“THE WONDER OF HIS COMMITMENT”
MARK 14:32-42
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INTRODUCTION:
John Brokhoff tells of three little girls who were talking about their dads and one said, “My Dad is a doctor, he practices medicine.” The second said, “My Dad is a lawyer, he practices law.” The third little girl hesitated for a moment and finally said, “Well, my Dad is a Minister, but he doesn’t practice anything that I know of.” That may describe some ministers but how many of us are really putting our belief into practice? Commitment is defined by Webster’s dictionary as “The practice of following through on an agreement or pledge to do something for someone.” But many Christian’s are not practicing the follow-through that they made when they made a commitment to Jesus Christ. You see many want Him as their Savior.. The forgiveness of sins, eternal life, all the good stuff. But few are willing to understand that by accepting Him as Savior they have made a commitment to Him as Lord. It is said that W.C. Fields, the old-time comedian, was once asked what he thought of commitment and he said, “I don’t like it.. It just means doing something that I don’t want to do.”And we understand that don’t we? Because the practice of following through on our pledge to Jesus Christ as Lord often calls us to do things we don’t want to. Jesus Himself said, “If anyone wants to be my disciple He must deny himself.” That is never easy.. practicing selfishness comes much more naturally than self denial. Jesus understood- Heb. 4:15- “For we do not have a high priest (Jesus) who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have One who has been tempted in every way, just as we are-” He was tempted, most forcefully, to just pass on His commitment.
There is an old hymn that says, “I come to the garden alone, while the dew is still on the roses..” I’m not sure there are actually roses in Gethsemane, but, I know this was no “rose garden” for Jesus that night. For it is here, in this garden, that calvary is fought, it is here, in this garden, that the greatest battle of all time is waged, it is here that His self-denial receives it’s greatest test, and it is here that we see most fully, the wonder of His commitment.. To the Father but also incredibly.. To you and me.
You see, the question, if you claim to believe in Christ, is not, “Do I have to be committed to Him?” But.. “Am I really following through with my commitment to Him?” If you have not received Him as Savior and Lord.. Am I ready to say.. or if you are a Christian, am I saying in my life like.. That which He did on that night to God.... “Not what I will, but what You will.” Well, that’s what makes this incident, such a critical one to study. For as we see Jesus meet His greatest trial, we can learn how to put into practice our full commitment.
I. THE THREATS TO JESUS’ COMMITMENT: Vss: 32-33, 41a
First I want you to see the threats to His commitment that Jesus had to endure. Vs:32- “Then went to a place called Gethsemane..” Gethsemane is situated just outside the city of Jerusalem. Gethsemane literally means "Oil Press," and Jesus is about to be pressed on every side. This is where Jesus runs when trouble overwhelms Him. Here, under the darkness of the Olive trees, He flees to the Father.. And this is not the first time.. Lk. 22:39- “Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives..” Do you have a place like that? One you can go to and pray and wrestle with the threats to your commitment? This is one of Jesus’ favorite places. And on this night the commitment He had already given is threatened. You see, Jesus pledged His allegiance to doing God’s will not only before entering this garden, but before entering this world. Hebrews 10:5-ff- “Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said, ‘Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, but a body you prepared for me... Then I said, ‘Here I am- I have come to do your will, O God.’” And now He has His greatest test. Jesus could of reneged on His commitment at any time.. In the wilderness after His baptism facing satan, in the temple facing the hypocritical religious leaders, in the upper room listening to His disciples argue about their prominence. But there is no place or time in Jesus’ life when His commitment is more threatened than in the Garden of Gethsemane. Look at some of the phrases that Mark uses here to describe the ordeal that Christ is going to go through. Vs:33 “..He began to be deeply distressed and troubled..” Vs:34 He says- “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the pont of death..” A.T. Robertson states that this phrase carries with it the meaning of a "feeling of terrified surprise." I think that as Jesus enters this Garden He realizes, maybe for the 1st time, what a horrifying experience faces Him.
From this suffering I want you to see two specific threats from this text of Jesus commitment, because we’ll find they are very similar to the threats that we experience. (1) Jesus’ commitment was threatened by disappointment in others. In vs:32 we see that Jesus had asked His friends to sit up with Him while He prayed through this ordeal. But when He comes back, they’re not supporting Him in prayer, they’re asleep. Can you hear the disappointment in His voice in vs:37 or the first of 41? When He says, “Simon, are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for one hour?.. Or - “Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough!” Anybody that tells you that Jesus was happy about going to the cross hasn’t read the story throughly. This was a rough moment and He needed someone to be there during this tough time in His life. And He comes back from falling on the ground and praying His heart out to find his closest friends praying with and for Him? NO! They fell asleep - twice! Now, Jesus is a whole lot nicer to Peter, James and John than I would of been. I may of said, "You jerks! Can’t you see what I’m going through? I’m about to die and all I ask is that you pray for an hour and what do you do? Just forget it. Go on home and sleep, you’re no good to me!" Jesus had more self-control. He wasn’t angry but you sure hear the disappointment in those words. But when you’re disappointed by someone. When someone that you have loved, respected and cared for let’s you down and you don’t know who to turn too. Turn to Jesus, because He knows exactly how you feel.
(2)The threat of fear of what was to come. Vs:33-34- says He “began to be deeply distressed and troubled..” And that He was “overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death..” That’s an interesting phrase. There are two main views: One is that as Jesus enters into this time He’s not sure that He’s going to make it. That He actually wonders if He is physically strong enough to be able to endure this time of great agony. The other view of this phrase is that Jesus is pointing to the fact that His great suffering, which He has been telling his disciples about for months, is commencing now and will not end until the point of His death. Either way, we know that what Jesus is about to go through is intense anguish. And He was not given some kind of divine anesthetic to be able to cope with the trials, flogging and crucifixion that would soon follow. Facing that who wouldn’t experience fear? He feared what lay ahead. This is a life and death trial.. When He says, “Take this cup from Me..” He is basically saying, "Oh, God, I’m afraid. I’ll do this if I have too but please, if there is some other way?" And not only did He have to pray that once, He prayed it 3 times!
We’ve all been there haven’t we. It is hard when you face life and death adversity. Have you ever experienced deep fear? Have you ever been afraid of cancer or not be able to make the mortgage payment or be left alone? Ever felt so afraid that you literally fall to the ground like Jesus did here in the garden? Well, go to Him, He knows exactly how you feel. And not only does He know what disappointment and fear are, but He promises you that since He has been through these tunnels of adversity and come through the other side, that you can too. It doesn’t mean that you the adversity will go away, but that you can be made stronger if during the midst of it, you’ll just place your trust in Him.
A FAITH STORY - DAVE CLAIR
II. THE THEME OF JESUS’ COMMITMENT: Vs:36
How did Dave keep from giving up? How did he keep from saying, “Leukemia? That’s too much, I won’t trust you anymore God.” How did he allow this kind of adversity to draw him closer to God rather than push him away? Well, it was because there is a theme to Dave and Laurie’s life that was the same theme that Jesus had. And that theme enabled Jesus and now people like the Clairs’ who trust in Jesus, to stand fast. You see that theme is this: “Since God is greater than me, I will depend completely on Him.”
Jesus Christ never considered His way better than God’s way because He never considered Himself better than God. That’s a pretty good definition of sin.. Doing what we want to do instead of what God wants us to do. God says.. “No sexual immorality.” But we say, “My need for this pleasure is greater than His will for my body.” God says, “Don’t let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouth.. Don’t be critical of others.” But we say, “My feelings have been hurt and I tell it like it is, i.e, my right to express myself is greater than His will for my tongue...” God says, “Don’t forsake the assembly, be in church and encourage one another..” We say, “What I have to do is more important than doing His will for my spiritual good.” Time and time again we selfishly put ourselves first and in so doing make ourselves greater than God. Phil. 2:5-6- “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped..” Our series theme verse is 1 Ptr. 2:21, but I want you also to listen to vss:22-23 because it tells us exactly how Jesus got through this ordeal. “.. Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in His steps. He committed no sin, no deceit was found in His mouth. When they hurled their insults at Him, He did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats.. Instead..” (Here comes..) “He trusted Himself to the One who judges justly..” Whose that? God. You see Jesus’ theme for His life was that God was greater than He.. Therefore He could trust Himself completely to Him.. He would commit Himself completely to His ways and commands because God knew best! How simple, but how profound. How many times would we have done the will of God if we would of just stopped long enough to say, “God you are God, You are greater than me, what is it You want from me in this situation?”
And within vs:36 are three specific acknowledgments that made up Jesus’ commitment to God based on this theme for His life. In other words, here are three things Jesus acknowledged about God and Himself that helped Him keep His commitment and they are the same acknowledgments we need to make.
(1) He acknowledged the Father’s sufficiency. Vs:36a- “`Abba, Father.’ He said, `everything is possible for you.’” Jesus uses the word “Abba” here which is the personal word for Father.. When my daughter sees me she’ll usually say, “Hey Dad.” When she has a question she’ll say, “Dad, do you think...” But when she really wants something in the worse way, even at 22, she’ll often say, “Daddy..” It’s the more personal and endearing form.. And that’s what Jesus used here. He was saying, “Daddy, you can do all things.. And there’s something I’d like to ask of You..” That personal term expresses intimacy but also confidence. Jesus trusted God completely but that also means that He is willing on the basis of that trust to be obedient to the Father who will ultimately supply all His needs.
(2) He acknowledged His own frailty. Jesus is willing to admit His need. When Jesus asks for the removal of this cup Jesus is not going contrary to the Father’s will but simply exploring the Father’s will without bursting the bonds of obedience. Jesus is saying, “Father, is there another way that I can complete my commitment to You?” That’s why He says, “Take this cup from me.” Not.. “I’m not drinking this cup.”
What exactly was this cup? What was it that the Son of God saw as so painful? When you look at the other writers you can see that “this cup” caused Him incredible suffering. Luke tells us that as Jesus prayed, His sweat became as "drops of blood falling to the ground." I looked up bleeding in a medical dictionary and there is a rare disorder called "Hematodrosis" which is when, because of internal stress, that blood is actually excreted through the sweat glands. Remember the phrase in vs:34 says He was surprised. What was it that caused Him this much pain. Was it the whip? Others had been flogged before Him. Was it the cross? He knew that was coming. I think the answer is in Isaiah 53. Listen to what it says in vss:9-ff. “..though He had done no violence, nor was any deceit in His mouth. Yet it was God’s will to crush Him and cause Him to suffer..” How? “.. The Lord makes Him a guilt offering.” “After the suffering of his soul He will see the light.” “For He bore the sins of many..” I believe that the “cup” was the bearing of the sin and guilt of all humanity for all time. I think for the first time Jesus looked into the abyss called sin.. Not His sin.. But ALL sin, of all people.. Past, present and future. In this moment He stares into the blackness of all the sins ever committed or that would be committed. And when the sin of all time was placed on Jesus on the cross, it was as if God was holding the hand of His Son as he hung over a huge pit; then, while he hung on the cross, God willingly let go, and Jesus fell into the abyss of sin and guilt.. because of you and me. I have a hard time bearing my own guilt. What if I had to bear yours? Or you had to bear mine? Or, can you imagine, bearing the guilt of all sin? You begin to understand just a portion of Jesus’ suffering. No wonder He said, "Take this cup from me.” So He acknowledged that the Father could do all things and that He was in great need...
(3) He acknowledged God’s sovereignty. As terrible as it was Jesus was still willing to give God the control and He says, “Yet not what I will, but what you will.” He was willing to let it go.. “As children bring their broken toys with tears for us to mend.... I brought my broken dreams to God because I knew He was my friend. But then instead of leaving Him, in peace to work alone... I hung around and tried to help in ways that were my own. At last I snatched them back and cried, "How can you be so slow!.... "My child, He said, "What could I do? You never did let go." Jesus let go. Why? Because the theme for His whole life had been: God, you are greater than me, therefore I will depend completely on you.
III. THE TRANQUILITY FROM JESUS’ COMMITMENT: Vss:41b-42
Do you notice in our text that as terrible as this was for Jesus.. The threats and the pain.. that finally it was over? Vss:41a-42- “.. The hour has come. Look, the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!” . Notice the contrast in Jesus’ demeanor before and after. Before this time in prayer He is sorrowful, distressed, disappointed, troubled. After this time He is calm, peaceful, He has a quiet strength about Him that others couldn’t understand. Before this time with God He says, “Couldn’t you stay awake with Me one hour?” After this time with God He says: “Rise, Let us go!” In other words, “Okay, there is no other way.. So let’s go finish this thing!” I’ve always been in awe of Jesus from this moment on. He sets His face toward the accomplishment of His purpose and never looks back. What does He do? He calmly places an ear back on one of the arresting officers, He peacefully listens to the unfairness of the trial & the lying witness. He fearlessly endures the flogging and finally from the cross He says, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do." The only word I can come up with to measure His commitment in this time is the word, resolve. He is resolved to do the will of God. How could He have such peace and tranquility facing what He had to face? It’s all wrapped up in that small but mighty phrase... "..not what I will, but what You will." “Not what I think is important, but what You think is.” And if we are going to follow in Jesus’ steps and cultivate the type of commitment that He had, we need to do what He did. Three things as we close:
(1) He sought out the Father in prayer. He sought out God’s guidance. Now, for us today that means two things: communicating with God through prayer and listening to God through His Word. If you want to know God’s will for something so you can commit to it then you’ve got to saturate yourself with Scripture. Take the time to seek God’s face. I would encourage you to look up the scriptures I’ve put on your outline at this point. They all talk about seeking out the Father and the strength that comes from it. (2) He sought out friends with whom He could share. Now, yes, Jesus’ friends let Him down, but hadn’t they before this? Yet He still wanted them with Him. One of the best ways to know God’ s will and stay committed to it is by being accountable to others who are close to the Father. Psa. 1:1 tells us not to “walk in the counsel of the ungodly.” If you find yourself in a situation and you don’t want to hear what your spiritual leaders or one of your brothers or sisters in the Lord has to say.. That ought to be a red flag! Even Jesus wanted those who knew Him and God to be close to Him. (3) He set His heart on God’s ultimate care. The only way Jesus was able to persevere through the next hours was by giving Himself completely into God’s hands and by keeping His focus on His ultimate goal.. To do God’s will. We must do the same.. Heb.12:2- “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him, endured the cross, scorning its shame.. Consider Him who endured such opposition.. So that you will not grow weary and lose heart..” Or to paraphrase that last sentence: “So you’ll not grow weary & quit on your commitment to Him.” You want to stay faithful? Seek out the Father in prayer, seek out Christian friends with whom you can share and set your heart on God’s ultimate care..
"Richard Seltzer, a surgeon wrote this story that I’d like to share with you. Let me to read it as he wrote it. "I stand at the bed where a young Christian woman lies, her face post operative, her mouth twisted, clownish. The tiny facial nerve, the one to the muscles of her mouth has been severed. She will be thus from now on. I promise you that I followed with great care the curve of her mouth but in order to remove the tumor I had to cut the nerve. Her young husband is in the room, he stands at the opposite side of the bed and gazes at her tenderly. The young woman speaks, "Will my mouth always be like this?" "Yes," I say. "It will, because of the nerve I had to cut." She nods silently, her eyes filling with tears. But the young man smiles and says, "I like it, I think it’s kind of cute." All of once I know who is living in him in that moment. I lower my gaze for one is not bold when seeing the light of Christ shine through another. Unmindful, he bends to kiss the crooked mouth. And I am so close I can see how he twists his own lips to accommodate hers. To show her that the kiss still works." That’s what Jesus has done. He has suffered, and persevered, to show us that the kiss still works. That since He made it through all that He did, we can make it too when we say, “..Not what I will, but what you will O God.”
