Is a blow that breaks my body. All my foes are taunting me. All day long their words assault me. Where's your godly savior? O my soul, why so cast down? Why so troubled in me now? Open God, for I shall praise Him. He's my God and my salvation. for our younger members and for every member, be on the lookout, some of the words from this Psalm are repeated in our passage. It's good to remember that even as this is a Psalm which includes words such as, oh, my soul, my soul cast down, even repeated, a repeated use of that phrase, So it's also a Psalm which begins and ends with longing for God and knowing that God is the God of salvation. And so often that is the pattern of the Psalms again and again. But our main passage, even as Psalm 42 will be part of the prayers of Jesus comes from Mark chapter 14. Mark chapter 14. and we will read verses 26 through 42. I'll say just one other or touch on one other topic before we read and that is the names of the places. So we have Mount of Olives, we have Gethsemane mentioned in our text. In the old song, which will be our song of application this morning, it mentions Olive's Brows. How do we keep all this straight? What is the Mount of Olives? What is Olive's Brow? What is Gethsemane? Well, Gethsemane is the Hebrew word for a particular garden on this mountain, this mount or hill, this Mount of Olives. And Olive's Brow is just an old way of talking about the brow, the crest, the top of a hill. And so when we sing that song later, it's just a song, songy, poetic way of speaking about the top of the Mount of Olives. People of God, let us hear Mark chapter 14, beginning at verse 26. And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. And Jesus said to them, you will all fall away, for it is written, I will strike the shepherd and the sheep will be scattered. But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee. Peter said to him, even though they all fall away, I will not. Jesus said to him, truly I tell you this very night before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times. But he said emphatically, if I must die with you, I will not deny you. And they all said the same. And they went to a place called Yosemite. And he said to his disciples, sit here while I pray. And he took with him Peter and James and John and began to be greatly distressed and troubled. And he said to them, my soul is very sorrowful, even to death, remain here and watch. And going a little farther, he fell on the ground and prayed that if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me, yet not what I will, but what you will. And he came and found them sleeping. And he said to Peter, Simon, are you asleep? Could you not watch one hour? Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. And again, he went away and prayed saying the same words. And again, he came and found them sleeping for their eyes were very heavy and they did not know what to answer him. And he came the third time and said to them, are you still sleeping and taking your rest? It is enough, the hour has come. Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going. See, my betrayer is at hand. So far the reading of God's holy word. Dear congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ, When it says that they went out after singing a hymn, it doesn't tell us which hymn it is, but we can make more than a good guess, because during the time of Passover, the Hallel Psalms, Psalms of praise, specifically Psalms 113 to 118, are the songs which were most often sung, especially at the time of the meal, but even during the whole Passover week and Passover preparations. And so, for example, we see in the time of the triumphal entry, the singing of two verses from one of those songs from Psalm 118. So no, scripture does not tell us exactly which hymn is being sung and remember that hymn is the broader word. Psalm is more specific. Psalm is a specific type of hymn, but a hymn is just a song. It can be a psalm, it could not be a psalm. So what hymn were they singing? Almost certainly they are singing Psalm 118. Almost certainly they are singing Psalm 118. What is Psalm 118 about? What is this perhaps the last song that Jesus sings while on earth? The last song he sings before his death with his disciples. What is Psalm 118 about? Well, there are the familiar words, which are repeated. At the triumphal entry, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. There's also these words in the middle of the Psalm. Psalm 118 verse 17, I shall not die, but I shall live and recount the deeds of the Lord. And then towards the end of the Psalm, the last two verses, verses 28 and 29, you are my God and I will give thanks to you. You are my God and I will extol you. Oh, give thanks to the Lord for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever. Jesus knew he was going to his death. Jesus knew what his death was. and he goes singing and he goes praying. And when I say that Jesus knew what his death was, we can think of that in this way. Jesus knew that his death was nothing like a martyrdom. Now there have been many saints who have been martyred for the faith throughout the centuries. What is a martyrdom? It's dying for the faith. It's being killed for your belief. Now isn't Jesus killed for what he believes, you might say? Isn't there a sense in which we could use the word martyrdom to describe the death of Jesus Christ? Not really. Not really. The death of Jesus Christ is really nothing like the death of a martyrdom. It is a completely different kind of death than any other death faced by any other person at any other time. Yes, it is a death for what Jesus says. In that sense, it's a death because of his declaration of faith. In that very small sense, it is like a martyrdom, but it is much, much more than that. And Jesus knows it is much, much more than that. He goes with songs and he goes with prayers, but he goes with great agony because Jesus knows what he is going for. Jesus knows who he is dying for. what his death is, that it is not like any other death. Jesus knows all these things and yet it is Jesus alone who is obedient in all circumstances, even to the point of this death, this death on a cross, this death, which is more than a death on a cross. We've already mentioned what might be the last song of Jesus. We'll now look at his final teachings, his final prayers and his final minutes. What are the final teachings? Well, it's a repeated teaching, which we see often in the gospels, do we not? Jesus says something one time to his disciples, and then he says it at least one more time, and at least one more slightly different way. Well, that's what we have here. Has not Jesus, even from chapter eight, been speaking about how the Son of Man must suffer many things? He will even, Jesus has said specifically, be killed and after three days rise again, Mark 8, 31. Well, here he says it in verse 27. He says it again now in a different way, now referring to a specific prophecy from the prophet Zechariah, which will be fulfilled. You will all fall away for it is written, I will strike the shepherd and the sheep will be scattered. What is that a reference to? What prophecy here is being fulfilled? Well, the prophecy of the leader being struck and who is the great shepherd? It is Jesus Christ. And how is he struck? He will be struck on the cross soon. And so when the prophet Zechariah talks about the sheep being struck and the shepherd being struck and the sheep being scattered, He's most specifically prophesying what Jesus will do and what will happen to Jesus's disciples. That is in Zechariah chapter 13, verse seven. Zechariah chapter 13, verse seven. And so Jesus speaks again about his death. Now with another detail. I the shepherd will be killed and you my sheep will be scattered. How often do we hear the truth plainly proclaimed? How often do we read the truth plainly written and we need to hear it again and again? So it was with the disciples, so it is with us. But after I am raised up, verse 28, I will go before you to Galilee. So what has Jesus done here in verses 27 and 28? He's saying, remember these words from the prophet Zechariah, I am the fulfillment of those. I am the fulfillment of this prophecy, and here's another prophecy which now I give to you. I will see you again in Galilee. So Jesus is saying in verse 27, I will fulfill this prophecy. Jesus is saying in verse 28, here's another prophecy which I am giving to you now again. And Jesus does both of those things, does he not? Completely aware of the Old Testament scriptures, constantly pointing back and saying, isn't it written? Do I not fulfill? And also saying, I speak to you. Because Jesus can do both of those things. Jesus has the perfect understanding and the perfect interpretation of all of the scriptures and Jesus also speaks and his word is the word of God. Any faithful preacher today can look at the text and say, it is written, let us read, let us see, let us apply it to our hearts, but I cannot say, oh, and now I'm gonna give another prophecy too. No, no, no. Jesus could do this. Some of the prophets and apostles could do this when they were inspired, but only Jesus could do this even in this way. I will go before you to Galilee. Now, Zechariah 13 verse seven talks about the sheep being scattered, but as is so often true, the context of that chapter also speaks about a remnant being saved. And it talks about how there will be those who are cleansed from their sin and uncleanness in Zechariah 13 verse one. It talks about how there will be refining, and there will be those who call upon the name of the Lord in verse 9. So often when there is reference to these Old Testament passages, when we understand the context that there will be those who are faithful, even as there will be those who are scattered, well that directly leads into verse 28, even though the detail of Galilee is Christ's own detail. And we will see Galilee again in the last verses of Mark. Mark 16 verse seven, where will Jesus reunite with his disciples? Mark 16 verse seven, go tell the disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him just as he told you. So Jesus speaks about his fulfillment of a prophecy. Jesus gives a new prophecy which will be fulfilled, and then the apostle gives his declaration of faithfulness. Even though they all fall away, I will not. They might all fall, but I will remain faithful to you. Now Peter is not the first in a long line of popes, but he is the representative of the disciples. And as the representative of the disciples, he's also a representative of all Christians in a sense. So when Peter gives a faithful declaration of faith, that's a good declaration of faith, which we should all take upon our lips. But when we see the rashness of Peter, when we see the rashness And the unfaithfulness of Peter contrasted so clearly with the faithfulness of Jesus Christ, it's a reminder that the spokesperson of the disciples cannot be faithful, that the disciples cannot be faithful, that all Christians are incapable in and of themselves of being faithful. Jesus, of course, knows that this is not true. And he reminds Peter that even that very night, he will betray Jesus more than once. The disciples say it is not true. And as we'll see, Lord willing, next week, they all will scatter. The scriptures will be fulfilled. Jesus bears with his people despite their weaknesses. Jesus bears with his disciples despite their weaknesses. He bears with us despite our weaknesses. When we see the weaknesses of the disciples exposed, it's not a problem. Of course the disciples have weaknesses. They're human beings just like you. and me. It does not matter whether it's the great prophet Elijah, the great King David, the great Apostle Peter, they all fall. And the pattern of scripture is when we have many words written about even these great and central characters of the faith, these men who are used mightily or the women who are used mightily, what do we also read? That mighty David is also great sinner David. That faithful Rahab is also prostitute Rahab. In other words, what does scripture tell us again and again and again? In many, many ways. Jesus alone. Jesus alone. I've heard of Of course, no single evangelism technique will ever work. There's not some key that will automatically turn human hearts. But I've heard of those who labor amongst Jews. And since the Jews do hold up the Old Testament as authoritative, they'll go to passages in the Old Testament which speak about faithfulness, about a person of great faithfulness, such as Psalm 1 or Isaiah 53 or something like this. They'll say, who can fulfill this? Who is the godly man of Psalm 1? Who does that? Who can fulfill these things? Doesn't it have to be speaking about someone without sin and then seek to show that Jesus is the one without sin? Of course, Jesus is denied, so it's only a way of getting to the crux of the matter. But the point is this, from the beginning of scripture to the end of scripture, Jesus alone is without sin. Jesus alone never falls away. Jesus alone is obedient, even in the face of the greatest torment. And that is what brings him to his final hours of prayer. This familiar place of prayer, Luke 22 and John 18, they both mention that this was a place he went often. Luke 22 verse 39 says, as was his custom, he goes to the Mount of Olives. John chapter 18 verses one and two remind us that this is why Judas knows where he will be. Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place for Jesus often met there with his disciples, John 18 two. And so they go to Gethsemane, that garden on the Mount of Olives. And Jesus, in this place, will give his final prayers. His final lengthy time of prayer. We should, perhaps, read the word, could you not sit and watch with me for an hour? In verse 37, as this does not seem to be figurative, Jesus really went and prayed for an hour and came back. And then he went and prayed again and came back. Then he went and prayed again and came back. intense, lengthy prayer, wrestling with the great task which he knows lies before him. He takes the inner circle with him in verse 33. He is sorrowful of soul, even to death. This is where it's important to remember this is not a martyrdom. Remember, this is not a martyrdom. Some saints, there are accounts of Christians who have faced martyrdom with great courage. They even go. How do they go? They go singing, they go praying. And so you could almost go through a list. Well, what song was this great saint singing? And what song was this saint singing? And which century were they martyred in? Well, why doesn't Jesus go singing? Isn't He the greatest saint? When Jesus dies for the faith, why doesn't He go singing? When the flames rise up, why is he so tormented? Why couldn't he have the great courage that these other saints had? Because the death of Jesus is nothing like a martyrdom, nothing. It is hell opened before him. Hell, how can you say hell? Well, not literally, not that he literally stepped into hell, but this is the figurative language that we have used for centuries to describe what Jesus is doing, is it not? and he descended into hell. What does that mean? That means that when Jesus looks and he sees his death that is before him, and when Jesus looks and when Jesus knows what he is stepping into, he knows that he's stepping into the wrath of God. He knows he is stepping into hell. This is not a martyrdom, this is descent into hell. Of course Jesus is not praying. and singing for joy. Of course he's not. The saints that sing for joy sing for joy because they know what their savior did for them. The savior in the garden is not singing for joy because he knows what he must do for you. This is no martyrdom. What is this cup? Psalm 51 speaks about the cup of wrath. Cup is a symbol of God's wrath in the Old Testament. What does Jesus say when he says, I must drink this cup? I must drink the wrath of God. I must drink hell for you. That's what he's saying. That's what he knows. That's why he's tormented. That's why he's sorrowful. That's why there's no song of joy here. That's why there's anguish of soul here. Do you see it? Do you see what this is? Do you see what this hour is? Do you see what this cup is? Do you see there is nothing else like this? Jesus alone is faithful. Jesus alone died a death like this. Others have been crucified. Others have been tormented. Others have been whipped and scourged. Only Jesus, only Jesus drank the cup of God's wrath against sin for others. And when we understand what is going on here and what is not going on here, then we can step back and say, alas, indeed, my Savior bleed. And my Savior bled for me. And we can see what the seriousness of what the seriousness of sin. That's why Christ is so tormented, because he has to drink the wrath of God against your sins and against my sins. Do you take your sins seriously? Jesus took your sins seriously. Jesus took your sins seriously. If you believe in your Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, And you look to Him and you trust in Him. He did die for you. He did die for your sins. Why is He so tormented here? Why is He so sorrowful for sin? Because He knows He's gonna die for your sin. Jesus takes your sins seriously. Jesus is weighed down. How do you look at your sins? How do you look at your sins? How do you look at your Savior who took your sins upon Himself? Of course, Jesus is sorrowful of soul. Of course, He would cry out, take this cup from me. yet not my will but yours." How could he not say that? Jesus follows his own advice, doesn't he? The same Jesus who taught the disciples to pray saying, come before your father in heaven, say your will be done. This is what he does here. The same Jesus who when he sees the weakness of his disciples, what is the going once, going twice, going three times emphasize? Just as the false declarations of verses 29 and 31, what does all that emphasize? Jesus is alone. Jesus alone is righteous. Jesus alone can face this. But what is the advice that he gives? Watch and pray that you may not enter in temptation, verse 38. What is Jesus doing? He's watching and praying. In the greatest hour of trial, looking at that greatest cup of wrath, Jesus is praying. Praying specifically that the will of God would be done. He follows his own advice. He follows his own instructions. Agony in the garden at the sinfulness of sin. The weight of the curse of sin against others now being laid upon him. He knows the hour is coming. He knows, he knows. It is enough, the hour has come, verse 41. But in the hour of torment he goes before his father. He breaks the rules of prayer as he does this. Every indication we have is that the Jews were making prayer a very formal thing. Now, it's not wrong to pray formally. It's not wrong to pray standing up with arms upraised as they often did and as Jesus sometimes himself did. Think of his prayer of blessing before the feeding of the 5,000. It's not wrong to pray with highly elevated language. The Psalms have elevated language of praise to God, do they not? But that's not what Jesus does here. He falls down. He breaks the rules of the postures of prayer, supposed rules. He falls on the ground, verse 35. He can't stand up. He uses everyday language, Abba, Father. He has a posture which he's not supposed to have. He uses a phrase, a word, a common household name which he's not supposed to use. Why does he do this? Of course this is not an hour when somebody could write Psalm 119 with all of its details and praise and each letter following its own and being repeated. This is not a time to write Psalm 119. This is not a time to pray Psalm 119. This is a time to fall down and pray whatever you can speak before your Father in heaven. to be most intimate, to be most strained of soul, that this is all you can do. And that's what Jesus does. It's good to sing elevated psalms of praise. It's good to pray elevated prayers of praise. Sometimes all we can use is everyday language. Sometimes God is pleased when we come before Him in everyday language. Reverently, still. In obedience, still. Yes, those things. Pray in whichever posture you are able to pray with whatever words you are able to pray. Of course, even in the midst of this, Jesus is not done teaching. So maybe we shouldn't have labeled the first point final teachings. He loves his disciples, even as he knows that he goes alone to save them. Yes, they are sleeping, but Jesus is not. And he will not. Jesus knows where He is going. Jesus knows He is going where no one else can go, because He is both the true Son of Mary, God incarnate, true man, and the true Daniel 7, Son of Man. who comes with glory and authority on the clouds. He is both true man and true God. He is both able to bear the wrath of God, because He is true God, and able to stand in your place and stand in my place, because He is true man. Believe in this one Savior, and look nowhere else. that He knew what He was doing for you. Know that He did so willingly, obedient in every way. Amen, let us pray. Lord God Almighty, in attacks of deepest dread and greatest temptation, our Lord was faithful. He died for our sins. May the knowledge of this, what Jesus really did, bring us to Him, seeing the depths of His love, and make us faithful servants, knowing what that salvation cost. In Jesus' name, the suffering servant's name we pray. Amen. Let us sing concerning this time, what Jesus knew he was doing, 344, 344 verses 1, 2, and 3. Yeah. ♪ When on all is brown ♪ The star is dimmed, let me be shown ♪ Tis midnight in the garden now ♪ The soft green savior prays alone from all removed. Emmanuel has solved all men's fears. He's the disciple that he loved. He's not his guilt. A man of sorrows weaves in blood, yet he hath hath been anguished now. People of God, it's time for the parting blessing of our God, then our doxology number 567. Let us hear now that parting blessing. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen. Praise him above the heavenly host. Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen. Yeah.