The Good News of Jesus


02/28/2010 - Daddy's Will is Best



When I was a kid growing up Muhammad Ali was at the peak of his boxing career. In fact, believe it or not I'm old enough to remember when Muhammad Ali wasn't Muhammad Ali. He was Cassius Clay when he knocked out Sonny Liston in 1964 and earned his first heavyweight title. Shortly after that he changed his name and all through the 60's and 70's he was "the greatest" beating up on Joe Frazier and George Foreman and pretty much everybody else who had the guts to step into the ring.

But after his boxing career was over I kind of lost track of Ali for a number of years until I saw him on television and when I did I couldn't believe my eyes. He had contracted Parkinson's disease and needed a walker to get out on stage. His hands were shaking, he had trouble talking, and he didn't look anything like the strong heavyweight champion he once was. Instead, it looked like anybody could have beaten him up. He looked so feeble and helpless. It was sad.

It's tough seeing someone who was the image of strength and vitality become weak and vulnerable. This week we heard that Brian Westbrook was released from the Eagles. He suffered two concussions this past season and he's not the same dominating running back that he used to be.

It's especially difficult when that person is a friend or a family member who's been a pillar of strength to you. It's hard to watch your grandparents and then your own parents age. It feels awkward at first when you have to care for those who for most of their life have cared for you. Sometimes it comes gradually and at other times it comes suddenly. But it's never easy. It's always a challenge.

This morning we're going to see a side of Jesus that we haven't seen before. So far in our journey through the gospel of Mark we've seen a strong, vibrant Jesus working mighty miracles, healing the sick, raising the dead, driving out demons, stilling storms, walking on water, delivering powerful teaching, and confounding critics with his brilliant intellect. Jesus is the epitome of strength and vitality and through it all his disciples had come to marvel at him, rely on him, depend on him, and even worship him.

But today that's all going to change. Today we're going to see a different Jesus, a vulnerable Jesus, a distressed and dependent Jesus who's going to need help. He's going to need his friends to be there for him, to pray for him, and to help shoulder the enormous burden that he feels. But will they come through? Will they be there for him in his time of need as he's been there for them? This morning we continue our sacred climb to the cross with a visit to some very holy ground. If you have a Bible turn with me to Mark 14:32-42.

Now remember we're coming to the end of Passion Week, the last week of Jesus' life. It's Thursday night and Jesus has just celebrated the Passover with his disciples in an upper room in downtown Jerusalem. The meal is over. The feast is finished. Jesus and his disciples have just sung a closing hymn together and left the room for the Mount of Olives.

In the meantime, Judas was on his way to alert the authorities that Jesus was headed for his favorite spot, a garden filled with olive trees at the base of the mountain called Gethsemane which in Hebrew means "olive press." John tells us in his gospel that Jesus often met with his disciples in that garden and Judas knew it. So under a brilliant full moon, Jesus and eleven of his friends wind their way down the steep Kidron Valley and over to the olive press while Judas is headed up the Temple Mount to round up his posse.

The Kidron Valley that they crossed to get to Gethsemane was called the black valley after the Hebrew word "Kidron" which means dark or black. The valley was literally black from the blood of the sacrifices that were offered on the Temple Mount directly above. There was a drain under the altar and the blood of countless sacrifices over the years flowed through that drain and emptied out into the Kidron Valley below. Jesus had crossed that valley many times, but this would be the last time he'd cross it before his own blood would be shed.

Look at Mark 14:32-33,They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, "Sit here while I pray." 33He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled.

Once again we see Jesus taking his inner circle onto some very sacred soil. Remember it was Peter, James and John that Jesus took with him up Mount Herman to witness his transfiguration, to see his glory, and to hear the voice of his Father declare, "This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!" Now he takes these same three men deeper into the garden to witness his agony.

Verse 34, "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death," he said to them. "Stay here and keep watch."

Jesus is becoming overwhelmed with sadness as the cross draws near. We don't understand all that he means by that, at least I don't, but I'm sure there was the sorrow over Judas' betrayal. Jesus loved Judas. At the Passover meal Jesus had quoted Psalm 41:9, Even my close friend, someone I trusted, one who shared my bread, has lifted up his heel against me. Right up to the end Jesus had offered Judas his love and forgiveness, but he refused.

There was the sorrow over Peter's upcoming denial. "Truly I tell you, today, yes, tonight, before the rooster crows twice you yourself will disown me three times," Mark 14:30.

There was the sorrow that all his friends would desert him and fall away. He quotes from Zechariah 13:7, "I will strike the shepherd and the sheep will be scattered," Mark 14:27.

Then there was the unspeakable sorrow and sheer terror of bearing the sins of the whole world in his body and breaking the eternal fellowship that he had always enjoyed with his heavenly Father. "Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani? My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" he will scream from the cross in Matthew 27:46.

And I'm sure there was much more that we can't even begin to comprehend. The weight of his mission to save the world is pressing down hard on Jesus in olive press.

My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch.

Look at verse 35-36, 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."

Jesus Christ, the Messiah, the Son of the living God, the pillar of strength collapses to the ground. Matthew says he fell on his face. Luke tells us that his anguish is so deep that he sweats drops of blood which physicians say is possible under acute stress.

And he prays that this hour might pass from him. He asks his Daddy, that's what Abba means, it's an Aramaic word that means Daddy. "Daddy, Father, you can do anything. Please take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will."

What's Jesus asking God to do? Is he asking him to take away the cross? Is he asking him to abort the mission that he's been so determined to accomplish? Was the cross the cup that he wanted removed? Many scholars believe that it is.

But God doesn't remove the cross does he? It's not his will to spare Jesus from the horrendous suffering that he's about to endure. And Jesus knows that may be the case and so he prays "not my will be done, but your will be done."

Sometimes God doesn't answer our prayers, does he? Sometimes we beg and we plead and we feel like we're sweating drops of blood, but our Daddy doesn't respond. Instead, he seems to dig in his heels even more, determined to teach us what it means to pray "not my will be done, but your will be done." And as hard as that is, I believe that God has his reasons. And I'm convinced that they're good ones because at the end of the day God's will, not my will is what's most important. Who am I to tell God what to do?

That's the theme of the Lord's Prayer in Matthew 6:9-10, "Our Father, our Daddy, in heaven, hallowed be your name, 10your kingdom come, you will be done, on earth as it is in heaven."

What cup of suffering or trial or discomfort or disappointment or frustration is going on in your life right now? What prayer are you praying that may need the phrase, "Daddy, Father, not my will be done, but your will be done?" That's a good caveat to add to all our requests because Daddy loves us and Daddy knows best. And if we don't add that to our prayers we might just spend the rest of our life frustrated and angry and completely miss out on what God wants to do in our lives.

So, many scholars believe that the cup Jesus was asking God to remove was the cup of the cross. But others think it was another cup. It wasn't the cup of dying that Jesus wanted removed, it was the cup of death itself. In other words, Jesus knew the cross was up ahead. He talked openly about it. He had just held up the bread and the cup at the Passover Seder a few hours before and said, "This is my body which is broken for you and this is my blood which is poured out for you."

It wasn't dying that Jesus was asking God to save him from, it was death itself. In other words, Jesus is praying that God would not leave him in the grave, but that God would bring him through the experience of death and back to life again.

Hebrews 5:7 seems to indicate that where we read, During the days of Jesus' life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission.

In other words, God did hear and answer Jesus' prayer. He didn't leave him in the grave. But three days later he brought him through death and out of the tomb and into resurrected life.

About this prayer Dwight Pentecost writes, "Jesus' prayer should be understood to be a prayer for restoration to physical life by resurrection, and a restoration to full fellowship with his Father out of the spiritual death into which he would enter. The evidence that God answered Christ's prayer is seen, first, in the fact that Jesus was raised from the dead on the third day and given a glorified body. Second, it is seen in the fact that on the fortieth day he ascended to the Father to be seated at his right hand in glory."

This is a sacred scene, Jesus on his face in the dirt crying out to his heavenly Father. It is so intimate and so raw that we almost feel embarrassed seeing Jesus like this. We want to reach out and help him, but we don't know how. And the disciples didn't know how either. And so Jesus wrestles with God alone.

Look at verse 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? 38Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak."

Simon, the one who just an hour ago had bragged that he would never disown Jesus, the one who said that he would die with Jesus if he had to, couldn't even keep his eyes open. It had been a busy day getting ready for the Passover and preparing the meal and now his belly is full and his eyes are heavy. Jesus knew that his spirit was willing, but his flesh was weak.

Isn't that the way it is for us so often? Our spirits are willing, but our flesh is weak. I'm sure I would have been fast asleep too. Thank God that he knows that about us and loves us anyway. And so Luke tells us in his gospel that God in his grace sends an angel from heaven to strengthen him.

It is not good for the man to be alone. It never was and it never is and it never will be. That's why we need each other especially when we're going through tough times of heartache and struggle. That's what community is all about. That's what it means to bear each others burdens. And sometimes when we're struggling, even most times, we're not looking for others to give us counsel or advice or answers as much as we're looking for others to just be there for us. Some call it the ministry of presence. And it's powerful, but Jesus didn't get it from his friends when he needed it the most. He agonized in Gethsemane alone.

Look at verse 39, Once more he went away and prayed the same thing. 40When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. They did not know what to say to him. 41Returning 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. 42Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!"

Three times while the disciples snored Jesus pleaded, "Abba, Father, everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but what your will be done."

And when he was finished he said, "Enough! That's it! Let's go and meet my betrayer!" Once again, in the midst of the chaos Jesus knows how the script will play out. And sure enough, right on cue, Judas arrives and the confrontation begins.

A few years ago I gave a teaching on Easter Sunday called "Reversing the Curse" and I pointed out that it was no accident that the Son of Man went to a garden the night before he was crucified because it was in a garden that the first man, Adam, had chosen to rebel against God. It's no accident that Gethsemane means "olive press." When the olives were harvested off the mountain they would be taken to the olive press where they would be crushed under a heavy stone so that the oil in them could be used for lamps and cosmetics and medication. It was olive oil that was used for light and beauty and healing.

In Gethsemane Jesus returns to the original crime scene, so to speak, and allows himself to be crushed under the weight of the curse that is pressing down on him so that he can produce light and healing and beauty in us, his followers. And that weight drives him to the ground so that he eats dust and sweats great drops of blood which is all meant to remind us of the curse that was leveled on the serpent destined to crawl on its belly and eat dust all the days of its life, and on Adam who was destined to sweat and return to the dust from which he was taken. Jesus enters into the curse to unravel its effects.

At creation, God said it is not good for the man to be alone. But that's how Jesus experiences the garden, all alone. There's no one with him when he's wrestling with evil. So God sends an angel to strengthen him for the struggle just like God sent an angel to the garden the first time. The parallels are amazing and I believe intentional. Jesus will succeed every place where Adam failed.

But I want to leave you with this thought today. When I think about the agony that Jesus experienced in Gethsemane that night, in my mind one word he said makes all the difference. It's the word Abba, "Daddy." Even today when you go to Israel and walk the streets you hear little kids running after their fathers saying, "Abba! Abba! Daddy! Daddy!"

Abba is the one word that makes all the difference. In the garden Jesus was submitting his will to a God whom he knew loved him, not a god like the mythical Greek gods who loved to make sport of people as some kind of cruel joke. Our God isn't like that. He takes no pleasure in evil. Even in this horrific hour Jesus knew God was his Daddy and that made all the difference. Daddy's will is best.

And when we go through out darkest times in life we need to hold on to that truth too. I believe that we can pretty much endure any trial we face if we know that we have a God who loves us. God is our Daddy as well and that makes all the difference in the world. Daddy's will, not my will be done because Daddy's will is best.