Friday/The Sight of Holy Week – Mark 14:32-42
Friday was the day Jesus died. Without that day, none of us have life. So on Friday we stop to remember.
As we try to understand what we’re seeing during Holy Week, let’s look back to the garden of Gethsemane. If we could go to the Garden today, we would see that it’s on a hillside overlooking the city of Jerusalem. Jesus was looking over His people.
Read: Mark 14:32-42
He took with him Peter, James and John and he was struck with terror and amazement and deeply troubled and depressed. This is Jesus by the way, incase you’ve ever been told that depression is a sin. He knows what’s coming and he said to them, my soul is exceedingly sad and overwhelmed with grief so that it almost kills me.
This is the only place where we see Jesus speaking with this level of intensity. He brings his disciples there with him and tells them, “remain here, be awake and be watching.” That had to have been weird to them. And going a little farther he fell on the ground and kept praying, “Father, if it’s possible let this cup pass from me.” Jesus is saying here, “Father is there a way out of this…Yet no my will, but your will be done.” Here he is again, just as He did in the upper room, modeling for us all the way to the cross.
How many times do we need to confess that we’re not good at this? We desire greater convenience, greater comfort, and greater control…yet “not my will but your will.”
And of course, we know that he goes over to check on his friends and what does he find? THEY ARE SLEEPING!
Questions: How often are our eyes closed? What are we missing by not being in the present? Are we anxious about the future? Ashamed of the past?
Aren’t you glad Jesus saw the big picture? His eyes were fixed on the Father. He lived in the moment and remained faithful to his calling. He suffered and died that we might have life.
Experiential Suggestion: Sight – Fix your eyes on the Father today. If you’re able, fast from food. Look to him instead of your own needs.
I hope your Holy Week has been fantastic. I pray these reminders have helped prepare your hearts for Easter Sunday.
Thank you for participating all week,
Pastor,
Chris Ballard