Mark Reading Plan – W14D3
Week 14 | Day 3 | Mark 14:27-42
Check out all the previous readings here.
Pray
As you come to the reading today, write down all the things that are troubling you, giving them to God. Then ask God to open your eyes and your ears to his Word
Bible Reading (read these verses three times slowly)
“You will all fall away,” Jesus told them, “for it is written:
“‘I will strike the shepherd,
and the sheep will be scattered.”
But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.”
Peter declared, “Even if all fall away, I will not.”
“Truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “today—yes, tonight—before the rooster crows twice you yourself will disown me three times.”
But Peter insisted emphatically, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” And all the others said the same.
They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.”He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled. “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,” he said to them. “Stay here and keep watch.”
Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. “Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”
Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Simon,” he said to Peter, “are you asleep? Couldn’t you keep watch for one hour? Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
Once more he went away and prayed the same thing. When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. They did not know what to say to him.
Returning the third time, he said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough! The hour has come. Look, the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners. Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!”
Reflection & Questions
Jesus’ death is now very close, and He tells his disciples “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death.” Betrayal, torture and crucifixion were coming. But even more than that, separation from His Heavenly Father. We can’t begin to fathom the weight of all this, but we are to feel the emotion of it all as we read of His agony.
As he faces the impending suffering, he prays: “Abba, Father, everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”
In this prayer, He teaches us how to pray through suffering. We don’t pray to a distant, indifferent God. We pray to Abba, literally Daddy, who loves us deeply and closely. We don’t pray to a powerless, weak God. We pray to a Father for whom “everything is possible.” We can pray for mercy and relief (“Take this cup from me.”), which He may well grant. But ultimately, we pray accepting His will, not ours, trusting our lives into His hands (“Yet not what I will, but what you will”).
Jesus suffered well. There was agony in every step. But He drew strength from His prayer life, from His relationship with Abba. If we are to do the same, we must learn from our Savior and learn to pray just like Him.
- What strikes you the most from Jesus’ prayer?
- Is there something in your life right now that you need to come before your Heavenly Dad and say: “Not what I will, but what you will”?
Pray
As you face trials in your life right now, use Jesus’ prayer as a model.
Worship Song
You could worship our Jesus through this song today:
Bible Reading
“You will all fall away,” Jesus told them, “for it is written:
“‘I will strike the shepherd,
and the sheep will be scattered.”
But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.”
Peter declared, “Even if all fall away, I will not.”
“Truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “today—yes, tonight—before the rooster crows twice you yourself will disown me three times.”
But Peter insisted emphatically, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” And all the others said the same.
They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.”He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled. “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,” he said to them. “Stay here and keep watch.”
Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. “Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”
Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Simon,” he said to Peter, “are you asleep? Couldn’t you keep watch for one hour? Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
Once more he went away and prayed the same thing. When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. They did not know what to say to him.
Returning the third time, he said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough! The hour has come. Look, the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners. Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!”
Reflection and Questions
Jesus’ death is now very close, and He tells his disciples “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death.” Betrayal, pain, and crucifixion were coming. But even more than that, separation from His Heavenly Father, God. We can’t begin to understand the weight of all this, but we can try to feel the emotion of it all as we read what Jesus went through.
As he faces what is going to happen next, he prays: “Abba, Father, everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”
In this prayer, He teaches us how to pray through our pain. We don’t pray to a God who doesn’t know us. We pray to Abba, which means Daddy, who loves us so much, and cares for us as His children. We pray to a Father for whom “everything is possible.” We can pray for mercy and relief (“Take this cup from me.”), which He might give us. But ultimately, we pray accepting His will, not ours, trusting our lives into His hands. We follow a God who loves us, and who knows what is best for us (“Yet not what I will, but what you will”).
- Is there something in your life right now that you need to come before your Heavenly Dad and pray about or pray for?
Prayer
Pray to God and thank Him for being a God who loves and cares for us.
Bible Reading
“You will all fall away,” Jesus told them, “for it is written:
“‘I will strike the shepherd,
and the sheep will be scattered.”
But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.”
Peter declared, “Even if all fall away, I will not.”
“Truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “today—yes, tonight—before the rooster crows twice you yourself will disown me three times.”
But Peter insisted emphatically, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” And all the others said the same.
They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.”He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled. “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,” he said to them. “Stay here and keep watch.”
Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. “Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”
Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Simon,” he said to Peter, “are you asleep? Couldn’t you keep watch for one hour? Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
Once more he went away and prayed the same thing. When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. They did not know what to say to him.
Returning the third time, he said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough! The hour has come. Look, the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners. Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!”
Devo Focus
“Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.” Vs. 36
Devo
Letting go of control in life is tough, sometimes impossible! That’s exactly what Jesus did here…and what God asks of us as well. Jesus’ death is now very close, and He tells his disciples “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death.” Betrayal, torture and crucifixion were coming. But even more than that, separation from His Heavenly Father. We can’t begin to fathom the weight of all this, but we are to feel the emotion of it all as we read of His agony. As he faces the impending suffering, he prays: “Abba, Father, everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.” In this prayer, He teaches us how to pray through suffering. We don’t pray to a distant, indifferent God. We pray to Abba, literally Daddy, who loves us deeply and closely. We don’t pray to a powerless, weak God. We pray to a Father for whom “everything is possible.” We can pray for mercy and relief (“Take this cup from me.”), which He may well grant. But ultimately, we pray accepting His will, not ours, trusting our lives into His hands (“Yet not what I will, but what you will”). Jesus suffered well. There was agony in every step. But He drew strength from His prayer life, from His relationship with Abba. If we are to do the same, we must learn from our Savior and learn to pray just like Him.
- What strikes you the most from Jesus’ prayer?
- Is there something in your life right now that you need to come before your Heavenly Dad and say: “Not what I will, but what you will”?
Prayer
As you face trials in your life right now, use Jesus’ prayer as a model.
