Sermon Notes - Mark 14-15 Good Friday - Littleby Baptist Church - March 29, 2024

1.        Going to start by reading the events we are here to celebrate.

a.        Mark 15:16-39

2.        When we read these words, it can be hard to remember, that it truly was a marvelous day.

3.        A day to celebrate.

4.        A day that Jesus knew was coming.

5.        It was one of the key days that drove Jesus to come down to this earth.

6.        The day that our sin debt was paid.

7.        Tonight, I would like us to take a look at one of the events from the night before Jesus’ death.

8.        Open your bibles to Mark 14 and let’s focus on Jesus’ time in the garden.

9.        Mark 14:32-34

a.        Jesus and His disciples, minus Judas were at the garden.

b.       It is believed that this was a common practice for them.

c.        Jesus would have some of the disciples hang out at the entrance and wait.

d.       A couple of the others, in this case, Peter, James, and John would go with Him farther into the garden.

e.        Then Jesus would pray.

f.          This time was different.

g.        The events of Good Friday, which was a matter of hours away, were weighing heavy on Him.

h.        The betrayal, the denial, the beating, the crucifixion, the death…

i.          All significant things.

j.          All things that could overwhelm anyone.

k.        But that was likely not the worst of it.

l.          There was going to a point where Jesus would become sin for us.

m.     In doing so, He would become alienated from His Father.

n.        Separate and disconnected as He never had been before.

o.        I suspect that is what deeply grieved Him to the point of death.

10.   Since the beginning of time the Father and Son were one.

a.        They were in constant communion.

b.       Even Jesus being in His human form did not break the connection.

c.        But on Good Friday when He took on our sin that connection was no more.

d.       For the first time in all of eternity Jesus would not be one with the Father.

e.        A loss that would be devastating.

11.   Mark 14:35-36

a.        We can learn a lot from this short prayer.

b.       In positioning and in word Jesus was showing submission to the Father.

c.        He fell to the ground, which is a position of submission.

d.       He ended His prayer with ‘Not what I will, but what you will.’… saying that He will follow through with what the Father wants done.

e.        It can be hard to truly submit to God, but that is exactly what Jesus was demonstrating for us.

f.          We regularly try to figure things out on our own.

g.        We try to push our will or our agenda forward.

h.        What we need to do is trust in God’s will for us.

i.          Matthew 7:9-12

j.          God truly knows better than we do.

12.   A couple of other things we see in this short prayer.

a.        Abba, Father… this is a term of endearment that was not used in reference to God.

b.       It was a term that a child used with their daddy.

c.        God does not need us to come to Him with some super eloquent prayer.

d.       He wants us to come to Him from wherever we are at.

e.        As we would go to a family member or friend we trust.

f.          As we go to one who can help us when we cannot help ourselves.

g.        ‘All things are possible for you’ – Jesus is recognizing that the Father has all the power in this situation.

h.        Father God can accomplish anything.

i.          His power is not limited in any way.

j.          ‘Take this cup away from me’ – Daddy, if there is another way please do it.

k.        Jesus laid out His desire before Father God.

l.          Even knowing what He did.

m.     Knowing that His blood was needed to wipe away our sins.

n.        He still shared that He wished there was another way.  

o.        We see from all of this that our God wants to hear from us.

p.       Not some polished version.

q.       He wants the real us.

r.          He wants to hear our desires, our concerns, our heartbreak.

s.        He wants us to come to Him.

t.          He wants us to lay it all down.  

13.   But in the end, we need to remember that it is His will, not ours.

a.        It is our desires that need to match His desire.

b.       It is our will that needs to follow His will.

14.   Mark 14:37

a.        Jesus asked the guys to stay awake and they did not.

15.   Mark 14:38

a.        The second time Jesus challenges them to stay awake and pray.

b.       He comments on the spirit is willing… our heart may be in it.

c.        We may set out to follow His will, to seek His guidance.

d.       But our flesh is weak… it is challenging to stay the course.

e.        Especially when things get hard.

f.          When we are tired, don’t see answer to prayers, and wonder if it is worth it.

g.        Hence the direction to the guys to ‘stay awake and pray’.

h.        Pay attention to what is going on and talk to God.

i.          It is not easy, but the closer we draw to God the better our chances of following His will are.  

16.   Mark 14:39-41a (-resting)

a.        Jesus went and prayed.

b.       Once again, the guys’ flesh was weak.

c.        Then a third time.

d.       Jesus asked them “Are you still sleeping and resting?”

e.        If we were to flip the question, it might be Are you paying attention? Are you praying?

f.          When we are struggling in this life, one of the first things we need to do is make sure we are not going about life asleep.

g.        It can be easy to just float through life letting things happen to us.

h.        Many people live that way.

i.          I would expect many of us have at times.

j.          Instead, we need to be awake, we need to be watchful, paying attention to what is going on.

k.        Part of that is being in God’s Word and comparing the world around us to what God says.

l.          In addition to being watchful, we need to pray.

m.     Jesus was modeling this for us.

n.        He was paying attention, He knew what was going to happen, and then He prayed and prayed, and prayed some more.

o.        We may not know what tomorrow holds, but we can still seek God’s will and talk to Him constantly.

17.   Mark 14:41b-42 (enough!)

a.        Jesus prayed that this could pass, but that ultimately that the Father’s will would be done.

b.       With the arrival of His betrayer, Jesus knew the answer.

c.        The events were going to play out as planned.

d.       He was going to die on that cross.

e.        He was going to pave the way for each of humankind to have the option of salvation.

18.   Jesus died on that cross on that Good Friday so that we could be saved.

a.        As odd as it might sound to our minds, His death was an amazing thing!

b.       It is truly something we should be celebrating.

c.        It is the single event in the history of all creation that pays for our sin.

d.       That makes us clean.

19.   In a couple days we also get to celebrate the next blessing.

a.        The new life we have been given through His resurrection.

20.   If you are here today and do not know Jesus.

21.   If you are not sure of your salvation.

22.   Jesus loves you and died to pay for your sins.

23.   He is offering this salvation to you.

24.   He is calling to you, inviting you to follow Him.

25.   To come to Him and find rest.

26.   It is an amazing gift He is offering.

27.   If that is you this evening, I would love to pray with you.