Take This Cup From Me - Mark 14:32-36 Series

Do you see why I don’t want to call this mere acceptance or surrender? It’s Jesus highest, strong-est desire. That’s the goal in prayer—to get to that point.

Everything Is Possible … Except Nonsense

One quick word about this phrase “if it is possible.” Why say, “If it is possible” if he already said everything is possible for God? The answer is this: When the Bible says all things are possible for God, it means God has enough power to do any good thing. But there are things that don’t fall within the realm of possibility because they are nonsense. Can God make a married bachelor or a round square? No, not because he lacks the power or wisdom, but because a married bachelor and a round square are nonsense. Those are just misuses of language. And nonsense doesn’t become any less non-sensical just because you put the words, “God can” in front it. Asking if God can make a round square is like saying, “God can blah blah blah blah.” It’s not saying something that has any meaning.

And the same is true of asking, “Can God do evil”? No, he can’t—not for lack of power, but be-cause God doing evil is self-contradictory nonsense.

Basically, what Jesus is praying is, “Father, take this cup from me—take it away, unless what I’m asking is nonsense. If I’m asking you to do wrong, then of course that’s not a possibility. I’m only asking for it if it’s possible for you to do it and still be God.” That’s what “if possible” means. God, please do this if it can fit into your perfect plan. But if it can’t, I don’t want anything to do with it.

And isn’t it wonderful that we can count on God to sort through what’s possible and what’s non-sense? Isn’t it great that you don’t have to figure that out before you pray? Nothing causes more mis-ery in our lives and brings more destruction than getting our own way when our way is the wrong way. Isn’t it wonderful that we can count on God to say no to prayers for that which would harm us?

Moving Your Will

Now, anyone can say the words, “Not my will but yours,” but there’s a difference between saying that and really desiring it. Again, the title of this third point is crucial—the higher desire. We get so married to our desires that you might have to dance a long time before your heart embraces God’s will. Or to use another metaphor, you might have to wrestle a long time—wrestle all night (like Jesus did) before the wrestling turns into dancing. Remember, the goal is not for your will to be steamrolled by God’s will. The goal is for you wills to coalesce—for God to happily grant whichever parts of your re-quest are possible and for you to embrace whichever parts of his plan are immovable. And that brings us to the fourth heading, which is actually the beginning of the prayer.

The Intimate Appeal

I’ll call it The Intimate Appeal. Look how he begins his prayer:

36 Abba, Father

Abba

If Jesus’ argument is “all things are possible for you,” then you might expect a different address. Maybe something like, “Almighty God, all things are possible for you.” Or “Lord of Hosts, all things are possible for you.” But Jesus doesn’t go that route. You address God in prayer with whatever title for God you most want to appeal to. And what Jesus needs most right now what he needs most is in-timacy.