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Category: Mark Commentary (Page 1 of 12)

Jesus: Your Gethsemane (Mark 14:39-42, Part 2)

December 3, 2023 /

Doing God’s will can sometimes be very difficult, and you will find yourself not wanting to do it. What you want and what God wants will be two different things. This could mean you both have the goal in mind, but God’s way of getting it done and your way of getting it done oppose each other. When you discover that doing God’s will in this matter will cost you and hurt you, you are in what is called a Gethsemane moment.

Gethsemane Moment Defined

Today, we are going to continue our examination of your Gethsemane moment. A Gethsemane moment is a time when you are tempted to avoid doing what God wants you to do because you know that doing it will cost you dearly and hurt you deeply. You are not going to want to do it, but you know God wants you to do it. You know it’s the right thing to do, but it will come at great sacrifice on your part. Your Gethsemane involves a battle between your willing spirit to do what is right and your weaknesses to do what is easy. Continue reading

Jesus: Your Gethsemane (Mark 14:39-42, Part 1)

November 26, 2023 /

Have you ever faced this dilemma? You know what God wants you to do. You know the right thing to do, but it will cost, and it will hurt. By doing this you will probably be misunderstood, rejected, and feel as if those closest to you and even God himself has abandoned you. Have you ever faced something like that? Jesus did in the garden of Gethsemane.

Gethsemane Moment Defined

Today, we are going to take a deep look at what I call your Gethsemane moment. A Gethsemane moment is a time when you are tempted to avoid doing what God wants you to do because you know that doing it will cost you dearly and hurt you deeply. You are not going to want to do it, but you know God wants you to do it. You know it’s the right thing to do, but it will come at great sacrifice on your part. Your Gethsemane involves a battle between your willing spirit to do what is right and your weaknesses to do what is easy. Continue reading

Jesus: spirit is willing, body is weak (Mark 14:38)

November 12, 2023 /

As a follower of Jesus, do you ever struggle with good intentions, but don’t follow through with them. You want to do what’s right, but then you don’t. You know what you should say, but you don’t. You know what you should not say, but you say it anyway. You want to stop that sin you keep doing, but you don’t and you feel like you can’t stop. You have the desire to do the right thing, but you don’t do you. You feel trapped or like there is this war between doing right and doing wrong going on inside you. If that is you, then you are not alone. Continue reading

Jesus: Watch and Pray (Mark 14:37-38)

October 15, 2023 /

Today, Jesus is going to show us how to face temptation when going through a crisis. Every follower of Jesus is going to struggle with temptation. Temptation is an opportunity to be selfish, to do evil, be unkind, and to disobey God. Temptation will always come knocking at the door when you are in a crisis, when you are experiencing stress, and the pressure is heavy. When you feel overwhelmed is when temptation loves to visit you. Continue reading

Jesus: Not My Will (Mark 14:35-36, Part 2)

October 3, 2023 /

Your instinct is to flee suffering, but you must remember that even in the middle of suffering, God’s will is being done. There will be those times when God will lead you away from suffering or around suffering because of wise decisions. However, there will be those times when God will lead you straight into suffering because the center of God’s will is in the center of that suffering. There is something for you to learn and do in that season of suffering. It’s in the middle of that suffering where you will grow the most and God will be glorified the greatest and it’s there the best victories are won. Jesus understood this when He faced the crucifixion.

For the follower of Jesus, every trial of suffering is an opportunity to grow in your relationship with God and to deepen your understanding of who it is you are following. Suffering creates an opportunity to see God work in your life in a uniquely personal way that demonstrates His compassion, His comfort, His mercy, His kindness, His strength, His wisdom, and His loving kindness. Suffering is a divine tool that chisels selfishness off of you so others can see Jesus in you. Continue reading

Jesus: Not My Will (Mark 14:35-36, Part 1)

September 24, 2023 /

Sometimes doing God’s will is easy to follow. Sometimes doing God’s will is very difficult to follow. There are going to be times in your life doing what God wants you to do is going to feel terrible. You are going to feel grief and anguish to do what God has called you to do. You will feel the full force of dying to yourself to do it.

In Mark 14, Jesus is showing us how to follow God’s will when it is tough, and you would prefer another way to accomplish whatever it is God wants you to accomplish. We have a lot to look at today, so let’s get started. Continue reading

Jesus: Crushed with Grief (Mark 14:32-34)

September 18, 2023 /

We are about to step onto holy ground. Today we begin looking at the depths of agony and pain Jesus endured for sinners like you and me. Even before He went to the cross, He endured an incredible amount of emotional pain. Keep in mind, what we are about to look at day is about 12 hours away from Jesus hanging on the cross. The cross is beginning to cast its shadow.

As followers of Jesus, we need to know more about who we are following. The more we know and understand who Jesus is the better we can follow Him. Today, we learn something significant about Jesus. We are going to see the emotional pain Jesus went through in order to rescue you and me from our sins. Continue reading

Jesus: Leads you Victoriously (Mark 14:27-31)

September 5, 2023 /

One of the great things about Jesus is He loves you and is committed to you even when He knows you are going to stumble and make decisions from time to time that do not honor Him. Because of your personal weaknesses, He knows you are going to make bad decisions under certain pressure and situations. Even with that, He still is dedicated to you and does not give up on you. Continue reading

Jesus: The Shepherd (Mark 14:29)

August 28, 2023 /

Throughout God’s Word the Lord is described as your Shepherd and you are described as His sheep. Sheep are known to wander off the path and away from the flock. The Shepherd often must protect His sheep from the wolves, traps, thieves, and other dangers. Sheep will often scatter and run away and get lost when there is a storm, and become confused. They become overwhelmed by the circumstances and panic. When the storm is over the Shepherd will go and find the lost sheep and bring Him back.

Something similar is about to happen to the disciples. Something similar happens to you and me as followers of Jesus. As the Lord’s sheep we often fall away and wander off the path God wants us to stay on. We become frightened, confused, or angry at what is happening around us or to us and it causes us to fall away. However, like a good shepherd He restores us, reconciles us, comforts us, strengthens us, and refocuses us. We see all this in Mark 14:27-31. Continue reading

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