Overcoming Temptation - A take of Two Gardens (Mark 14: 27-52)
Introduction.
In the Bible, gardens have often been depicted as places of both beauty and temptation. In the very beginning, God created a perfect garden and placed Adam and Eve in it. However, He gave them one rule: do not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. You probably know how that story ends - temptation got the better of them, and the consequences were dire.
Did you know your garden can be a very dangerous place. As any Emergency room doctor. Gardens in the Bible our also seen to be dangerous places. In the very first chapter of the Bible, we are told that God made a garden, and it was perfect. He put Adam and Eve in it and He told them that they could eat of any of the fruit He put in it, except for the fruit of one tree he called, The tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
Hopefully you already know the story, they were unable to withstand the temptation, and they disobeyed God and as a result physical and spiritual death came upon the human race. In a sense God has also placed us in a garden, what I mean by that there are temptations growing in the centre of our own personal situations also.
What is the tree of temptation growing in the centre of your garden. Is it anger, resentment, is it gossip. Is it a desire for wealth or possessions, or the need for power or control? How do you master temptation it, or just as important how do you stop it creeping up and taking you by surprise, and then mastering you. How is it that so many Christians are overtaken by temptation before they even noticed it creeping up on them? How do we overcome temptation?
But there is another garden in the bible and that Garden was called Gethsemane. And what happened there is important because it stands as an illustration of how potentially we can all be overcome by temptation.
This was a long passage of scripture that we are looking at today. It began with Jesus making a prediction. Then there is an account of what happens in a Garden called Gethsemane. Then we have the arrest of Jesus. I believe that Mark intended us to understand these things as a unit, because the predication in opening verse will be fulfilled by the arrest which is seen in the closing verses. So, Let’s begin again at where we left off yesterday.
‘You will all fall away,’ Jesus told them, ‘for it is written: ‘“I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.” But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.
(Mark 14: 27-28)
So, the first part of the passage begins with Jesus predicting something when He says; “You will all fall away”. What could be clearer than that “You will all fall away”, he says. Then he quotes a passage from (Zac 13:9), which says, when the shepherd is struck down the sheep are scattered. But note he also tells then that, “After He has been raised”, He will go before them into Galilee. Don’t miss it friends Jesus before he has even been arrested states He is going to be deserted, He is going to die and be resurrected again, but He will meet up with them again. So even though they fall away, even though they will desert Him, even though they will deny Him, those actions will not end His relationship with them. He is telling them there can still be a reunion even after you mess up or fall away. I don’t know what could be more encouraging than that. The text continues.
Peter declared, ‘Even if all fall away, I will not.’ ‘Truly I tell you,’ Jesus answered, ‘today – yes, tonight – before the cock crows twice you yourself will disown me three times.’ But Peter insisted emphatically, ‘Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.’ And all the others said the same.
(Mark 14: 29-31)
Can you see the irony here, Peter is saying to Jesus, what you just said applies to everyone apart from him. This is a perfect example of what I have decided to call leaf blower Christianity. (Expand) Every preacher I have spoken to tells me they recognise this. You preach on something and the one person in the congregation who you believe does not need to take that message to heart comes up and tells you how convicted or challenged they were by what you said. The others particularly the ones who maybe need to take heed get their spiritual leaf blower out and blow those leaves over the hedge into their neighbour’s garden. The Word is preached, and they think “Oh, I know who that applies to, it applies to them over there, it certainly doesn’t apply to me”. “So, and so, over there really needs to learn this lesson, but not me”. And that is what Peter is guilty of here.
However, because Peter didn’t recognise that the message is for Him Jesus says, in fact Peter you are going to do exactly that, even this very evening. You will deny me three time, tonight. Did Peter accept this reprimand? His response is, Peter insisted emphatically, ‘Even if I had to die with you, I will never disown you. He was even more dogmatic, and he says, even if I had to die for you, I still won’t deny you. Peter is saying look Lord, that may be true of the others, but I am the exception to the rule.
Sometimes we all read the same bible and we think it only applies to other people. Now, let’s look at the second part of the passage that takes us into the Garden.
They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Sit here while I pray.’ He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled. ‘My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,’ he said to them. ‘Stay here and keep watch.’
(Mark 14: 32-34)
The Garden of Gethsemane, I am told lies at the base of the Mount of Olives and Jesus turns to the group of disciples and says to them “you stay here”. Then he selects Peter, James and John, his sort of inner circle and says, “you come with me” and he goes deeper into the garden among the olive trees, and He says to them, “Stay here and keep watch.”
We are then told he goes off to pray and become troubled “deeply distressed” in fact, to the point where and says, ‘My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Why is the Lord in such an emotional state, why was He so bothered. I suppose no one looks forward to death, and certainly not death on a cross. Is that what is overwhelming Him? Let’s keep reading.
Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. ‘Abba, Father,’ he said, ‘everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.’
(Mark 14: 35-36)
This is very important. What is it that troubles Him? What makes Him deeply distressed. What is this thing He refers as “this Cup”. This expression “the cup” was used in the Old Testament (Jer 25) to describe the judgement cup of God on sin. So, Jesus fully understands what He must face. He is going to take upon Himself our sin, the sin of the world, so that the judgement of God might fall upon our sin, that he is bearing, so that we might walk free. Not just our individual sin, but the sin of every single human being who has ever walked this planet.
For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
(2 Cor 5:21)
I think the toughest part of this is the fact that He knew what was going to happen. Bad things are at their worst when you know they are going to happen. But in our case, we can’t change the future, but He could, he chooses not to go through with this. A preacher I heard once said it this way. Jesus choose to go to hell for you. Rather than go to heaven without you. Well put! That man.
He chooses to be separated from God, so we wouldn’t have to be. So that’s what Jesus has been going through. Let’s go see how His disciple are doing. There they were, as he requested, wide awake, watching out for Him and deep in spiritual prayer…. Not even close.
Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. ‘Simon,’ (His calls him by his old name – interesting) he said to Peter, ‘are you asleep? Couldn’t you keep watch for one hour? (By the way this is the fellow who just a moment ago said, “I would die for you”) Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.’
(Mark 14: 37-38)
Willing to die for the Lord, supposedly, but couldn’t even stay awake and pray and watch out for Him. How many Christians are willing to die for the Lord on Sunday morning, but “Spiritually fall asleep” Monday to Saturday”. The Spirit is willing, but the flesh is indeed weak. Let’s see if things get any better.
Once more he went away and prayed the same thing. When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. They did not know what to say to him.
(Mark 14: 39-40)
At least this time they appear to be embarrassed. Peter had promised the Lord a huge thing, yet he failed the Lord in the smallest of things. He couldn’t even stay awake, and he couldn’t even pray. Let’s see if things improve.
Returning the third time, he said to them, ‘Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough! The hour has come. Look, the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners. Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!’
Third time He comes, and third time they are asleep again. Enough, he says, get up the hour has come, I am about to be betrayed. Now, we have looked at two parts of the passage so far. Firstly, the prediction that the disciples are going to fall away. Secondly, the prayer time in the garden of Gethsemane, when not only did Jesus say to them, watch but to pray, so that you will not fall into temptation. So why was it important that they stayed awake, why was it important that they did not fall asleep? Well let’s see what happens next.
Just as he was speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, appeared. With him was a crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests, the teachers of the law, and the elders.
(Mark 14: 43)
From other passages elsewhere, we know this great crowd included members of the Sanhedrin, the temple police, Roman soldiers and the general rabble. So, this was a large crowd, a multitude the KJV calls it.
Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: ‘The one I kiss is the man; arrest him and lead him away under guard.’ Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, ‘Rabbi!’ and kissed him.
(Mark 14: 44-45)
It was customary for a student to greet a teacher or a Rabbi with a kiss, so no one who have interpreted this as anything unusual but on this occasion, it serves as a single to the authorities as to which one is Jesus. Notice also, Judas has reverted to calling him Rabbi, not Lord, not saviour. So, Judas betrays Him, with a kiss, and then….
The men seized Jesus and arrested him. Then one of those standing near drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear.
(Mark 14: 46-47)
Elsewhere we are told the person who did this was…. Peter.
It seems Peter is back on the case again, but, then Jesus says.
‘Am I leading a rebellion,’ said Jesus, ‘that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me? Every day I was with you, teaching in the temple courts, and you did not arrest me. But the Scriptures must be fulfilled.’
(Mark 14: 48-49)
The scripture that is being fulfilled at this point is the Isaiah 53 one which says, “He will be numbered against the transgressors”. In other words, identified and arrested as a common criminal. So, let’s look again and see how do the disciple gets on now, will they stand firm and remain loyal?
Then everyone deserted him and fled.
Just as He has said in verse 27 ‘“I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.” That’s’ why I tied these passages together this morning. It starts with a prediction and ends with its fulfilment.
Now what I want us to do is see this whole passage as a unit as many bible commentators suggest it should be seen. This then gives an overview where we can see Jesus predicting that his disciples will fall away, and in the end, they are seen to fall away. But in the middle of these events Jesus entreats them to pray, in order that, the might not fall into temptation and fall away. What this tells me, if you want to avoid succumbing to temptation, then pray before the temptation appears. Pray as a way of warding off temptation, and that’s the main application of this passage.
They didn’t pray when they should have, and they fell away. Instead of overcoming temptation, they were overcome by temptation. Let’s finish by talking about temptation for a bit.
People I believe are primarily overcome by temptation because of pride. Isn’t that exactly what we have just seen happen with Peter. “I won’t do that Lord”; Peter said, “all the rest might do it but not me”. So, the journey that Peter went from was, “I will never deny you, I will die for you” to, “I don’t even know who He is”, within a few hours. Peter had not only an attitude of self-reliance but an arrogant estimate of his own spiritual strength in comparison to the others. He set himself above the other disciples, when he said, “even if they all fall away, I will never do so”.
Pride likes to feed upon our good points and inflates them to the point we feel they can cover up are weak points. Beware of ever saying, I would never do that. Because by saying you would never do something, you are just using shorthand to say you think you are better than other people.
The other factor that is taught here is the way to overcome temptation is of through prayer. When the moment of testing for Jesus came, He prayed and submitted to the will of God.
Peter on the other hand slept through what should have been a prayer time and because of that rather than endure the test, he failed. Jesus when facing an emotional crisis, prayed, and having prayed He was able to submit to the will of God. Peter didn’t pray, and he fell, and then he fled. So, will you pray, so that you can stand up to temptation, so that you don’t fall when temptation comes.
You know every one of us knows what our temptation is, don’t worry, you don’t have to raise your hand, and you don’t have to tell me. Do you know what causes you to fall. Of course, you do, and you know what the Lord knows what it is also. Listen beloved, for I believe this is the take home lesson of the day. Start praying today, to overcome those things that tempt you to sin. Don’t wait until you done it again and the consequences are staring you in the face. What Jesus is teaching in this passage is very simple, wake up and pray. Wake up and pray before the situation, and then you will have greater strength to stand and not fall.
There was a 17th century Frenchman who wrote in one of his books, and I quote;
“Tell God all that is in your heart, all that is pleasure and its pain. Tell Him your troubles that he may comfort you, tell Him your joys that He may sober them, tell Him your longings that He may purify them, tell Him your dislikes that He may help you conquer them and tell Him your temptations that He may shield you from them.
Francois Fenelon
400-hundred-year-old advice, and still good today. “Tell Him your temptation that He may shield you from them”. The great lesson of this passage is wake up and pray before the temptation arises. Remember the Lord Prayer, “lead us not into temptation”. He is telling us to pray about temptation before it strikes, before we fall and mess things up.
Don’t wait until your standing in the middle of the consequences of a wrong action before you start to pray.
Three ministers were talking about the appropriate position one should take for prayer. As they were talking a telephone repairman was working in the background repairing the church manse telephone system. One said I hold my hands together and point them upward. The second said real prayer should be conducted on your knees. The
third said that they were both wrong, the only correct position for prayer was flat out face down on the floor. By this time the phone repairman just couldn’t keep quiet any longer and he said this. I discovered that the most powerful prayer I ever made was one I prayed whilst dangling upside down by me heals from a telephone pole 40 feet above the ground. Now I pray every day before I go up the ladder.
Hear me and hear me well if you find yourself spiritually hanging upside down 40 feet above the ground, yes, it’s definitely time to pray. But in future resolve to always pray before you go up the ladder. Let us learn from the disciples' mistakes, especially Peter's, and resolve to be vigilant through prayer. Don't wait until you're in the midst of temptation's consequences to pray. Pray now, seeking God's strength to overcome the temptations in your life.