Mark 14:27-42

Peter’s Denial (V.27-31)

Mark 14:27–31 ESV

27 And Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away, for it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’ 28 But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee.” 29 Peter said to him, “Even though they all fall away, I will not.” 30 And Jesus said to him, “Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.” 31 But he said emphatically, “If I must die with you, I will not deny you.” And they all said the same.

There are times within our faith lives that we have a hard time applying the words of Jesus to ourselves.

We will say… “Others may do this (forsake you), but I will never!” Peter says that he would stand true and if necessary, go with Jesus to prison and to death.

Imagine telling God that He was wrong......Even our best intentions do not always prove to be enough.

Jesus even more emphasizes this by saying “Truly I tell you”. “Not only will you deny me, but it will happen this very night.”

And Jesus continues even more by saying that in spite of hearing the crow twice as a warning, there would be no stopping Peter’s denying Jesus as his Lord.

Peter here was in denial of how weak he really was.

NO WAY THIS IS GOING TO HAPPEN. NOT TO ME AT LEAST.

“EVEN IF I HAVE TO DIE WITH YOU JESUS, I WILL NEVER DISOWN YOU.”

Peter had no idea just how weak he was spiritually and physically.

And He wouldn’t listen when Jesus tried to tell him just how weak he really was…

People find it hard to believe sometimes that we are as bad as what God’s words says we are...

(Sometimes we can have this false thought within our minds that we are some how stronger than we really are.)

One of the realities of this life that we should constantly be reminded of, is who we really, what we really are, and just how helpless we are without God.

James 1:22–25 ESV

22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. 24 For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. 25 But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.

For the person who is being a doer of the word, this is a person allowing themselves to be reminded of who they are and not forgetting that.

Students a reality we must be reminded of is just how weak and helpless we really are.

Jesus says this in Mark 14:38

Mark 14:38 ESV

38 Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

Romans 3:10–12 ESV

10 as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; 11 no one understands; no one seeks for God. 12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.”

We are in total need of Jesus to save us from our weakness, from our sins, from our inability to do this on our own. We can’t. We think we can sometimes, but we can’t.

THIS MUST BE UNDERSTOOD to take God at His word within our lives.

If we properly understand our standing and inability, we will listen to God.

If we don’t understand our inability, why should we listen? There is no need.

You see the reality of verse 38 play out here where Jesus says “The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

Students allow Peter’s misunderstanding of his own strength serve as a warning to you. Know you’re own weakness and inability, rely on the power of Christ Jesus and the words of God.

You do these things well in your life… God will use you in ways you cannot even comprehend.

Jesus Prays in Gethsemane (Vv. 32-42)

A continuation of the spirit being willing, but the flesh being weak.

We then read through verse 32-42 and in the span of 10 verses… the disciples are found sleeping 3 times!

Jesus take with him Peter, James and John. When we’re struggling, most people would like to have people with them, to help share the burden.

“My soul is very sorrowful, even to death. Remain here and watch.” (Be alert)

(Either meaning, watch out for somebody coming, or meaning stay up and pray with me.)

He goes to begin praying and comes back to see Peter and the other disciples sleeping… after having just been told to watch!

Now, they’re tired. It’s late. They’ve been through a lot in the last 24 hours. Jesus though as a good teacher singles out the leader in Peter. Again tells them to be alert, to pray for themselves not to fall into temptation.

Jesus shows that no matter how willing we are to do the right thing in our spirit, our human body and will is weak.

Jesus yielding the Father’s will. Vv. 34-36

Mark 14:34–36 ESV

34 And he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death. Remain here and watch.” 35 And going a little farther, he fell on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. 36 And he said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”

Something to be reminded of about Jesus is that Jesus was 100% God and 100% man. Mark reveals for us the complete humanity of Christ as He faced the most severe testing of His faith and relationship with God the Father.

We read in verse 34 that Mark says Jesus was very sorrowful, even to death.

What scripture is getting at here is the intense emotional, psychological, and spiritual suffering that Jesus was experiencing and about to experience.

Jesus knew what was about to happen to Him on the cross. Not only would He suffer great physical agony but He would bear all of the sins of the world - past, present, and future. He would become the sin bearer; He would be forsaken by His own Father.

2 Corinthians 5:21 ESV

21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Galatians 3:13 ESV

13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”—

He was about to bear the penalty for the sins of all mankind.

God would pour all of His judgment against humanity on Christ.

One commentator says,

“It was not the physical suffering that almost overwhelmed Him with this sorrow, but the contemplation of being forsaken by His Father...

This is the cup that He would drink.

When we understand this, when we understand the weight that Jesus is carrying as He is praying in the garden, it makes it even more amazing to think about how Jesus approaches the Father in His prayer.

Jesus fell to the ground because of this overwhelming task. He lay prone on the ground praying to His father because of this heavy responsibility.

Mark 14:36 ESV

36 And he said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”

We see Jesus come to the Father and say Pappa/Daddy, if it’s possible is there any other way, yet not what I want, but let your will be done.

Mark D. Father … Please (14:32–42)

Prayer is not to get God to change his mind. Prayer is to align our desires and will to God’s desires and will. Jesus willingly placed his desires in submission to his Father’s will.

Prayer within our lives must get to a place where it’s less about us and more about Him.

This life is not about us! It’s about God’s will and not our own. It’s about HIs plan and not ours. Ultimately, it’s within His plan and not ours on how to save the elect through HIs son.

Three times Jesus prays about the matter, and three times He yields to the Father’s will in loving surrender.

Take the example obviously, but even more so be thankful for the willingness of Jesus, the perfect strength He sows to follow thru with the will of God even in the midst of His own hesitation.