Encounter Jesus – Mark Week 12

Jesus the Supplicant

Mark 14: 26-52

HANDOUT

Mark Week 12 – The Supplicant Handout

AUDIO

Lesson Notes

It’s still Thursday, the Last  Supper is finishing up. The weight of the moment is heavy on Jesus now as He prepares for the battle ahead.

Jesus Outlines the Next Few Days (Mark 14: 26-31)

  • Verse 26 – Sang hymns – the Hallel (Psalms 113-118) is sung at the end of the  Seder. Read Psalm 118.
  • Verse 26 – Jesus predicts they will all run away (Zechariah 13:7) to avoid being arrested with Jesus
    • “I will strike the sheep” – this arrest and crucifixion is the will and action of God!
    • Integral to God’s plan to redeem sinful mankind.
  • Verse 28 – Jesus predicts His resurrection again and says He will go to Galilee
  • Verses 29-31 – The Disciples Talk Tough
    • Peter claims he’ll be more brave than the others – he thought he was special
    • Jesus says his cowardice will be the worst – denial 3 times
    • All agreed they would die with Jesus rather than deny Him
    • They will ALL fail within a few hours. Why?
      • They are working out of their own strength – ultimately human strength and determination will always fail
      • Later they all will die for Jesus (except John). What changed? The Holy  Spirit. God’s presence, power, transformation, conviction, and strength

Prayer in Gethsemane (Mark 14: 32-42)

  • Verse 32 – they go to Gethsemane (“Oil Press”). most disciples are asked to sit and wait while Jesus prays.
  • Verses 33-34 – The inner circle (Peter, James, John) go in with Jesus
    • Jesus is distressed, troubled, sorrowful — even to death
    • We have never seen Jesus troubled before – this is very significant
    • Two truths about Jesus
      • He is fully human, we can easily forget this. He is about to suffer horribly – the scourging and crucifixion
      • He is fully God – He is about to bear the sin of the world
      • With that will come separation from God the Father who can’t tolerate sin
      • They’ve been in relationship for eternity, but it will be broken the next day
      • Instead of eternal love, He will face the wrath of the  Father – it’s not just disconnection, its wrath
      • 2 Corinthians 5: 21, “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin. so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”
      • So yes, Jesus is distressed!
      • “Remain here and watch” – the disciples are to be on guard, but not against physical attack, rather for their own spiritual strength and commitment
  • Verses 35-36 – “If it were possible, the hour might pass”
    • See Jesus’ passionate prayer!
    • Honest prayer – Jesus  would prefer this horrible experience didn’t happen to Him
    • All things are possible; Remove this cup
    • The cup of  God’s wrath! Isaiah 51: 17, Jeremiah 25: 15, etc.
    • Propitiation (e.g. 1 John 2:2) – Satisfying the righteous anger of God for our sin
    • “Yet not what I will, but what you will”
    • Excellent example of passionate, honest prayer for the will of God
  • Verses 37-38 – Disciples Fail!
    • They fall asleep after their big dinner and late night
    • Command to watch and pray to not fall into temptation – temptation to run away.
    • Their chance to seek God’s strength for the trail ahead and fulfill their boasting
    • Instead they just nap, so they fail
    • Spirit is willing – their bravado in verse 31
    • Flesh is weak – what actually happens in verse 50
    • They are weak in prayer and thus weak in trial
    • For us, the lesson is that amidst trial, watch and pray, there is not other way to stay strong but to rely on God
  • Repeat twice more
  • Verses 41-42 – The hour has come!

Betrayal and Arrest (Mark 14: 43-52)

  • Verse 43 – The crowd arrives – Judas, an armed force sent by chief priests, scribes, and elders
    • Those were the leaders who questioned Jesus’ authority and received the Parable of the  Wicked Tenants
  • Verses 44-45 – Betrayal with a kiss
  • Verse 47 – Resistance by Peter, cutting off an ear (Luke says Jesus healed the man)
  • Verses 48-49 – Jesus points out the cowardice of the leaders
    • Arresting him in the garden, at night with a posse as if he were a revolutionary
    • They could have arrested him any day of the week if they’d had courage
    • But that Scripture be fulfilled – Zechariah 13: 7, Isaiah 53: 4-9
  • Verses 50-52 – they all fled, just as predicted
    • The  young man – possibly John Mark, why else mention it here?

A Few Closing Thoughts

  • Jesus is in real agony and real distress – we should NEVER forget this. We tend to make these events somewhat bloodless and they are not.
  • He’s going to bear our transgressions, our sin, though He had never sinned.
  • He would be despised by God the Father; His body would be brutalized.
  • Yet it was all God’s Will (Isaiah 53: 10a) and His plan
    • To restore creation, to restore man’s ability to relate to God
    • To defeat sin, death, and Satan
    • To undo the curse of the Fall  – Genesis 3: 15 – this is the moment!
  • Romans 5: 8-11

 

Next week: Mark 14: 53-72 (Trial and Denial)