WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:11.000 Testament and from the Gospel of Mark, chapter 14. And we'll read from verse 17 to verse 42. 00:00:11.000 --> 00:00:33.439 This is describing the events of the night before Jesus was crucified and he had just instituted the Lord's Supper with his disciples. 00:00:33.439 --> 00:00:35.760 And we'll pick up the reading at verse 17. 00:00:35.759 --> 00:00:43.140 When evening came, Jesus arrived with the twelve. While they were reclining at the table eating, he said, 00:00:43.199 --> 00:00:47.179 I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me, one who is eating with me. 00:00:47.939 --> 00:00:51.179 They were saddened and one by one they said to him, surely not I. 00:00:52.000 --> 00:00:55.299 It is one of the twelve, he replied, one who dips bread into the bowl with me. 00:00:55.579 --> 00:01:00.979 The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him, but woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man. 00:01:01.519 --> 00:01:03.820 It would be better for him if he had not been born. 00:01:03.820 --> 00:01:10.099 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it and gave it to his disciples saying, 00:01:10.260 --> 00:01:11.859 Take it, this is my body. 00:01:12.540 --> 00:01:16.819 Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them and they all drank from it. 00:01:17.299 --> 00:01:21.840 This is my blood of the covenant which is poured out for many, he said to them. 00:01:22.460 --> 00:01:29.960 I tell you the truth, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it anew in the kingdom of God. 00:01:29.959 --> 00:01:34.099 When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. 00:01:35.099 --> 00:01:40.899 You will all fall away, Jesus told them, for it is written, I will strike the shepherd and the sheep will be scattered. 00:01:41.579 --> 00:01:44.339 But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee. 00:01:45.419 --> 00:01:48.159 Peter declared, even if all fall away, I will not. 00:01:49.099 --> 00:01:55.399 I tell you the truth, Jesus answered, today, yes, tonight, before the cock crows twice, you yourself will disown me three times. 00:01:55.400 --> 00:02:01.320 But Peter insisted emphatically, even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you. 00:02:01.660 --> 00:02:03.520 And all the others said the same. 00:02:04.780 --> 00:02:09.939 They went to a place called Gethsemane and Jesus said to his disciples, sit here while I pray. 00:02:10.620 --> 00:02:15.960 He took Peter, James and John along with him and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled. 00:02:17.000 --> 00:02:20.340 My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death, he said to them. 00:02:21.020 --> 00:02:22.360 Stay here and keep watch. 00:02:22.360 --> 00:02:30.000 Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible, the hour might pass from him. 00:02:30.860 --> 00:02:33.580 Abba, Father, he said, everything is possible for you. 00:02:34.200 --> 00:02:35.540 Take this cup from me. 00:02:36.300 --> 00:02:38.340 Yet not what I will, but what you will. 00:02:39.480 --> 00:02:41.640 Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. 00:02:42.420 --> 00:02:44.000 Simon, he said to Peter, are you asleep? 00:02:44.360 --> 00:02:45.940 Could you not keep watch for one hour? 00:02:46.440 --> 00:02:48.980 Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. 00:02:49.360 --> 00:02:51.860 The spirit is willing, but the body is weak. 00:02:52.780 --> 00:02:54.880 Once more, he went away and prayed the same thing. 00:02:55.400 --> 00:02:58.840 And when he came back again, he found them sleeping because their eyes were heavy. 00:02:59.500 --> 00:03:00.860 They did not know what to say to him. 00:03:01.780 --> 00:03:04.740 Returning the third time, he said to them, are you still sleeping and resting? 00:03:05.360 --> 00:03:05.760 Enough. 00:03:06.400 --> 00:03:07.460 The hour has come. 00:03:08.000 --> 00:03:11.980 Look, the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 00:03:12.780 --> 00:03:13.180 Rise. 00:03:13.680 --> 00:03:14.440 Let us go. 00:03:14.440 --> 00:03:17.900 Here comes my betray. 00:03:17.900 --> 00:03:31.360 Very often in life, when we see people accomplishing great things, it can look from a distance like these great achievements are easy. 00:03:31.360 --> 00:03:34.200 And so there's lots of different examples. 00:03:34.360 --> 00:03:36.440 I think a great example is a musical instrument. 00:03:36.540 --> 00:03:41.520 When you see somebody who's really accomplished at playing an instrument, it looks so easy. 00:03:42.060 --> 00:03:44.860 So you watch somebody play the piano and you think, oh, that looks so easy. 00:03:44.860 --> 00:03:49.420 Then you go to a piano yourself and it's like, oh, this is so much harder than it looks. 00:03:50.200 --> 00:03:51.340 Same with a sport. 00:03:52.220 --> 00:03:58.060 I was actually, there was a church planting conference at St. Columbus yesterday. 00:03:58.060 --> 00:03:59.420 I was at the rugby. 00:04:01.460 --> 00:04:02.780 It was prior arranged. 00:04:02.920 --> 00:04:04.860 I didn't know there was a church planting conference on. 00:04:06.020 --> 00:04:07.020 So I was at the rugby. 00:04:07.340 --> 00:04:08.039 And you watch it. 00:04:08.080 --> 00:04:08.920 And they make it look so easy. 00:04:09.020 --> 00:04:11.879 They ping the ball across the line and they fly it back. 00:04:12.039 --> 00:04:12.939 It looks so easy. 00:04:13.219 --> 00:04:15.840 Then you go home and you get the rugby ball and you try it and it's so much harder. 00:04:16.220 --> 00:04:17.899 Things can look easy from a distance. 00:04:18.680 --> 00:04:24.560 And, of course, what happens is we look at great achievements and we think, oh, that looks so easy. 00:04:25.120 --> 00:04:26.879 It looks effortless for the person. 00:04:26.879 --> 00:04:40.600 And what we forget is that behind the wonderful playing of music or the great skill in sport lies a huge amount of effort, an enormous amount of practice. 00:04:41.079 --> 00:04:44.959 And they've gone through a great journey to reach that point. 00:04:45.159 --> 00:04:49.120 So we can look at a great achievement and we can think that looks easy. 00:04:49.779 --> 00:04:56.680 But, of course, the real story and the whole story is that it's not easy at all. 00:04:56.879 --> 00:05:04.620 It's taken a huge amount out of the person in order to reach that point. 00:05:05.500 --> 00:05:16.620 And so sometimes we have to remember that if we just knew the whole story, we would realize how much was involved in the great achievements of people. 00:05:16.620 --> 00:05:22.720 The greatest achievement of all human history is the work of Jesus Christ. 00:05:22.720 --> 00:05:38.060 And in the Gospels, we have a selection of events recorded for us which present to us key aspects of that work that Jesus undertook. 00:05:38.060 --> 00:05:43.040 Although they record Jesus' life, they don't record absolutely everything. 00:05:43.519 --> 00:05:48.920 So when you're reading the Gospels, it's not like a full biography. 00:05:49.259 --> 00:05:55.639 It's actually quite a specific selection of key events in the life of Jesus. 00:05:55.639 --> 00:05:57.240 And that's for a reason. 00:05:57.360 --> 00:06:04.219 That's because as we read the Gospels, like the Gospel of Mark before us, their aim is to teach us about Jesus. 00:06:04.699 --> 00:06:10.560 And whenever you read from Matthew, Mark, Luke or John, it's always good to ask the question, what is this teaching me about Jesus? 00:06:11.000 --> 00:06:19.819 Specific events were selected by people like Mark under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit in order to teach us about Jesus. 00:06:19.819 --> 00:06:25.159 These events have been selected and they provide key important bits of information. 00:06:25.980 --> 00:06:35.439 Now, as we come to Mark 14, we are being given certain key bits of information about a crucial moment in the life and work of Jesus. 00:06:36.199 --> 00:06:41.980 And to start with, what I want you to do is to imagine that a chunk of this chapter was missing. 00:06:41.980 --> 00:06:50.120 And the chunk that I have in mind is from halfway through verse 32 to halfway through verse 43. 00:06:50.600 --> 00:06:53.020 I want you to imagine that that was just not there. 00:06:53.480 --> 00:06:58.220 And we'll read the passage as if it wasn't there because it would work. 00:06:58.640 --> 00:07:00.000 The historical narrative would be fine. 00:07:00.100 --> 00:07:08.220 It would say, then they went to a place called Gethsemane and Judas, one of the twelve, appeared. 00:07:08.220 --> 00:07:12.120 With him was that crowd and with souls and clubs and so on and so on. 00:07:12.140 --> 00:07:15.240 The historical narrative would flow perfectly, wouldn't it? 00:07:15.740 --> 00:07:19.300 And you'd still have a perfect grasp of what would happen. 00:07:19.800 --> 00:07:31.880 But if we did that, then in many ways we would have a picture of Jesus as one who is strong, courageous and unfaltering as he faces arrest. 00:07:31.879 --> 00:07:38.000 So, in the previous verses, just before verse 32, he said to Peter, you're going to betray me. 00:07:38.379 --> 00:07:39.540 Jesus gives this warning. 00:07:40.060 --> 00:07:49.199 And then from verse 43 onwards, Jesus stands there and he takes the arrest and abuse of the soldiers who have come to him. 00:07:49.480 --> 00:07:55.399 And you could easily, if that chunk was cut out, you could easily think, well, Jesus is fearless. 00:07:56.240 --> 00:07:58.939 He's unmoved and he's strong. 00:07:58.939 --> 00:08:04.939 But of course, that's not the whole story, is it? 00:08:05.920 --> 00:08:16.740 And this section between verse 32 and verse 42 is so important because they tell us what it was really like for Jesus. 00:08:18.120 --> 00:08:24.939 And they're astonishing verses because they reveal to us not just what Jesus did, but in many ways they reveal how Jesus felt. 00:08:24.939 --> 00:08:33.320 And it's an incredibly moving insight into the experience of our Lord Jesus. 00:08:33.320 --> 00:08:45.940 And if you ever thought that the cross was an easy thing for Jesus, then these verses are telling you the real story. 00:08:45.940 --> 00:09:01.520 Sometimes when we read the Bible, we discover things that just thrill our hearts with joy and that are just amazing in the wonder and peace and beauty that they proclaim to us. 00:09:01.580 --> 00:09:06.260 Sometimes reading the Bible is an incredibly joy-inspiring experience. 00:09:06.259 --> 00:09:16.539 But there's some passages of the Bible that kind of make us stop and think and they're quite moving and quite solemn. 00:09:18.179 --> 00:09:19.340 And this is one of them. 00:09:20.220 --> 00:09:21.659 And that's a good thing as well. 00:09:21.740 --> 00:09:23.679 It's good to spend time in these passages too. 00:09:24.220 --> 00:09:30.439 And so we're going to look at this wee section, especially the bits just from verse 32 to verse 36. 00:09:30.440 --> 00:09:34.100 And to do it, we're going to just ask three simple questions. 00:09:34.340 --> 00:09:36.780 We're going to ask, what does this teach us about Jesus? 00:09:37.840 --> 00:09:39.660 What does this teach us about God the Father? 00:09:40.120 --> 00:09:43.380 And what does this teach us about ourselves? 00:09:44.360 --> 00:09:48.060 So question number one, what does this teach us about Jesus? 00:09:49.000 --> 00:09:53.460 We're focusing especially on the verses 32 to 36. 00:09:53.460 --> 00:09:57.880 They went to a place called Gethsemane and Jesus said to his disciples, sit here while I pray. 00:09:57.879 --> 00:10:03.000 He took Peter, James and John along with him and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled. 00:10:03.639 --> 00:10:06.820 My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death, he said to them. 00:10:07.240 --> 00:10:08.559 Stay here and keep watch. 00:10:09.299 --> 00:10:14.159 Going a little further, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible, the hour might pass from him. 00:10:14.820 --> 00:10:17.919 Abba, Father, he said, everything is possible for you. 00:10:18.580 --> 00:10:24.659 Take this cup from me, yet not what I will, but what you will. 00:10:27.879 --> 00:10:36.740 These verses give us a profound insight into the personal experience of Jesus Christ as he approached the cross. 00:10:37.659 --> 00:10:41.559 And in order to examine these verses, I want to do something maybe a wee bit strange. 00:10:41.559 --> 00:10:50.719 But I want us just to look at the verbs that appear in verse 33 and verse 34. 00:10:51.759 --> 00:10:55.239 Because there's seven verbs in that. 00:10:55.839 --> 00:10:57.759 Well, there is seven verbs. 00:10:57.839 --> 00:11:05.299 I think it's probably more obvious in the original language, but they are there translated into the English as well. 00:11:05.379 --> 00:11:09.879 And we're going to look at these together because they teach us many things. 00:11:09.879 --> 00:11:11.659 So, where's the first verb? 00:11:12.340 --> 00:11:20.860 Verse number 33, it says, he took Peter, James, and John along with him. 00:11:21.439 --> 00:11:30.000 Now, the words took along with him, although they're split up in English, they're actually one big long word in Greek. 00:11:30.000 --> 00:11:39.000 And so, they're basically a word that means to take to yourself or to take with you. 00:11:39.559 --> 00:11:42.559 And so, we have a very simple but beautiful picture here. 00:11:42.679 --> 00:11:50.460 Jesus, as he goes into the garden, he's bringing three of his closest companions with him. 00:11:50.460 --> 00:11:58.040 And so, it's a picture of friendship and companionship as he selects these three to come along. 00:11:59.780 --> 00:12:03.200 But I think that there's a hint of vulnerability there as well. 00:12:03.200 --> 00:12:09.300 Because Jesus is being very deliberate in what he does. 00:12:09.740 --> 00:12:15.780 The other disciples are told to wait, as we saw in verse 32. 00:12:16.300 --> 00:12:18.940 But he wants these three with him. 00:12:20.060 --> 00:12:23.600 It's as though Jesus is saying, I don't want to be alone. 00:12:23.600 --> 00:12:29.740 The second verb is still in verse 33. 00:12:30.360 --> 00:12:32.460 It says, he began. 00:12:33.360 --> 00:12:34.860 Now, that can look really simple. 00:12:34.940 --> 00:12:38.639 It's the kind of word that you can just whiz through as you're reading. 00:12:38.820 --> 00:12:41.000 But it's actually really significant. 00:12:41.000 --> 00:12:45.000 Because when Jesus went into Gethsemane, there was a change. 00:12:46.759 --> 00:12:51.540 Began tells us that he wasn't feeling like this before. 00:12:51.539 --> 00:12:56.259 And there's a wave of realization that's coming over him. 00:12:56.559 --> 00:12:58.120 Jesus knew what lay ahead. 00:12:58.240 --> 00:13:04.439 He's known for a long time that this is the destiny that he has in serving the Father's purpose. 00:13:04.839 --> 00:13:11.019 But as it came closer, he began to feel like he had never felt before. 00:13:11.819 --> 00:13:15.139 And I think probably all of us can relate to how that feels. 00:13:15.679 --> 00:13:17.919 You might know that something is coming. 00:13:17.919 --> 00:13:21.159 So you're expecting something. 00:13:21.339 --> 00:13:22.959 Maybe you're expecting a medical procedure. 00:13:23.120 --> 00:13:25.319 Or maybe you're expecting a new job. 00:13:25.379 --> 00:13:26.779 Or maybe you're expecting to move house. 00:13:26.860 --> 00:13:29.699 Or you're expecting something to happen. 00:13:29.979 --> 00:13:31.500 And you're aware that it's coming. 00:13:31.759 --> 00:13:41.179 But when that moment comes, you begin to feel pain or fear or sorrow in a way that you didn't before. 00:13:41.179 --> 00:13:45.159 So you can know in your head that something's coming. 00:13:46.120 --> 00:13:49.959 But it's often only when it arrives that it starts to affect your heart. 00:13:50.959 --> 00:13:59.459 And as Jesus stepped forward with Peter, James, and John, he was hit with the horror of what lay ahead. 00:13:59.460 --> 00:14:07.100 And that reminds us that it really is an absolute uniqueness to Gethsemane. 00:14:07.700 --> 00:14:15.460 When we read about what happened in this garden, it's a unique event in the experience of Jesus Christ. 00:14:15.780 --> 00:14:20.960 Here there is a whole new depth of feeling for our Savior. 00:14:20.960 --> 00:14:29.639 Here, as he stepped into that garden, he began to experience something he hadn't felt before. 00:14:31.320 --> 00:14:37.060 And what he felt and what he experienced is described in the next two verbs. 00:14:38.740 --> 00:14:43.920 He began to be deeply distressed and he began to be troubled. 00:14:44.440 --> 00:14:46.100 They're both still in verse 33. 00:14:46.100 --> 00:14:51.180 So verb number three is a verb in Greek, to be greatly distressed. 00:14:51.720 --> 00:14:55.019 And the word there basically means to be amazed or to be alarmed. 00:14:55.159 --> 00:15:00.159 So it's the same word that gets used at the end of Mark's Gospel in chapter 16 when the woman entered the tomb. 00:15:00.639 --> 00:15:06.700 It says they saw a young man sitting on the right-hand side, dressed in a white robe, and they were alarmed. 00:15:06.980 --> 00:15:07.680 Same word. 00:15:08.180 --> 00:15:14.840 And it conveys a sense of shock, something astounding, something alarming is taking place. 00:15:14.840 --> 00:15:16.960 It's the woman when they went into the tomb. 00:15:17.320 --> 00:15:20.300 It was as though they were saying, what is going on here? 00:15:20.680 --> 00:15:24.259 And it's very, very strong language that's being used. 00:15:24.320 --> 00:15:29.220 It's not just the idea of being upset about something or a wee bit disappointed about something. 00:15:29.320 --> 00:15:30.639 It's much, much stronger. 00:15:30.759 --> 00:15:31.879 It's like being hit. 00:15:33.460 --> 00:15:39.400 Being hit with an overwhelming sense of realization and alarm. 00:15:39.399 --> 00:15:43.860 Jesus is being confronted by something new, by something shocking. 00:15:44.519 --> 00:15:48.939 He began to be alarmed, to be greatly distressed. 00:15:50.659 --> 00:15:52.459 The fourth verb is straight after. 00:15:53.159 --> 00:15:55.720 He began also to be troubled. 00:15:56.559 --> 00:15:58.659 And this is still very, very strong language. 00:15:58.779 --> 00:16:03.659 Sometimes maybe in English we're not so good at really getting across the strength of language. 00:16:03.659 --> 00:16:07.860 This word, it speaks of deep, deep distress. 00:16:09.219 --> 00:16:15.740 And I was looking up what the word, you can get lots of different dictionaries that tell you what these words mean. 00:16:15.819 --> 00:16:24.039 And I looked up one, and it was really interesting because it said that this word is often used to convey the idea of being away from home. 00:16:24.039 --> 00:16:27.659 Being separated from home. 00:16:29.419 --> 00:16:33.199 Longing to be there, but not being there. 00:16:34.819 --> 00:16:38.620 And I think that's very, very moving, and I'm sure that's something that we can relate to. 00:16:39.339 --> 00:16:44.019 And it's pointing us to the sense of isolation that Jesus was beginning to feel. 00:16:44.379 --> 00:16:45.779 A sense of being alone. 00:16:46.219 --> 00:16:50.439 That's no wonder he wanted his three friends to come with him. 00:16:50.440 --> 00:16:54.840 And sometimes these things can hit you incredibly hard. 00:16:54.940 --> 00:17:03.480 I remember as a young child, I think in about P6 or P7, I went on a school trip, and I thought, this is going to be brilliant. 00:17:03.740 --> 00:17:06.680 And I'm going to love this school trip, and we were going to do loads and loads of fun stuff. 00:17:06.680 --> 00:17:13.100 And we went to this outdoor center on the far side of the Isle of Lewis, in a place called Valthos. 00:17:13.900 --> 00:17:16.519 And we thought, this will be great. 00:17:16.640 --> 00:17:18.600 And all day long I loved it, had a great time. 00:17:18.660 --> 00:17:19.900 We went to the beach, it was wonderful. 00:17:19.900 --> 00:17:27.540 And then at night I was hit by this overwhelming feeling that I just wanted to go home. 00:17:29.780 --> 00:17:33.620 And it was horrible. 00:17:33.800 --> 00:17:35.580 It was a different feeling to anything else. 00:17:35.660 --> 00:17:38.380 It was in a way something that I couldn't in any way control. 00:17:38.519 --> 00:17:42.060 It was just like a wave of discomfort that came over me. 00:17:42.100 --> 00:17:44.360 And maybe you felt like that yourself. 00:17:44.359 --> 00:17:50.899 As Jesus stepped further into this garden, he began to be deeply, deeply troubled. 00:17:51.699 --> 00:17:55.959 He was being hit with emotional anguish like never before. 00:17:55.960 --> 00:18:00.460 The next verb is really interesting. 00:18:00.640 --> 00:18:02.340 It's halfway through verse 34. 00:18:02.340 --> 00:18:04.680 It says, he said. 00:18:04.680 --> 00:18:08.600 And here we see a remarkable thing. 00:18:08.600 --> 00:18:11.460 The fact that Jesus opened up to his disciples. 00:18:12.220 --> 00:18:14.740 All of this was going on inside him. 00:18:14.740 --> 00:18:18.759 But he didn't hide that weakness and that struggle. 00:18:18.759 --> 00:18:23.900 So all of that, being deeply distressed, being troubled, all of that's internal. 00:18:24.900 --> 00:18:31.660 And yet Jesus, instead of hiding that like we often do, instead of trying to conceal his weakness, 00:18:32.019 --> 00:18:35.519 he opened up to his disciples and told them what was going on. 00:18:35.519 --> 00:18:44.139 And he said to them, my soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. 00:18:45.339 --> 00:18:51.240 And the word that's used for overwhelmed with sorrow is a really interesting word as well. 00:18:51.240 --> 00:18:56.900 Because it literally means to be surrounded by grief or encompassed by grief. 00:18:58.019 --> 00:19:03.299 In other words, it's a bit like there's a perimeter of grief all around Jesus. 00:19:03.299 --> 00:19:06.700 The word speaks in that kind of perimeter kind of way. 00:19:08.139 --> 00:19:13.119 And if you think about that just logically, if there's a perimeter of something around you, 00:19:13.919 --> 00:19:16.599 then you can't get away from it. 00:19:19.339 --> 00:19:21.220 Wherever you turn, it's there. 00:19:22.779 --> 00:19:29.799 And so it's no wonder that Jesus says, my soul is sorrowful even to the point of death. 00:19:29.799 --> 00:19:33.759 Literally that, to the point of death, literally it says as far as death. 00:19:34.359 --> 00:19:39.119 There's sorrow all around Jesus and it's taking him to the brink of survival. 00:19:39.279 --> 00:19:41.859 It's a burden that is life-threatening. 00:19:43.119 --> 00:19:46.700 And so the language here is really, really intense. 00:19:47.119 --> 00:19:48.500 Got five verbs there. 00:19:48.899 --> 00:19:55.119 Speaking of Jesus' sense of isolation, the fact that he's overwhelmed, he's sorrowful, he's alarmed, 00:19:55.119 --> 00:20:00.279 he's surrounded by anguish, so it's no surprise what the next verb is. 00:20:02.279 --> 00:20:03.199 Verse 35. 00:20:04.799 --> 00:20:05.659 He fell. 00:20:07.539 --> 00:20:11.279 Going a little further, he fell. 00:20:11.279 --> 00:20:19.059 We can so easily think of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, 00:20:19.259 --> 00:20:21.579 just sort of gently walking ahead of the disciples 00:20:21.579 --> 00:20:25.399 and calmly moving into a little space on his own 00:20:25.399 --> 00:20:30.519 and serenely getting down onto his knees and praying. 00:20:31.940 --> 00:20:35.079 That's the image that I have often put into my head, 00:20:35.139 --> 00:20:36.779 but I don't think it was like that at all. 00:20:36.779 --> 00:20:40.660 Because Jesus fell to the ground. 00:20:42.720 --> 00:20:49.639 And we can picture him slumping to his knees and putting his face down to the earth. 00:20:50.480 --> 00:20:52.559 He didn't get very far away from the disciples. 00:20:52.859 --> 00:20:57.740 Luke's record tells us that he was just a stone's throw away and there he fell. 00:20:58.119 --> 00:21:00.639 It's an incredibly moving description. 00:21:00.640 --> 00:21:08.440 It's like the burden on Jesus has become so heavy that he's falling under the weight of it. 00:21:10.220 --> 00:21:13.460 I'm sure you'll remember that way back at the beginning of Jesus' ministry, 00:21:14.000 --> 00:21:17.300 John the Baptist saw him and said, 00:21:17.560 --> 00:21:22.100 Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. 00:21:22.720 --> 00:21:28.380 That word, takes away, basically means the same as to carry away. 00:21:28.380 --> 00:21:30.280 The same word means the same thing. 00:21:30.920 --> 00:21:34.820 Jesus, as he goes to the cross, is carrying our sin. 00:21:35.460 --> 00:21:39.080 He's carrying your sin, carrying the sins of all his people. 00:21:39.540 --> 00:21:41.759 You can ask yourself, what's it like to carry sin? 00:21:42.180 --> 00:21:45.800 What is that burden like for Jesus? 00:21:47.780 --> 00:21:50.960 Well, Gethsemane is telling us what that is really like. 00:21:52.580 --> 00:21:55.880 Gethsemane is telling us just how heavy it really is. 00:21:55.880 --> 00:22:00.260 And Jesus crumbles under the weight of it. 00:22:03.700 --> 00:22:11.060 And so the verbs are presenting a very vivid picture of burden and pressure and anguish in the experience of Jesus. 00:22:11.360 --> 00:22:12.960 It's as though he is being crushed. 00:22:13.500 --> 00:22:14.840 He's got nothing left. 00:22:14.839 --> 00:22:22.639 But there's one more verb that's really, really important. 00:22:24.699 --> 00:22:28.859 He fell to the ground and he prayed. 00:22:28.859 --> 00:22:33.399 And that's a beautiful picture. 00:22:33.400 --> 00:22:42.259 And a great lesson to us that no matter how heavy the burden is, no matter how overwhelmed we feel, we can pray. 00:22:42.259 --> 00:22:51.779 And this is maybe being a little bit overly literal in my interpretation, but you can just bear with me for a minute. 00:22:52.180 --> 00:22:56.420 Because if you think about it, we said that there's a perimeter of grief all around Jesus. 00:22:57.079 --> 00:23:02.599 And just at a basic logical level, if there's a perimeter around you, there's only one way you can go. 00:23:02.599 --> 00:23:04.659 And that's up. 00:23:06.559 --> 00:23:12.519 And in many ways for Jesus, the only way he could go was to upward to God in prayer. 00:23:13.139 --> 00:23:20.240 And so although he slumps to the ground, in doing so, he prays. 00:23:21.039 --> 00:23:24.299 And look at what he says in his prayer in verse 36. 00:23:24.299 --> 00:23:27.299 Abba, Father, he said, everything is possible for you. 00:23:27.839 --> 00:23:29.099 Take this cup from me. 00:23:29.799 --> 00:23:32.759 Yet not what I will, but what you will. 00:23:33.559 --> 00:23:35.119 He cries out to his father. 00:23:35.500 --> 00:23:39.779 He uses that beautiful word, Abba, which is just the Aramaic term for my father. 00:23:40.440 --> 00:23:45.399 Really not that different to the expression that we would use, dad, something like that. 00:23:46.839 --> 00:23:51.440 Just that personal term for a child speaking to their father. 00:23:51.440 --> 00:23:56.720 And we have to remember that here he is experiencing anguish like never before. 00:23:56.860 --> 00:23:57.759 He feels isolated. 00:23:57.880 --> 00:23:59.059 He feels far from home. 00:23:59.220 --> 00:24:00.539 There's grief at every turn. 00:24:00.640 --> 00:24:03.480 He can't bear to be alone. 00:24:04.500 --> 00:24:07.920 And he prays, Abba, my father. 00:24:09.900 --> 00:24:15.299 And if ever a son needed a father, it was now. 00:24:15.299 --> 00:24:25.200 And here is where we get a bit of insight into the sheer desperation of what the cross means for Jesus. 00:24:26.879 --> 00:24:32.779 Because the sorrow that Jesus felt, I don't think was primarily due to the pain that he was going to suffer. 00:24:33.119 --> 00:24:35.480 Or the abuse that he was going to get. 00:24:35.720 --> 00:24:39.319 Or even the betrayal that he would experience from his friend. 00:24:39.319 --> 00:24:43.220 Or even the reality of physical death. 00:24:43.299 --> 00:24:50.919 I think above all else, Christ's agony came from the fact that going to the cross meant separation from his father. 00:24:52.139 --> 00:24:57.779 Jesus on the cross uses the words that we sang from Psalm 22 to express what's happened. 00:24:57.779 --> 00:25:09.079 That sense of being forsaken by his father as he carries and bears the punishment of sin. 00:25:09.940 --> 00:25:12.779 And the thought of that for Jesus is utterly overwhelming. 00:25:13.299 --> 00:25:17.819 And the only one who he can go to for help is his father. 00:25:17.819 --> 00:25:26.519 But that means that Jesus is hanging on to the very thing that he's about to lose. 00:25:28.579 --> 00:25:33.960 It's like Jesus is saying to his father, I need you because I'm going to lose you. 00:25:36.240 --> 00:25:37.879 It's a desperate situation. 00:25:40.500 --> 00:25:43.179 And it's no wonder that his sweat was like drops of blood. 00:25:43.180 --> 00:25:48.600 And no wonder that he asked that his cup might be removed from him. 00:25:49.560 --> 00:25:52.000 And the words of Jesus' prayer are so significant. 00:25:52.600 --> 00:25:55.360 Jesus asks that this cup would be removed from him. 00:25:55.420 --> 00:25:59.799 He wishes that in any way possible he would not have to face this separation from his father. 00:26:00.220 --> 00:26:04.240 And for the wrath of God to be poured out upon him. 00:26:04.259 --> 00:26:08.640 And that tells you and me just how much Jesus had to go through. 00:26:08.640 --> 00:26:15.740 And it's possibly easy to think it would have been better if Jesus hadn't prayed that prayer. 00:26:15.840 --> 00:26:17.680 And Jesus hadn't sought a way out of the cross. 00:26:17.900 --> 00:26:22.320 But is it true that it would be better if Jesus hadn't sought a way out of the cross? 00:26:22.440 --> 00:26:23.460 I don't think it is. 00:26:25.200 --> 00:26:33.500 Because without this prayer I don't think we'd ever really realize how much Jesus endured for us. 00:26:33.500 --> 00:26:39.799 So, was the cross easy for Jesus? 00:26:42.380 --> 00:26:43.180 Well, no. 00:26:44.779 --> 00:26:47.359 These verses tell us what it was really like. 00:26:48.960 --> 00:26:52.720 Jesus was at his very limit when he carried our sins. 00:26:52.720 --> 00:26:58.839 And so these seven verbs are very helpful, very powerful, very moving. 00:26:59.279 --> 00:27:03.299 Because they tell us the real story of how Jesus felt. 00:27:04.740 --> 00:27:09.160 But these verses are also telling us something about God the Father as well. 00:27:09.779 --> 00:27:12.120 And we'll look just briefly at that. 00:27:12.180 --> 00:27:13.720 And the last point is very brief. 00:27:14.160 --> 00:27:15.740 So, we won't be as long as the first one. 00:27:18.420 --> 00:27:20.259 What does this teach us about God the Father? 00:27:20.259 --> 00:27:37.900 Well, these verses, particularly verse 36, the prayer of Jesus, brings out before us a very interesting contrast between what God can do and what God wants to do. 00:27:38.539 --> 00:27:39.200 Look at it again. 00:27:39.240 --> 00:27:39.660 Read it again. 00:27:39.759 --> 00:27:40.019 It says, 00:27:40.140 --> 00:27:41.200 Abba Father, he said, 00:27:41.359 --> 00:27:43.500 Everything is possible for you. 00:27:44.119 --> 00:27:49.099 Take this cup from me, yet not what I will, but what you will. 00:27:49.099 --> 00:27:51.079 So, Jesus starts by saying, 00:27:51.399 --> 00:27:53.359 All things are possible for you. 00:27:53.480 --> 00:27:57.219 So, here in many ways, he's referring to what God is capable of. 00:27:57.419 --> 00:28:02.439 But that's not simply to present an encouragement statement that sometimes we see that great statement, 00:28:02.619 --> 00:28:03.639 All things are possible. 00:28:03.839 --> 00:28:08.279 And it's kind of like a, yes, God can do it kind of encouragement, which is a great thing. 00:28:09.039 --> 00:28:12.839 But I don't think that's what Jesus is doing in this sense. 00:28:12.839 --> 00:28:23.159 I think that when Jesus says, All things are possible for you, I think he is saying, I know that you can remove this cup. 00:28:24.199 --> 00:28:30.740 And I think that's incredibly important because the word possible, all things are possible, is related to the word power. 00:28:31.179 --> 00:28:33.259 It's speaking of the idea of capability. 00:28:33.259 --> 00:28:42.039 And I want us to ask the question, what is possible and what is impossible for God in this verse? 00:28:42.279 --> 00:28:42.440 Okay? 00:28:42.740 --> 00:28:45.980 So, you're looking at that verse and you think, okay, what's impossible? 00:28:46.400 --> 00:28:47.440 What's possible? 00:28:47.559 --> 00:28:52.720 Well, it's impossible for God not to punish sin. 00:28:53.700 --> 00:28:56.440 Because God is constrained to punish sin. 00:28:56.500 --> 00:28:59.259 His holiness and his righteousness require that. 00:28:59.579 --> 00:29:01.099 That's what makes him God. 00:29:01.180 --> 00:29:02.299 That's what makes him righteous. 00:29:02.299 --> 00:29:08.960 He must be true to his nature and he would cease to be God if he did not punish sin. 00:29:09.059 --> 00:29:12.339 It's impossible for God not to punish sin. 00:29:12.740 --> 00:29:21.319 But he is not constrained as to whom that punishment falls upon. 00:29:23.200 --> 00:29:28.180 Because notice, Jesus doesn't say, remove this cup as though it would just disappear. 00:29:28.539 --> 00:29:30.919 Because Jesus knows it can't just disappear. 00:29:30.920 --> 00:29:34.360 He says, remove this cup. 00:29:35.039 --> 00:29:35.720 What does it say? 00:29:35.840 --> 00:29:36.440 Look in the verse. 00:29:37.900 --> 00:29:38.700 From me. 00:29:40.700 --> 00:29:43.779 The cup of God's wrath has to be poured out. 00:29:43.779 --> 00:29:47.539 But it doesn't have to be poured out on Jesus. 00:29:47.539 --> 00:29:55.279 It could have been poured out on the ones who actually provoked God's wrath in the first place. 00:29:57.639 --> 00:29:58.519 Which is us. 00:29:58.519 --> 00:30:01.960 And Jesus knows that. 00:30:01.960 --> 00:30:09.859 And so this verse tells of the reality of the possibility of God punishing sinners instead of his son. 00:30:09.920 --> 00:30:10.900 We must never forget that. 00:30:11.019 --> 00:30:12.819 God is not constrained by us. 00:30:12.960 --> 00:30:14.519 God does not depend on us. 00:30:15.019 --> 00:30:21.539 God cannot say to Jesus, I'm being forced against my will because of the power that the human race has over me. 00:30:21.539 --> 00:30:24.519 This human race has got me constrained so I have to punish you. 00:30:24.920 --> 00:30:26.619 God cannot say that. 00:30:26.879 --> 00:30:31.460 And we cannot say to God, you must punish your son instead of us. 00:30:32.319 --> 00:30:38.000 Verse 36 is telling us it was possible for God not to do this. 00:30:38.000 --> 00:30:43.099 God had the capability to remove the cup from Jesus, but he didn't. 00:30:44.380 --> 00:30:45.259 Why didn't he? 00:30:47.619 --> 00:30:49.000 Because of his will. 00:30:51.299 --> 00:30:57.519 So in other words, God did not pour out his wrath on his son because he had no choice. 00:30:59.000 --> 00:31:01.680 He did it because it was his choice. 00:31:01.680 --> 00:31:10.140 And here's where we see the amazing contrast in verse 36 between God's capability and God's will. 00:31:10.640 --> 00:31:12.200 And Jesus is aware of that. 00:31:12.259 --> 00:31:16.620 That's why he prays these words of beautiful obedience and submission. 00:31:16.799 --> 00:31:20.519 He says, yet not what I will, but what you will. 00:31:21.340 --> 00:31:27.220 Jesus knows the most important thing is not what God can do, but what God wants to do. 00:31:27.220 --> 00:31:32.400 And that tells you something absolutely amazing about God the Father. 00:31:32.740 --> 00:31:36.519 He has accomplished this amazing work of atonement. 00:31:36.640 --> 00:31:39.500 He's put together a perfect plan from the very beginning, 00:31:39.720 --> 00:31:44.680 which has been executed across the ages of redemptive history, that great history of salvation. 00:31:44.960 --> 00:31:49.440 He's pieced everything together in the Old Testament, pointing towards his ultimate goal. 00:31:49.700 --> 00:31:51.980 When the time came, he sent his son. 00:31:52.299 --> 00:31:55.839 And in the miracle of the incarnation, God became man. 00:31:55.839 --> 00:32:04.439 In obedience to the Father, Jesus lived his life in perfect conformity to the will of God and the law of God. 00:32:04.699 --> 00:32:10.319 And in obedience, he went to the cross, he died, and on the third day, he was raised by God. 00:32:10.740 --> 00:32:13.959 Now he's exalted at the right hand of the Father. 00:32:14.059 --> 00:32:16.220 It's an amazing, amazing accomplishment. 00:32:16.740 --> 00:32:18.319 It shows incredible generosity. 00:32:18.519 --> 00:32:19.939 It's an astounding sacrifice. 00:32:20.039 --> 00:32:22.759 As we say, it is amazing grace. 00:32:22.759 --> 00:32:29.180 But over all of this, over all of that great theology, lies an amazing truth. 00:32:30.940 --> 00:32:32.799 God didn't do it because he had to. 00:32:35.140 --> 00:32:36.980 He did it because he wanted to. 00:32:40.440 --> 00:32:47.480 Now that's remarkable because you would think that we would have to persuade God to help us. 00:32:47.480 --> 00:32:54.160 You think of the fact that humanity was created by God, created to serve him, created to bear his image. 00:32:54.339 --> 00:32:56.960 And we've pushed God away and we've rebelled against him. 00:32:57.000 --> 00:33:04.420 And you would think that in our realization of the mistake that we've made, we would be trying and trying and trying to persuade God to help us. 00:33:04.519 --> 00:33:13.420 And that we would need to convince him that for some reason, he should not feed us as our sins deserve, but he should actually show us kindness. 00:33:13.420 --> 00:33:16.660 You would think that we would have to persuade God to help us. 00:33:17.080 --> 00:33:18.880 But that is not how it is. 00:33:21.220 --> 00:33:25.100 You don't need to persuade God to help you. 00:33:27.100 --> 00:33:29.380 You don't need to persuade God to love you. 00:33:31.600 --> 00:33:32.840 Because he already does. 00:33:34.340 --> 00:33:36.480 And he has always wanted to save you. 00:33:36.480 --> 00:33:42.259 And here we see the amazing commitment that God has to save his people. 00:33:42.380 --> 00:33:46.579 And as a result, Jesus Christ is willing to put his own anguish to one side. 00:33:46.900 --> 00:33:49.900 And he's able to willingly submit to his Father. 00:33:50.460 --> 00:33:58.120 And it's really interesting because I think that we are deliberately given an indication that God very clearly answered Jesus' prayer. 00:33:58.420 --> 00:34:00.279 We have this prayer in verse 36. 00:34:00.279 --> 00:34:02.500 Father, everything is possible for you. 00:34:02.599 --> 00:34:03.799 Take this cup from me. 00:34:04.319 --> 00:34:08.820 Yet not what I will, but what you will. 00:34:09.199 --> 00:34:14.139 And you see in the verse before that he said he prayed that the hour might pass from him. 00:34:14.980 --> 00:34:19.880 I think we're given an indication later on in verse 41 that God answered his prayer. 00:34:19.960 --> 00:34:22.219 Because he prayed that the hour would pass. 00:34:22.840 --> 00:34:26.219 And yet in verse 41, and he stands up, he comes to his disciples and he says, 00:34:26.539 --> 00:34:27.860 The hour has come. 00:34:27.860 --> 00:34:34.780 And he has a renewed sense of realization that this is what God wants. 00:34:35.200 --> 00:34:39.019 And for that reason, he's completely willing to obey. 00:34:40.680 --> 00:34:43.660 So we learn a lot about Jesus in this passage. 00:34:44.160 --> 00:34:46.980 We learn a lot about God the Father. 00:34:48.000 --> 00:34:51.260 But last of all, and very briefly, what does it tell us about us? 00:34:52.860 --> 00:34:55.900 We've seen the real story about the depth of Jesus' anguish. 00:34:55.900 --> 00:35:00.980 We've seen the incredible truth of just how all of this was what God wanted. 00:35:01.119 --> 00:35:03.400 But what do we learn about ourselves? 00:35:03.559 --> 00:35:06.059 What has this got to do with you or me? 00:35:09.519 --> 00:35:16.240 Well, the truth is, we are the silent party in the Garden of Gethsemane. 00:35:16.239 --> 00:35:23.099 Because yes, these verses are an insight into the mind and heart of Jesus Christ. 00:35:23.519 --> 00:35:26.859 They're an insight into the will and purposes of God. 00:35:27.199 --> 00:35:29.479 But you are in this garden as well. 00:35:31.779 --> 00:35:35.359 Because when God the Father heard his son pray this prayer, 00:35:35.500 --> 00:35:39.039 he was being faced with the question of what he wanted. 00:35:39.039 --> 00:35:44.860 And I want you just to use the eye of your imagination for a moment. 00:35:47.139 --> 00:35:49.500 We read of Jesus praying this prayer. 00:35:49.599 --> 00:35:54.480 I want you just to imagine God the Father hearing that prayer. 00:35:55.840 --> 00:36:00.759 And looking on and seeing the agony that Jesus was in. 00:36:00.880 --> 00:36:03.119 Imagine that you were there watching. 00:36:03.480 --> 00:36:06.300 And imagine that you could just pause at that moment. 00:36:06.300 --> 00:36:08.500 You know the way we're watching films, we press pause. 00:36:08.760 --> 00:36:12.960 Imagine you could just press pause right now. 00:36:14.760 --> 00:36:18.180 God sees Jesus slumped in the ground. 00:36:19.700 --> 00:36:23.460 God the Father hears his own son's desperate prayer. 00:36:23.800 --> 00:36:28.300 Imagine that as you press pause, you could go up to God the Father and say, 00:36:28.300 --> 00:36:31.740 is this really what you want? 00:36:36.620 --> 00:36:38.380 And God looks into the garden. 00:36:40.620 --> 00:36:41.960 God looks at his son. 00:36:44.260 --> 00:36:48.940 God sees Judas and the soldier approaching from a distance. 00:36:50.760 --> 00:36:53.300 God the Father looks over at Golgotha. 00:36:53.300 --> 00:36:54.300 God sees Jesus. 00:36:54.360 --> 00:36:55.400 God sees you. 00:36:55.400 --> 00:36:55.940 God sees you. 00:36:57.140 --> 00:36:57.780 God sees you. 00:36:57.780 --> 00:36:58.880 And then he thinks about you. 00:37:01.460 --> 00:37:02.500 And he says, yes. 00:37:03.820 --> 00:37:05.000 This is what I want. 00:37:07.940 --> 00:37:10.460 Because all of this took place so that you could be saved. 00:37:12.060 --> 00:37:15.539 All of this took place so that these sleepy disciples could be saved. 00:37:15.900 --> 00:37:21.380 All of this took place so that the message of salvation can be proclaimed to every person in the world. 00:37:21.380 --> 00:37:27.660 all of this took place so that you can be God's precious child. 00:37:28.780 --> 00:37:33.480 You are in Gethsemane because you're the reason for Gethsemane. 00:37:35.680 --> 00:37:38.380 And so these verses are telling you the whole story. 00:37:39.900 --> 00:37:44.840 They're telling you the whole story of how hard it was for Jesus. 00:37:44.840 --> 00:37:53.700 But they're telling you the whole story of how much God wants you. 00:37:58.220 --> 00:38:01.300 And I don't have the words to describe how amazing that is. 00:38:04.780 --> 00:38:07.640 When you read the passage in the Garden of Gethsemane, 00:38:08.140 --> 00:38:13.059 you have to know that God wanted this because God wants you. 00:38:14.840 --> 00:38:16.660 Thanks be to God. 00:38:17.660 --> 00:38:18.820 Let's pray.