WEBVTT 00:00:00.880 --> 00:00:01.520 Great. 00:00:01.760 --> 00:00:04.639 Well, thank you for allowing me to be here. 00:00:04.719 --> 00:00:08.560 Let me get my notes up because I need notes. 00:00:12.000 --> 00:00:12.640 All right. 00:00:13.679 --> 00:00:22.079 So, as many of you know, um we are not going to be in the typical passages you guys have been going through. 00:00:22.160 --> 00:00:23.519 You've already seen the bulletin. 00:00:23.679 --> 00:00:28.719 We at our church, as citizens in Westerville, we're going through the Gospel of Mark. 00:00:29.280 --> 00:00:34.320 And we've been going through that passage by passage in a similar way that you guys go passage through passage. 00:00:34.479 --> 00:00:37.359 We just think that that's the best way to look at the scriptures. 00:00:37.439 --> 00:00:40.560 You can see the full context of it, you can better understand what's going on. 00:00:40.640 --> 00:00:50.240 And so there's the risk of me coming in and looking at Mark, just kind of parachuting right into Mark, you guys not knowing that context. 00:00:50.479 --> 00:00:54.479 So we will, um I'll give you some background into that. 00:00:54.560 --> 00:01:03.679 But if you have your Bibles, go ahead and turn to Mark chapter 14, verses 32 through 42. 00:01:04.319 --> 00:01:07.359 And if you're not sure where that is, Mark's in the New Testament. 00:01:07.680 --> 00:01:10.159 New Testament's about three-fourths of the way through your Bible. 00:01:10.319 --> 00:01:13.439 You'll see Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. 00:01:14.000 --> 00:01:16.400 So if you get to Luke and John, you've gone too far. 00:01:16.640 --> 00:01:17.599 Come on back. 00:01:17.920 --> 00:01:22.159 But we're in Mark, big numbers are the chapters, little numbers are the verses. 00:01:22.799 --> 00:01:25.920 32 is where we will start. 00:01:26.079 --> 00:01:30.959 So I will read that and then pray, and then we can jump right into this. 00:01:32.799 --> 00:01:36.000 Mark 14, verse 32. 00:01:37.680 --> 00:01:41.120 And they went to a place called Gethsemane. 00:01:41.599 --> 00:01:45.280 And he said to his disciples, Sit here while I pray. 00:01:45.599 --> 00:01:52.159 And he took with them Peter and James and John, and began to be greatly distressed and troubled. 00:01:52.400 --> 00:01:56.400 And he said to them, My soul is very sorrowful, even to death. 00:01:56.640 --> 00:01:58.640 Remain here and watch. 00:01:58.959 --> 00:02:05.040 And going a little farther, he fell on the ground and prayed that if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. 00:02:05.359 --> 00:02:10.639 And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. 00:02:10.960 --> 00:02:12.960 Remove this cup from me. 00:02:13.680 --> 00:02:16.719 Yet not what I will, but what you will. 00:02:17.360 --> 00:02:21.360 And he came and found them sleeping, and he said to Peter, Simon, are you asleep? 00:02:21.520 --> 00:02:23.520 Could you not watch one hour? 00:02:23.919 --> 00:02:26.479 Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. 00:02:26.719 --> 00:02:30.800 The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. 00:02:31.120 --> 00:02:34.560 And again he went away and prayed, saying the same words. 00:02:34.879 --> 00:02:41.439 And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were very heavy, and they did not know what to answer him. 00:02:41.599 --> 00:02:47.599 And he came the third time and said to them, Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? 00:02:48.159 --> 00:02:49.199 It is enough. 00:02:49.439 --> 00:02:50.639 The hour has come. 00:02:50.879 --> 00:02:53.599 The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 00:02:53.840 --> 00:02:55.759 Rise, let us be going. 00:02:56.080 --> 00:02:59.199 See, my betrayer is at hand. 00:03:00.319 --> 00:03:09.280 Father, thank you for the gift that it is to be here with Proclamation Church. 00:03:11.439 --> 00:03:13.840 Thank you for the way you've been working in this church. 00:03:19.439 --> 00:03:26.240 We're so encouraged to see what you're doing in other church plants, even in the midst of a difficult season that COVID has brought these past couple years. 00:03:27.039 --> 00:03:32.400 Thank you for the way that you have fulfilled your promise to continue to build your church. 00:03:33.039 --> 00:03:36.719 We see that explicitly in this local congregation. 00:03:37.199 --> 00:03:38.879 And we give you praise for it. 00:03:39.759 --> 00:03:42.319 We ask that you would continue to provide fruitful ministry. 00:03:42.560 --> 00:03:49.280 We ask that you would provide endurance as it has been at a difficult season, not just for proclamation, but for other churches as well. 00:03:49.840 --> 00:03:52.080 Lord, continue to give them endurance. 00:03:53.919 --> 00:03:57.199 God, we pray for those who may be hurting this morning. 00:03:58.400 --> 00:04:01.520 Those who need to hear from you. 00:04:03.599 --> 00:04:08.879 We ask that you in your grace would speak to them through your word. 00:04:11.280 --> 00:04:13.520 We pray that you would bring comforting words. 00:04:13.840 --> 00:04:19.360 We pray that what we see in the passage today would be balmed to a wound. 00:04:20.560 --> 00:04:27.439 God, we pray for more churches like proclamation that would be raised up, that would be word-centered churches, that would be gospel proclaiming churches. 00:04:28.319 --> 00:04:29.759 Please do raise up more. 00:04:30.000 --> 00:04:32.399 Revitalize other churches that are in need. 00:04:33.759 --> 00:04:40.959 And Lord, as we're aware of the things that are going on in Russia and Ukraine, as Rick has already prayed for them, Lord, I just want to reiterate. 00:04:44.800 --> 00:04:47.600 We ask that you'd give our world leaders wisdom. 00:04:47.759 --> 00:04:51.920 We ask for our country's primary leader, President Biden, to have wisdom. 00:04:52.480 --> 00:04:57.920 We pray that that wisdom would be rooted in a regenerate heart, that you would bring him to faith. 00:04:59.199 --> 00:05:06.959 Lord, we pray that throughout this current conflict, that the gospel would somehow go forward. 00:05:07.439 --> 00:05:16.319 That there would be unreached groups that hear the gospel, that there would be conversions as people consider imminent death, that they would consider Christ. 00:05:22.000 --> 00:05:29.759 And now we ask that in this local congregation, here this morning, as we look at your word, that you would work. 00:05:30.720 --> 00:05:32.480 We pray this in Christ's name. 00:05:32.800 --> 00:05:33.439 Amen. 00:05:35.759 --> 00:05:56.639 So we've already mentioned Russia and Ukraine twice now, but it is worth noting because it actually helps me get into the main point here, that as Russia and Ukraine, as everything goes on on the world scale, it's incredible to see how many nations, how many individuals are constantly watching. 00:05:56.879 --> 00:06:04.959 I found myself, I'm not huge on social media, but I found myself checking Twitter a lot because that's super up-to-date information. 00:06:05.120 --> 00:06:10.079 I really want to know what is going on with Russia and Ukraine. 00:06:10.399 --> 00:06:20.399 It's discouraging to see the way things have folded out, but the whole world right now watching this take place are incredibly watchful. 00:06:20.879 --> 00:06:34.079 Merriam-Webster describes watchful as the state of being constantly attentive and responsive to signs of opportunity, activity, or danger. 00:06:35.600 --> 00:06:38.079 Opportunity, activity, or danger. 00:06:38.240 --> 00:06:43.199 The Russia-Ukraine situation right now is clearly a very dangerous situation. 00:06:43.439 --> 00:06:46.319 People are watchful because of the danger. 00:06:46.480 --> 00:06:57.120 But I would submit to you that regardless of location, regardless of people group, Christian and non-Christian, we are all called to be watchful. 00:06:58.000 --> 00:07:00.079 We're all called to be watchful. 00:07:00.160 --> 00:07:07.199 And the reason we are called to be watchful is because the hour is coming. 00:07:07.680 --> 00:07:15.040 We've read in this passage that Jesus asked the Father to remove the hour from him, to remove the cup from him. 00:07:15.279 --> 00:07:21.839 And because that hour is coming, we are all called to be watchful. 00:07:22.079 --> 00:07:25.920 Jesus commanded his disciples there to remain and to watch. 00:07:26.560 --> 00:07:28.079 There's a reason for that. 00:07:28.240 --> 00:07:32.160 And we'll get into it, but as we look at this passage, just some things that I hope we'll see. 00:07:32.720 --> 00:07:39.120 I hope we'll see the honesty that God welcomes from his own. 00:07:39.600 --> 00:07:43.120 See Jesus praying very explicitly to the Father, very honestly. 00:07:43.199 --> 00:07:45.439 We see the honesty that God welcomes from his children. 00:07:45.600 --> 00:07:52.959 We'll see, perhaps, if it can be said, the greatest display of faithfulness in Jesus' ministry. 00:07:53.279 --> 00:07:57.519 Jesus was perfectly faithful, so it's difficult to say that one situation was more faithful than the other. 00:07:57.680 --> 00:08:00.720 However, if there was one, it's right here. 00:08:01.040 --> 00:08:08.959 This passage, what we read here, is perhaps the greatest display of faithfulness in Jesus' ministry. 00:08:09.439 --> 00:08:16.560 And then, Lord willing, we'll gain a better understanding of what it means for Jesus to be the God man. 00:08:16.959 --> 00:08:29.040 Something that Christians have wrestled with and come to conclusions on, but it's helpful for us even this morning in 2022, with all the things going around in the world, to understand why it's important that Jesus is the God man. 00:08:29.519 --> 00:08:34.639 And so I told you I'd give you some background into Mark so that we didn't parachute in too abruptly. 00:08:34.879 --> 00:08:36.639 So just real quick, I'll fly through this. 00:08:36.799 --> 00:08:39.759 Mark, the book of Mark, was written by John Mark. 00:08:40.159 --> 00:08:42.080 He was the attendant of Peter. 00:08:42.240 --> 00:08:46.399 And so a lot of the things that you read in his gospel is what he heard from Peter. 00:08:46.559 --> 00:08:54.799 And so when we read about passages right here where Peter looks foolish, it's further evidence that this is real stuff. 00:08:54.960 --> 00:08:55.919 This really happened. 00:08:56.000 --> 00:09:05.360 Because if you're if you're trying to create a religion and you're the one that people are getting a lot of source material from, typically you're not going to paint yourself in a bad light. 00:09:05.679 --> 00:09:06.799 Probably say, hey, you know what? 00:09:06.879 --> 00:09:09.279 There was a time when Jesus told me to do something and I nailed it. 00:09:09.440 --> 00:09:11.840 And then there's another time and I nailed that too. 00:09:12.000 --> 00:09:14.480 So you should really look to me because I'm the guy. 00:09:14.639 --> 00:09:26.960 When Peter is explaining this to Mark, and Mark's writing it down, and it's embarrassing stuff, it's failures of Peter, it's further evidence that this is true, that what we're reading is true. 00:09:27.120 --> 00:09:30.399 There's no other reason why he would include these things in there. 00:09:31.039 --> 00:09:40.960 And so the theme for the book of Mark, if you find yourself in the book of Mark, the overarching theme that you'll find is that it's God restoring his wayward people back to himself. 00:09:41.519 --> 00:09:44.240 He does that through the person, through the work of Jesus Christ. 00:09:44.320 --> 00:09:49.600 Now, this particular passage, Jesus is less than 24 hours away from his death. 00:09:50.960 --> 00:09:57.759 They just had a Passover meal on Thursday night, and they're deep into the night. 00:09:57.840 --> 00:09:59.759 They had sacrificed the lamb, they'd had the meal. 00:09:59.919 --> 00:10:09.440 Jesus revealed that one of the disciples, Judas, was going to betray him, and then he institutes the Lord's Supper, which is essentially the new Passover meal. 00:10:09.600 --> 00:10:14.399 And then they sing a hymn and they head out to the Mount of Olives. 00:10:14.960 --> 00:10:22.399 On the way, Jesus reveals that all the disciples are going to fall away from him very soon. 00:10:22.960 --> 00:10:28.960 And Peter, again, firsthand information, tells John Mark that here's what I said. 00:10:29.120 --> 00:10:30.480 I said, No way, Jesus. 00:10:30.639 --> 00:10:35.519 All these other disciples might fall away, all these other chumps, but you know I won't. 00:10:35.759 --> 00:10:37.039 I will not fall away. 00:10:37.200 --> 00:10:42.799 And Jesus says, Well, well, actually, you're gonna fall away worse than all these others. 00:10:42.960 --> 00:10:50.559 You're gonna deny me not once, not twice, but three times, and it's gonna be this very night, before the crow or before the rooster crows. 00:10:51.360 --> 00:10:53.440 And so Peter responds to that. 00:10:53.759 --> 00:10:56.000 He says, Nope, still think you're wrong. 00:10:56.080 --> 00:10:57.200 That's not gonna happen. 00:10:57.440 --> 00:11:03.840 And the rest of the disciples agree, and they say, even if we must die, we will never betray you. 00:11:04.159 --> 00:11:16.159 And so now we find ourselves, as they are having this conversation on the way to the Mount of Olives, we now find ourselves in the Garden of Gethsemane, which is in the Mount of Olives. 00:11:16.320 --> 00:11:20.960 And Lord willing, as we go through this, there are three points that I hope you'll see very clearly. 00:11:21.120 --> 00:11:32.000 The first is the emotions of Jesus, the prayer of Jesus, and the faithfulness of Jesus. 00:11:32.320 --> 00:11:39.039 So the emotions of Jesus, the prayer of Jesus, and the faithfulness of Jesus. 00:11:39.279 --> 00:11:43.279 And so the emotions of Jesus is that first one that we're going to jump into. 00:11:43.360 --> 00:11:48.399 And we see that they have now arrived at the Garden of Gethsemane. 00:11:48.480 --> 00:11:49.360 We see that in verse 32. 00:11:49.440 --> 00:11:52.320 And they went to a place called Gethsemane. 00:11:52.879 --> 00:12:00.480 Now, Gethsemane, if you were to literally translate that, it means olive press, which makes sense if they're in the Mount of Olives. 00:12:00.639 --> 00:12:02.399 This place is called Olive Press. 00:12:02.480 --> 00:12:04.799 There's a lot of olives in this general area. 00:12:05.120 --> 00:12:13.039 And Jesus goes ahead of his disciples, but he takes Peter, James, and John with him. 00:12:13.519 --> 00:12:21.519 So they get to the Garden of Gethsemane, and he says, You, because there's 11 of them now, Judas has left at this point, you eight, stay here. 00:12:21.679 --> 00:12:27.840 And I'm going to take Peter, James, and John with me, and we're going to go a little bit further on by ourselves. 00:12:28.000 --> 00:12:34.320 Now, James Edwards, commenting on this, points out that these are exactly the three that Jesus should take. 00:12:34.399 --> 00:12:40.240 He says, All three, Peter, James, and John, have earlier crowed of their merit. 00:12:41.039 --> 00:12:46.399 They should be exactly the companions Jesus needs in his crisis before them. 00:12:47.200 --> 00:12:50.639 So here's what he's talking about in Mark 14, 29. 00:12:50.879 --> 00:12:52.799 So just a few verses earlier. 00:12:53.200 --> 00:12:59.600 Peter is said to have told Jesus, even though they all fall away, I will not. 00:13:00.879 --> 00:13:05.600 So Peter, clearly, all right, you say that you're reliable, let's take you. 00:13:05.840 --> 00:13:09.840 And then we see James and John in Mark 10, 38 through 39. 00:13:10.000 --> 00:13:18.559 They say, uh, Jesus said to them, this is after they approach Jesus, and they say, Hey, in your new kingdom, let us sit at your right hand and your left. 00:13:18.799 --> 00:13:21.360 Let us sit right there, the most honorable places in your new kingdom. 00:13:21.440 --> 00:13:22.799 We believe this new kingdom's coming. 00:13:22.960 --> 00:13:25.840 Let us sit at your right hand and your left. 00:13:26.159 --> 00:13:28.320 And Jesus responds to them in Mark 10. 00:13:28.559 --> 00:13:31.279 He says, You do not know what you are asking. 00:13:31.759 --> 00:13:37.519 Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized? 00:13:37.840 --> 00:13:41.200 And they said to him, We are able. 00:13:41.840 --> 00:13:48.080 So, of course, if he's going to go a little further with three of them, he's going to take Peter, James, and John, who have crowed of their merit. 00:13:48.159 --> 00:13:55.679 And just a verse earlier, all of them said emphatically, If I must die with you, I will not deny you. 00:13:56.480 --> 00:13:59.360 So in light of that, Jesus takes these three. 00:13:59.600 --> 00:14:02.000 And he moves on a little bit further. 00:14:02.320 --> 00:14:07.279 And he begins to share his emotions with these three. 00:14:07.360 --> 00:14:15.440 He says he's greatly distressed, says that he's troubled, says that he's very sorrowful, even to death. 00:14:16.240 --> 00:14:22.399 That very sorrowful even to death could be literally translated as grief without measure. 00:14:23.440 --> 00:14:26.639 It's the kind of grief that you have when you lose a loved one. 00:14:28.879 --> 00:14:31.360 Now, why does Jesus feel this? 00:14:31.919 --> 00:14:33.679 He knew why he was coming. 00:14:33.919 --> 00:14:38.879 He knew why he was coming to earth to purchase the salvation of his people. 00:14:39.039 --> 00:14:41.519 He knew that he was going to have to endure suffering. 00:14:41.759 --> 00:14:50.320 Why is it now that it's come that he's feeling this immense sorrow, even to the point of death, this grief without measure? 00:14:50.879 --> 00:14:55.360 It's because Jesus knew that he was getting ready to lose a loved one. 00:14:56.159 --> 00:15:00.320 He was getting ready to lose intimacy with the Father. 00:15:00.559 --> 00:15:07.759 He was getting ready to be forsaken by his father for the first time in his entire life. 00:15:08.159 --> 00:15:09.840 He's never experienced that. 00:15:10.559 --> 00:15:21.679 Sinclair Ferguson points out, he says, Jesus was about to be exposed to the one thing in life he really feared. 00:15:22.240 --> 00:15:33.679 Not the cruel death which would end it, he knew he would rise again, but the indescribable experience of feeling himself to be God forsaken. 00:15:35.039 --> 00:15:41.360 The one thing Jesus feared was feeling himself to be God forsaken. 00:15:41.440 --> 00:15:48.240 And he says to his three that he's greatly distressed, he's troubled, he's very sorrowful, even to the point of death. 00:15:48.320 --> 00:15:51.919 He has this grief without measure. 00:15:52.559 --> 00:15:56.159 And so in his hour of greatest need, what does he ask of his disciples? 00:15:57.120 --> 00:15:58.720 He says, Remain here and watch. 00:15:58.879 --> 00:16:00.000 Just stay awake. 00:16:00.240 --> 00:16:01.600 Just do me this favor. 00:16:02.159 --> 00:16:03.919 Keep your eyes open. 00:16:04.720 --> 00:16:07.679 That word watch, it's an active verb. 00:16:07.840 --> 00:16:10.000 And so it's more than just a passive effort. 00:16:10.080 --> 00:16:11.279 It actually requires effort. 00:16:11.360 --> 00:16:13.120 It's not done passively. 00:16:13.279 --> 00:16:16.559 We see the same word used in a couple other places throughout the New Testament. 00:16:16.639 --> 00:16:17.600 I'll give a couple examples. 00:16:17.759 --> 00:16:23.360 The first one is 1 Peter 5.8, where we read, be sober-minded, be watchful. 00:16:23.759 --> 00:16:28.639 Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 00:16:28.799 --> 00:16:31.440 So there's an active watchfulness that Jesus is asking of. 00:16:31.600 --> 00:16:32.960 1 Thessalonians 5.6. 00:16:33.360 --> 00:16:37.600 So then let us not sleep as others do, but let us keep awake. 00:16:37.919 --> 00:16:42.639 That same word can be used for watchful or for staying awake, but it's an active effort. 00:16:42.799 --> 00:16:43.759 It's an active verb. 00:16:43.919 --> 00:16:45.600 It requires some effort. 00:16:46.000 --> 00:16:49.360 And so Jesus is saying, hey, look, I feel stress. 00:16:49.600 --> 00:16:50.559 I feel sorrow. 00:16:50.720 --> 00:16:51.919 I feel grief. 00:16:52.320 --> 00:16:53.519 Here's what I'm asking you. 00:16:54.399 --> 00:16:55.360 Peter, James, and John. 00:16:56.559 --> 00:16:57.360 Stay awake. 00:16:58.240 --> 00:16:59.200 Look out for danger. 00:17:00.000 --> 00:17:00.639 It's coming. 00:17:01.279 --> 00:17:02.799 Judas has betrayed me. 00:17:03.440 --> 00:17:04.640 Jesus knows what's coming. 00:17:04.960 --> 00:17:07.039 So he just asks them to stay awake. 00:17:07.200 --> 00:17:10.160 He shares his emotion with his three. 00:17:12.240 --> 00:17:13.279 Question for us this morning. 00:17:14.880 --> 00:17:19.759 Do you have your three that you can share embarrassing emotions with? 00:17:20.480 --> 00:17:22.079 The most intimate emotions with? 00:17:22.480 --> 00:17:23.759 Maybe it's not literally three. 00:17:23.839 --> 00:17:24.480 Maybe it's two. 00:17:24.640 --> 00:17:25.359 Maybe it's three. 00:17:25.440 --> 00:17:26.079 Maybe it's one. 00:17:26.240 --> 00:17:30.960 Do you have a group of people that you can be completely transparent with? 00:17:32.480 --> 00:17:39.039 We as image bearers of God, made in his image, we are made to be in intimate community with one another. 00:17:39.759 --> 00:17:41.039 Consider the Trinity. 00:17:41.359 --> 00:17:45.039 God for all eternity has been in community, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. 00:17:45.200 --> 00:17:55.039 We have to have those whom we can share intimate, transparent details of our lives with for to walk faithfully in this Christian life. 00:17:55.519 --> 00:17:56.559 Who are your three? 00:17:57.920 --> 00:18:00.559 What emotions are you embarrassed to share? 00:18:00.880 --> 00:18:07.279 I'm going to encourage you to take them to a couple brothers, dead men, take them to a couple sisters. 00:18:07.920 --> 00:18:14.160 Have a couple people that you can share your most transparent details with. 00:18:16.559 --> 00:18:17.599 Maybe you are. 00:18:18.720 --> 00:18:20.079 Maybe you're hurting this morning. 00:18:20.319 --> 00:18:21.599 We prayed for the hurting. 00:18:23.279 --> 00:18:32.319 There's a very honest transaction that's going on here, interaction that Jesus is having with his disciples. 00:18:40.720 --> 00:18:44.559 And he could easily have said, you know what, I've been leading them, I've got to put on a strong face. 00:18:44.720 --> 00:18:48.240 Because if I don't, there's a chance that this whole mission could be compromised. 00:18:48.400 --> 00:18:50.240 And there's a temptation there. 00:18:51.119 --> 00:18:55.920 But Jesus is not only our savior, but in many ways, he is also our model. 00:18:56.160 --> 00:19:01.839 And he models for us what to do with those deep emotions that we feel. 00:19:02.160 --> 00:19:04.240 Take them to others. 00:19:05.039 --> 00:19:08.799 He tells his disciples to remain and to watch. 00:19:09.279 --> 00:19:15.039 If you're a disciple this morning, if you're a follower of Jesus this morning, that command is still for you. 00:19:15.440 --> 00:19:17.200 Remain and watch. 00:19:17.599 --> 00:19:18.960 Remain and watch. 00:19:19.200 --> 00:19:20.799 Remain with Christ. 00:19:21.359 --> 00:19:23.759 I don't know what you're going through. 00:19:24.079 --> 00:19:27.759 You may be in a very encouraging season of life. 00:19:27.920 --> 00:19:31.039 You may be in the deepest valley that you've ever been in. 00:19:31.359 --> 00:19:39.759 But they say the two greatest testing points in a Christian's life are when things are going extremely well and when things are going extremely poorly. 00:19:40.240 --> 00:19:43.039 Because when things are going extremely well, the temptation is I don't need God. 00:19:43.279 --> 00:19:44.480 Things are going well. 00:19:44.799 --> 00:19:48.079 Even if I have a little bit of a setback, things are still going pretty well. 00:19:48.799 --> 00:19:54.559 When things are going really bad, there's the temptation to say, God, you put me here. 00:19:54.880 --> 00:19:56.319 And I'm frustrated. 00:19:57.519 --> 00:20:05.519 So whether you are in an encouraging season, whether you're in a difficult season, I would encourage you, look at the command that Jesus gave his disciples. 00:20:06.079 --> 00:20:09.359 Remain in Christ and watch. 00:20:09.599 --> 00:20:10.559 Watch for danger. 00:20:10.799 --> 00:20:14.880 Be aware of anything that could take your gaze off of Jesus. 00:20:16.480 --> 00:20:19.119 Jesus knew this hour was coming. 00:20:20.400 --> 00:20:22.079 He feels it pressing in. 00:20:23.279 --> 00:20:24.559 It's overwhelming. 00:20:25.599 --> 00:20:27.200 But he doesn't bear it by himself. 00:20:27.440 --> 00:20:28.559 He takes it to others. 00:20:28.720 --> 00:20:33.759 However, his transparency doesn't stop with the disciples, it goes even further. 00:20:33.920 --> 00:20:36.160 He then takes it to his father. 00:20:36.319 --> 00:20:40.079 And so now we see in the second point the prayer of Jesus. 00:20:40.400 --> 00:20:50.400 In verse 35, after Jesus has now left the three and gone a little further past them, we see that Jesus fell to the ground. 00:20:50.559 --> 00:20:52.880 He didn't kneel, he fell. 00:20:53.039 --> 00:20:55.839 He threw himself down on the ground. 00:20:56.160 --> 00:20:58.319 His sorrow led him to that. 00:20:58.640 --> 00:21:02.960 And he begged God that the hour would pass from him. 00:21:03.119 --> 00:21:11.119 Luke, the physician, in his gospel says that Jesus literally sweated drops of blood. 00:21:11.759 --> 00:21:13.279 See that in Luke 22. 00:21:14.400 --> 00:21:18.400 That he began to sweat great drops of blood. 00:21:18.559 --> 00:21:27.519 The National Library of Medicine talks about this, says that bloody sweating is called hematohydrosis. 00:21:29.200 --> 00:21:33.039 Most cases occur in bleeding disorders. 00:21:33.279 --> 00:21:40.559 It may, however, occur in individuals suffering from extreme levels of stress. 00:21:42.799 --> 00:21:54.640 Jesus was suffering from extreme levels of stress, and he just shared that with his disciples, and now he's taking it to his father, and he asked the father to remove the hour from him. 00:21:55.039 --> 00:21:59.119 So I've said this term, the hour, probably half a dozen times, if not more already. 00:21:59.279 --> 00:21:59.920 So what does it mean? 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:00.720 Mean. 00:22:01.200 --> 00:22:05.440 The hour is God's judgment against sin. 00:22:05.759 --> 00:22:08.319 It says perfect wrath against sin. 00:22:08.400 --> 00:22:14.400 It's where the righteousness and justice and goodness of God will meet the wickedness of sin. 00:22:14.559 --> 00:22:18.720 At that hour, it will be made right. 00:22:19.440 --> 00:22:20.640 God will address sin. 00:22:20.720 --> 00:22:23.119 There is no sin that will not be addressed. 00:22:23.279 --> 00:22:27.359 And Jesus knows that he is getting ready to take on the sins of his people. 00:22:28.160 --> 00:22:33.759 And those sins are about to be met with God's perfect justice. 00:22:35.039 --> 00:22:37.119 So he says, Abba Father. 00:22:38.559 --> 00:22:45.920 Abba is essentially just father in a very dear and intimate way. 00:22:46.640 --> 00:22:51.359 It's an endearing term that children would use toward their own fathers. 00:22:51.920 --> 00:22:54.960 Adults would also use the term to address their fathers. 00:22:55.039 --> 00:23:01.759 And so the term, the idea that daddy is the equivalent to father isn't quite accurate. 00:23:01.920 --> 00:23:02.720 It's helpful. 00:23:03.200 --> 00:23:07.599 I'm not trying to poo-poo on it, but it's not totally consistent. 00:23:07.759 --> 00:23:14.400 And so the if you have an ESV study Bible, which is a great study Bible, they have a note on this, which I think is helpful and would agree with. 00:23:14.480 --> 00:23:19.680 They say that Abba was the word used by Jewish children for their earthly fathers. 00:23:20.000 --> 00:23:31.279 However, since the term in both Aramaic and Greek was also used by adults to address their fathers, the claim that Abba meant daddy is misleading and runs the risk of irreverence. 00:23:31.759 --> 00:23:37.359 And so father, I mean, maybe maybe you're thinking, okay, so I like to say daddy in my prayers. 00:23:37.839 --> 00:23:38.559 Is that a bad thing? 00:23:38.720 --> 00:23:40.880 No, do what your conscience permits. 00:23:41.680 --> 00:23:46.720 Father is still probably the best term, or even Abba Father, just the terminology that we see right there, Abba Father. 00:23:46.799 --> 00:23:59.200 But what I want to get across is that that Abba there is conveying the idea that the Father is in fact everything a father is meant to be. 00:23:59.440 --> 00:24:06.079 It's not just a title for God, but it's a perfect reality. 00:24:07.119 --> 00:24:15.680 That He is perfectly loving and caring and providing and protective, He's perfectly encouraging. 00:24:18.240 --> 00:24:23.200 He's doing all the things that a good and perfect father is meant to do. 00:24:23.440 --> 00:24:31.680 And so when Jesus says, Abba Father, he's saying, You are, in every good sense of the term, my father. 00:24:32.160 --> 00:24:38.400 And one of the good senses of that term is that he can take really difficult things to him. 00:24:39.119 --> 00:24:46.400 Some of you in the room, I don't know everybody's father situation, but maybe you have a dad or had a dad that you couldn't take certain things to. 00:24:47.599 --> 00:24:57.279 We see here Jesus asking that his entire mission to save humanity would be altered in some way. 00:24:57.920 --> 00:25:00.079 He knows the hour is coming. 00:25:00.240 --> 00:25:06.799 And he asked the Father to remove this hour from him, if at all possible. 00:25:35.119 --> 00:25:40.160 Just some verses to help you understand what Jesus means when he says the cup. 00:25:40.319 --> 00:25:45.279 And if you couldn't write those down quick enough to see me afterward, I'd be happy to share those with you. 00:25:46.000 --> 00:25:50.799 But Jesus knows that he's getting ready to face God's perfect justice against sin. 00:25:51.039 --> 00:25:52.640 And it's terrifying. 00:25:53.359 --> 00:25:59.359 He also knew, even as he asked, he also knew that the cup was not going to be removed from him. 00:26:00.400 --> 00:26:09.839 However, he's ready to submit to the Father's will, even though he's not getting what he is asking for. 00:26:10.319 --> 00:26:18.799 If you've ever brought something to God and you've been discouraged that God has not answered that prayer in the way that you would have desired, you're in good company. 00:26:19.759 --> 00:26:24.880 Jesus himself had prayers not answered the way that he wanted them to be answered. 00:26:24.960 --> 00:26:34.480 In his greatest moment of need, he prayed a prayer that did not get answered the way that he wanted it to be answered. 00:26:36.640 --> 00:26:43.039 But his response is not what I will, but what you will. 00:27:03.200 --> 00:27:06.880 But don't base your faithfulness off of how his answer is. 00:27:07.759 --> 00:27:14.000 Continue to pursue Christ, even if you do not get the answer that you would have liked to have gotten in your prayers. 00:27:14.400 --> 00:27:20.319 And so when Jesus says, not what I will, but what you will, that also raises up some questions. 00:27:20.480 --> 00:27:26.000 And Christians throughout the centuries have tried to wrestle with this. 00:27:26.240 --> 00:27:33.440 And it wasn't until 451 with the Chalcedonian Creed that it was actually set, that they came to a final agreement. 00:27:33.519 --> 00:27:34.720 This is what we believe here. 00:27:34.799 --> 00:27:45.119 And what I'm getting at is that if Jesus, who is perfectly God, says, Not what I will, but what you will, does that imply that there are multiple wills within the Godhead? 00:27:45.519 --> 00:27:47.839 He's saying, Not what I will, but what you will? 00:27:48.079 --> 00:27:51.440 Jesus is God, so is he saying that there are multiple wills here? 00:27:51.759 --> 00:27:53.519 Just to give you the answer now, no. 00:27:54.160 --> 00:27:58.559 However, it gets into what we were talking about earlier before we really got diving in here. 00:27:58.720 --> 00:28:00.799 Is that Jesus is the God man. 00:28:01.359 --> 00:28:06.240 He is perfectly God, he's 100% divine, but he's also 100% man. 00:28:06.559 --> 00:28:12.720 And so when Jesus in his full humanity gets hungry, he has a desire for food. 00:28:13.039 --> 00:28:18.640 Previously, when the sun, before the sun took on flesh, he never had to have a desire for food. 00:28:18.960 --> 00:28:20.160 He wouldn't get tired. 00:28:20.319 --> 00:28:23.599 So Jesus in the flesh, when he gets tired, desires rest. 00:28:24.240 --> 00:28:28.400 God does not need rest in the way that we need rest. 00:28:29.519 --> 00:28:37.759 When he is in danger in his perfect humanity, he wants to live in the same way that we would want to preserve life. 00:28:38.079 --> 00:28:49.200 And so we see him here not having a division of wills within the Godhead, but we see Jesus modeling for us what it looks like to submit our human will to the divine will. 00:28:50.079 --> 00:28:54.640 Submitting his humanity to the goodness of the Father. 00:28:55.119 --> 00:28:57.920 Submitting his human will to the divine will. 00:28:58.160 --> 00:29:01.440 We see Jesus' desire to preserve his life. 00:29:02.559 --> 00:29:11.200 And yet, to be faithful, to ensure that he continues on in faithfulness, he's willing to give up his life. 00:29:11.359 --> 00:29:14.720 He says, not what I will, but what you will. 00:29:15.440 --> 00:29:20.640 If you want to do some further reading on that, I would encourage you to read the Chalcedonian Creed that was in 451 A.D. 00:29:20.880 --> 00:29:21.839 It is very brief. 00:29:21.920 --> 00:29:23.519 You could read it in less than 60 seconds. 00:29:23.599 --> 00:29:25.519 It's not a huge document. 00:29:25.680 --> 00:29:32.480 And just read it slowly and meticulously because every word there, they were much more careful with words than we are today. 00:29:32.640 --> 00:29:34.640 Every word there is placed for a reason. 00:29:34.880 --> 00:29:38.559 So I would encourage you to check that out if you want to dive further into that. 00:29:38.720 --> 00:29:47.039 But here's what I want us to see with this second passage of Jesus' prayer is that Jesus was extremely honest with the Father. 00:29:47.440 --> 00:29:57.519 And as those who are in Christ, as those who are called Christians, Christ followers, we too are called to be extremely honest with the Father. 00:29:58.079 --> 00:29:59.039 Extremely honest. 00:29:59.440 --> 00:29:59.920 Do we pray? 00:30:00.240 --> 00:30:01.279 We see Jesus praying here. 00:30:01.359 --> 00:30:04.160 Do we pray the way that Jesus prayed? 00:30:04.799 --> 00:30:09.599 Do we talk to God like He is our Abba Father? 00:30:10.480 --> 00:30:22.880 Or do we talk to God like He is a distant cousin that we see to family reunion that we should talk to because they're family, and we probably don't want to talk about anything too controversial because we don't want to offend and ruin the relationship? 00:30:23.119 --> 00:30:32.240 But we're willing to talk, or do we talk to him like the true and genuine and authentic and loving father that he really is? 00:30:32.720 --> 00:30:34.160 How do you approach God? 00:30:34.400 --> 00:30:38.079 Like Abba Father, or like a distant cousin? 00:30:41.039 --> 00:30:42.000 Alright. 00:30:42.480 --> 00:30:43.680 Keep this on. 00:30:44.480 --> 00:30:44.799 Okay. 00:30:45.200 --> 00:30:46.400 Whoa, there, you're right. 00:30:46.480 --> 00:30:47.519 You're not kidding. 00:30:48.319 --> 00:30:49.119 Alright. 00:30:49.839 --> 00:30:54.880 So just to recap, there's not a division of wills within the Godhead. 00:30:55.200 --> 00:31:02.400 There's a clear picture of the two natures of Jesus, that he is perfectly human and he is perfectly divine. 00:31:02.960 --> 00:31:05.359 And this is a necessary truth. 00:31:05.440 --> 00:31:09.039 This isn't just some tangent, some theological tangent to look smart. 00:31:09.200 --> 00:31:12.319 This is necessary for salvation. 00:31:12.799 --> 00:31:20.240 If Jesus is not 100% man, then he cannot represent humanity on the cross. 00:31:20.480 --> 00:31:26.160 If he's not 100% divine, then he cannot represent God on the cross. 00:31:26.319 --> 00:31:44.640 But because he is 100% man and 100% God and on the cross, God can punish the sins of his people, because he is punishing a man, and he can extend the love of God because Jesus, the God man, is the one who is on the cross. 00:31:44.960 --> 00:31:56.880 In order for us to be reunited to God, in order for us to be restored to God, as the gospel of Mark is about the God restoring his way toward people, there needs to be a perfect representative for God, and there needs to be a perfect representative for man. 00:31:57.440 --> 00:31:59.440 And Jesus fulfills that. 00:32:00.000 --> 00:32:08.480 Jesus takes on the sin of his people, and then he gives his people the righteousness of God so that we can commune with God again. 00:32:10.000 --> 00:32:15.440 Jesus knows the hour is coming, and so he seeks the Father diligently, and he seeks the Father honestly in prayer. 00:32:15.519 --> 00:32:17.440 So I would encourage you guys, pray together. 00:32:17.599 --> 00:32:20.160 Pray often, pray honestly. 00:32:21.759 --> 00:32:25.279 Be transparent in your prayers rather than a time limit. 00:32:25.599 --> 00:32:29.599 Because if you're like me, you can say, hey, I should pray for at least 10 minutes. 00:32:29.680 --> 00:32:31.200 I should pray for at least 30 minutes. 00:32:31.279 --> 00:32:35.519 And you can find a way to fill that 10 or 30 or 60, whatever time limit you have. 00:32:35.599 --> 00:32:36.960 You can find a way to fill it. 00:32:37.200 --> 00:32:41.440 I would encourage you, rather than setting a time limit, set a standard. 00:32:41.839 --> 00:32:43.680 Are my prayers honest? 00:32:44.640 --> 00:32:46.079 Or are they transactional? 00:32:46.240 --> 00:32:49.119 Am I just bringing the same things again because I need to fill the time? 00:32:49.519 --> 00:32:50.400 My prayers honest. 00:32:50.480 --> 00:32:53.519 Am I talking to God as if he truly is Abba Father? 00:32:53.759 --> 00:32:59.920 So we've seen the emotions of Jesus, we've seen the prayer of Jesus, and now we look at the faithfulness of Jesus. 00:33:00.079 --> 00:33:07.839 So remember, at the beginning of this passage, Jesus asked Peter, James, and John to remain here and watch. 00:33:08.000 --> 00:33:10.400 And now we see in verse 37, if you look there with me. 00:33:10.559 --> 00:33:13.440 And he came and found them sleeping. 00:33:14.799 --> 00:33:15.759 Found them sleeping. 00:33:16.000 --> 00:33:20.559 His greatest hour of need, when he just asks them, just keep your eyes open, just stay awake. 00:33:21.920 --> 00:33:23.519 They fell asleep. 00:33:24.400 --> 00:33:27.680 And Jesus corrects them. 00:33:28.319 --> 00:33:32.799