Dwell in the Word Mark 14:26-42

Think on these questions as you dwell in Mark 14:26-42:

1. Reflecting on Peter's initial declaration of unwavering loyalty and the subsequent events in Gethsemane, what does this reveal about human frailty and our tendency to fall short of our own commitments? How does Jesus' understanding of our weaknesses provide comfort and assurance?

2. The disciples struggled to remain awake and pray with Jesus during his distress in Gethsemane. How does this scene highlight the contrast between our good intentions and our actual capacity to overcome our fleshly desires? What lessons can we draw from Jesus' exhortation to "watch and pray"?

3. As the events unfold, it becomes clear that the disciples, including Peter, will not be able to maintain their fidelity to Jesus. How does this narrative serve as a poignant reminder of our need for a faithful Savior who willingly endured suffering and betrayal on our behalf? How does Jesus' unwavering commitment offer hope and assurance to us today?

Transcript:

As we progress through Mark, we keep getting to stories that we know, don't we? It's interesting the way that Mark tells this story because it starts out with them singing a hymn, Everything seems fine. Yes, Jesus has talked about the betrayal, and he instituted the Lord's Supper, but everything seems to be pretty good. They're walking around freely, they're singing. They're not in hiding or anything. Well, Jesus is going to let them know that it's time. This betrayal that he's been talking about, this suffering that he has been anticipating is now upon them. And so, Jesus says to them, Hey, you're going to all fall away. You're all going to do it. But they are like, No. Peter starts, and he says, There's no way. And so we have the disciple who comes across as the most loyal, the most adamant about being faithful to Jesus. And he starts by saying, No, I will not fall away. But Jesus says, Hey, you're going to betray me. You're not just going to betray me once, you're going to betray me three times. You're going to truly betray me. But Peter continues, If I must die with you, I will not deny you.

And then here is an interesting point, and they all said the same, every last one of them, we see Peter's part of the story, and we see his emphatic denial that he'll betray Jesus, but every one of them says it, every last one of the disciples. But then the story continues, and we keep on seeing a foreshadowing of what is going to happen with the disciples and how they're going to betray him. And so he went to Gethsemane, asked the disciples to pray, but he took Peter, James, and John. These are supposed to be the three most loyal guys to him, and they're there, and they're asked to pray, they're asked to remain with him. Jesus is clearly filled with sorrow. It says he's distressed and troubled, and they couldn't even remain faithful to pray for him and remain awake with him as he was going through this difficult process. And so, what we're seeing here, and the way Mark is telling the story is, Peter says he's going to be faithful. Everybody agrees. Then we have the three in the inner circle, Peter, James, and John, we see them. They can't do it. Peter is there.

It's a foreshadowing of what is going to happen. Jesus says to Simon, says to Peter, Are you asleep? Could you not watch one hour? The idea is, if you couldn't stay awake one hour with me in the midst of my distress over this, how are you going to stand when I am truly suffering at the hands of the Romans? And so Jesus says, watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. And then there's this famous statement, the Spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. How true? How true? We have this desire within us to be faithful. Yeah, I'm going to stand with you. I'm going to do this. We feel this desire, but the flesh is weak. And not just in the fact that we get tired, but that we have desires that lead us away from Christ. We want what we want. We desire what we think is best for us. And so Jesus is showing us here that the betrayal of the disciples keeps on multiplying because we have them saying they're not going to. And then we have the three who can't stay awake. And eventually we know the story, we're going to get to Peter and his betrayal three times.

He couldn't even remain faithful this one evening. And so, we come to the end of the story, and we see where the story is going. And we know it's going here. This is where the story has been leading us. Jesus has been talking about his betrayal. He's been talking about his suffering, and the disciples just don't get it. They just don't get it. And so Jesus comes down one last time, and he says, The son of men is betrayed into the hand of sinners, rise. Let us be going. See, my betrayer is in hand. The disciples haven't been getting it, but now they're going to see it firsthand. They're going to see this betrayal by one of them, and then it's going to amplify, not with a betrayal, but a denial, being afraid to confess Jesus, being afraid to be associated with him. We see where the story is going. We know where the story is going, but it's just a wonderful thing to see the way Mark is telling it, because as we think about how this applies to us, I think each and every one of us would have been like the disciples.

We would have been like the disciples. No way, Jesus, there's no way we would betray you. And then we would have been honored to be with the inner circle if we were Peter, James, or John, right? Yeah, Jesus, we can stay and pray. But as the night wore on and as the difficulty came in, we know what happens. We know what happens with us. We fail to be faithful, like we are called to be faithful. And so, what this is showing us and the reminder for us today is how desperately we need the faithfulness of Jesus for us, because we are not going to do this on our own. Even if the spirit is willing, the flesh is weak. We need a savior who will suffer and die for us, who will go. Even though Jesus was praying that this cup would be taken from him, even though he is afraid and distressed, he is going. He is getting up and he is going. He's going to that cross for you and I. This story is a beautiful reminder for us of how desperately we need Christ. When we fail, when we betray our commitment to Christ, when we deny him, may we remember that he did not deny the cross.

He went to it for us, and there is forgiveness and there is grace. And so may we, when we remember that grace, be built up in faith. May we turn in repentance and desire to be faithful to Him going forward.