Trials in the Garden

Welcome .

These passages are typically taught in the context of Easter and focus on looking forward toward the Cross. There is no escaping that but today I want us to sit and be more present in the action that is happening. As we begin lets look at the passage starting at verse 26.

Mark 14:26–52 ESV

26 And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. 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. 32 And they went to a place called Gethsemane. And he said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” 33 And he took with him Peter and James and John, and began to be greatly distressed and troubled. 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.” 37 And he came and found them sleeping, and he said to Peter, “Simon, are you asleep? Could you not watch one hour? 38 Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 39 And again he went away and prayed, saying the same words. 40 And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were very heavy, and they did not know what to answer him. 41 And he came the third time and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? It is enough; the hour has come. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 42 Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand.” 43 And immediately, while he was still speaking, Judas came, one of the twelve, and with him a crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders. 44 Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “The one I will kiss is the man. Seize him and lead him away under guard.” 45 And when he came, he went up to him at once and said, “Rabbi!” And he kissed him. 46 And they laid hands on him and seized him. 47 But one of those who stood by drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear. 48 And Jesus said to them, “Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to capture me? 49 Day after day I was with you in the temple teaching, and you did not seize me. But let the Scriptures be fulfilled.” 50 And they all left him and fled. 51 And a young man followed him, with nothing but a linen cloth about his body. And they seized him, 52 but he left the linen cloth and ran away naked.

Pray

Diverging Paths

Jesus and the disciples but in particular Peter show us diverging paths that we can take in our response to the trials that we face. In the text Jesus and the disciples face the same trials but the responses are very much different.

Knowing the Future

26 And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. 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.

Jesus tells Peter what he is going to do in the next couple of hours. He will deny his Savior. Jesus, in the same way, knew what he was facing over the next day. Their response to the future serve as a way for us to move forward.

Internal Trials

32 And they went to a place called Gethsemane. And he said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” 33 And he took with him Peter and James and John, and began to be greatly distressed and troubled. 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.” 37 And he came and found them sleeping, and he said to Peter, “Simon, are you asleep? Could you not watch one hour? 38 Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 39 And again he went away and prayed, saying the same words. 40 And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were very heavy, and they did not know what to answer him. 41 And he came the third time and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? It is enough; the hour has come. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 42 Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand.”

Jesus is distressed. We might in our modern day use the word anxious. He knows whats coming and he is not looking forward to it. He knows that he is going to bear a burden that isn’t his and that will ultimately cut him off from God his father for the first time. He also knows what it will accomplish and yet he is still wrestling with what to do. His prayer reveals that he is set on carrying out the fathers will, he’s just looking for some way to move forward in his will while also avoiding what is to come.

Peter on the other hand has been warned of whats to come and chooses to sleep.

Think about that, Jesus the one who he knows is the Messiah has told him, you’re going to deny me 3 times and Peters response is no way that won’t happen in fact

External Trials

43 And immediately, while he was still speaking, Judas came, one of the twelve, and with him a crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders. 44 Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “The one I will kiss is the man. Seize him and lead him away under guard.” 45 And when he came, he went up to him at once and said, “Rabbi!” And he kissed him. 46 And they laid hands on him and seized him. 47 But one of those who stood by drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear. 48 And Jesus said to them, “Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to capture me? 49 Day after day I was with you in the temple teaching, and you did not seize me. But let the Scriptures be fulfilled.” 50 And they all left him and fled.

Can I just say that Peter is the sort of friend you want in a bad situation. What he lacked in prayer he makes up for here.

He’s quick to jump to Jesus’ defence even though he’s wrong but notice that Jesus doesn’t rebuke him like he has previously. His rebuke is over a matter of what needed to be done not Peter’s willingness to defend his friend.

Jesus responds to the trial knowing that he is right where God want’s him.

Peter being confronted with the reality of the situation now runs.

How do we respond?

51 And a young man followed him, with nothing but a linen cloth about his body. And they seized him, 52 but he left the linen cloth and ran away naked.

In our trials we often respond as Peter did by ignoring the problem or trying to numb ourselves to the problem through our own self medicating. This is not limited to drugs and alcohol, but can take the form of shopping, eating, binge watching, a never ending stream of distractions. Anything that is used to drown out or minimize what we are facing. In this mode we are neither actively move towards or away from a trial but trying to act as though it might resolve on its on.

Ignore

Act without thinking

Run Away

The third option is to do what the man in vs 51 does. Run away from it. Regardless of the consequence or shame that might come with it. Because that is what Mark is intending to convey here. That this man who was a follower of Jesus ran away in shame the moment he is confronted with a difficulty.

The last option is the better response. It is the response of moving forward in the power of Jesus knowing that the promise of scripture is right when it declares “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” It’s not a promise of easy living, but of final victory. You see the better response takes thoughts off of us and centers them on who he is.

The Better Response

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 pray for the passing of the trial while resting in the comfort of God’s will.

Romans 8:28-30

26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. 27 And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. 28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

Never denying the reality of the situation yet resting in the truth that it won’t be wasted. God will use it.

Here is the key… this doesn’t happen over night, this isn’t our natural response. We must be praying this way as often as we can