MARK 14:32-50
ARE YOU?
Life of Christ
Are you a Republican or are you a Democrat?
Are you a liberal or are you a conservative?
Are you a male or are you a female?
Are you married or are you single?
Are you rich or are you poor?
Are you big or are you small? (Emphasis on height, not weight!)
Are you young or are you old?
We all have opinions of ourselves. And although sometimes our opinions about ourselves are not accurate, we usually seem to know what we are and what we are not.
This morning we come to a very serious and sad part of the Life of Christ. As we saw last week, Jesus prayed a great intercessory prayer for his disciples and for us right after his "Upper Room Discourse". Now He came to the Garden of Gethsemane where he would pray another prayer. This one was for Himself as he faced the agonies of a mock trial, physical and verbal abuse, and the suffering for our sins on the cross.
As we look at the actions of the disciples and of our Lord, we should be led to ask ourselves some frank questions concerning our own behavior. I will ask you these questions, and then you can ask yourself.
ARE YOU SLEEPING? – Vss. 37-41
ARE YOU RUNNING? – Vs. 50
ARE YOU BETRAYING? – Vss. 43-46
ARE YOU SUBMITTING? – Vss. 33-42
Vs. 32 – The Garden of Gethsemane was evidently a garden that contained olive trees. The name Gethsemane means "oil press". Evidently a press was there or had been there for pressing olives to make olive oil.
The disciples were not surprised when Jesus led them to this quiet, secluded place. It was evidently a familiar resting place for Jesus and the disciples. They had been there often. If fact they had been there so often that Judas suspected that Jesus had gone there.
John 18:2 - And Judas also, which betrayed him, knew the place: for Jesus ofttimes resorted thither with his disciples.
Jesus was not avoiding Judas. The only way Judas could have caught Jesus and led in His arrest was if Jesus, God in the flesh, would let Him and Jesus did.
The instruction given to the majority of the disciples was to sit and wait for Jesus to be done praying.
Vs. 33 – Jesus took his "inner circle", Peter, James, and John with Him. I think there are a couple of reasons that Jesus took them with Him that have been suggested by others.
First, Jesus, being human, wanted human companionship in what would be a time of great despair. Second, I think Jesus wanted these men to be witnesses of his suffering and of his prayer. He was actually teaching them how to "watch and pray" in times of need.
Jesus was "sore amazed" and "very heavy".
He was looking into the immediate future and seeing the suffering that He would endure as he took upon His shoulders the punishment for every sin that had ever been committed.
He was actually astonished at what he would have to face!
I don’t think we ever come close to understanding what Jesus did for us. The depths of pain and agony that He faced for you and me!
Vs. 34 – This was Jesus’ support group. He admitted His anguish to His friends. His sorrow was so great that it even threatened to take His life. So, he says to His friends, "Watch with Me!"
Luke 22:40 - And when he was at the place, he said unto them, Pray that ye enter not into temptation.
We learn a lesson here. The way through our greatest temptations and problems is the way of watchful prayer.
Now with this command in mind, it time to start asking the "are you" questions.
ARE YOU SLEEPING? – Vss. 37-41
We will come back to the content of Jesus’ prayer in a few minutes.
Vs. 37 – Humanly speaking, this was Jesus’ hour of greatest need, and His friends let Him down by sleeping.
Peter is singled out because he was the one who had promised His loyalty so vehemently.
Mark 14:29-31 - But Peter said unto him, Although all shall be offended, yet will not I. [30] And Jesus saith unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this day, even in this night, before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. [31] But he spake the more vehemently, If I should die with thee, I will not deny thee in any wise. Likewise also said they all.
Vs. 38 – Notice that prayer is a weapon against temptation. If we prayed more, our temptations would probably not lead to sin.
Here, Jesus observes that their "spirit", their new nature as Christians, was willing but their flesh, their old nature was weak.
What is the responsibility of Christians today?
Colossians 4:2 - Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;
1 Peter 4:7 - But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.
Ephesians 6:18 - Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
Of course the number 1 reason for watching and praying is because God tells us to. Why else are we to watch and pray?
1. JESUS COULD COME AT ANY TIME! – WATCH AND PRAY
Mark 13:32-37 - But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father. [33] Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is. [34] For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch. [35] Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: [36] Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. [37] And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.
When Jesus comes He wants us waiting for Him anxiously watching for His arrival.
Titus 2:11-13 - For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, [12] Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; [13] Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
2. THERE ARE PEOPLE DYING AND GOING TO HELL! – WATCH AND PRAY!
John 4:35 - Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.
Luke 10:2 - Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.
1 Timothy 2:1-4 - I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; [2] For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. [3] For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; [4] Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
3. YOU WILL FACE TEMPTATION! WATCH AND PRAY!
I repeat Mark 14:38 - Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation…
The more we watch and pray the more we will have victory over temptation.
4. YOU HAVE PROBLEMS! – WATCH AND PRAY!
1 Peter 5:7 - Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
Psalm 55:22 - Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.
5. SAINTS HAVE PROBLEMS – WATCH AND PRAY!
Ephesians 6:18 - Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
Hebrews 13:3 - Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body.
There are so many reasons to watch and pray.
And yet we sleep. The sleep isn’t necessarily a literal sleep. We "sleep" when we don’t want to pray. We "sleep" when we make excuses for not praying. We "sleep" when we are too busy to pray.
Why do we sleep?
We care more about our plans than God’s plans.
We are selfish.
We are lazy.
We don’t care!
We are spiritually lackadaisical.
If you do not have a vibrant prayer life, you are spiritually weak. You are sleeping.
ARE YOU SLEEPING? – Vss. 37-41
ARE YOU RUNNING? – Vs. 50
The Lord Jesus would go his last hour alone. That was His plan. That was God’s plan.
John 18:8 - Jesus answered, I have told you that I am he: if therefore ye seek me, let these go their way:
Nonetheless, after Judas had betrayed Jesus, the disciples ran!
These men ran because they were terrified.
Do people run today? Yes!
Do Christians run today? Yes!
· God calls some men to be pastors and they run!
· God calls some men and women to the mission field and they run!
· God calls some men and women to teach in the local church and they run.
· God calls men and women away from sin and they run.
· God calls men and women to do what is good, and they run.
· God calls men and women to church membership and they run!
· God calls men and women to stand up for what is right and moral, and they ran!
WHY DO CHRISTIANS RUN FROM RESPONSIBILITY?
· They run because they are afraid.
· They run because they don’t like change.
· They run because they don’t like inconvenience, a change in lifestyle.
· They run because they don’t want to suffer.
· They run because they are selfish.
What is the opposite of running?
It is following.
Luke 9:23-24 - And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. [24] For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.
Luke 14:26-27 - If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. [27] And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.
If you are not running, you are following.
ARE YOU SLEEPING?
ARE YOU RUNNING?
ARE YOU BETRAYING? – Vss. 43-46
Vs. 43 – Judas came with a small army made up of all sorts of people including Roman soldiers and the temple guard.
Vss. 44-45 – Judas came and kissed him, perhaps on the hand, but it was a fervent kiss. Judas didn’t want anyone making any mistakes about who to arrest.
Judas, the betrayer showed affection.
Judas was a betrayer. He pretended to be a follower of Jesus and wasn’t. He turned against Jesus.
Are you a betrayer?
Do you pretend to be a follower of Jesus on Sunday and live for the devil the rest of the week?
You can’t call Him "Lord" Jesus if you are constantly doing things that betray Him.
· If you profess to know Jesus and constantly get drunk you are betraying Him.
· If you profess to know Jesus and are having an affair, you are betraying Him.
· If you profess to know Jesus and are in a relationship with an unbeliever you are betraying Him.
· If you profess to know Jesus and are doing drugs, you are betraying Him.
· If you profess to know Jesus and curse and swear, and take His name in vain, you are betraying Him.
It’s a package deal! If Jesus is your Savior He is Lord!
ARE YOU SLEEPING? – Vss. 37-41
ARE YOU RUNNING? – Vs. 50
ARE YOU BETRAYING? – Vss. 43-46
ARE YOU SUBMITTING? – Vss. 33-42
I have saved the best for last.
As a man Jesus struggled with what He had to do.
Vss. 35-36 – Jesus made a request of His "Daddy" (Abba), His Father, and His Father said "no"!
If there was another way possible to redeem your soul Jesus was willing to take it.
If there was another way to pay for the sins of mankind, Jesus wanted it!
Humanly speaking, what Jesus faced was so horrible that Jesus wanted to avoid it!
In fact Jesus asked three times to have the cup of suffering removed from Him if it were possible. But it wasn’t possible!
1 Peter 1:18-20 - Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your
fathers; [19] But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: [20] Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,
Three times Jesus asked for the cup to be passed.
Three times the answer would have been "no".
Three times Jesus said, nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt.
At that particular moment, Jesus did not like the will of God, but he accepted it.
He submitted to God, because he knew God’s will was best! And the end result was glorious!
Philippians 2:8-11 - And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. [9] Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: [10] That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; [11] And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
So what part of God’s will don’t you like?
What is it that you are resisting?
If Jesus could submit to such a horrible death for you, can’t you submit to whatever God wants you to go through for Him?
Isn’t it time that we said to God, nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt?
Now it’s time for you to answer these questions:
ARE YOU SLEEPING? – Vss. 37-41
ARE YOU RUNNING? – Vs. 50
ARE YOU BETRAYING? – Vss. 43-46
ARE YOU SUBMITTING? – Vss. 33-42

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