WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:08.199 Good morning. My name is Matthew Capone, and I'm the pastor here at Cheyenne Mountain 00:00:08.199 --> 00:00:13.960 Presbyterian Church, and it's my joy to bring God's Word to you today. A special welcome if 00:00:13.960 --> 00:00:18.900 you're new or visiting with us. We're glad that you're here, and we're glad that you're here not 00:00:18.900 --> 00:00:24.560 because we're trying to fill seats, but because we're following Jesus together as one community. 00:00:25.019 --> 00:00:29.699 And as we follow Jesus together, we become convinced that there's no one so good. They 00:00:29.699 --> 00:00:34.500 don't need God's grace, and no one so bad that they can't have it, which is why we come back week 00:00:34.500 --> 00:00:41.640 after week to hear what God has to say to us in His Word. We're continuing our series in the Gospel 00:00:41.640 --> 00:00:46.879 of Mark, and you'll remember the Gospels tell the story of Jesus and His life and His death 00:00:46.879 --> 00:00:54.280 and His resurrection. About a month ago, your elders gathered together and discussed many things, 00:00:54.280 --> 00:00:59.179 but one of the things we discussed was, what is the next sermon series going to be at Cheyenne 00:00:59.179 --> 00:01:03.240 Mountain Presbyterian Church? Because you know we're getting near the end of the Gospel of Mark. 00:01:03.320 --> 00:01:07.900 We're in chapter 14, near the end of that chapter, and we just have two left. And the main question 00:01:07.900 --> 00:01:15.239 that we ask when we look at our next series is this, what is the most helpful book for this people, 00:01:15.340 --> 00:01:23.079 that's us, in this time and this place? What is it that we need to hear from God and His Word as we face 00:01:23.079 --> 00:01:29.099 the challenges in Colorado Springs in 2023 as the particular folks that God's gathered to be a part 00:01:29.099 --> 00:01:34.299 of this congregation? And so it's not haphazard when we think about these things. Now, I don't want you 00:01:34.299 --> 00:01:40.680 to hear what I'm not saying. Of course, all Scripture is always timely. And so we actually could not make 00:01:40.680 --> 00:01:45.780 a mistake in a certain sense. Whatever book of the Bible we choose, that's going to be an important 00:01:45.780 --> 00:01:53.599 Word of God for us. But there are times and things that are especially timely. I bring all that up to 00:01:53.599 --> 00:02:01.760 say that the Gospels are, in fact, always especially timely. I don't feel a need, in a sense, to make a 00:02:01.760 --> 00:02:06.579 case for why a church might need to study a Gospel at a particular point in time, because we actually 00:02:06.579 --> 00:02:14.500 always need to have Christ brought before us over and over again. It is always especially timely and 00:02:14.500 --> 00:02:20.319 important to see Jesus. And Jesus is always beautiful, but I'm going to suggest to you that 00:02:20.319 --> 00:02:28.639 He is especially beautiful as we look at Him in these days leading up to His death and His resurrection. 00:02:28.979 --> 00:02:35.439 And so that's been part of our focus over the last few weeks, is just to pause and say, look at Jesus. 00:02:35.439 --> 00:02:47.340 See Jesus for who He is, what He does, His great love that becomes even clearer as He approaches His death. 00:02:47.759 --> 00:02:54.360 Last week, we saw Jesus feeding His disciples at the Last Supper, and that reminded us that we draw life 00:02:54.360 --> 00:03:04.860 from Jesus' death. We feed on Him then in a real sense. We saw Jesus' beauty there as He is giving 00:03:04.860 --> 00:03:12.860 Himself up. He's sacrificing Himself for the sake of His disciples and for us. Two weeks ago, we saw 00:03:12.860 --> 00:03:19.020 Jesus' care and control in arranging that dinner, that while He knew on the one hand He was going to 00:03:19.020 --> 00:03:26.820 be arrested, He wanted to make sure, on the other hand, it didn't happen too soon. Why? Because He valued 00:03:26.819 --> 00:03:35.379 that time with His disciples so much. As He faced the worst week of His life, what's on His mind, what's in 00:03:35.379 --> 00:03:43.419 His heart, is the good of those who are following Him, who love Him and trust Him. And so we're going to do 00:03:43.419 --> 00:03:49.539 the exact same thing this morning. We're going to look again at Jesus. Our hope is that we would see Him 00:03:49.539 --> 00:03:57.620 clearly, more clearly than we saw Him yesterday. And we're going to look at His intimacy with His 00:03:57.620 --> 00:04:02.299 Father. One of the most famous passages in all of Scripture is Jesus' prayer here in the Garden of 00:04:02.299 --> 00:04:09.439 Gethsemane. So we'll see His intimacy with His Father and also His determination to save us. Now, as we 00:04:09.439 --> 00:04:14.879 look at Jesus' beauty, of course, there's a response that's called for, a response of love and faith and 00:04:14.879 --> 00:04:21.379 obedience. But that is not the first, the primary thing. What is always first and primary is that we 00:04:21.379 --> 00:04:27.360 would see Jesus. And so we're going to look to see Him this morning, both in His prayer and in His 00:04:27.360 --> 00:04:34.519 submission. We're going to look to see Jesus in His prayer and in His submission. With that, I invite 00:04:34.519 --> 00:04:42.100 you to turn with me. We're going to be in Mark chapter 14, starting in verse 26. You can turn with me in your 00:04:42.100 --> 00:04:47.439 Bible. You can turn on your phone. You can turn in your worship guide. No matter where you turn, 00:04:47.540 --> 00:04:53.060 remember that this is God's Word. And God tells us that His Word is more precious than gold, even the 00:04:53.060 --> 00:05:00.660 finest gold, and that it is sweeter than honey, even honey that comes straight from the honeycomb. And so 00:05:00.660 --> 00:05:07.580 that's why we read now, starting at verse 26. And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount 00:05:07.579 --> 00:05:15.359 of Olives. And Jesus said to them, You will all fall away, for it is written, I will strike the shepherd, 00:05:15.899 --> 00:05:21.839 and the sheep will be scattered. But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee. 00:05:23.019 --> 00:05:31.419 Peter said to Him, Even though they all fall away, I will not. And Jesus said to him, Truly I tell you, 00:05:31.420 --> 00:05:39.319 this very night before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times. But He said emphatically, 00:05:39.840 --> 00:05:48.280 If I must die with you, I will not deny you. And they all said the same. Verse 32, 00:05:48.800 --> 00:05:55.259 And they went to a place called Gethsemane. And He said to His disciples, Sit here while I pray. 00:05:55.259 --> 00:06:01.560 And He took with Him Peter and James and John, and began to be greatly distressed and troubled. 00:06:02.319 --> 00:06:11.360 And He said to them, My soul is very sorrowful even to death. Remain here and watch. And going a 00:06:11.360 --> 00:06:16.879 little farther, He fell on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from 00:06:16.879 --> 00:06:24.319 Him. And He said, Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. 00:06:24.319 --> 00:06:33.099 Yet not what I will, but what you will. Verse 37, And He came and found them sleeping. And He said to 00:06:33.099 --> 00:06:43.439 Peter, Simon, are you asleep? Could you not watch one hour? Watch and pray that you may not enter into 00:06:43.439 --> 00:06:52.000 temptation. The Spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. And again, He went away and prayed, 00:06:52.000 --> 00:06:57.800 saying the same words. And again, He came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were very heavy, 00:06:58.259 --> 00:07:03.060 and they did not know what to answer Him. And He came the third time and said to them, 00:07:03.459 --> 00:07:12.139 Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? It is enough. The hour has come. The Son of Man is 00:07:12.139 --> 00:07:21.300 betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going. See, my betrayer is at hand. 00:07:22.000 --> 00:07:26.360 I invite you to pray with me as we come to this portion of God's Word. 00:07:29.259 --> 00:07:37.160 Our Father in heaven, we come before you this morning knowing that we have many, many needs. 00:07:37.160 --> 00:07:48.820 But you know our greatest need, which is to see and know Jesus. We would see Him in His beauty, 00:07:48.980 --> 00:07:56.040 in His love, in His authority, in His power, in His holiness, in His glory. And so we ask, 00:07:56.300 --> 00:08:00.920 first and foremost, that you would help us with that. That as we look into your Word, 00:08:00.920 --> 00:08:11.620 you would cast a spotlight onto Him. That He would be clear to us. That we would know Him and understand 00:08:11.620 --> 00:08:20.400 Him and love Him more and more. That His love for us would grow, our love for Him. That His beauty 00:08:20.400 --> 00:08:27.220 would lead to our obedience and our faith. We thank you that you promise to do these things by your Word, 00:08:27.220 --> 00:08:32.540 that you promise in Isaiah 55, that your words will not return to you empty, but they will accomplish 00:08:32.540 --> 00:08:37.440 great things. And so we ask that you'd honor that and you would use your Word this morning to 00:08:37.440 --> 00:08:44.279 accomplish great things in our lives for your glory. We ask these things in the mighty name of Jesus 00:08:44.279 --> 00:08:55.559 Christ. Amen. As I mentioned just a few moments ago, this is one of the most famous passages in all 00:08:55.559 --> 00:09:02.519 of Scripture. Jesus coming to pray to His Father as He looks and faces His death. And it's rich with 00:09:02.519 --> 00:09:09.039 meaning and depth. We could spend perhaps an entire series on just this event in Jesus' life, which 00:09:09.039 --> 00:09:16.500 makes us wonder, right, brings up the question, where do we even start? Where do we even start in a passage 00:09:16.500 --> 00:09:24.039 that's so full of detail about Jesus that gets at the heart of what it means for Him to be completely 00:09:24.039 --> 00:09:30.000 God and completely man, that shows Him returning over and over to prayer, even as He tells His disciples 00:09:30.000 --> 00:09:36.179 that the Spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. Now, I'm going to disappoint you at the beginning, 00:09:36.179 --> 00:09:41.359 like I sometimes do, which is to say that we're not going to be able to dig into everything and 00:09:41.359 --> 00:09:47.599 explore every detail of this passage. Thankfully, though, narratives, stories have sort of their own 00:09:47.599 --> 00:09:52.959 meaning embedded in them just by the very structure of it. I tell you guys every once in a while, maybe 00:09:52.959 --> 00:09:58.779 once or twice a year, that I don't just want you to learn things from the Bible, things about the Bible. 00:09:58.779 --> 00:10:04.279 I also want you to learn how to read the Bible. And I've told you over and over again over the last 00:10:04.279 --> 00:10:11.079 six years or so that one of the ways we do that is through patterns and repetition and contrasts. 00:10:11.360 --> 00:10:18.679 The Bible repeats what it intends to emphasize. The Bible repeats what it is we want to know, 00:10:18.740 --> 00:10:24.720 and we're not left to wonder in this passage. We have plenty of repetition. And it's the pattern 00:10:24.720 --> 00:10:29.399 that we see over and over. It's this, Jesus prays and the disciples sleep. 00:10:29.399 --> 00:10:39.779 And Jesus prays and the disciples sleep not one time, not two times, but three times in case we 00:10:39.779 --> 00:10:45.659 missed it. The first time is in verses 33 through 36, when Jesus has this poignant prayer asking for 00:10:45.659 --> 00:10:51.579 the cup to be taken away from him. And what does he immediately face? Verses 37 and 38, he came and 00:10:51.580 --> 00:10:59.160 found them sleeping. So then he goes back to prayer again, verse 39. And again, he went away and prayed, 00:10:59.600 --> 00:11:07.000 saying the same words. We could have a whole sermon about that. Jesus felt the need to come to God with 00:11:07.000 --> 00:11:13.920 the same request over and over. But then, second time, verse 40, he comes again and found them sleeping, 00:11:14.340 --> 00:11:19.080 for their eyes were very heavy. And we're getting to get the picture at this point. It gets shorter and 00:11:19.080 --> 00:11:23.660 shorter in the summary. Verse 41 just tells us, he came the third time and said to them, 00:11:23.660 --> 00:11:31.900 are you still sleeping and taking your rest? And so it's this pattern and this repetition that drives 00:11:31.900 --> 00:11:40.820 home the contrast of this passage for us, that Jesus is faithful in prayer while his disciples fail to 00:11:40.820 --> 00:11:47.920 watch. Jesus is faithful in prayer while his disciples fail to watch. He returns to prayer. 00:11:47.919 --> 00:11:54.159 They return to sleep. So what do we do with that? 00:11:56.279 --> 00:12:01.199 Why is this contrast here? What is it meant to teach us? Well, I'll remind you what the apostle 00:12:01.199 --> 00:12:08.339 Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians chapter 11. He says, be imitators of me as I am of Christ. Jesus is not 00:12:08.339 --> 00:12:16.240 just our savior, although he certainly is. He is also our model and our example. Jesus is the most human 00:12:16.240 --> 00:12:26.340 human. He's the one who shows us what we are meant to be, what we were intended for. In fact, 1 Peter chapter 00:12:26.340 --> 00:12:32.860 2 tells us the same thing. We follow after Jesus in our suffering. He sets us an example. And so the point 00:12:32.860 --> 00:12:51.399 for us in this contrast is this, as Jesus faces darkness, he turns to his father. And this is meant 00:12:51.399 --> 00:12:56.779 to be great encouragement and instruction for us. You'll see this on the back of your worship guide 00:12:56.779 --> 00:13:03.959 from John Calvin. He says, we know that God is not called the father of all comfort in vain. 00:13:06.579 --> 00:13:11.279 Christian, God is your father of all comfort. 00:13:14.480 --> 00:13:18.759 If we are separated from him, where else will we find strength if not in him? 00:13:18.759 --> 00:13:31.720 Christian, you will not find strength outside of him. So we see that in time of need, God's son did not 00:13:31.720 --> 00:13:40.620 hold back. He therefore leads us by his example to our true refuge whenever we are sad and in distress. 00:13:40.620 --> 00:13:58.039 As he faces darkness, Jesus turns to his father. Brothers and sisters, as we face darkness, we turn to our father as well. 00:13:59.620 --> 00:14:08.779 If Jesus, in the midst of his suffering, needed to go to God in prayer, how much more do we? 00:14:10.620 --> 00:14:16.779 If Jesus, in his suffering, needed to turn to his father in prayer, how much more do we? 00:14:16.840 --> 00:14:21.899 And so Jesus shows us in our crisis and in our need what it is we need to do. 00:14:22.919 --> 00:14:30.060 I'm not going to spend a lot of time on verses 26 through 31, because really what that's doing is 00:14:30.060 --> 00:14:34.220 setting us up for what's going to happen later in the gospel of Mark. Jesus here is saying, look, 00:14:34.279 --> 00:14:37.580 you guys are going to fall when the shepherd is struck. The sheep are going to be scattered. 00:14:37.580 --> 00:14:47.460 And then he predicts Peter's denial here. I just want you to think for a second, why is it that Peter 00:14:47.460 --> 00:14:56.460 denies Christ? I'm sure we could come up with a lot of reasons. If we had a whiteboard and we made a list, 00:14:56.520 --> 00:15:01.180 we brainstormed together, and there certainly are a lot of reasons, but I'll tell you there's one we know 00:15:01.179 --> 00:15:13.279 for sure. Peter denied Jesus because he did not listen in verse 38. Watch and pray that you may not 00:15:13.279 --> 00:15:21.639 enter into temptation. Why is it that Peter denied Christ? He refused to watch and pray. 00:15:21.639 --> 00:15:33.159 Jesus sees what is coming. He is overwhelmed as he looks at the cup that he's going to have to drink. 00:15:33.360 --> 00:15:39.819 And he shows us the path when we are overwhelmed as well. 00:15:43.399 --> 00:15:49.139 Christian, what overwhelms you? 00:15:49.139 --> 00:15:58.799 What causes you to stagger in the way that Jesus staggers here? 00:16:01.139 --> 00:16:10.179 Where do you need to run to God not once, not twice, three times or more in prayer? 00:16:10.179 --> 00:16:24.599 I know for some of you who are older, you carry deep pain when you look at the lives of your children and your grandchildren. 00:16:26.559 --> 00:16:30.120 Some of you deep pain over choices that they've made. 00:16:32.439 --> 00:16:38.279 Some of you not over the choices that they've made, but the choices that those around them have made. 00:16:40.179 --> 00:16:42.179 Some of you have made, but the choices that they've made, you know, are the choices that they've made. 00:16:42.179 --> 00:16:45.059 What do you do when it's hard to look at it straight on? 00:16:47.000 --> 00:16:48.899 And you think if you do, you might stagger. 00:16:51.359 --> 00:16:54.239 Certainly many options, many right answers. 00:16:54.399 --> 00:16:55.819 Jesus here gives us one. 00:16:56.459 --> 00:16:58.179 Watch and pray. 00:16:58.179 --> 00:17:09.639 Those of you who are younger, perhaps face a different temptation as you look at the rest of your life and you begin to understand the scope of it, 00:17:09.700 --> 00:17:16.440 the fact that it's limited and your options have constraints on them and you don't have all the time in the world. 00:17:16.579 --> 00:17:21.480 You wonder what's going to happen in the future and perhaps whether you have one. 00:17:21.480 --> 00:17:30.019 What do you do when you look out at that uncertainty and at times maybe it feels overwhelming? 00:17:32.839 --> 00:17:37.120 There are certainly many good answers and one of them is this. 00:17:38.559 --> 00:17:40.339 Watch and pray. 00:17:40.339 --> 00:17:45.220 Some of you are stuck in the middle. 00:17:45.379 --> 00:17:49.959 You're pressed in from so many different sides because of the stage that you're in in life. 00:17:50.019 --> 00:17:53.819 You have the demands not just of parents, but also of children. 00:17:53.819 --> 00:17:57.959 And you have questions that you need to answer about your work and your future. 00:17:58.119 --> 00:18:00.559 You need wisdom and direction and guidance. 00:18:00.559 --> 00:18:06.619 And at times when you stop and you think about all those things, it seems like it might crush you. 00:18:06.619 --> 00:18:10.739 What do you do? 00:18:12.579 --> 00:18:14.419 There's certainly many good answers. 00:18:14.559 --> 00:18:15.519 One of them is this. 00:18:16.439 --> 00:18:18.219 Watch and pray. 00:18:19.959 --> 00:18:27.119 What do you do both young and old as you come to grips with the reality that your body is finite and fragile? 00:18:27.299 --> 00:18:28.919 It's failing and it cracks. 00:18:31.899 --> 00:18:34.139 There are certainly many good answers. 00:18:34.139 --> 00:18:35.159 One of them is this. 00:18:35.160 --> 00:18:36.980 Watch and pray. 00:18:39.660 --> 00:18:46.700 If you truly have faced reality head on and you've looked it in the eyes and you've lived long enough, 00:18:48.200 --> 00:18:52.680 you know that you are powerless to change other people. 00:18:55.440 --> 00:18:57.740 Powerlessness, by the way, is very frightening. 00:18:57.740 --> 00:19:07.420 What do you do as you come to grips with that and you face the temptation to try to squeeze those around you into the mold you want them to fit into? 00:19:10.059 --> 00:19:12.099 I'm sure there are many good answers. 00:19:12.279 --> 00:19:13.339 One of them is this. 00:19:13.920 --> 00:19:15.839 Watch and pray. 00:19:15.839 --> 00:19:21.619 Jesus tells his disciples over and over. 00:19:21.619 --> 00:19:27.279 If you face and struggle great temptation to sin, there are many good things you can do. 00:19:27.419 --> 00:19:29.619 Jesus presents one of them here for us. 00:19:29.699 --> 00:19:32.899 A great one that Peter fails to take hold of. 00:19:33.740 --> 00:19:36.039 That he would watch and pray. 00:19:36.039 --> 00:19:43.000 And so Jesus here simply shows us the right path. 00:19:43.079 --> 00:19:43.920 He is our savior. 00:19:44.079 --> 00:19:46.379 He's also our model and our example. 00:19:48.000 --> 00:19:50.680 And so there's a conviction in this passage. 00:19:50.680 --> 00:19:58.080 And the conviction comes when we ask ourselves the question, how often is it that we fail like Peter to watch and pray? 00:20:00.019 --> 00:20:01.980 But there's great encouragement as well. 00:20:02.160 --> 00:20:07.660 Jesus finds strength in this time with the Father. 00:20:09.259 --> 00:20:10.740 You notice how this passage ends. 00:20:11.720 --> 00:20:16.299 It ends with Jesus receiving the answer to his prayers. 00:20:17.039 --> 00:20:19.200 He receives an answer very quickly. 00:20:19.200 --> 00:20:21.539 Finally, verses 41 and 42. 00:20:22.840 --> 00:20:23.559 It is enough. 00:20:23.700 --> 00:20:25.160 The hour has come. 00:20:25.740 --> 00:20:28.819 The Son of Man is betrayed into the hand of sinners. 00:20:30.720 --> 00:20:32.120 Rise, let us be going. 00:20:32.299 --> 00:20:33.900 See, my betrayer is at hand. 00:20:35.019 --> 00:20:37.500 Jesus prays for a different way. 00:20:37.900 --> 00:20:40.080 And it becomes clear very quickly. 00:20:40.299 --> 00:20:41.960 There is no other way. 00:20:41.960 --> 00:20:53.059 And Jesus finds the strength in prayer and communion with his Father that he needs to keep going. 00:20:54.059 --> 00:20:59.259 Brothers and sisters, the same is true for us. 00:20:59.259 --> 00:21:14.819 As God calls us into suffering and uncomfortable circumstances, he provides us with the strength that we need in communion with him through prayer. 00:21:14.819 --> 00:21:18.159 Why does he tell them? 00:21:18.159 --> 00:21:20.779 And why does he tell us to watch and pray? 00:21:20.859 --> 00:21:24.460 Because he knows how much we need it. 00:21:25.720 --> 00:21:29.639 He knows how much strength we require. 00:21:29.640 --> 00:21:37.820 It's been a while since I've mentioned this, but I've mentioned it over and over in the Gospel of Mark, that need is the price of admission. 00:21:39.160 --> 00:21:42.460 There is no way to get at the Gospel without it. 00:21:42.540 --> 00:21:45.220 And here, Jesus doesn't just preach that need. 00:21:45.480 --> 00:21:46.980 He shows it as well. 00:21:46.980 --> 00:21:50.380 Now, obviously, Jesus' need is different than ours. 00:21:50.480 --> 00:21:54.759 He doesn't need to admit sin in the same way that we do because he's without sin. 00:21:55.339 --> 00:21:59.640 And he still has a fragile human body. 00:22:00.799 --> 00:22:05.039 He is still in relationship with God the Father. 00:22:05.539 --> 00:22:09.980 And so that's why he comes and returns to God in prayer over and over again. 00:22:10.279 --> 00:22:14.099 If you've perused your worship guide, you've already seen this on page 5. 00:22:14.099 --> 00:22:19.539 Jesus is, without question, the most dependent human being who ever lived. 00:22:20.059 --> 00:22:26.059 Because he can't do life on his own, he prays and he prays and he prays. 00:22:27.079 --> 00:22:32.319 Luke tells us that Jesus would withdraw to desolate places and pray. 00:22:32.319 --> 00:22:45.740 Christian, do you face things in this life that are beyond what you can handle on your own? 00:22:48.740 --> 00:22:54.819 Do you need great and supernatural strength to keep moving? 00:22:54.819 --> 00:22:59.179 If you're honest, the answer is yes. 00:23:01.599 --> 00:23:03.039 Watch and pray. 00:23:07.579 --> 00:23:11.019 This prayer of Jesus, by the way, is not a magic trick. 00:23:11.919 --> 00:23:16.000 The promise is not that we will get whatever we want. 00:23:16.079 --> 00:23:18.579 And Jesus shows us that as well. 00:23:18.579 --> 00:23:24.579 It's in his prayer, in this first section of prayer, that we see Jesus anguish his great distress. 00:23:25.319 --> 00:23:30.019 Verse 33, he began to be greatly distressed and troubled. 00:23:30.839 --> 00:23:36.259 And then verse 34, my soul is very sorrowful, even to death. 00:23:37.519 --> 00:23:40.919 Now Mark is known for giving us the shortest account of all the Gospels, 00:23:40.980 --> 00:23:43.939 and we receive other details in parallel passages. 00:23:43.940 --> 00:23:45.740 Luke chapter 22 says this, 00:23:46.180 --> 00:23:51.980 His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground. 00:23:53.680 --> 00:23:57.320 Jesus is in incredible distress. 00:23:59.059 --> 00:24:03.200 Now commentators have pointed out that this is actually odd, and it's odd for this reason. 00:24:03.720 --> 00:24:10.820 We have stories of Christian martyrs going to their death with great strength and courage. 00:24:10.819 --> 00:24:16.240 We have stories of Christian martyrs laughing at death. 00:24:17.579 --> 00:24:19.259 And so what do we make of that? 00:24:19.319 --> 00:24:24.119 Does that mean that Jesus is somehow weaker than those martyrs? 00:24:25.419 --> 00:24:26.939 Well, no, of course not. 00:24:27.619 --> 00:24:29.720 It is not that Jesus is weaker. 00:24:30.439 --> 00:24:35.259 It is that his suffering is so much greater. 00:24:35.259 --> 00:24:41.980 Those martyrs worried only about death and its pain. 00:24:42.859 --> 00:24:48.000 Jesus here is facing something so much worse. 00:24:48.200 --> 00:24:52.700 It is not simply death that is causing him to have this anguish. 00:24:52.779 --> 00:24:59.259 No, if it were merely death on a cross, I don't think we would be looking and hearing about this. 00:24:59.299 --> 00:25:00.539 But it is something worse. 00:25:00.900 --> 00:25:02.859 Let's look at Jesus' prayer in verse 36. 00:25:02.859 --> 00:25:05.759 He doesn't say, spare me from death. 00:25:05.819 --> 00:25:08.000 He says, Father, all things are possible for you. 00:25:08.479 --> 00:25:11.079 Remove this cup from me. 00:25:12.539 --> 00:25:18.559 Now, if you're familiar with the Old Testament, you know that the cup is an image that's used over and over in Scripture 00:25:18.559 --> 00:25:24.939 to capture God's judgment and wrath and punishment on the earth. 00:25:25.039 --> 00:25:28.939 In fact, we're told sometimes about the cup being poured out, this cup of God's judgment. 00:25:28.940 --> 00:25:37.799 When Jesus is here in the Garden of Gethsemane, as he's praying, what he's facing is not merely the prospect of death. 00:25:37.900 --> 00:25:49.180 No, he is facing the prospect of experiencing all of God's judgment and wrath that is justly meant to be poured out on those he saves. 00:25:49.180 --> 00:25:52.539 Jesus is not just facing God's judgment and wrath. 00:25:52.640 --> 00:26:01.120 He is facing the separation of the most important relationship he has, one that we could not imagine. 00:26:02.580 --> 00:26:09.400 Jesus is facing something too horrific for words. 00:26:10.539 --> 00:26:13.759 That is what causes his anguish. 00:26:13.759 --> 00:26:15.140 You'll see this on page 7. 00:26:16.000 --> 00:26:26.420 Jesus began to experience the spiritual, cosmic, infinite disintegration that would happen when he became separated from his Father on the cross. 00:26:27.900 --> 00:26:32.759 Jesus began to experience merely a foretaste of that. 00:26:34.079 --> 00:26:36.759 And he staggered. 00:26:36.759 --> 00:26:41.980 God's judgment. 00:26:43.299 --> 00:26:53.140 The wrath that Jesus faced and the punishment that he took that we deserved is beyond overwhelming. 00:26:55.660 --> 00:26:57.420 And so Jesus cries out. 00:26:58.879 --> 00:27:01.059 He asks for help. 00:27:01.059 --> 00:27:06.579 And yet, as we've already seen, he doesn't have to wait long for an answer. 00:27:07.619 --> 00:27:10.679 The cup is not removed. 00:27:15.220 --> 00:27:19.259 Jesus submits to the will of his Father. 00:27:19.259 --> 00:27:31.220 Brothers and sisters, as we face suffering and trials and tribulation in this world, we submit to the will of our Father as well. 00:27:32.599 --> 00:27:34.299 In fact, we already prayed it this morning. 00:27:35.599 --> 00:27:36.359 Thy will be done. 00:27:37.059 --> 00:27:41.140 Thy kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven. 00:27:45.940 --> 00:27:47.839 Yet it's easier said than done, right? 00:27:47.839 --> 00:27:47.879 Right? 00:27:49.259 --> 00:27:54.720 Why is it that we can submit to God's will? 00:27:54.839 --> 00:27:57.640 How are we able to do it? 00:27:59.359 --> 00:28:03.920 I'll give you a few suggestions from this passage right here. 00:28:04.000 --> 00:28:08.140 First, we submit to his will because we know his purposes are good. 00:28:09.640 --> 00:28:10.759 And how do we know that? 00:28:12.059 --> 00:28:16.640 We don't just know it from Romans 8, 28, which says he works all things for good. 00:28:16.640 --> 00:28:21.720 We also know it because we can see Jesus accomplishing it here. 00:28:24.180 --> 00:28:30.680 If he did not intend all things for our good, Jesus would not have gone to the cross. 00:28:30.680 --> 00:28:34.440 So you can think about it another way. 00:28:34.440 --> 00:28:38.759 The question is often asked, what do we do with suffering in this world? 00:28:39.060 --> 00:28:43.480 How can we answer that there's this loving God who allows these things to happen? 00:28:43.900 --> 00:28:46.680 And it's a difficult question with difficult answers. 00:28:46.680 --> 00:28:54.220 We know what the answer isn't. 00:28:54.220 --> 00:29:02.240 We know that the answer isn't that God doesn't care because he sent his only son to die. 00:29:03.200 --> 00:29:08.340 Because Jesus took and drunk the cup to the bottom. 00:29:08.339 --> 00:29:15.039 We don't just submit to God's will like Christ because we know his purposes are good. 00:29:15.119 --> 00:29:20.679 We also submit to his will because we see his love in the price of sin. 00:29:21.699 --> 00:29:23.359 How terrible is our sin? 00:29:25.240 --> 00:29:34.059 It is so terrible that when Jesus caught just a foretaste of it, he paused. 00:29:34.059 --> 00:29:41.059 When Jesus caught just a foretaste of it, he staggered. 00:29:43.059 --> 00:29:45.339 And he kept going. 00:29:46.039 --> 00:29:46.759 Why? 00:29:48.000 --> 00:29:51.399 Because of his great love. 00:29:55.220 --> 00:29:59.200 His purposes are good, better than we can imagine. 00:29:59.200 --> 00:30:04.100 And his love is great, greater than we can understand. 00:30:07.819 --> 00:30:16.740 And so for us, as we think about our response, as we look at Jesus, as we see him in his beauty, our task is very simple. 00:30:16.860 --> 00:30:20.000 We turn to Jesus and we trust him. 00:30:20.000 --> 00:30:27.880 We trust him by praying to him, by bringing our needs and concerns to him. 00:30:27.920 --> 00:30:33.559 We trust him when he says no to our prayers because we know it's not because he doesn't care. 00:30:34.579 --> 00:30:36.900 We know of how good his purposes are. 00:30:37.000 --> 00:30:39.000 We know how great his love is. 00:30:39.000 --> 00:30:45.400 Verse 36. 00:30:47.299 --> 00:30:47.579 He says, 00:30:47.660 --> 00:30:49.500 Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. 00:30:49.640 --> 00:30:52.380 Remove this cup from me. 00:30:54.880 --> 00:31:01.880 Trusting him and following Jesus is the only way to avoid tasting the cup. 00:31:01.880 --> 00:31:10.300 God's wrath and punishment in this world caused Jesus to pause and he staggered. 00:31:10.780 --> 00:31:13.560 Imagine what it will do to you. 00:31:17.160 --> 00:31:23.520 There are many reasons to have faith in Jesus Christ and to follow after him, to repent of our sins and embrace righteousness. 00:31:24.080 --> 00:31:25.580 And one of them is this. 00:31:26.520 --> 00:31:31.140 The cup of God's wrath and judgment is more than we can imagine. 00:31:32.780 --> 00:31:36.780 And it is worse than we would ever want to endure. 00:31:40.360 --> 00:31:46.960 And yet the good news is for those who follow after Christ, they can be like those martyrs that we talked about. 00:31:47.000 --> 00:31:52.080 We can face death and we can laugh at it because the cup is not a threat to us. 00:31:52.100 --> 00:31:53.320 And why is it not a threat? 00:31:53.420 --> 00:31:59.060 Because Jesus is willing to go through what he endured here in the garden and later. 00:31:59.059 --> 00:32:02.359 Jesus is not just separated from the Father. 00:32:02.639 --> 00:32:06.159 The problem is not simply or merely that he faces death. 00:32:06.220 --> 00:32:08.240 It is not just that he's disintegrated. 00:32:08.819 --> 00:32:10.519 Watch what happened earlier. 00:32:10.619 --> 00:32:12.139 Verses 26 through 31. 00:32:12.659 --> 00:32:16.460 Jesus is going to be abandoned by everyone. 00:32:16.460 --> 00:32:21.279 We'll talk more about that in the coming weeks. 00:32:21.539 --> 00:32:24.279 It is going to get worse next week. 00:32:25.279 --> 00:32:28.779 Because we're going to be told that everyone fled. 00:32:28.779 --> 00:32:34.859 Great challenges, as you know, require great community. 00:32:35.819 --> 00:32:37.879 There are many things we can't do alone. 00:32:39.099 --> 00:32:41.319 But Jesus here does. 00:32:41.319 --> 00:32:49.079 And so that is our motivation, our encouragement, our salvation. 00:32:49.939 --> 00:32:53.519 We see Jesus' love by what he is willing to go through. 00:32:53.659 --> 00:32:56.439 We see his love by what he's willing to endure. 00:32:56.659 --> 00:33:04.379 We see his commitment to us as he accepts the cup that causes him to shudder. 00:33:04.380 --> 00:33:15.900 Jesus is separated from God the Father so that we can run to him. 00:33:17.580 --> 00:33:23.460 Jesus is cut off from God the Father so that we can have access to him in prayer. 00:33:23.860 --> 00:33:28.380 Jesus continues in his plan, submitting to the will of the Father, 00:33:28.560 --> 00:33:31.800 even as he sees how terrible it will be. 00:33:31.799 --> 00:33:40.079 Christian, that is what grows our love and our faith and our obedience to him. 00:33:41.220 --> 00:33:46.899 That is what causes us to run to him and to trust him no matter what. 00:33:48.279 --> 00:33:51.940 Will you watch and pray? 00:33:56.759 --> 00:33:59.039 Because that is what we're going to sing now. 00:33:59.039 --> 00:34:00.859 Jesus, what a strength in weakness. 00:34:01.460 --> 00:34:02.879 Let me hide myself in him. 00:34:03.539 --> 00:34:07.000 Tempted, tried, and sometimes failing, he my strength. 00:34:07.559 --> 00:34:09.179 My victory wins. 00:34:10.179 --> 00:34:10.820 Let's pray. 00:34:11.940 --> 00:34:17.800 Our Father in heaven, we praise you and thank you for your great love for us. 00:34:17.800 --> 00:34:24.680 We thank you that Jesus saw how terrible the cup was. 00:34:24.760 --> 00:34:29.200 Your wrath and judgment and justice poured out on the earth and he took it for us. 00:34:29.280 --> 00:34:33.080 We ask that you would use this to grow our love and affection for him, 00:34:33.600 --> 00:34:34.980 that we would follow him and obey him. 00:34:35.220 --> 00:34:37.820 We ask these things in the mighty name of Jesus Christ. 00:34:38.340 --> 00:34:38.560 Amen. 00:34:38.560 --> 00:34:38.720 Amen. 00:34:38.720 --> 00:34:38.740 Amen. 00:34:38.740 --> 00:34:38.760 Amen. 00:34:38.760 --> 00:34:38.780 Amen. 00:34:38.780 --> 00:34:38.800 Amen. 00:34:38.800 --> 00:34:38.840 Amen. 00:34:38.840 --> 00:34:38.860 Amen. 00:34:38.860 --> 00:34:38.880 Amen. 00:34:38.880 --> 00:34:38.900 Amen. 00:34:38.900 --> 00:34:38.920 Amen. 00:34:38.920 --> 00:34:38.940 Amen. 00:34:38.940 --> 00:34:38.960 Amen. 00:34:38.960 --> 00:34:38.980 Amen. 00:34:38.980 --> 00:34:39.019 Amen. 00:34:39.019 --> 00:34:39.060 Amen. 00:34:39.060 --> 00:34:39.980 Amen. 00:34:39.980 --> 00:34:40.880 Amen. 00:34:40.880 --> 00:34:40.980 Amen. 00:34:40.980 --> 00:34:42.980 Amen. 00:34:42.980 --> 00:34:43.039 Amen.