April 5, 2017 Pastor Timothy J. Spaude Text: Mark 14:32-38 REPENT! TURN TO JESUS WHEN YOU FACE TEMPTATION.

April 5, 2017

Pastor Timothy J. Spaude

Text: Mark 14:32-38

REPENT!

TURN TO JESUS WHEN YOU FACE TEMPTATION.

Mark 14:32-38  “They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” 33 He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled. 34“My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,” he said to them. “Stay here and keep watch.” 35 Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. 36 “Abba, Father,” he said, “everything

is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”

37 Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Simon,” he said to

Peter, “are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for one hour? 38 Watch and

pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.”

          In our Thursday morning Bible Class a few weeks ago we found ourselves doing reading from the book of Proverbs. One of the repeating themes in Proverbs is how wise it is to listen to advice. Where do you turn to for advice on handling temptation? As far as I know there is no newspaper or online advice group. I did find plenty of advice on how to handle the temptation to eat when you are on a diet—take a walk, drink more water, etc. But what about the temptation to sin? In the early Christian church it seems there was a sect that said physical things really didn’t matter only spiritual did. Apparently their advice on handling temptation was give in, then you won’t be tempted anymore! Kind of seems that would be like diet advice that says eat as much as you can until you are full and then you won’t be hungry. True enough. But there are consequences. Just like there are consequences for sin. Tonight we turn to Jesus for wisdom on how to face temptation.

          Jesus is a temptation fighting expert. The Bible tells us Jesus was tempted in every way just like we are yet was without sin. Can you imagine? All the thoughts we have, the desires, they came to Jesus too, trying to lead Him to sin. But He never did. A few weeks ago one of the Sunday readings recorded how the Devil tempted Jesus to sin. But Jesus defeated each and every one we are told about as well as all the ones we aren’t. As we follow the Passion History we see Jesus again dealing with Temptation.

“They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” 33 He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled. 34“My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,” he said to them. “Stay here and keep watch.” 35 Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. 36 “Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.” I have heard people say that bunion surgery and recovery is extremely painful. In fact some have refused a second surgery because of what they went through in the first. Knowing what it would be like is too terrifying. Imagine the raw fear coursing through the heart of our Savior Jesus as he stands at the precipice of making payment for the sins of the world. As true God and true man Jesus is uniquely qualified to dread the events of the morrow. He knows what the wages of sin really means: cut off from God and His goodness, forsaken, despair. Certainly the temptation was there to turn away from it. Instead he turned to God in prayer. There is love expressed. “Abba, Father.” There is trust expressed. “Everything is possible for you.” There is a request. “Take this cup from me.” What’s in the cup? Punishment. Punishment for Cain’s murder, for Noah’s drunkenness, for David’s adultery, for Judas’ betrayal, for Peter’s denial, for our despising of God’s word, our lovelessness, our greed, our lust. Finally there is beautiful submission in prayer.  “Yet, not what I will, but what you will.” Thy will be done. That’s how Jesus handled temptation. He watched. He was aware of what he was about to face. He prayed. He put His trust in His Father.

That’s how those who turn to Jesus handle temptation too. “Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Simon,” he said to Peter, “are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for one hour? 38 Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.” The disciples did not have the urgency that Jesus had. While He watched and prayed, they slept. Jesus’ words have stuck in the minds of believers from then on. Watch. Be on your guard. Understand that the times and days are evil, that the Devil is real and he desires nothing less than your very soul for eternity. Watch. Do you? Are you on your watch when you watch TV for instance? I think we will all readily admit there are some things on TV that are no good, sinful. As far as I know, none of us have made the decision to have no TV at all. Then we must watch as we watch. Is Christ living in me comfortable with what my eyes are seeing? Am I becoming desensitized to what is wrong? How many times have hunters missed out because their eyes grew weary of watching? How many times have thieves found easy prey because people grew careless? How many times have we got sucked into sin because we were not watchful?

Pray. Prayer is how we get to talk to God. Prayer admits something. We are in God’s hands. He can do what we cannot. When prayer is done rightly, like that of Jesus, it expresses love, trust, request and submission to God’s will. Praying to God admits that we are helpless on our own but with Him we can do anything. Prayer focuses our attention on God and what He desires instead of sin and its desires. As we turn to Jesus when we face temptation we hear His voice reminding us to watch and pray.

If only Judas had, he would not have betrayed. If only Peter had he would not have denied. If only I had I would not have…We are living proof that while the spirit is willing the flesh is weak. But Jesus isn’t weak. Jesus successfully resisted every temptation. Jesus didn’t turn away from the cross. Jesus did that to save sinners like you and me, whose spirit is wiling but whose flesh is weak. It is true that Satan is very good at tempting. He will at times get us to fall. Too bad for Satan that as good as he is at tempting, Jesus is perfect at saving. Amen.