In the name of God who wants everyone to come to repentance (2 Pe 3:9)—admitting our wrong that goes against him and appreciating our rescue that comes from him. Amen.
We all wrestle with it every day—every single person in every age group (1 Co 10:13). No one excluded—from young to old. No one is exempted—from school age and below to retirement age and above. It is from the time when we crawl out of bed in the morning until the time when we climb back in in the evening.
Any guesses? It is not being tired. That may be correct at times. It is being tempted. That is critical in life.
What is it though? We should have a working definition of “temptation.” The catechism suggests this: “Any situation in which someone may be led into sin, false belief, or despair” (Luther’s Catechism p. 348). Our old evil foe jabs at us where we are vulnerable. Our ugly sinful nature jumps in. And the everyday sinful world joins in. It is no laughing matter when they want us to fail often and fall hard.
No. This is serious. No wonder Jesus taught us to pray: “Lead us not into temptation” (Mt 6:13). Temptation is not just dangerous; it is deadly as it causes us to make our way from God, not to him.
Where can we turn when there is an attack or an assault against us? Not looking to our strength, but leaning on our Savior.
We get that as we go to the Garden. Jesus and the Eleven had made their way to Gethsemane from the Passover celebration in the Upper Room (Mk 14:32). (Remember Judas had left to lead Jesus’ enemies to him. They would meet up in a bit.) It is in that secluded olive grove that we stop for a while—to listen in and to learn from.
Jesus sits eight of them down. And then he grabs those three—Peter, James, and John. Recall what Jesus allowed them to see firsthand? They had walked into that little girl’s room with him. They had watched with her mom and dad as Jesus took her hand. He raised the 12-year old from the dead as he said, “Talitha koum!” (Mk 5:41). And she got up. Then at that unnamed mountain in the north, they saw Jesus in his all his glory as God spoke about him and to him: “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!” (Mk 9:3).
But this is different. It is difficult. Well it would have been if their eyes had stayed open long enough to witness what was going on. Jesus had not asked too much of them: “Stay here and keep watch” (Mk 14:34). We might compare it to if you want someone by your side for some company and compassion before you are headed into the operating room. And your close friend is taking a siesta off in the corner of the room. That kind of support and sympathy are not helpful.
Instead of a source of comfort from this inner circle, there was nothing more than a chorus of snores from these men. We can hardly blame them. It had been a long week of fierce attacks from his foes. And a long day with a fine meal—not just a sacrificial lamb, but the Lord’s Supper. And now it is late. It is not too hard to understand. We barely make it through the 9:00 o’clock news let alone stay up long enough for the 10:00 o’clock edition. We wake up from our nap only to turn in for the night. Add to that they were exhausted by their sadness (Lk 22:45). There would be a betrayal and a denial. Jesus leaving; the Holy Spirit coming. All that and more.
After Jesus poured out his heart to his Father the first time, he came back to them. Peter had been anything but rocklike. That is why there is the mild rebuke: “Simon, … are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for one hour?” (Mk 14:37). This was the same one who had boasted that he was willing even to die with Jesus (Mk 14:31). The others bragged along the same lines. Where was all of that bravery and bravado now? It is not so impressive when they didn’t have the strength to keep their eyelids from drooping. They promised so much and proved so little.
So Jesus encourages them: “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation” (Mk 14:38).
“Keep on watching.” That is important when it comes to the driver behind the wheel and the hitter at the plate. You can steer a car or swing a bat with eyes shut. That ends in disaster. We want to be on the lookout for Satan’s temptations. Because he is relentless. He will allow us no rest. He prowls around only to destroy (1 Pe 5:8). So quickly and easily we let our guard down. A little laziness in hearing God’s Word or not acting according to it. Our souls slowly fade into sweet slumber.
“Continue to pray.” That is imperative when it comes to those who are confused in school or befuddled at work. Ask for help from a teacher or supervisor. We have the ear of the One who will provide a way out of temptation (1 Co 10:13). Jesus was tempted too. Yet he was without sin (He 4:15). Think of that 40-day ordeal in the desert—face to face with his worst enemy (Mk 1:12,13). One of them was to bow down and worship him so that none of the nails would be necessary (Mt 4:8,9). But Jesus is stronger than Satan. He can aid us in saying “no” to temptation (Ti 2:12). Temptation doesn’t have to equal sin as if to comment, “The devil made me do it.”
Jesus explains why they watching and praying is so necessary. “The spirit is willing, but the body is weak” (Mk 14:38). Our spiritual nature is eager, but our sinful nature is evil. Good intentions don’t always translate into great actions.
The next few hours and days would be rough for the disciples. Satan would have them stumble as Jesus is placed on trial where he would be condemned and put to death by being crucified. It is hard on us too. But the cross is where Jesus carried our sin to complete our salvation. But Easter Sunday is there too.
But let us not focus on those men and their catnap. But watch Jesus pray. We go about as far away from Peter, James, and John as we might throw a stone (Lk 22:41). Mark reports: “He began to be deeply distressed and troubled” (Mk 14:33). This horror was real at what was ahead. The suffering for sin and the separation from God on the cross was a day away. There was intense anguish along with extreme agony. Go back to the hospital room when you await the surgeon’s scalpel. But this is way beyond that. And Jesus relays: “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death” (Mk 14:34). This was profound. We cannot fathom the depth. Nor will we ever be able to or even have to. This was no exaggeration. He was exact.
So he offered up his petitions (He 5:7). With his face in the dirt, he implored “that if possible the hour might pass from him” (Mk 14:35). This was the Father’s appointed time for the Son’s sacrifice for us followed by his resurrection. Was there a plan B like therapy rather than surgery?
Jesus did recoil at the prospect. It is gruesome and gory. So the appeal with the same trust of a child to his dad when there is something troubling: “Abba, Father, … everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me” (Mk 14:38). But he did not refuse the plan. And he is emphatic: “Yet not what I will, but what you will” (Mk 14:36). “It is all about your wish, not mine.” Jesus lived what he instructed on that hillside with his model prayer: “This is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, … your will be done on earth as it is in heaven’” (Mt 6:10).
But there was no other way. It was the Lord’s will to crush him (Is 53:10). The Father was pushing the cup and pressing it firmly against Jesus’ lips. And he would drink it to the very dregs. By himself and all alone—without his sleeping companions, or us.
What makes the difference in this discussion is what is in the cup. It is not like a cool glass of water on a hot day or a hot cup of coffee on a cold day. This is not about soothing. It is all about suffering. Look inside how bitter and bad it is. The rebellion of Adam. The adultery of David. The idolatry of Israel. The denial of Peter. And we could go on. And on. And we haven’t even mentioned your guilt and mine—my words to hurt, my deeds to harm, my thoughts to please. Today’s long list of those things would be evidence enough against me. You too. But it’s all in the cup. And that cup is full. But Jesus makes them his own and makes us his own. Jesus carried out the Father’s will by carting all the times that we have been tempted and succumbed all to Calvary. He was the sole object of God’s wrath for our sin. Jesus shouldered so we don’t have to. It is all gone because Jesus did it all (2 Co 5:21).
Temptation will not go away on earth until we go away to heaven. It will rear its ugly head day after day, better again and again, throughout every 24 hours that we have—leading us into sin, false belief, or despair. Dr. Martin Luther once quipped: “You can’t keep the birds from flying overhead, but you can keep them from building a nest in your hair.” Satan is good at tempting. But our Savior is better at triumphing. Turn not to yourself. Turn to your Savior when you face temptations. Only Jesus. Always Jesus.
We read from Mark 14:32-38:
32 They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.”
33 He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled.
34 “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,” he said to them. “Stay here and keep watch.”
35 Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him.
36 “Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”
37 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?
38 Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.”
To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen (Re 1:6).
March 22, 2017
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