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15 February 2017
READING: MARK 14:27-42
‘You will all fall away,’ Jesus told them, ‘for it is written: “I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.” But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.’
Peter declared, ‘Even if all fall away, I will not.’
‘Truly I tell you,’ Jesus answered, ‘today – yes, tonight – before the cock crows twice you yourself will disown me three times.’
But Peter insisted emphatically, ‘Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.’ And all the others said the same.
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.’
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.’
Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. ‘Simon,’ he said to Peter, ‘are you asleep? Couldn’t you keep watch for one hour? Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is 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.
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 delivered into the hands of sinners. Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!’
REFLECTION
Welcome to Wednesday’s podcast. This is just one part of our daily rhythm here at STC. In addition to listening to this podcast, you can join with us as a staff team as we pray for three things each day at 3pm. And then find three things you can be thankful for today and share them with someone. Listen/Pray/Give thanks. Three simple things we are called to build into our lives to help us live as disciples each day.
Today’s reading comes from Mark 14: 27-42. I’m going to focus on verse 36 where we see Jesus doing one of those three key things: praying!
If I had to try and summarise what I feel God is saying to us through this verse it would be this – there is power in prayer.
Yesterday, we read how Jesus ate with his disciples in that upper room in Jerusalem. He then headed out of the city walls and onto the Mount of Olives to place called Gethsemane. Jesus tells his disciples to sit, to stay and remain close by whilst he goes off on his own to pray.
Reading from verse 36: “Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”
As I read this, three key things stand out to me
1. Jesus prayed. As disciples, we follow Jesus. Like in other passages throughout the Gospel accounts, we find Jesus praying. If he is the one we follow, the message is clear. We need to pray. I’m not the best prayer in the world but I do find having some sort of rhythm helpful. I pray first thing in the morning. We pray at 9am and 3pm as a staff team here. I try and pray before bed. Pray – find a rhythm that works for you, but the key thing is: pray! Clearly, Jesus had a rhythm of prayer in his life. We often read accounts of him taking time during his day to pray – often alone, often in a remote spot. The key thing though is Jesus prayed.
2. Be real. Jesus prayed, ‘Abba Father’. This is a phrase which in Jewish culture expressed a deep intimacy – the type one would have with a loving parent. Jesus prays to his Father. It’s in his father’s presence that Jesus could be honest and real about how he felt. ‘Take this cup from me,’ Jesus prayed. Jesus was fully God and fully man. Here, in his humanity he realises the agony of what he is about to go through – a brutally tortuous death on a cross and spiritual separation from his Father. He’s completely honest with God. Father, if there is any way I can avoid this, please show me how. Yet in his moment of complete desolation, Jesus is able to express that, ‘everything is possible for You’. He recognises that his father is in control and can remove this burden from his shoulders.
We too need to be real with God. There are times in our life when we face situations that we (a) don’t want to and (b) are completely not equipped for. An exam that we’re dreading? A difficult conversation we really don’t want to have? An appointment we have to go to? A set of test results we’re waiting on? It’s in these times that we need, more than ever, to bring it to God. To lay it all out before him and say, ‘I don’t know what to do. I can’t do this on my own. I need you to step in.’ Jesus shows us that we can be real with God when we pray.
3. Prayer leads to trust. Jesus prays, ‘Yet not what I will, but what you will.’ Despite knowing all that he is about to go through, it’s clear that Jesus trusted the Father. He trusts that this is the way, the only way in which humanity can be rescued and redeemed. He accepts the path laid before Him. He trusts in the Father.
Where does this trust come from? Through relationship. Through knowing someone intimately. The Trinity – Father, Son and Spirit are in relationship. God is all about relationship. God is love. Part of love is trust.
So, how we learn to trust God more? We pray, we be real and honest with God and then in that place, in that moment where we are in need – he steps in. He reminds of who he is and who we are. And in that moment we learn again what it is to trust God.
PRAYER
Jesus, teach us again how to pray. Help us to learn the discipline of creating a rhythm of prayer in our life. Help us to be real and honest, knowing that you see us as we are. Jesus – whatever it is we seek from you today, help us to bring it before you now. And that as we do so, that we would know you are Lord and that we can trust you in the now, and trust you in future. Give us faith this day we pray.
Amen.
Want to get this podcast regularly? See http://stthomascrookes.org/podcast/
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By STC SheffieldREADING: MARK 14:27-42
‘You will all fall away,’ Jesus told them, ‘for it is written: “I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.” But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.’
Peter declared, ‘Even if all fall away, I will not.’
‘Truly I tell you,’ Jesus answered, ‘today – yes, tonight – before the cock crows twice you yourself will disown me three times.’
But Peter insisted emphatically, ‘Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.’ And all the others said the same.
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.’
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.’
Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. ‘Simon,’ he said to Peter, ‘are you asleep? Couldn’t you keep watch for one hour? Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is 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.
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 delivered into the hands of sinners. Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!’
REFLECTION
Welcome to Wednesday’s podcast. This is just one part of our daily rhythm here at STC. In addition to listening to this podcast, you can join with us as a staff team as we pray for three things each day at 3pm. And then find three things you can be thankful for today and share them with someone. Listen/Pray/Give thanks. Three simple things we are called to build into our lives to help us live as disciples each day.
Today’s reading comes from Mark 14: 27-42. I’m going to focus on verse 36 where we see Jesus doing one of those three key things: praying!
If I had to try and summarise what I feel God is saying to us through this verse it would be this – there is power in prayer.
Yesterday, we read how Jesus ate with his disciples in that upper room in Jerusalem. He then headed out of the city walls and onto the Mount of Olives to place called Gethsemane. Jesus tells his disciples to sit, to stay and remain close by whilst he goes off on his own to pray.
Reading from verse 36: “Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”
As I read this, three key things stand out to me
1. Jesus prayed. As disciples, we follow Jesus. Like in other passages throughout the Gospel accounts, we find Jesus praying. If he is the one we follow, the message is clear. We need to pray. I’m not the best prayer in the world but I do find having some sort of rhythm helpful. I pray first thing in the morning. We pray at 9am and 3pm as a staff team here. I try and pray before bed. Pray – find a rhythm that works for you, but the key thing is: pray! Clearly, Jesus had a rhythm of prayer in his life. We often read accounts of him taking time during his day to pray – often alone, often in a remote spot. The key thing though is Jesus prayed.
2. Be real. Jesus prayed, ‘Abba Father’. This is a phrase which in Jewish culture expressed a deep intimacy – the type one would have with a loving parent. Jesus prays to his Father. It’s in his father’s presence that Jesus could be honest and real about how he felt. ‘Take this cup from me,’ Jesus prayed. Jesus was fully God and fully man. Here, in his humanity he realises the agony of what he is about to go through – a brutally tortuous death on a cross and spiritual separation from his Father. He’s completely honest with God. Father, if there is any way I can avoid this, please show me how. Yet in his moment of complete desolation, Jesus is able to express that, ‘everything is possible for You’. He recognises that his father is in control and can remove this burden from his shoulders.
We too need to be real with God. There are times in our life when we face situations that we (a) don’t want to and (b) are completely not equipped for. An exam that we’re dreading? A difficult conversation we really don’t want to have? An appointment we have to go to? A set of test results we’re waiting on? It’s in these times that we need, more than ever, to bring it to God. To lay it all out before him and say, ‘I don’t know what to do. I can’t do this on my own. I need you to step in.’ Jesus shows us that we can be real with God when we pray.
3. Prayer leads to trust. Jesus prays, ‘Yet not what I will, but what you will.’ Despite knowing all that he is about to go through, it’s clear that Jesus trusted the Father. He trusts that this is the way, the only way in which humanity can be rescued and redeemed. He accepts the path laid before Him. He trusts in the Father.
Where does this trust come from? Through relationship. Through knowing someone intimately. The Trinity – Father, Son and Spirit are in relationship. God is all about relationship. God is love. Part of love is trust.
So, how we learn to trust God more? We pray, we be real and honest with God and then in that place, in that moment where we are in need – he steps in. He reminds of who he is and who we are. And in that moment we learn again what it is to trust God.
PRAYER
Jesus, teach us again how to pray. Help us to learn the discipline of creating a rhythm of prayer in our life. Help us to be real and honest, knowing that you see us as we are. Jesus – whatever it is we seek from you today, help us to bring it before you now. And that as we do so, that we would know you are Lord and that we can trust you in the now, and trust you in future. Give us faith this day we pray.
Amen.
Want to get this podcast regularly? See http://stthomascrookes.org/podcast/