temptation.”
Jesus went away and prayed to his Father for the second time . Verse 40: “When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. They did not know what to say to him.” They were embarrassed, like someone caught sleeping in church! They could not excuse themselves. They had nothing to say, not even Peter, who was seldom lost for words.
Jesus went away and prayed a third time , and again returned and found them sleeping.
Jesus said to them; “are you still sleeping and resting? Enough! The hour has come. Look, the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!” (vs 41-42)
This is what Jesus had come to do.
This is why he had been born into this world.
This is why he had taken on our human nature.
This is what he had predicted at least three times earlier.
Now the hour had come.
Judas the betrayer was coming.
Satan would be permitted to exercise his power.
Jesus would suffer and die.
He had resisted the temptation to bypass the path of suffering; he was prepared to drink the cup his Father gave him. With that determination and strength he was victorious over sin, death and Satan.
That victory of the Lord Jesus enables us to endure trials and to resist temptation. His victory gives us victory.
“Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.” (vs 38a) Do this remembering the suffering and the victory of our Lord Jesus.
Amen