Theme: “Why are you sleeping?”
Text: Mark 14:37-38
There are fewer things in life that can cut as
quickly to the heart as a good, pointed question. Oftentimes in moments of
flattery or pride, a carefully crafted question can bring a person back down to
reality. Or perhaps at a time of uncertainty and confusion, a wise question can
break through the fog and lead to the way forward. Simple questions can also
generate emotional responses. These things are all true because questions are
reflective. Instead of making a declarative statement, questions point inwardly
and force a person to think things through for themselves. Therefore, the quest
of finding an answer to something gives us more than just information, it also
helps us see the meaning.
For our Lenten series this year, we will look
at different questions that were posed throughout the course of Christ’s
passion. Some were asked by Christ Himself, some by others. Each question
causes us to look into our hearts. Ask them for yourself as if you were there.
By digging into the passion history in this way, it is our hope that the Holy
Spirit will renew our hearts with a respect and admiration for the great
sacrifice that Jesus made, and the place that each of these questions had in
the course of events.
Our first question comes from the Garden of
Gethsemane, as Christ asks of His disciples, specifically Peter, “Why are you
sleeping?” The text we consider is Mark 14:37-38: Then He came and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, "Simon,
are you sleeping? Could you not watch one hour? 38 "Watch and pray, lest
you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is
weak."
Jesus wanted the disciples to watch and pray –
two things that are extremely difficult to do when tired. Most of you probably
have the tradition, like our family, of saying prayers before bedtime. It’s
certainly a fitting thing to end the day by talking to God. Yet, if you’re like
me, you’ve succumbed more than once to fatigue and sleep takes precedent over
prayer. All too often I feel ashamed later because the prayers I intended to
say never made it to the Lord because I couldn’t stay awake. We know the
struggle that Peter and the disciples endured. Often our spirits are strong
with sincerity and intent to be faithful, but our flesh lags far behind.
Jesus issued this command because He was
concerned about the disciples’ safety – not from the approaching mob, but from
Satan. The simple reality is that staying alert and in communication with God
is so vital to keeping our faith alive. We, too, are under attack from many
enemies on all sides – enemies that we are powerless to stand against on our
own.
We’re not trying to undermine the disciples’
desire to be faithful to their Lord. Just a few verses earlier in our text,
when Jesus told them they would all stumble that evening, Peter replied, “Even if all are made to stumble, yet I
will not be (Mark 14:29).” Given that context we see why Peter was singled
out by Jesus here in the garden. How it must have pained Peter to hear his Lord
ask him, “Are you sleeping, could you
not watch with Me one hour?”
Likewise, many are the times when we feel on
fire for the Lord but the right actions don’t necessarily follow. We, too, in
our hearts and even in our words, declare that no matter what happens, we will
never falter or fail. Others may, but we believe there’s something different
about ourselves – we can be stronger for the Lord. We can be better. And in the
same fashion as Peter, many are the times when we feel the sting of reality, as
we recognize how we have been unfaithful to the Lord.
The thing about sleep is that we need it to
recharge. The very reason we sleep is to restore our watchfulness. Isn’t sleep
exactly what the disciples needed in that moment? What harm would a small nap do?
Do we sense some unneeded stress by Jesus in reprimanding His followers for
what seemed to be such a minor indiscretion?
Such are the opinions that many modern scholars
would suggest. It’s seems like a such a small thing that the disciples fell
asleep – perhaps even insignificant in the pages of the Bible. Yet, isn’t that
exactly what our weak flesh would have us believe? Don’t be too hard on
yourself. As long as you mean the right thing, you don’t have to be perfect.
There are many people today who offer a soothing refreshment to our sinful
flesh by telling us that there’s too much undue stress in trying to be faithful
to the Words of God. They tell you that you don’t have to live under a
microscope. They say it’s unrealistic to follow every part of God’s will or
even to confess that you know the absolute truth.
All of those opinions make our flesh feel
better for failing to live up to the spirit of faith. Yet, Jesus was the one
who asked this question of His disciples. He didn’t disregard it as
insignificant. He asked them, commanded them, to be faithful – to watch and
pray – and they failed. Faith reminds us that Jesus acts in complete wisdom and
grace. Stress had not gotten the better of the Savior – such a minor trifle
wasn’t even on His radar, He was battling against Satan and death itself at
this point.
The Savior’s question was a gentle rebuke of
love – a tactful nudge back on track for the disciples. Even in these moments,
with so much going on and so much to come, Jesus continued to patiently
consider the needs of His followers. Each word, each moment with Jesus was an
invaluable lesson they would need in the days and years ahead. If we feel that
this moment is small in the grander scheme of the passion, it’s because we lack
the maturity and insightfulness to see the purpose by faith. It’s because we’re
thinking according to the flesh and not the spirit.
Much like sleep for our bodies, prayer gives
rest to our souls. Rather than feed their flesh in this moment, Jesus wanted
His disciples to feed their souls. They would need that much more than sleep in
the coming hours. Prayer is also how God renews your soul. For the believer,
that includes the new spirit in your heart – that which connects you to Jesus
and leads you to desire to follow His will. And just as sleep is absolutely
necessary for your body’s health, so prayer is vital for your soul. James
writes, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let
him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given
him (James 1:5 ESV).” James is speaking about a need – something you have
to have in order to live. If praying to God for things we want is important,
how much more so for things we need. James says, just ask God – He is more than
ready to supply what you need and He is willing to give much more as well.
Later on in his letter, James connected prayer
to the war going on between the flesh and the spirit. He wrote, “You desire and do not have, so you murder.
You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because
you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend
it on your passions (James 4:2-3 ESV).”
The person who fails to heed the warning Christ
is giving here, has no choice but to operate according to the flesh. Murdering,
coveting, fighting, quarrelling, and so on. God is telling us, no matter how
hard we struggle according to the flesh, we will never find what we’re looking
for. No amount of fulfilled lust, acquired possessions, or victorious arguments
will make us feel better. In contrast, they will only cause us to want more.
This is why Jesus also says to “watch.” It’s
not enough to simply ask. Without being mindful of God’s will and diligent in
His Word, we would ask amiss – only to suit our pleasures. Just as in all forms
of Godliness – we see the best example in Jesus.
Through His own prayer to the Father in the garden,
Jesus did not only ask, but He also remained watchful. He sought a different
way to salvation than the cross but He didn’t demand it. He willingly obeyed
His Father’s will. He submitted Himself to His Father’s command. Jesus trusted that
the Word which had been promised would come to pass.
It’s hard for us to understand the nature of
Jesus’ watchfulness and prayer. Sure, He had a lot on His mind but He was God.
He was equal in power with the Father. He didn’t suffer from the host of small
problems that come along with being a sinner. Within these thoughts it’s easy
for us to console our guilt by playing the victim. How much harder it is for me
– a mortal sinner; than it is for the divine Son of God. And just like that, we
go back to encouraging the flesh to not feel so bad.
There’s no denying that Jesus remained God
throughout this entire ordeal. But, the key is not in what Jesus could do, but
in what He chose to give up. Paul writes about Christ’s sacrifice before the
sacrifice on the cross: “Have this mind
among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the
form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but
emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of
men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient
to the point of death, even death on a cross (Philippians 2:5-8 ESV).”
At this point, in the garden, Jesus set aside
His divine powers. He was experiencing this just as we would. He felt the
fatigue. He knew the anxiousness. He did not have a free pass to glory. He
experienced the passion in this way, not because He deserved to, but because in
His rich grace He chose to carry our flesh. More than anyone else, Jesus felt
the dichotomy between the spirit and the flesh. Jesus knew that burden in a
deeper sense than any of us ever have. Though we carry the weight of our sins,
we’ve never come close to bearing the entire world’s.
It is within this context, of the monumental
suffering of our Savior, that He gently asks, “Why are you sleeping?” When you ask that question of yourself,
what do you come up with? What would answer your Lord?
·
I didn’t think it was important to be
watchful in all of Your Words, dear Lord.
·
I deserved a little break.
·
It didn’t hurt anyone, Jesus, why so
strict with me?
·
You won salvation anyway, why should it
matter what I do with Your commands?
Defiant as we may be at times, none us feel
comfortable with those answers. Instead of trying to appease the flesh, the
Holy Spirit would have us follow Jesus’ example. Think not of yourself, but
think of what the Father allows you give up. Jesus was divine, yet He chose to
set that aside to suffer as you and I would. The key to our strength rests in
not only trusting who Jesus is, but what He chose to become. And in that same
manner, by faith, the Holy Spirit leads us to the only answer to that question
– “Why are you sleeping?”:
·
I have sinned, I confess that I need
you, Lord, and I trust that You forgive me.
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