Whew! I finished the Book of Mark this morning and what an adventure! In Chapter 14:35-38, when Jesus came upon his disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane, sleeping--after He'd agonized in prayer before the Father until ". . . His sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground" (Luke 22:44)--He made a very incredible statement to them. "Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The Spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak." (Mark 14:38). And like me, I'm sure you've oftentimes heard this preached as a rebuke to the disciples, who had the nerve to fall asleep at such a critical time. Didn't they love the Lord? Didn't they care?
Well, having read it today, a profound sense of peace overwhelmed me. For it was not so much that Jesus was rebuking his disciples (then and now) as it was He was relating to us. Keep in mind, He, too, just moments before, did not want to die the cruel, brutal death of the cross. In that garden, Jesus realized, like his disciples, He wanted to live and not die. That even though His Spirit desired to follow the will of the Father, His flesh, too, was weak. And Jesus, seeing His sleeping disciples, had compassion upon them. Capturing the depth of His love and understanding for us, Hebrews says it best, "For we have not an high priest [Jesus] which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin." (Hebrews 4:15) And then the writer throws back the veil and says, "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." (Hebrews 4:16). Our Saviour has been there, done that, and He understands!
Jesus understood His disciples did love Him and did care for Him, but they did not have the power of the Holy Spirit to help them express it. Poor Peter would find this out soon after he declared he'd follow Jesus, even to the end. He meant well, but he did not yet have the power to do it. (Mark 14:29-30) Jesus, on the other hand, revealed to us the power of the Holy Spirit over the flesh when He spoke these words of submission to the Father; words that each of His Spirit-filled followers will embrace, as well, ". . . nevertheless, not what I will, but what thou wilt." (Mark 14:36b) When the Holy Spirit came at Pentecost, Peter and all of the disciples were empowered to believe and live out their faith, too. (Acts 2) That same Holy Spirit is at work in each of us who have accepted Jesus Christ as our Saviour and Lord. Bless His Holy Name!! (Philippians 2:13)
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