On the Way out of Gethsemane… Forgive Us for our Fearful Lack of Trust! - Matthew 26:55,56/Mark 14:48-52
John M. Koelpin – Lenten Rotation 2020 Matthew 26:55,56/Mark 14:48-52
Hymns: Service Folder
On the Way out of Gethsemane… Forgive Us for our Fearful Lack of Trust!
1. Foiled by a bound Jesus
2. Exemplified by fleeing disciples
Dear friends in Christ,
Jesus’ time in Gethsemane has not been the most pleasant. For one reason, Gethsemane is that place where Jesus, up to this point in his life, has felt the cross most powerfully. What I mean is this… can you think of those times in life when you anticipated something intense – a test at school or maybe a test at the doctor’s office? The anticipation was worse than the test. You waited in limbo. You just wanted the time for the test to come. And, in fact, once that time came, you met it with bravery and confidence. But in the moments leading up to it, the anxiety was severe. That’s Jesus in Gethsemane!
In addition, Jesus has had to deal with:
The arrogance of Peter
The inattention of the disciples
Three hours of agony in prayer during which he felt the pangs of death and the sweat drops of blood
The temptations of the devil
The betrayal of Judas
The scuffle with Peter and the guards, and
His unlawful arrest
We wouldn’t have begrudged Jesus for a moment if he’d have been happy to leave Gethsemane. But he’s not going to leave the free man he was when he entered. Nor are the pains that have marked his stay in Gethsemane going to end. Even as we entered Gethsemane with a plea for God’s forgiveness for the kind of pride expressed by Peter and the other disciples, so we also make our way out of Gethsemane with a plea for God’s forgiveness… this time, however, for the opposite of pride. On the Way Out of Gethsemane… Forgive Us for our Fearful Lack of Trust!
1. Foiled by a bound Jesus
2. Exemplified by fleeing disciples
1. Forgive Our Fearful Lack of Trust! Foiled by a bound Jesus
The good news of Jesus’ death and resurrection is that he has foiled – or thwarted – the damage inflicted by our fearful lack of trust in God. But that is not the sense in which I am using “foil”. “Foil” can also mean “to enhance by contrast” as in “the black velvet foils – or enhances by contrast – the beauty of a fine pearl necklace”. As we watch Jesus leave Gethsemane with hands bound and under the control of his enemies, it looks like his mission is finished and failed. But Jesus is calm, willing, bold and assertive. He knows that this is just what his heavenly Father ordered. He knows this is exactly that path he must go if his mission is to continue and succeed. Jesus’ trusting words and actions stand in sharp contrast to the fearful lack of trust of his disciples – and us. When we see him, we can only fall in the ashes of our own penitence and beg, “Father forgive our fearful lack of trust.”
Jesus’ hands have just performed their last miracle. With tender touch Jesus healed the ear of Malchus, the only casualty of war on the enemies’ side. Now those hands lay uncomfortably bound, as John’s Gospel reports, “So the band of soldiers and their captain and the officers of the Jews seized Jesus and bound him.” These hands, which Jesus had so often lifted up to his Father in heaven to ask for his blessing on a sinful world; these hands, which he had so often laid upon the sick and suffering with help and healing; these hands, which once laid the foundations of the earth and spread the canopy of the heavens above – these hands he now lifted willingly before his captors so that they could fasten them tightly with rope and lead him from one mock trial to another and eventually to his death. He didn’t say a word. He offered no resistance. He gave himself up willingly.
How could he do this? Didn’t he know that his enemies only wanted to stop his mission and ministry? Didn’t he know that their rage and fury wouldn’t end until he was dead? Didn’t he know that he was the Son of God and could do something about all this nonsense? Of course, he knew. But despite all the evidence before him, Jesus trusted his Father in heaven. Yes, to human eyes the events of Jesus’ life seem to go THE OPPOSITE of where we think they should if he is to defeat our spiritual enemies. But bound hands were the Father’s will. Bound hands were part of the plan for Jesus’ victory. And Jesus had NO fearful lack of trust. He trusted the Father completely. He trusted the Father would give him victory even though everything seemed to look like defeat.
Jesus didn’t say a word – at least not until after his hands were bound. Only then, as the bound captive, did Jesus ascend his pulpit for a sermon that revealed his utter trust and confidence in his Father – and the mission his Father had given him. “‘Am I leading a rebellion,’ said Jesus, ‘that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me? Every day I was with you, teaching in the temple courts, and you did not arrest me. But the Scriptures must be fulfilled.’” What words of utter divine glory and mercy! Jesus speaks to his enemies who have illegally bound an innocent man, and yet there’s no back-talk, there’s no resistance, there’s no verbal barrage of expletives or threats of violence or lawsuits. They curse him; he blesses them. They reach out to bind him; he reaches out to save them.
Look at how his sermon is aimed at their hearts, hoping to prick their consciences and lead them to repentance. “Why all the military might? When, ever, have I tried to push my will forward with weapons? Examine your motives, my dear captors.” Jesus knocks with tender love on the doors of their hearts reminding them of the Word of repentance and mercy he had spoken and how open he has always been with his purpose and mission to forgive and save. Yes, Jesus intends on being the Savior of his captors, too. Even in these last moments, he seizes the opportunity to reach them with his mercy. To the end, Jesus trusted the mission his Father had given him; he trusted the power of the Word to reach human hearts; he trusted the will of his Father to save even those sinners who put him to death.
People don’t react like Jesus did when they are arrested… just watch the TV show “COPS” sometime. Jesus’ words and actions at his arrest are SO UNLIKE MINE, that I can’t help but see the magnitude of my distrust foiled by his complete confidence in his Father. Oh, dear Father, forgive me! Forgive me fearful lack of trust in your mercy and might!
Dear friends, he has forgiven us! Listen to the last word of Jesus’ sermon, “But the Scriptures must be fulfilled.” What Scriptures? The Scriptures in Isaiah that predicted he would be led to his death like a lamb led to the slaughter. The Scriptures that prophesied he would drink a cup as bitter as this. The Scriptures that foretold how all the sheep would scatter when the enemy stuck the shepherd. This is what Jesus loved – the Word of his Father. This is what Jesus yearned to fulfill – the Word of his Father. This is what Jesus trusted up to and through his dying breath – the Word of his Father. And to what were all those Scriptures pointing? What was the thing that the Father wanted fulfilled? What did Jesus trust his Father would do? TO FORGIVE YOUR SINS AND MINE! Jesus binds himself into the hands of his enemies in a moment that looks like nothing but sheer defeat – because he trusted his Father to provide, protect and secure the prize of redemption through the cross.
Few things can highlight our fearful lack of trust like the willingness of Jesus to be bound by his enemies. But see beyond the foil. Jesus’ purpose in trusting his Father isn’t to make us look bad. Jesus’ purpose in trusting his Father is to save us from our fearful lack of trust. Those same hands bound themselves to the cross because he loved you and wanted to pay the curse of your sins. Those same hands bound themselves to your heart at your baptism, at which Christ himself tenderly washed you clean of all sin. Those same hands bind themselves to you when he reaches out to you in his very body and blood, in his Supper, with the assurance that your fearful lack of trust – and every other sin that stands against you – stands forgiven in Christ.
2. Forgive Our Fearful Lack of Trust! Exemplified by fleeing disciples
It’s bad enough having Jesus remind us what we’re not. It’s even worse having the disciples remind us what we are. If Jesus is the foil that highlights our fearful lack of trust by his unwavering confidence, the disciples are the mirror that show us our fearful lack of trust by their “by-now-to-be-expected” lack of faith. “Then everyone deserted him and fled. A young man, wearing nothing but a linen garment, was following Jesus. When they seized him, he fled naked, leaving his garment behind.”
Do you remember the bravado these disciples once bellowed in their leader’s presence? Months earlier, when Jesus announced his intention to venture into enemy territory to raise Lazarus from the dead, the disciple Thomas “said to the rest of the disciples, ‘Let us also go, that we may die with him.’” Just a few days ago, when Jesus asked James and John if they could drink the bitter cup of suffering and death that awaited his followers, the boldly answered, “We can!”. And only hours ago, when Jesus told Peter he had prayed for him, Peter blurted out, “Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death.”
But now that they had to put that bravado into practice, where were all those disciples. “Then everyone deserted him and fled.” Such big talk, but such fearful lack of trust. It was easy to talk big when Jesus was doing miracles (Thomas). It was easy to talk big when your thinking about a place of honor in Jesus’ kingdom (James and John). It was easy to talk big when Jesus had just told you that you were going help judge the tribes of Israel (Peter). Seeing doesn’t require much trust. Faith, however, is “being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” In the Garden Jesus didn’t look so glorious or powerful or charismatic. He looked weak as he prayed with bloody sweat. He looked powerless as he gave up his hands to be bound. He looked uninspiringly normal as his own disciple betrayed him with a kiss. Now that they couldn’t see, trust gave way to doubt and bravery was replaced with fear.
Oh disciples! Had Jesus ever failed you in the past? Had Jesus ever left you before to fend for yourselves? Had Jesus ever fallen short of lending his divine hand in time of need? Three years of powerful words and powerful works weren’t enough to rid them of a fearful lack of trust in Jesus or his Father. Why, so frightened is this band of followers that a curious onlooker runs from the scene without his clothes rather than stand by his Jesus – who, incidentally, was certainly standing by his Father in complete trust and confidence.
This would be a sad enough picture if it were the only time followers of Jesus displayed a lack of trust. But it is, unfortunately, a picture painted again and again by the generations that have followed. It is a picture – most unfortunately – that I have painted with my own fearful lack of trust – and so have you. Listen to the bravado with which I once stood before my Lord, my pastor and my congregation and bellowed:
Do you intend to continue steadfast in this teaching and to endure all things, even death, rather than fall away from it? I do, and I ask God to help me.
Do you intend faithfully to conform all your life to the teachings of God’s Word, to be faithful in the use of the Word and sacraments, and in faith and action remain true to God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – as long as you live? I do and I ask God to help me.
Will you support with your prayers, time, talents, and offerings the work our Lord has given to this congregation? I will, and I ask God to help me.
Where is that bravado now? I’ve not even come close to death on account of my faith and yet I have abandoned my Jesus in my sins more often – in a day – than I care to admit. I promised to conform my life to the pattern of God’s Word but what has happened when the temptations that came seemed to promise things more enticing than my Jesus, than his Word, than his promises? I fled to the comforts of sin rather than face the crosses of service and trust. I promised to support the work of God’s kingdom, but since God doesn’t send me a bill, it’s so easy to cut him out first when I give of my time, my energies, and my offerings. Oh, dear Father, forgive me! I am just like those disciples and rather than trust you through cross and temptation, I have fled. Forgive my fearful lack of trust, dear Father in heaven.
My dear friends, you have the sure hope that the Father does forgive you, because over this dark picture of flight and betrayal shines the bright rays of our divine King and merciful high priest. Those disciples who abandoned Jesus and fled for their own safety – not one of them was lost! Jesus, the Good Shepherd, went after them and claimed them again for his flock. With special care he visited them on Easter to announce, “Peace be with you.” With singular tenderness he pulled Peter aside and assured him of his place among the disciples. With divine attention to detail Jesus called Mark – the most likely candidate for that “insignificant” and un-named disciple who left his garment in Gethsemane – Jesus called Mark as a companion of Paul and Peter and the writer of the second Gospel. This is the divine love and trust put into practice – Jesus seeks and saves that which was lost!
Jesus doesn’t plan on abandoning or losing any of you. Even now, he paves the road of your life with promises meant to bolster your trust in him so you do not flee but fall into his merciful arms. When, then, the waters of anxiety and trouble flood over your soul, listen to the unwavering voice of your true Savior say, “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.” And when your tender conscience rails against you and your own heart condemns you, listen to the sure promise of your merciful Savior say, “I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist. Return to me, for I have redeemed you.” And finally, when your last hour draws near and the devil tests you by reminding you of all the times you fled in fearful lack of trust, listen to the pleadings of your great high priest as he says, “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.”
Yes, this is the reason why Jesus trusted – because he knew we wouldn’t and couldn’t. This is the reason why Jesus willingly offers his hands to his enemies – because this was the way he would secure the Father’s answer to our prayer “Father, forgive our fearful lack of trust.” And that answer is… “I will, and I have.” Amen.
