The Most Powerful Prayer (Mark 14:32-42, 50)

We are now 20 weeks into our study in the gospel of Luke. For the next two weeks we will take a brief detour to focus on the death and resurrection of Jesus, the Messiah.

Christians typically call this Sunday Palm Sunday as we remember Jesus entering Jerusalem on a donkey one week before his death. The people shouted Hosanna - meaning ‘save now’. And this is why He had come - to save. But He would not save the way they expected. The road to salvation would be MUCH more difficult than they could ever imagine.

Today that will become crystal clear as we discover what I believe to be The Most Powerful Prayer Jesus ever offered up.

Many celebrity preachers say the most powerful prayer is one of faith…where you take authority over whatever it is that you want - Want healing? Want financial security? Need victory in all you do? They would say you should pray believing, speaking it into existence, & never doubting that God wants your best life now. They claim God doesn’t want you to experience difficulty with your relationships, health, or finances.

There’s only one problem with that kind of teaching…that’s NOT what Jesus taught nor modeled. Today we discover The Most Powerful Prayer from our King Himself.

The Most Powerful Prayer happened on the night Jesus was arrested - after the Passover Dinner with His disciples. During that meal Jesus told His disciples one of them would betray Him. As they left the upper room He said they would soon run away from Him (Mark 14:27)…

Mark 14:32–34 (NIV)

32 They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples,

“Sit here while I pray.” 33 He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled. 34 “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,” he said to them. “Stay here and keep watch.”

This is no small burden. Jesus’ power seems to be entirely gone; He is crushed and beaten down and He only has one place to turn: He must prayer to his Father.

To begin I want to show you a short video clip from The Passion of the Christ. There are several things I want you to notice in this video:

Jim Caviezel portrays Jesus praying in his native language. Listen for the words ‘Adonai’ meaning Lord, and ‘Abba’ meaning Father.

As Jesus begins to pray, notice that he is praying the Psalms that David wrote as his enemies were seeking to kill him.

Notice the personification of Satan and the snake as illustrating the temptation for Jesus to disobey the command from God the Father. While the Bible doesn’t say Satan was there, this artistic gloss helps give weight to the tremendous stress Jesus was under.

Be aware of the imagery that reminds us of the passage from Genesis 3:15 where God curses the snake & Satan. Right down the passage (Gen. 3:15) and look it up.

Video: The Passion - Jesus in Gethsemane

The film did a brilliant job of highlighting how deeply distressed and troubled Jesus was, overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death.

James Edwards writes in his commentary on this passage: ”Nothing in all the Bible compares to Jesus’ agony and anguish in Gethsemane."

After asking His friends to pray with him and keep watch, Jesus offers The Most Powerful Prayer I know of in all of Scripture.

What’s The Most Powerful Prayer YOU have ever offered up? When is the last time YOU prayed & the tears flowed?

Was it asking God to provide for your needs?

Was it praying for a relationship to be restored?

Was it pleading for a sick family member or friend to be healed?

Was it praying for someone’s soul - that they would follow Jesus?

Let’s PRAY and then take a closer look at The Most Powerful Prayer that Jesus offered.

Mark 14:35–36 (NIV)

35 Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. 36 “Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”

Jews usually prayed standing and with uplifted hands. To pray while laying on the ground demonstrated extreme urgency. But it is during this Most Powerful Prayer that we also see extreme intimacy.

Mark notes that Jesus used the word Abba, the Aramaic intimate term for father (“Daddy”)—a word that Jews thought to be disrespectful. But I can assure you, when my boys cry out “Daddy, help me!” - I do not consider this disrespectful. I welcome those precious words because of our intimate relationship.

Jesus recognizes that God the Father - Abba - is ALL-POWERFUL. He cries out everything is possible for you. The ALL-POWERFUL can do whatever He chooses. As this is the case, Jesus pleads, “Take this cup from me.” But what’s THAT mean?

This cup is an OT metaphor, a picture of God pouring out His punishment and judgment on those who defy Him. This cup being poured out on one who didn’t deserve it what was spoken of 700 years before as Isaiah wrote these words:

Isaiah 53:4–6 (NIV) 4 Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. 6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Jesus knew what was coming. He had told earlier told his apostles He would be handed over to be mocked, flogged, & crucified (Matt. 20:18-19). He knew it was coming - but now that the time had come - Jesus, the God-Man, was deeply distressed to come to terms with the extreme yet temporary suffering versus the eternal joy that awaited.

God in skin was about to be beaten, made fun of, & spit upon by His own creation. And within a few short hours, God the Father would lay on him, the iniquity of us all: OUR lies, OUR theft, OUR hateful words, OUR disobedience to authorities, OUR drunkedness & drug abuse, OUR arrogance, OUR sexual impurity. He would bear OUR suffering.

And as the hour drew ever closer, the God-Man was distressed.

Mark 14:36a

36 “Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me.

This was a pivotal moment. What if this cup WAS taken from Jesus? Who would pay for OUR sin? We would. We would stand before a Holy God and have no defense for our disobedience.

Sadly, we have become so desensitized that we often discount our disobedience.

“Yeah, I know I sinned, but everybody does. God understands. It’s NOT that big of a deal.”

REALLY? Is that why Jesus agonized over whether or not He would carry out the mission?

Do you realize how significant this moment was?

Without Gethsemane, there would have been no Golgotha…and without Golgotha - where Jesus died on the cross…every person under the sound of my voice is still stained by our sins. But it’s at Gethsemane that Jesus offers The Most Powerful Prayer. It’s not a prayer that moves mountains or heals the sick. But it’s a prayer that God hears & honors.

Mark 14:36b

Yet not what I will, but what You will.”

Remember, Jesus is ASKING Abba, Father to take away the cup of suffering…but He won’t turn and run if the answer is NO. God the Son TRUSTS God the Father. So when His human will & the Father’s eternal will are about to collide, He chooses to YIELD.

And He offers The Most Powerful Prayer… to paraphrase

YOUR Will above MineYOUR Will above MineYOUR Will above MineYOUR Will above Mine

YOUR Will above Mine

YOUR Will above Mine

I want a different option…but if there is none…YOUR Will above Mine. But praying that doesn’t eliminate His distress. Maybe the Father didn’t answer yet…or maybe Jesus needed some encouragement from His disciples. Whatever the reason…

Mark 14:37–39 (NIV)

37 Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Simon,” he said to Peter, “are you asleep? Couldn’t you keep watch for one hour? 38 Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 39 Once more he went away and prayed the same thing.

What was Jesus praying? The same thing as before.

Take this cup! But…

YOUR Will above MineYOUR Will above MineYOUR Will above MineYOUR Will above Mine

YOUR Will above Mine

YOUR Will above Mine

Mark 14:40-42 (NIV)

40 When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. They did not know what to say to him. 41 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. 42 Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!”

Jesus has His answer. Even though his disciples are about to run in fear. Even though He has struggled with what is coming. Jesus has prayed The Most Powerful Prayer:

YOUR Will above MineYOUR Will above MineYOUR Will above MineYOUR Will above Mine

YOUR Will above Mine

YOUR Will above Mine

He is ready. Judas the betrayer approaches with temple police and arrest Jesus. Peter plays the part of the last Samari and slashes one of their ears off. Dr. Luke tells us that Jesus touched the man and healed his ear! Even though these men are about to take Him to His death…Jesus still extends grace…Angels will not appear and fight on His behalf.

And just as Jesus had predicted earlier that evening.

Mark 14:27 (NIV) “You will all fall away, for it is written: “ ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’

And sure enough…

Mark 14:50 (NIV)

Then everyone deserted him and fled.

All but ONE. And even though the answer to ‘take this cup from me’ was “NO”…

YOUR Will above MineYOUR Will above MineYOUR Will above MineYOUR Will above Minewas no doubt offered up throughout the suffering to come. Next week we’ll talk more about that. But what’s all this mean for YOU and ME?

YOUR Will above Mine

YOUR Will above Mine

And although Jesus had a task that we could never carry, we too will be faced with times that we cry to God for help. In those moments, will WE dare offer The Most Powerful Prayer?

Joni Eareckson Tada - a lover of Jesus & prolific author - who is also a quadriplegic, paralyzed from the shoulders down - has prayed for healing many times. She writes these words “He has chosen not to heal me, but to hold me. The more intense the pain, the closer His embrace.”

We pray for healing, but what if it doesn’t come on this side of eternity? Do we get angry or do we cry out in anguish: YOUR Will above Mine?

What happens when our obedience to Jesus is about to cost us something - a relationship, a job, a good time. Do we give in or do we cry out in TRUST: YOUR Will above Mine!

Maybe you’ve been conformed into our culture and walking the wide road that leads to hell that Jesus talked so much about. Will you keep living for the stuff that never fully satisfies? OR…will you call on Jesus who went to Gethsemane…and Calvary - because of YOUR sin? Will you dare to offer The Most Powerful Prayer: YOUR Will above Mine!

Jesus knows what it’s like to be betrayed by a friend. Jesus knows what it’s like to feel alone. And the most incredible of all: Jesus knows what it’s like to carry your sin. Turn from it and trust Him - YOUR Will above Mine!

PRAY & NUMBERS ON SCREEN

Homework

Have Communion with your family or friends this week. Find a time and read from 1 Corinthians 11:23–32. My family will shoot for Good Friday. After breakfast we will watch the story of Jesus and then have communion as a family.