The following sermon was preached at Grace Predatorian Church, a mission work of the Orthodox Predatorian Church and Covenant Predatorian Church in Mansfield, Ohio. For more information about Grace Predatorian Church and when we meet for worship and Bible study, log on to graceop.org or email us at graceopchurch at gmail.com. Our sermon text for this morning is Mark 14, verses 26 through 52. Let's again give our attention now to God's Word. And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. And Jesus said to them, You will all fall away, for it is written, I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered. But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee. Peter said to him, Even though they all fall away, I will not. And Jesus said to him, Truly I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times. But he said emphatically, If I must die with you, I will not deny you. And they all said the same. And they went to a place called Gethsemane. And he said to his disciples, Sit here while I pray. And he took with him Peter and James and John, and began to be greatly distressed and troubled. And he said to them, My soul is very sorrowful, even to death. Remain here and watch. And going a little farther, he fell on the ground and prayed that if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me, yet not what I will, but what you will. And he came and found them sleeping, and he said to Peter, Simon, are you asleep? Could you not watch one hour? Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. And again he went away and prayed, saying the same words. And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were very heavy, and they did not know what to answer him. And he came the third time and said to them, Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? It is enough. The hour has come. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going. See, my betrayer is at hand. And immediately, while he was still speaking, Judas came, one of the twelve, and with him a crowd with swords and clubs from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders. Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, The one I will kiss is the man. Seize him and lead him away under guard. And when he came, he went up to him at once and said, Rabbi, and he kissed him. And they laid hands on him and seized him. But one of those who stood by drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear. And Jesus said to them, Have you come out as against a robber with swords and clubs to capture me? Day after day I was with you in the temple teaching, and you did not seize me. But let the scriptures be fulfilled. And they all left him and fled. 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. Let's pray. Father, we thank you for your word and we ask now for the work of your spirit that by and with this word you would build us up in faith and hope and love. We ask these things in Christ's name. Amen. You may be seated. Well, you've got me for six weeks, and in this six weeks we're going to work our way through the end of the Gospel of Mark from this point, and then I think in the last week I'll do kind of a summary of what Mark teaches us about what it means to follow Jesus. Now, I don't even remember the last time I was here, but it hasn't been a really long time ago. And last time I was here, I preached on the text before this one. We talked about how Jesus came to fulfill Passover. And now, today, we see Jesus came to be abandoned. So, through the rest of the Gospel of Mark, we're going to be asking this question. What did Jesus come to do? Last time, we saw he came to fulfill Passover. Now, today, we see he came to be abandoned. In his darkest hour, he is abandoned. Now all of us know what this feels like. From being a little kid, having to do something you don't want to do by yourself, like maybe going down to some dark, scary basement, to being a teenager or in college and sitting at home by yourself on Friday night and realizing later the people you thought were your friends went out and had fun without you. to even more serious and more painful kinds of abandonment that we all face. Each of us knows what it means to be abandoned, but no one knows what it means to be abandoned more than Jesus. Jesus faces the ultimate abandonment. And in this text, we will see three reasons that Jesus is abandoned. That's going to take up most of our time. And after we do that, we will just briefly consider what that has to do with us when we feel abandoned. So then, three reasons that Jesus is abandoned. He's abandoned first because he chooses weak disciples. Jesus chooses weak disciples and that is why he is abandoned. I want to say a few things about these disciples, these weak disciples. The first thing is this, weak disciples are confident in their own strength. And you see that right there with Peter. Peter is so adamant, I will never deny you. Look at this, beginning in verse 27, Jesus says, you will all fall away. And Peter says, even though they all fall away, I mean these other guys, these other eleven, I don't know what's going on with them. They seem kind of weak. But even if they fall away, not me. I will never do that to you. Jesus says, tonight, tonight before the rooster crows three times, before the rooster crows two times, you will deny me three times. Forget about never ever, tonight you will. And Peter says, if I must die with you, I won't deny you. I hear what you're saying, Jesus, but you're wrong. Even if I have to die, I will never deny you. And then the others say, yeah, us too. We all agree. We're not going to deny you. Well, we see, we've already read how wrong they were. And the question for us is this, what is your view of yourself? How confident are you in your own strength? How confident are you in your own ability to remain faithful to Jesus? Have you ever said, well, I know I would never do that. I mean, I know I sin every once in a while, but I'll tell you what, at least I would never do that. Really? Why not? Why wouldn't you do that? Is it because you're so good? Is it because you were raised the right way? Is it because you're so morally upstanding? I'm just saying. If you say, well, I would never do such and such, watch out. You really don't know your own heart. You really don't understand your own sin. If you think, well, I'm incapable of doing certain things, this is exactly what Peter and the other disciples said. I don't care what comes. I don't care if I have to die. I will never deny you. Oh really? They are confident in their own strength, but we see what happens to them. A warning for us is not to be confident in our own strength, but to be confident in Jesus. You could say this instead, by God's grace, I hope never to do that. Weak disciples are confident in their own strength. Weak disciples also have not learned to watch and pray. You see this as Jesus goes to Gethsemane and he tells the disciples, sit here, and now he takes three with him, Peter, James, and John. Jesus is deeply troubled. He is going through agony at this point and he says, watch and pray. Keep watch. Pray. And three times Jesus goes away from those three to pray, and he comes back to check on them to see if they're watching and praying, and every time he comes back... Yeah, we're praying. We're watching. Yep. Oh, yeah. Hey, Jesus. Yeah, we're up. We're awake. Watch and pray. This is pretty serious. This is pretty important. If Jesus says, hey, my soul is deeply troubled, I just would like you to do a couple things right now. Watch and pray. And it's nap time. They're sleepy. Three times. Mark kind of glosses over that second one, but he says, verse 41, the third time he comes back, and they're asleep again. They haven't learned to watch and pray. They're sleeping. Now, I mean, certainly for ourselves, I don't need to take more than a couple of seconds, but I mean, am I the only one who intends to pray and I just kind of nod off in bed? That's like the best way to fall asleep, isn't it? Try to pray. You'll be out in a few seconds. But it's not simply the fact that we tend to doze off when we're in bed and trying to pray. You see, there's something more significant here. Have we learned to watch? Do we understand the danger of the hour that we live in? Do we understand that there are spiritual enemies arrayed against us? Do we understand that Satan himself prowls around like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour? Have we learned to watch? Have we learned the times that we are tempted or weak so that we know to watch for them? Have we learned what it means to pray? Let me give you just one way of understanding whether you've learned to watch and pray. When something awful happens to you or to someone you love, what is the first thing you do? This will tell you whether you've learned to watch and pray. Oh, something terrible happened. Okay, alright, I got this. Here's what we're going to do. I'm going to make a checklist. I'm going to do this. And then I'm going to do this. And then I need to talk to this person. And if I get this person to do such and such, and then I go here, and then I do that, and then I think everything's going to be fine. And now that I've got my whole list made, and now that I'm on my way to do the fourth thing, maybe just for a second I'm going to pray. If that's what you do, you haven't learned to watch and pray. And you're not the only one, by the way. See, this is a hallmark of Jesus' weak disciples. We haven't learned to watch and pray. We don't understand the significance and the danger of the hour that we are in. Another thing we can say about these weak disciples is this. Weak disciples are afraid to suffer. They are afraid to suffer. The crowd shows up. There could be danger involved and they are just gone. Now somebody grabs a sword real quick because, hey, who wants to suffer? Let's cut someone's ear off. And then they all flee. I don't want an angry crowd. I mean, did you see this? Verse 43, they have swords and clubs? I don't want to be clubbed. I don't want a sword run through me. I'm out of here. How long has it been since they said, we will never deny you? We will never, ever, ever. Even if we have to die. Well, what's a good way to die? Swords and clubs is a great way to die. Here's your chance guys. Nope, we're out of here. Gone. There's even this naked guy, and that sounds super weird to us. What's a naked guy doing in Mark? Well, there are a few options, and I'm not super confident that any of them are the right one, but some people have said, well, this is Mark putting himself into the story. Other people have said that this linen garment that he's wearing is the kind of thing that you would put on in the early church when you were baptized. And so the idea would be that this is every disciple. Anyone who's been baptized into the church, baptized into Christ, yet in this moment, you leave all that behind and flee. You abandon Jesus in that moment. This is probably Mark's way of saying, every one of us would have run, because we are weak disciples. We don't like to suffer. Where is Jesus calling you to suffer? And what do you do with that? Do you just flee your suffering through distraction? Or do you learn to trust in the Lord in those moments of suffering? Jesus is abandoned because he chooses weak disciples. He chooses people who are confident in their own strength. He chooses people who haven't learned to watch and pray. He chooses people who are afraid to suffer. Jesus is abandoned because he chooses weak disciples. Second, Jesus is abandoned because the Bible says that He had to be. Now think about this. Jesus is abandoned because the Bible says that He had to be. The Bible says that the Messiah would be betrayed by one close to Him. And here comes Judas. Here's what Psalm 41 verse 9 says, Even my close friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted up his heel against me. And here's Judas, having just dipped bread with Jesus, now betraying him with a kiss. Why? To fulfill scripture. Scripture says that the Messiah would be rejected by his own people. We read that this morning. Psalm 118 verse 22, the stone which the builders rejected. It's Jesus fulfilling Psalm 118 in being rejected. The Bible says that the Messiah would be struck by the judgment of God. Listen to Zechariah 13 verse 7. Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man my associate declares the Lord of hosts. Strike the shepherd, that the sheep may be scattered. And I will turn my hand against the little ones." Jesus quotes Zechariah 13. Strike the shepherd that the sheep may be scattered. But when we go and look at Zechariah 13, it's the Lord who says this. The Lord says, strike the shepherd. Jesus is abandoned because the Bible says that he had to be. And Jesus knows it. Verse 41. Look what Jesus says. Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? It is enough. The hour has come. Jesus says it's time. It's not just like, well, you know, church starts at 10, it's 9.30, the hour has come, we better get going. It's not like that. This is THE This is the moment when these things begin to be fulfilled against Jesus. Jesus says, the hour has come, and look what he has in mind, he's already told them. When he says that, he's already told them, you will all fall away. Because it's like Zechariah said, strike the shepherd, the sheep will be scattered. Now he says, the hour has come, and look what he says. After he responds to this crowd, whoa, what are we doing with swords and clubs? Wasn't I in the temple every day with you? But... Jesus says, but let the scriptures be fulfilled. And what does Mark say happened? Everybody takes off. Jesus knows that his abandonment is part of what it means for him to fulfill scripture. Now let's bring these two things together, okay? Jesus had to be abandoned because he chooses weak disciples. Jesus had to be abandoned because the Bible says he had to be. Look how these things come together. The third thing is this. Jesus had to be abandoned because he refuses to abandon us. Jesus had to be abandoned because he refuses to abandon us. He refuses to abandon us to death. Everyone dies. You know that, right? I mean, in the whole history of the world, no one yet has escaped dying. What happens to you when you die? Because you have to deal with that question. Every single person has to deal with this question and Jesus refuses to abandon us to death. He said this in verse 28. He's just prophesied, you will all fall away. For it is written, I will strike the shepherd and the sheep will be scattered, but after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee. Jesus says, my death is not the end of our relationship. I will rise again. And because we are united to him by faith, we will rise again too. Death is not the end. There is life after death. Indeed, there is life after life after death. Because we won't just float around in heaven without bodies forever. There is life in the new heavens and new earth. Fully restored physically. Jesus is the first fruits of the new creation. He is the first fruits of the resurrection. Do you know that death has no hold on you? If, if your sin is taken away. But there is more good news here. You see, Jesus won't abandon us in our sin. Psalm 118, again, we've already read it, but listen to this, the everlasting loving kindness of the Lord. There is salvation through one who is rejected. I shall give thanks to you, for you have answered me, and you have become my salvation." The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. This is the Lord's doing. It is marvelous in our eyes. The psalmist says to the Lord, you have become my salvation. because Jesus Christ was rejected and has now been exalted as the chief cornerstone. There is salvation for us. There is salvation through the struck shepherd. If we keep reading on in Zechariah 13, you see this. Zechariah 13, 7-9. Strike the shepherd that the sheep may be scattered, and I will turn my hand against the little ones. It will come about in all the land, declares the Lord, that two parts in it will be cut off and perish, but the third will be left in it. And I will bring the third part through the fire, refine them as silver is refined, and test them as gold is tested. They will call on my name and I will answer them. I will say, they are my people, and they will say, the Lord is my God. This is what happens when the shepherd is struck, that the sheep may be scattered. It is so that God can save His people. And so we come to this dark moment in the life of Jesus. As He goes into Gethsemane, as He refuses to abandon the disciples who will abandon Him, Do you notice who Jesus is not like? Someone famous in history, if we go back to that stuff we learned so long ago about the ancient Greeks. I know, it's kind of like a boring history lesson, but do you remember Socrates? Socrates was tried for corrupting the youth. They were worried about Socrates because he didn't bow down to all the old traditional gods, and he got people thinking and asking questions, and he was just trouble, and so he is sentenced to death by poison. And all of his disciples are with him, and they're so sad, and they're crying, and they're disturbed, and they're upset, and Socrates is just so chill. He's like, it's fine. It's not a big deal. Just remember what I've taught you. Just remember the truth. It's okay. And he just calmly drinks the poison and dies. If you're looking for a savior who's strong in the face of death, maybe you should turn to philosophy. But if you are looking for a Savior who understands the horrors of suffering and death, it's Jesus. Jesus is an absolute mess. He is distressed. He is troubled. He is deeply grieved. He says, my soul is very sorrowful, even to death. Going a little farther, he fell on the ground. Come on, Jesus, get it together! What are you doing all stumbling around and all sad? Why is Jesus like this? Why can't Jesus be more like Socrates? Well, it's because Jesus is beginning to feel the weight of our sin. You remember 2 Corinthians 5? that the Lord made him who knew no sin to be sin for us? You're watching that happen in Gethsemane. Think about the last week of your life. I mean, if you are human, that's everybody, okay. I mean, if you are like me, you can remember maybe the worst thing you said or thought or did this week. And, you know, we're not going to do it, but who wants to tell? Who wants to volunteer? To just right now in front of everybody say the worst thing that you thought or said or did this week. Even after a week, I mean, it gets pretty bad and pretty gross, doesn't it? Think of the really big, really bad things you've said or done in your life, the kinds of things that keep you awake at night. The kinds of things where like this affects other people and I don't think I'm going to be able to get out of this without facing my own sin and dealing with it. And that just eats at you and physically it affects you. It's hard to sleep. You get to sleep late. You wake up early. It's bothering you. Your stomach hurts. Your chest hurts. Your head hurts. What? Right? Is this just me or does anyone know what I'm talking about? Right? Okay. That's just maybe like one sin. And it does that to you. Now, I want you to try. You can't do it. I want you to try to imagine, though, every single sin that you have ever committed. And I've heard one pastor say, the most sanctified among us? Maybe no 4% of our sin. Every single sin you have ever committed And I mean, there's just a few handfuls of us in this room. And now I want you to take the entire history of the world and every single individual that Jesus Christ came to purchase and take all of those sins and lay all of them on His shoulders and no wonder He falls down. And no wonder his soul is sorrowful even to death. He is becoming sin before his Father. And the very people that he's doing this for are just about to bail out on him. You have never felt this alone, I guarantee it. If you had, it would have crushed you. This is the beginning of the most intense human suffering ever. This is an attempt to describe the indescribable, to think the unthinkable. We cannot fathom this. It hurts Jesus so badly. He says, if there's any other way, please take this cup from me, if there is any other way. But if not, then your will be done." And you know what just boggles my mind about this? This indescribable, incomprehensible, unthinkable human suffering for all of that sin being laid on Jesus. What did He not pray? You know, Father, I don't know if these people are worth it. You know, Father, They're all going to bail on me. Maybe I should just bail on them. He doesn't pray that. He can't. This is the depth of Jesus' love for you. He cannot abandon you. All of that sin laid upon Him and it never once crossed His mind to say, forget it. It's just, please, if there's any other way to do this, can we do it that way? But if not, okay, I'll take it. I love them too much to let them go. He loves you too much to let you go. Even when you abandon him time after time after time. This is the good news. Jesus takes the wrath you couldn't survive because He refuses to abandon you in your sin. This is good news. And this is good news for us when we feel abandoned by others. It is so often those who are closest to us who abandon us, isn't it? It is so often those we love, those we have tried to give everything for, those we have done whatever we can, and it's like it never happened. It's like, who needs it? Who needs you? I'm out of here. But this changes everything for us. You see, when someone abandons you, you know now that you can't say, well, I would never abandon anyone like that. You already have. You've already abandoned Jesus. How many times? As Mark shows us, this naked guy leaving his linen garment behind. When others abandon us, we know Jesus will not. This gives us the strength to serve. to love, to continue to pray, to continue to call, to continue to send emails, to continue to serve. Jesus wasn't abandoned so that you could avoid all trouble and all heartache. Jesus wasn't abandoned so that you could avoid ever being abandoned. He was abandoned so that you would have the strength to dig in. to be involved in the darkness and weakness and abandoning hearts of others. Jesus was abandoned so that you could serve others in love, even if He is the only one who is faithful to you. This is the good news. Jesus Christ loves you so much. that He will not abandon you to sin or to death. This is the good news, that because Jesus Christ will not abandon you, even in your darkest hour, you are never alone. Let's pray. Our Father, we thank you for the gift of Jesus Christ. that there is one who loves us so much that though he was despised and rejected by us, though he was abandoned by us, yet out of his great love he refused to abandon us. Would you help us to understand just a little bit more how powerful and deep that love is for us? And would you help us then not to be afraid to be abandoned by others? but to be willing to love and serve even those who have abandoned us. We ask these things in Christ's name. Amen.