6 Weeks to Resurrection: The Night of Gethsemane

There are three actions emphasized in Mark’s narrative regarding the Gethsemane event that lead into the crucifixion, that warrant further investigation. 

1. The kiss of Judas. Mark uses the normal word for kiss, which means "to love," in telling of the arrangement Judas had made with the chief priests. They were to seize the one whom he (Judas) kissed. In the actual moment, when Judas carries this deed out, Mark uses an different form of that word, that means a prolonged kiss, a lover's kiss -- a deliberate, prolonged, apparent-ly loving act, yet done with cold determination to accomplish his own purpose. We shudder at the thought and speak with disgust at those who would do such a thing. Yet, this same heart can exist within us, and at times we do the same type of thing – especially in mob mentalities. We “sacrifice” someone with “a word of kindness,” then leave them to vultures who do nothing but tear and rend.  Judas “thought” he was doing right. I wonder what he was thinking when he hung himself over what he had done after the fact.
2. Second is Peter's “defense.”  Peter is in this passage, trying to make a show of carrying out what he believed. He grabs the sword and, as the priests and soldiers move in on Jesus, he slashes away. But so poor is his aim that all he does is lop off the ear of the high priest's servant. This is such a beautiful example of the flesh at work! We may strike out in our attempts to carry out our purposes, but all we accomplish is the lopping-off of somebody's ear. Attempts to do what we think is right -- but it is not of the Lord. We have all done this. The glorious thing, Luke tells us, is that Jesus reached out and touched that servant and healed his ear. How many lopped-off ears have we been responsible for during our lifetime that Jesus has to come behind us and heal because we thought we were doing what is right.
3. Third is the sudden flight of the disciples. They all forsook him. I am sure this means that, at that moment, after three-and-a-half years, all their confidence that Jesus was indeed the Messiah suddenly forsook them. His willingness to give himself over without any resistance into the hands of his enemies and his refusal to defend himself in any way becomes, in their eyes, his renunciation of being the Messiah. Now it is every man for himself, and so they flee. In Luke's account of the resurrection - remember that as two disciples walked along the road to Emmaus, a stranger appeared, a man whom they did not recognize, and they discussed with him the events that had taken place in Jerusalem. They said to him, concerning Jesus of Nazareth, "We had hoped (notice the past tense) that he was the one who would redeem Israel," (Luke 24:21). Their hope was gone, so they forsook him and fled.  And thus the smiting of the shepherd resulted in the scattering of the sheep.

Mark adds what is almost a postscript in Verse 51 “And a young man followed him, with nothing but a linen cloth about his body; and they seized him, but he left the linen cloth and ran away naked.” (Mk 14:51-52)  Whoever this young man is, it is explaining to us how we get the account of Gethsemane. None of the disciples could have given it. One was with those who were arresting Jesus, one who betrayed him and killed himself before he could have written anything (Mt.27:5; Acts 1:17,18). Seven of them were in a part of the garden some distance from Jesus. Three of them were close to him, but they were sound asleep and could not have heard the crying and the prayers; they did not see the angel come and minister to him. But somebody was watching. A certain young man (perhaps Mark himself), was there watching the whole thing. He is the one giving us the story, that we might have hope in the hour of our Gethsemane. This account can help us, when we either feel that we do not want to do what God tells us to do, or feel confident that somehow we can work it out in our own strength. In that hour, this account to reminds us that we can “come to the throne of grace and find mercy and grace to help in time of need."

Someone may be in Gethsemane's Garden right now. So, who are we? Judas? Peter lopping off ears? The running disciples? – or maybe even the young man? There may be some who have just come through it. Will we open our eyes and hearts to understand this passage? We have Jesus, risen from the dead, who goes before us to meet us. The shepherd upon whom we can rely, to whom we can go in the hour of anguish and find the strength -  to do what we do not want to do to obey when we would rather do something else. Are you in Gethsemane?

Jim

Prayer Meetings and Groups WORK!

You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many.

2 Cor 1:11 

Honestly, I don’t know how this works. I just know that it does, and there is not only example of it in the scripture, but testimony within the scripture of the answers to that prayer and how effective it was when employed. It is evident, that there is additional power in group prayer that is not there when you just pray by yourself. But another truth to this, is that you can’t do this without sharing both your needs as well as contribute in prayer for another’s.  

The Bible says, “If any two agree as touching anything it shall be done” and “Where two or more are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” (Mt.18:19,20). It is pride that keeps us from sharing, and fear. Pride inhibits us, deceiving us into believing that we can “handle it ourselves.” This is Satan’s old trump card, that we don’t need God. We don’t need to talk to God, ask God or even anyone else to handle our issues – we can do it ourselves.  Yet, this is not what Jesus teaches us. He teaches us …the more the better! But now, once we get past pride, we need to overcome fear. It is a sad thing, that people under the guise of calling themselves Christians have abused other Christians or abused their trust. People sharing burdens that they entrusted others with to ask for prayers, was spread throughout an entire town. People sharing burdens were told that they shouldn't do that it meant they were weak. And then the "coup de grace," we shouldn't share things and pray for one another because of what some hustler promised or did in the past.  If you KNOW God, then you know that any of the things we just mentioned is not from God but from Satan.

The truth?  You need that power of prayer and sharing with others, to get through what you’re going through. That’s why you need to ask others to pray for you.  Paul taught, in Gal.6:2, “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” What is the law of Christ? “Love your neighbor as yourself. (Mt.22:37-40)” When you pray for other people, you are practicing the commandment of loving your neighbor as yourself. When they pray for you, they are loving you as themselves.

Who are the people in your life you can go to with your prayer requests and trust that they will pray for you? For us here in our little town, it is our local family of God. It may be your small group, a support group you meet with, your personal family. What is important, is find someone that you can meet with, talk to and share with. There are always going to be abusers out there, but trusting God is better than anything that man can do to you.  God’s people are out there, and they want to welcome you into their family and want to pray with you and for you. You can start today, by helping by prayer. Like Paul, there will be many that will give thanks for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many.

Jim

CONDEMN - OR HAVE MERCY! - WHAT SAY YOU?

Many who are "outsiders" would describe Christians in general as being judgmental. We might scuff this off as their being ignorant of Christ, or the way of God. Granted, there may be times when these perceptions are biased, but if we take a sincere look inside our hearts it is hard to deny that there is truth behind these perceptions. What is perhaps just as disturbing is that many times we don’t even realize the nature of our own hearts. So, if we feel that part of the problem is ourselves, how do we change that? If you are still unsure on whether you struggle in this area, take the following short quiz.

Take out a piece of paper. Write two names near the top: “Rahab” and “Woman at the Well.” Now write a short description of each person. Write whatever pops into your head first. (If these biblical characters are new to you, read about them in Josh. 2 and John 4).

• Now, what about Rahab? What's the first thing that comes to mind? Harlot - prostitute! Yet, do we consider that she is one of the few women mentioned in Hebrews 11 as a woman of great faith? But what is she more often called? Rahab the Faithful, or Rahab the Prostitute? Do we even mention that she was in the genealogy of Christ? Yet, we frown upon her because of what she was, we do not praise her for what she became.
• Now, how many wrote something about the woman at the well being immoral? It is interesting, that many have the perception that immorality is what she has become most known for, yet the actual biblical text says nothing of the sort. She might have been. We might even say, "Well the text does say that she had had five husbands and the man she was living with was not her husband." She could have been immoral, or each of her husbands could have died leaving her to return to her father childless and without a provider for her, and in her day that certainly would make her an outcast. But, we naturally assume the worst. Why not try to assume the best? Let’s say that the text made it clearer, and said specifically that she really had behaved in immoral ways. Why is it that this is still the first thing we associate her with? Do we even stop to think that she believed Jesus was the Messiah and brought many people to hear him? Do we stop to consider that it was through her that many came to believe (Jn.4:39)? What faith she must have had!

These two women are not alive in our time, but it shows us that even when it comes to the deceased we can have negativity. None of us are immune to a critical or judgmental attitude. We sometimes are so quick to criticize the wrongs in society , yet in turn, so slow to do what we know is right. Scripture clearly says, “Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins” (James 4:17). Sin can be a sin of commission (i.e., done deliberately) or of omission (i.e., something that should have been done but was not). The Bible also says, “For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all” (James 2:10). All sin is the same in God’s eyes. Some sins might yield worse consequences than others, but we are all sinners who have fallen short of God’s glory (Rom. 3:23).

The "prodigal brother" could not find compassion in his heart for his returning brother. He could NOT see the good! He states, "'Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!' (Lk.15:19,20)." He could not see the faith it took for the son to return, or the attitude with which he had to return. He should be judged! He disobeyed! What say you?

Be careful of your answer - it may come back to bite you (Heb.4:12)!

Jim