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MARK 14:38

"THE REAL PROBLEM"

I. THE SETTING.
        A. Jesus has come to His crisis hour.
        1. Though God, yet man.
                        a. "And the Word was God", "And the Word became
                           flesh and dwelt among us."
                        b. "In the form of God, and thought it not
                           something to be attained to be equal with
                           God."  "Came in the form of a servant in the
                           likeness of man."
        2. Here we view the human side.
                a. Knowing the pain that awaited Him this day, His flesh
                   looks for an escape.
                        1. The physical pain.
                                a. The buffeting.
                                b. The scourging.
                                c. The cross.
                        2. The emotional pain.

a. Despised and rejected.
b. Mocked and scorned.
c. Forsaken by friends.
                        3. The spiritual pain.

a. The sins of mankind are to be placed upon Him.
b. The resultant separation from the Father.
        3. This is the moment of decision.
                a. There is an out. He could call for ten legions of
                   angels who would have eagerly responded.
                        1. Yet, if He saves Himself, He cannot save
                           others.
                b. To go through with it means salvation for millions of
                   lost, helpless persons.
                                1. The spirit is ready and saying go.
                                2. The flesh is saying run.
                                3. As Jesus said to Peter, "The spirit is
                                   ready..." He had great understanding.
        B. The battle of the ages is being waged.
                1. So fierce that Jesus' sweat becomes as blood.
                2. Man's destiny is in the balance.
                3. He prays, "Father, take away this cup from Me."
                a. The colon represents a space of time, and in that
                   space, man's destiny was hanging in the balance.
                                1. I believe the Father gave Him a vision
                                   of Revelation 5.
                                2. And Jesus continued His prayer,
                                   "Nevertheless..."

II. DURING THE TIMES OF GREAT CRISIS, ONE OF THE MOST VALUABLE THINGS ARE
    FRIENDS STANDING BY.
        A. To know you are not alone gives great strength.
        1. How I thank God for those friends who stood by me in the crisis
           hours of my life.
                a. For my darling wife who, when my father and brother
                   were killed, was standing by my side comforting,
                   supporting.
        B. Why Jesus came back to the disciples only a matter of
           speculation, but  who can deny the possibility of receiving
           encouragement and strength from close brothers.
        1. To Peter He said, "Are you sleeping? Could you not watch one
           hour?"
                a. Why single out Peter?
                b. You must hear tone of voice.
                        1. I do not hear sarcastic rebuke.
                        2. I hear heart broken disappointment.

III. JESUS COMMANDED PETER, "WATCH AND PRAY LEST YOU ENTER INTO
     TEMPTATION."
        A. Before we seek to remove the sliver from Peter's eye, perhaps
           we should look at ourselves.
                1. The world is in great crisis today. How long since you
                   have watched with Him one hour?
                2. In these days of crisis, are you watching or sleeping?
        B. What is our problem?
                1. The spirit indeed is ready, but the flesh is weak.
        C. What is God's provision for our weak flesh?
                1. Acts 1:8.