2026-04-03 Good Friday 2026

The transcription discusses the contrast between Jesus and his disciples during the events leading up to his crucifixion. Jesus is depicted as being fully aware and prepared for what is to come, while his disciples are confused and unprepared. The significance of Jesus' prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane is highlighted, showing a unique and intimate moment where Jesus expresses his fear and submits to God's will. The prayer reflects Jesus' trust, fear, and submission, ultimately demonstrating the profound impact of Jesus' sacrifice for humanity's sins. The passage emphasizes the gravity of human sinfulness and the redemption made possible through Jesus' obedience to God's will. Tai yra daugiau nesvarbiausia nesvarbiausia nesvarbiausia nesvarbiausia nesvarbiausia nesvarbiausia nesvarbiausia nesvarbiausia nesvarbiausia nesvarbiausia nesvarbiausia nesvarbiausia nesvarbiausia nesvarbiausia nesvarbiausia nesvarbiausia nesvarbiausia nesvarbiausia nesvarbiausia nesvarbiausia nesvarbiausia nesvarbiausia nesvarbiausia nesvarbiausia nesvarbiausia nesvarbiausia nesvarbiausia nesvarbiausia nesvarbiausia nesvarbiausia nesvarbiausia nesvarbiausia nesvarbiausia nesvarbiausia nesvarbiausia nesvarbiausia nesvarbiausia nesvarbiausia nesvarbiausia nesvarbiausia nesvarbiausia nesvarbiausia nesvarbiausia nesvarbiausia nesvarbiausia nesvarbiausia nesvarbiausia nesvarbiausia nesvarbiausia nesvarbiausia nesvarbiausia nesvarbiausia nesvarbiausia nesvarbiausia nesvarbiausia nesvarbiausia nesvarbiausia nesvarbiausia nesvarbiausia nesvarbiausia nesvarbiausia nesvarbiausia nesvarbiausia nesvarbiausia nesvarbiausia nesvarbiausia nesvarbiausia nesvarbiausia nesvarbiausia nesvarbiausia nesvarbiausia nesvarbiausia nesvarbia The disciples, on the other hand, were uncertain. They were confused. And this contrast between Jesus and them runs the whole way through this story. They're boldly confident. But Jesus, when it comes to the act, he is full of anguish. They sleep. He prays. He's ready for what happens. They're totally unprepared. They fight. He submits. He is brave. They run away. And all the way through the narrative, Jesus and his disciples are sharply contrasted. They differ at every point. And I think one of the reasons for that is verse 27. Jesus understands what's happening. And they don't. The explanation there is in verse 27, Jesus quotes from Zachariah, hundreds of years before, looking forward to a day when God's chosen king, the ruler, rescuer of his people, would be struck and his people scattered. And he knows that. Jesus is aware of that. He knows what's going to happen. And they don't. So all the way through this chapter, you notice there's a contrast between him and the disciples. He's got clear eyes. He's in control. They're failing to grasp what's going on. But there is something in this passage that is profoundly new. There's something about Jesus' prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane that you can't see the same anywhere else. This prayer gives us a unique window into the significance of Jesus' coming death. And it gives us a unique window into the character of God himself. So that's why I've picked it for Good Friday. And we're going to see three things. I want us to work through three things. And the first thing is the uniqueness of this event. This event in the Garden of Gethsemane is unique. And I want you to first notice that it's a prayer. And that's not a remarkable thing in the Bible. We expect to find prayers in the Bible. If you didn't find a prayer in the Bible, you'd be disappointed. We expect that. But it's not common for Mark to record prayers. It only happens three times in the Gospels, in his Gospel. And on the other two occasions where Mark records the prayers, they're very significant parts of the story. And he prays here. And he records it. Notice also the witnesses who are there. Peter, James and John. There are only three occasions when these witnesses are in hand in Mark's Gospel. Chapter 5, you have the raising of Jairus' daughter from the dead. A significant moment. Chapter 9, the Transfiguration. Another big moment. And here in the Garden. And the third thing that flags up the significance of this unique event is Jesus himself. Jesus himself. Perhaps you're here this morning and you're not yet a Christian. You're not yet trusting. And you've come on a good morning to see who Jesus is. And our prayer is that your eyes would be opened to see who he is. Perhaps you are a Christian and you've been here for years and years. And you've been a Christian for years and years. And I hope you'll notice something about Jesus. Something refreshing about him. Because here himself there's something different about him. Up to this point in Mark's Gospel, Jesus is a powerful person. Jesus is gently confident in every circumstance. Jesus calmly sorts things. He heals people. He commands storms, disease. When faced with the parents of a little girl who's just died, And in a situation where we would struggle, Jesus just says, Up you get little girl, it's breakfast time. He's simply confident when we'd be all over the place. Even when he talks about his death in Mark's Gospel. And he's talked about his death three times up to this point. He's confident about it. But look at Jesus here. He's not calm. He's not composed. Verse 34, My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Going a little further, he fell to the ground and prayed that if it possible that the hour might pass from him. And here we find Jesus pleading that what's going to happen might not happen. And seeing human beings in distress is not surprising. We've come across that, haven't we? We've been in situations that are distressful. But this person, Jesus Christ, this is a surprise. And this prayer will teach us things that we can't see anywhere else. It will show us things about God that can't be learned in the same way anywhere else. And if you want to know what God is like, and if you want to know what Christ is like, and what the Christian message is about, today is a good time to be here. Because it's opened up in a way like nowhere else. So this event, this prayer in Gethsemane is unique. It's unique. Let's move on. Let's look at the prayer itself. It's a short prayer, verse 36. And notice first how intimate this prayer is. Here is a son talking to his father. Here is the father and son relationship. Abba, Father. It's intimate. And notice it's a trusting prayer. It's trusting, verse 36. There's great confidence here. Great confidence that the father can do whatever the father wants to do. This is a son coming to a father. And this son knows that his father is not like a human father. Usually with boys and little girls, if you have them in the family, I think they do think you're invincible if you're a father. They think you're a superhero. Remember, I thought my father was a superhero. But it doesn't take long for them to realize, actually, they're not up to that much at all. But here is Jesus, the son, coming to the perfect father who can do anything he wants. And he asks for what he knows his father could give, a way of escape from a terrible event. God could grant this request. It's a good request, isn't it? Think of it. Think of this son. This is a good son. This is not an awkward son. This is not a wayward son. This is not a son who's a pain in the neck. This is the son who says, I honor my father. I know him. I keep his word. I and the father are one. Here is a magnificent son asking the father for something. And should not the father give to this son this son what he asks? It's a trusting request. But also it's a fearful prayer. Verse 36. Take this cup from me. We said that the Jesus we meet here in this part of the gospel is not quite the Jesus we expected to see. And I think here we learn why. And it's because death for human beings is a terrible thing. On one level, we know it's bad. We don't want it to come. We know the loss of control, the loss of relationship, the suffering, the separation. But death by crucifixion would be a more fearful prospect. Agonizing. The humiliation. But it's interesting, that's not what Jesus fears. Because when we get to the cross, interestingly, there's nothing in the gospel about the physical suffering of the crucifixion. What Jesus fears is the judgment that comes along with the death. And it's expressed here in verse 36. Take this cup from me. He doesn't want the cup. The cup's a biblical picture of God stored up, waiting to be poured out anger against human sin. Psalm 75 says, In the hand of the Lord is a cup full of foaming wine mixed with spices. He pours it out, and all the wicked of the earth drink it down to its very dregs. It's the anger for the sin. It's the cup that Jesus doesn't want to experience. And what makes this prayer all the more poignant is that it's a right prayer. Does this Son deserve to bear the anger of God against human sin? Of course not. Does this Son deserve to carry the judgment that sins deserve? Of course not. This is a faithful Son. An obedient Son. Pleading with His most generous Father that the punishment that He doesn't deserve might not fall on Him. And isn't that a prayer that any father would say yes to? Wouldn't a father say, of course, yes, there's another way we can do this. Think if this was your child, and they said, Father, please help me. I'm greatly distressed, I'm troubled. Help me. I trust you. Imagine them coming and asking you again and again. Three times Jesus asks. And here is the one who's afraid of nothing. Pleading that another way might be found. Because of the cup. It's a fearful prayer. And yet notice it's a submissive prayer. Verse 36 again. Yet not what I will, but what you will. Here is a Son willing for His Father's will to be done. And it's because of that willingness, a willingness in God the Father, and a willingness in God the Son, that we can have our redemption. That we can have hope and life and forgiveness. So the uniqueness of the event, the short prayer, and I just want thirdly to draw some implications. Four implications. From this verse we see how appalling our sin is. We see how appalling our sin is. I think we can get used to the way we are. And our sin just becomes unremarkable to us. Every act of self-centeredness, every flash of anger, envy, hatred. And we get used to these things. We just think that's the way we are. We push God to arm's length. We keep Him on the edge of our lives. Yet this verse highlights for us. It says, notice the consequence of the way we are. It causes a supremely powerful person tremendous anguish. How bad the human condition. That Jesus says, everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. And notice that it's our sin that's intruded into the relationship, the perfect relationship between the Father and the Son. Think of the Father and the Son. From eternity they've been in that perfect relationship. Untroubled by normal Father-Son problems. Differences of opinions, arguments, self-centeredness, anger, irritation. It's been a relationship that's been fully loving and perfect. Other person-centered love. No anguish at all. And yet God has allowed our sin to intrude into that perfect relationship. It is our sin that caused Jesus such anguish in the garden. It was our sin that made the Father say, another way is not possible. It is our sin that made Jesus cry on the cross, my God, my God, why have you forsaken me? It is our sin that made this one, this one who is so precious to his Father, be treated by his Father like a sinful human being. It's extraordinary. And yet so often we proudly say that independence from God is a good thing. Rebellion is liberating. I've never done anything wrong. This prayer gives us a glimpse of what we're really like. That sin is appalling. And it was allowed to intrude into that Father-Son relationship. And second notice, it shows how dreadful God's judgment is. It shows us how dreadful God's judgment is. I think we've domesticated death, judgment and hell. I don't know whether it's stories of near-death experiences or people seeing the light in the tunnel or people thinking they hope they can come back and do life over again and maybe do it a bit better than they firstly did. But notice in this prayer, that judgment is terrible. That the one who fears nothing asks for another way to be found. And therefore we cannot think, we cannot think it's alright to be indifferent to God. Judgment is dreadful. And the third implication is how great God's love is. How great God's love is. So great is God's concern for you that the Father was willing for his Son not to have his prayer answered in the way that he would have liked. So great is the love of the Son for you that he is willing not to have that prayer answered in the way that he would have liked it to be answered. So great is the love. So generous is the love that they have been willing to let our sins intrude into their perfect relationship so that we can be welcomed into that perfect relationship. Here is eternal, other-centered, generous love that extends out of the Godhead to us and it brings us into his family. And fourthly notice how secure Jesus' plans are. How secure Jesus' plans are. The disciples say they won't fall away. They're big. They're brave. They're ready to fight. In verse 47, one of those standing near drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear. They're willing to have a go but they're not willing to be associated with one not willing to fight. With one who submits. With one who goes to the cross to die. Verse 50, every one of them deserted him and fled. And yet look what Jesus says in verse 28. After I've risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee. He describes a future beyond his death. He's confident that this will turn out well despite the pain that's coming. So let me ask you, will you follow him? The one who endured the cross. The one who shouldered our sin. The one who drank a cup of God's wrath so that we don't have to drink it. So that we can be forgiven. The one who willingly endured his father's will. So that we may know him as father. Will you follow him? Perhaps this morning this is the first time that you've heard about Jesus. And can I say to you, is he not worth following? You'll never meet anyone like this. Perhaps this morning you've been following Jesus for a long time. Maybe you've grown tired of following. Maybe you're tired of being known as a Christian. But can I say, look to Jesus afresh. Here is the one who is willing to go through all things necessary for us to be part of his family. Can you see who Jesus is? Can you see the father's love? The son's love? And he also sends us the Holy Spirit so that when we're in difficulty we too can cry, Abba Father help me to follow. Abba Father said, everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will. Let's pray together. Gracious God, these words from the lips of your son test our understanding. They stretch our minds. And so we pray for your help to understand. Thank you that you, O God, Father, Son and Spirit were pleased to do this. And in response to you we ask that you would help us to turn our back on those things in life that are not worth following. And that we would run to the Lord Jesus and follow him. Heavenly Father, we're so thankful this morning for what Christ accomplished. We're so thankful this morning for what he achieved and for this prayer that gives us a window into the character of God. Help us to continue to reflect upon it. To reflect upon our sin, but to reflect upon our Savior and his love for us. Father, help us to follow the son. In his name we pray. Amen. We're going to finish by singing together Yes, finished the Messiah dies. I will stand to sing.