The Big Test

Intro:

Before the garden and preparing for the death of Jesus...

Have you had to do a big test that you absolutely hated? that you just didn’t want to do but you had too. Its a situation you can’t get out of. If you do you’ll suffer the wrath of your mum or dad or even the school, perhaps it would ruin your life long aspirations to get into the uni course you like or the subjects you want in highschool, or perhaps it gives you more recognition and you’ll miss out on that if you don’t do the test.

JESUS SAYS YES TO THE CROSS

1. JESUS FEELS THE PAIN

The New International Version Chapter 14

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

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

Can you see what’s happening here, Jesus is asking his Father to this cup away. For God to find an alternative way to save us. But their isn’t any other way.

Imagine drinking some strong hot chilli poison, it may not kill you but its sure disgusting and it will probably make you really sick depending on the poison. Its hot like fire and tastes so bad but you have to drink the whole cup - its a big cup!

Jesus here had to drink a big cup of something much worse than the chilli poison. He is going to the cross. For Jesus the cross is like a cup full of God’s burning anger. A cup full of God’s curse. A cup full of the punishment of hell. This is because Jesus will take on our sins. He will take the punishment we deserve ()

How does Jesus say he feels?

Jesus feels pain just as we feel pain. So he tells his Father how he feels. He cries out in his pain and fear. he knows the cross is a terrible way to go and Jesus was longing for some other way.

2. JESUS SAYS YES

The New International Version Chapter 14

36 “Abba,f Father,”a he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cupb from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”c

Do you sometimes say ‘yes’ to something because you didn’t really think about it? it happens to me a lot.

Then afterwards you wish that you had said ‘no’ instead!

Jesus saw how bad the cross would be . He knew everything that he would suffer. And he still said yes!

Jesus didn’t really want to experience this pain, I mean who would. But he wanted even more to please his Father. Jesus must complete his mission to save us.

So the appropriate response is to just thank Jesus that he was willing to go through that much pain. Love him and praise him!

Its important to understand how much he’s done for you and that we didn’t deserve any of it.

THE DISCIPLES SLEEP

The New International Version Chapter 14

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.d The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”e

39 Once more he went away and prayed the same thing. 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 hourf has come. Look, the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners. 42 Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!”

You know what the disciples didn’t want to fail! like Jesus, they also wanted to do God’s will. However they were really weak.

How does Mark show us how weak they are?

Well they were tired and they fell asleep.

Do you want to follow Jesus? Do you want to do God’s will? its not enough because we are weak.

You and I all have weak spots, it doesn’t matter if you have all the best intentions in the world that you will follow Jesus after you walk out this door today I can guarantee you that we will struggle to follow Jesus.

Well think about the times when testing or trials or temptations come do you find it hard to follow Jesus then? is it easy to do what he wants and to obey him.

When that assignment or exam is due are we still willing to come to Switch to learn from God’s word and to love others? even difficult people?

Or even if your having a debate about Christian things with a non-Christian friend and they reject what you believe, will you stay strong? or just give up?

Or what what if someone says something horrible about you over facebook, so do find ways to love them and not retaliate or will you send a nasty message to everyone to try and hurt them back.

We are weak and we need to turn to Jesus in our time of trial, testing or temptation - the first thing we can do is pray - pray that we would be ready to do hard things for Jesus. Secondly putting our faith on Jesus, who said to the hardest thing ever.

Why? because himself gave up his life.

JESUS GIVES HIS HIS OWN LIFE

The New International Version Chapter 14

46 The men seized Jesus and arrested him. 47 Then one of those standing near drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear.

48 “Am I leading a rebellion,” said Jesus, “that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me? 49 Every day I was with you, teaching in the temple courts,i and you did not arrest me. But the Scriptures must be fulfilled.”j

We know Jesus is ready to go, he’e gone out to meet the angry mob! we know he has power to stop these people, or to call on an angelic army to wipe them out. Their sword’s and sticks can do nothing against Jesus’ power. there is no need for the big crowd of rough people.

illustrate here

Jesus gives himself to them. He lets them take him and tie him up.

The New International Version Chapter 14

27 “You will all fall away,” Jesus told them, “for it is written:

“ ‘I will strike the shepherd,

and the sheep will be scattered.’d t

Jesus knows what the OT says about him. In Zachariah 13:7, it says that God will strike the shepherd. Jesus knows that this is God’s will. So if you haven’t worked it out yet Jesus is the Good Shepherd. He is glad to give his life for his sheep. This leads to our final point about the disciples:

THE DISCIPLES SAVE THEIR LIVES

The New International Version Chapter 14

50 Then everyone deserted him and fled.k

51 A young man, wearing nothing but a linen garment, was following Jesus. When they seized him, 52 he fled naked, leaving his garment behind.

Nobody wants to be like Judas, he betrayed his best friend ! but are we happy about being like the other disciples? What were they like?

They were willing to fight - but Jesus did not want them to.

They had promised to stay with Jesus , but they ran away.

The New International Version Chapter 14

29 Peter declared, “Even if all fall away, I will not.”

Pretty bold statement. And what did they do, well they ran away even to the point of being nude now we don’t know who this guy was, there is much speculation(and perhaps you can speculate in your groups) but the whole thing reminds us of what it was like for Jesus, everyone abandoned him. He was truly alone. They left Jesus even when they promised they would stay with him.

Are you frightened of the cross, like the disciples? When other people can’t take you seriously, or laugh nervously when you share the gospel with them, will you still stay with Jesus? Or are you the type to run away from any trouble. Whenever christianity becomes to hard for you then you give up your faith.

Well its a big test isn’t it, Jesus chose to pick up his cross and be obedient to his Father, are we willing to pick up our own crosses for Jesus? even when things get murky or tough? are we willing to give our lives for him.

Let me pray!