The Lonely Cross
The Suffering Servant • Sermon • Submitted
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Introduction
Introduction
At the Garden of Gethsemane
At the Garden of Gethsemane
They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled. “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,” he said to them. “Stay here and keep watch.”
Gethsemane, literally “press of oils” in this garden they apparently ran a press to squeeze the oil out of the olives after they had been harvested.
Jesus takes Peter, James, and John a little farther with Him and then tells them to:
Stay Here
Keep Watch—physically stay alert. But also applies to their spiritual alertness!
Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. “Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”
Jesus cries out Abba Father—Aramaic for Daddy.
Take this cup away from me!
Yet not what I will by what you will.
Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Simon,” he said to Peter, “are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for one hour? Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.”
Could you not keep watch for one hour?
Watch—be alert
Pray—keep praying
So that you will not fall into temptation!
The spirit is willing but the body weak!
Once more he went away and prayed the same thing. When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. They did not know what to say to him.
Jesus goes and repeats His prayer to the Father.
They again fall asleep—because their eyes were heavy.
They didn’t know what to say to Jesus.
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 betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!”
Comes back again—they are asleep again.
He wakes them up and tells them to get up—His betrayer is coming!
Jesus Arrested
Jesus Arrested
As Jesus is talking, Judas approaches with a large, armed crowd. Look at verse 43.
Just as he was speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, appeared. With him was a crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests, the teachers of the law, and the elders.
Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The one I kiss is the man; arrest him and lead him away under guard.” Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, “Rabbi!” and kissed him.
Judas had arranged for a sign:
The man I kiss—arrest him.
Lead him away under guard.
Then Jesus greets Jesus by calling Him “Teacher” the title of reverence.
Then he kissed Jesus—a greeting of endearment.
The men seized Jesus and arrested him. Then one of those standing near drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear.
They seized Jesus!
Then one of Jesus’ disciples drew a sword and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear. John tells us it was Peter. He meant to split the man’s head in two, but he missed, and just cut off the man’s ear.
“Am I leading a rebellion,” said Jesus, “that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me? Every day I was with you, teaching in the temple courts, and you did not arrest me. But the Scriptures must be fulfilled.”
Jesus asks if He is leading a rebellion.
They came at him with swords and clubs to “capture” him.
Yet every day Jesus had been in the temple courts and they never even tried to arrest Him.
Then Jesus tells them that their action is fulfillment of the Scriptures.
Then everyone deserted him and fled.
Everyone fled—EVEN Peter!
A young man, wearing nothing but a linen garment, was following Jesus. When they seized him, he fled naked, leaving his garment behind.
This is the only place this story is told—no other Gospel records this incident. This has led many scholars to surmise the young naked man was actually author, Mark.
Jesus Before the Sanhedrin
Jesus Before the Sanhedrin
They took Jesus to the high priest, and all the chief priests, elders and teachers of the law came together. Peter followed him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest. There he sat with the guards and warmed himself at the fire.
Jesus is taken to the high priest—to his house, at night.
Peter followed at a distance—safe distance—and ended up right inside the courtyard of the high priest.
There he sat warming himself at the fire.
John tells us that there was another disciple with Peter—John, who went right up in the area where he could hear the argument. Peter remained down below in the courtyard (Jn 15:18).
The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death, but they did not find any. Many testified falsely against him, but their statements did not agree.
They were trying to find evidence.
Evidence against Jesus!
Good enough to put Him to death.
Even lying, they could not find two that agreed. Jewish Law required two witnesses in order to convict a person. Their testimony had to agree. In Jesus' case the witnesses could not get their stories to line up.
Then some stood up and gave this false testimony against him: “We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this man-made temple and in three days will build another, not made by man.’ ” Yet even then their testimony did not agree.
They say they heard Jesus say he would destroy the temple (made with human hands) and in 3 days build another not made by man.
Yet they still couldn’t agree on their testimony.
Then the high priest stood up before them and asked Jesus, “Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?” But Jesus remained silent and gave no answer. Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?” “I am,” said Jesus. “And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
Chief priest asks if Jesus is going to answer any of the charges.
Jesus kept silent—giving no answer.
Finally, the chief priest asks if Jesus is the Messiah.
Jesus answered—I am.
He went on to say, “And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming in the clouds of heaven” (v. 62).
The high priest tore his clothes. “Why do we need any more witnesses?” he asked. “You have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?” They all condemned him as worthy of death. Then some began to spit at him; they blindfolded him, struck him with their fists, and said, “Prophesy!” And the guards took him and beat him.
The high priest tore his clothes—a sign of mourning.
They heard Him blaspheme!
They all joined in condemning Jesus as worthy of death!
Some of them spit on Him.
They blind folded Him then hit Him with their fists.
Then they said “Prophesy!” They mocked Him.
And finally the guards beat Him.
Peter Disowns Jesus
Peter Disowns Jesus
Meanwhile, down in the courtyard. . .
While Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came by. When she saw Peter warming himself, she looked closely at him. “You also were with that Nazarene, Jesus,” she said.
Peter is down in there warming himself by the fire.
A servant girl sees him and takes a careful look at him.
Finally, she accuses Peter of being one of Jesus’ disciples.
But he denied it. “I don’t know or understand what you’re talking about,” he said, and went out into the entryway.
Peter denied it, saying “I don’t know understand what you’re talking about”.
Then he moved out of the courtyard, and out into the entryway.
When the servant girl saw him there, she said again to those standing around, “This fellow is one of them.”
The same servant girl sees him there she again accuses Peter by saying, “This fellow is one of them.”
Again he denied it. After a little while, those standing near said to Peter, “Surely you are one of them, for you are a Galilean.”
Peter again denied it.
Now those standing standing near Peter accused him—“Surely you are one of them, for you are a Galilean.”
He began to call down curses on himself, and he swore to them, “I don’t know this man you’re talking about.”
Peter began to call down curses on himself.
He swore to them that he didn’t know Jesus.
Immediately the rooster crowed the second time. Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows twice you will disown me three times.” And he broke down and wept.
Immediately the rooster crowed the second time.
Immediately Peter remembered Jesus’ words.
And he broke down and wept!
SO WHAT
SO WHAT
Once again Jesus tells His disciples to “keep watch” (v. 34). He tells them to be alert—like a lookout.
He comes back and tells them to “watch” (v. 38) be awake. But this time Jesus says they need to pray. The two together can keep them from falling into temptation.
Jesus reminds us that staying spiritually alert, and praying is tough, because even though the spirit of a man is willing, the physical body is weak—it works against us!
None of the disciples believed they would fall away—ALL of them believed they would follow Jesus all the way to His death. But when the arrest was there, they all fled.
Yet, every one of us, is capable of denying Jesus. In order to avoid stay strong, each of us needs to watch—we need to stay spiritually alert!
We need to Pray—we are told to pray without ceasing (1 Thess 5:17) so we will not fall to temptation!
We need to understand that there is a battle between our spiritual and physical. The spirit is willing to stay alert and pray, but the physical side of us is weak!