Are You Sleeping?

Mark 14:32–42 NKJV

32 Then they came to a place which was named Gethsemane; and He said to His disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” 33 And He took Peter, James, and John with Him, and He began to be troubled and deeply distressed. 34 Then He said to them, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch.” 35 He went a little farther, and 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. Take this cup away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will.” 37 Then He came and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “Simon, are you sleeping? Could you not watch one hour? 38 Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 39 Again He went away and prayed, and spoke the same words. 40 And when He returned, He found them asleep again, for their eyes were heavy; and they did not know what to answer Him. 41 Then He came the third time and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? It is enough! The hour has come; behold, the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. 42 Rise, let us be going. See, My betrayer is at hand.”

The Situation (32-36)

Finally Arrive to Gethsemane

It’s here that Jesus prays prior to his crucifixion and death.

It’s here that He invites His closest of disciples to join Him.

It’s here that He asks them to sit while He prays.

It’s also here at Gethsemane that Jesus ends one part of His ministry and begins another.

Notice a couple things from Mark’s gospel:

Mark’s usage of the word “immediately.”

; ; ; ; ; ; ; .

Mark’s usage of the word gives evidence of the fast pace of his gospel, and;

The intent of Jesus’ mission to show that He is the Savior, provide evidence through miracles, and minister to the sick and lost sheep of Israel.

Mark’s use of the phrase, “troubled and deeply distressed.”

This phrase indicates the trouble that Jesus alone faces in the garden.

It’s here that He recognizes that He must win the victory in prayer with His Father in the garden.

Jesus’ Request of the Disciples

Mark 14:32 NKJV

32 Then they came to a place which was named Gethsemane; and He said to His disciples, “Sit here while I pray.”

The Greek for this command of His disciples implies “purpose involved” in His prayer.

He isn’t simply going to be alone with the Father.

He’s going with the purpose of praying of Himself-praying that the cup that He would soon be drinking be passed from Him if possible.

His request for them to sit was actually a command.

He told them,

Mark 14:34 NKJV

34 Then He said to them, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch.”

Think about what was about to happen. He wanted some of His closest followers to be there with Him during this time:

He was being made sin for us.

He was made a curse for us.

Jesus’ Request of the Father

Mark 14:36 NKJV

36 And He said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for You. Take this cup away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will.”

Note the intimacy He relays to God the Father by using the term “Abba.”

He also doesn’t pray first that God’s will be done, but that “this cup be taken away from Him.”

He knows torture and death soon await Him. He understands the severity of it, while the disciples do not.

Mark 10:38–39 NKJV

38 But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?” 39 They said to Him, “We are able.” So Jesus said to them, “You will indeed drink the cup that I drink, and with the baptism I am baptized with you will be baptized;

Mark 10:

Our Struggle with the Situation (37-40)

Be on the Watch for Boastfulness (37)

Mark 14:37 NKJV

37 Then He came and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “Simon, are you sleeping? Could you not watch one hour?

Mark 13:29–31 NKJV

29 So you also, when you see these things happening, know that it is near—at the doors! 30 Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place. 31 Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.

Mark 14:29–31 NKJV

29 Peter said to Him, “Even if all are made to stumble, yet I will not be.” 30 Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you that today, even this night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times.” 31 But he spoke more vehemently, “If I have to die with You, I will not deny You!” And they all said likewise.

Mark 13:29-

Friends, are we boastful?

Christians like to boast by:

Stating that they haven’t missed a Sunday service for X amount of years.

I knew a guy who used to brag that he always found a church to worship in on vacation.

Whether you do or not, that’s not the point, but don’t brag about it.

We boast through telling people how intellectual we are,

By mentioning how often we attend services each week,

and by making sure everyone hears how often we are studying our SS lesson throughout the week.

Be on the Watch for Laziness and Complacency (39-40)

Mark 14:39–40 NKJV

39 Again He went away and prayed, and spoke the same words. 40 And when He returned, He found them asleep again, for their eyes were heavy; and they did not know what to answer Him.

Mark 14:29-40

They came to the garden at around 10/11pm. It was late, but these weren’t senior adults or children. This would have been something they were used to. They were tired.

Maybe they had a hard day walking and ministering.

Maybe they hadn’t been sleeping all that well.

Even so, the Lord asked them to “watch and pray.”

Their friend and mentor specifically asked them to do something and all three failed.

We tend to struggle when we are tired, don’t we?

When we are tired:

The TV gets turned on, sometimes for a long time.

Our phones get glued to our faces.

We complain.

And can get in a habit of laziness if we are not careful.

These guys have been busy following Jesus for the past three years!

They were constantly on the move.

There are times in our Christian walks when the local church has been so busy that you think you can’t handle another event or class.

It’s awfully tempting to say, “I’m gonna rest for a time,” but that time turns into laziness and complacency.

Senior adults, don’t allow the excuse of age turn into a retirement from Christianity.

Listen to this quote from Mark Clifton of NAMB:

“Both POTUS candidates in 2016 were over 70. I’m hurling toward 60 and have more to do than ever. So why do many churches treat anyone over 55 as a “golden ager” who needs to be entrained and treated like a kid? Don’t just entertain them. Challenge them to keep working for the kingdom.”

My mentor passed away last Nov. and would have been 80 this year.

He used to lament on the number of senior adults who have more time and experience than anyone and aren’t using it for the Kingdom. (He had MS!!)

Friends, of all people, our senior adults should be leading the way in evangelism and discipleship.

I led an evangelism session at the Senior Living Celebration for the KBC this past week in two locations. We had around 300 attend. I had two sessions on Tuesday and two on Thursday. Out of these 4 sessions and 300 people, I had 6 seniors attend the evangelism sessions.

Younger people, you don’t get the excuse that your young family or busy activities outside your church family and responsibilities as a Christian get you off the “responsibility wagon.”

Friends, I was married at 19, had kids at the age of 21 and 23, and our kids did everything we did.

Kids can stay up till 8p to attend an evening service.

Friends, I was married at 19, had kids at the age of 21 and 23 and our kids did everything we did.

Parents don’t have to worship at the altar of sports and activities on Sunday.

The Bible is clear in that our call to follow Him has no limitations or restrictions to it. Each one according to his/her own ability is to take up their cross and follow Him.

Have we allowed laziness or complacency to invade our lives and take over?

The Gravity of the Situation (41-42)

Jesus comes a third time and finds them asleep.

Mark 14:41 NKJV

41 Then He came the third time and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? It is enough! The hour has come; behold, the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners.

Listen again to the second part of verse 41 and 41.

Mark 14:42 NKJV

42 Rise, let us be going. See, My betrayer is at hand.”

Mark 14:41–42 NKJV

41 Then He came the third time and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? It is enough! The hour has come; behold, the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. 42 Rise, let us be going. See, My betrayer is at hand.”

Jesus called His closest ones out to watch and pray with Him knowing that His time to do that which He came to do had come.

As followers of His, we know that all people get physical death due to our sinful nature.

We die because of sin.

Jesus, on the other hand, was born to die FOR sin.

For this reason He came to live.

All the miracles, preaching, teachings, time with His disciples, and confrontations with the religious led up to this point.

The Gravity of the Situation has arrived and Jesus will be handed over into the hands of sinners.

Believer, The Gravity of the Situation has been outlined today.

Regardless of age, if Jesus came today, would He find us sleeping?

Are we busy evangelizing and making disciples?

Friends, scripture encourages the old and the young to work together.

Older believers, disciple the younger.

Younger believers, respect and look up to the old.

Have we become lazy and complacent in our walk with the Lord?

Non-believer, The Gravity of the Situation is here are well.

You might not consider yourself to be the type of “sinner” that would betray or hunt down Jesus, but the truth remains that you are a sinner.

The Bible says in , that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.

It says in that the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Have you put your faith in Jesus?

You do this by repenting of your sin and believing on Him alone that He can save you.

Mark 1:15 NKJV

15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.”

The Good News of the gospel is that:

Romans 5:8 NKJV

8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.