Agony and Apathy in Gethsemane

Amen.

If you would turn to Luke 22, Luke 22. And I want to make a couple of comments before we get into the message tonight. I have the privilege, and I consider it a privilege, to be able to visit shut-ins, many of whom are widows. And when I do that, I have the desire to be able to encourage them, perhaps bring a smile to their face, but more importantly, encourage them in their faith and in the Word. And two sayings, two sentences that stand out to me, two different widows made.

One of them, I can be in a crowded room and feel alone. The other one, I'm crawling through my grief. And both of these ladies, in my opinion, have a solid faith in Jesus Christ, but that shows what they're going through. And that in mind, with that in mind, I had a keen desire to have a message on helping people through intense emotional trials. And I started to think, what text of Scripture might lead us to an example of how we could encourage people during awful emotional trial? And I personally could think of none better than one of the accounts in the Gospels of Jesus in Gethsemane.

And I think as we get into it tonight, you'll see why I've chosen that. I read it out of Matthew's account, but our text will be out of Luke's account. And as we go through it, you'll notice in the handout that I've given you, we'll be looking at several passages in Mark. Not a lot of Scripture, not a lot of turning, it'll be mainly in the Gospels, and then I'll have you listen a bit. But I want to read something to you that gives an overview, a poem that gives an overview of the life of Christ, and then go back to the stanza that deals with the garden, and then give you a brief introduction, if I may.

But just get the big picture. Pastor Kerns alluded to much of this this morning. From endless past, redemption's plan was in the heart of God for man, as angels watched in awe the sight when heaven's prince laid down his rights. Conceived within a virgin's womb, a cave, his birthplace, and his tomb, the Son of God, now Son of Man, would grace the Galilean sand. Great miracles, fit to confirm Messiah's claim, were scorned and spurned by hardened hearts, chained to the law that Christ fulfilled without a flaw. The garden, where he often prayed, became the site where friend betrayed the Lamb whose sacrifice drove home the price he paid sin to atone. To Gabbatha they led him, bound while brutal men all gathered round, the sight astonished friend and foe, the worst of worst, was ne'er marked so. Golgotha was his destined path, where he exhausted holy wrath. There Judah's lion bowed his head, atonement made, God's Lamb was dead. Twas with the rich his body lay his prophecy came true that day, yet he arose in three days span, death and the grave at his command. Now, worthy is the Lamb, hosts sing, Christ will return as King of Kings, with those dear saints who've gone before will dwell with him forevermore. Back to the middle, the garden where he often prayed, became the site where friend betrayed the Lamb whose sacrifice drove home or made clear, drove home the price he paid sin to atone.

I title the message, Agony and Apathy in the Garden. And my intention, as I said, initially was just to focus on Christ and I could not get away from the contrast between his agony and the apathy of those disciples that were closest to him. I could not get away from that and as we look in detail at some of the verses, I think it'll be incredible to you as well.

Little head start in the text tonight. Prior to the Last Supper, where Jesus would tell his imminent betrayal, he said at the multitude, Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour, but for this purpose I came to this hour.

The word troubled is a strong word signifying horror, anxiety and agitation. Just before departing with his disciples to Gethsemane, Jesus prayed his high priestly prayer recorded in John 17. Imagine what it would have been like for the disciples to hear him. Jesus prayed, I have glorified you on the earth. I have glorified you on the earth.

I finished the work which you've given me to do. Jesus used the past tense as though Gethsemane, Gabbatha and Golgotha were behind him. This makes his agony in Gethsemane and his petition that God let the cup pass all the more striking. We pick up Christ's emotional trauma in Luke 22, beginning with verse 39. And the first thing that I want us to notice is Christ's accustomed discipline and prayer.

Luke 22, 39, coming out, he went to the Mount of Olives, as was his custom, or as he was accustomed, and his disciples also followed him. The word accustomed means often used or practiced, being in the habit or custom. The King James version of that verse uses the word want, W-O-N-T. If you look that up in Webster, he says that definition stresses habit, but usually applies to what is favored, sought or purposefully cultivated. Beloved, let me ask you a question. Is private prayer indicative of this definition in your life?

It applies to what is favored, sought or purposefully cultivated. John's account of Jesus in the garden states that Jesus knew the place, for Jesus often met there with his disciples. In Matthew chapter 6, verse 6, Jesus instructed his disciples, but you, when you pray, go into your room. And when you've shut your door, pray to your Father who's in the secret place. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. Albert Barnes' commentary on this verse gives an interesting insight for us.

Listen to what he says. The Jews had a dedicated room, usually on their flat roof. This is the place commonly mentioned in the New Testament as the upper room or the place for secret prayer. The meaning of the Savior is that there should be some place where we may in secret, where we may be alone with God.

There should be some place to which we may resort where no ear will hear us but his ear, and no eye can see us but his eye. The Savior had all the difficulties we can have, yet he lived in the practice of secret prayer. To be alone, he rose up a great while before day and went into a solitary place and prayed. With him, a grove, a mountain, a garden furnished such a place. And though a traveler and among strangers and without a house, he lived in the habit of secret prayer. What excuse have they who will practice no self-denial that they may be alone with God? And you'll notice in your notes this application question.

Do you follow Christ's example of private prayer that is a consistent pattern in your life no matter what your circumstances? You know, when I coach soccer, one of the things that I would say to the guys, two to zero is the most dangerous score. Why? Because you become complacent. And you go from complacency to uh-uh, concern, when they score a goal. It's no longer two to zero.

There's no comfortable cushion. It's two to one. Beloved, I'm afraid when the sun is shining on us, we have a two to nothing lead. We have a two to nothing mentality.

When the mentality should be two to one. As Pastor Kern said earlier in his prayer, dependent. Always consistently dependent and reflecting that through a pattern of prayer. Roman numeral two, not only do we consider Christ's accustomed discipline in prayer, but Christ's admonition to watchfulness. I want you to keep your place in Luke 22, but I think it will be very beneficial if you turn to these texts in Mark. Luke 22, 40 says, He came to the place. He said to them, Pray that you may not enter into temptation.

Now keep this in mind. Jesus had already told his disciples four times everything that's going to happen. I want us to read Mark's account. Mark 8, 31 through 33, first of all. Mark 8, 31 through 33. And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and scribes and be killed.

And after three days rise again. He spoke this word openly and that word openly means plainly. Then Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But when he had turned around and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying, Get behind me, Satan, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.

That was his first period of instruction. Turn over one chapter to Mark 9, verses 31 and 32. It says, For he taught his disciples and said to them, The Son of Man is being betrayed in the hands of men, and they will kill him. And after he is killed, he will rise the third day.

But they did not understand this saying, and they were afraid to ask him. And I put in my notes, God may choose to withhold the why behind his providence. When that happens, we are to believe, trust, and obey who he is.

So two times he's clearly warned them this is going to happen. Turn to Mark 10, 32 through 34, for the third instance. We're told in that text, Now they were on the road going to Jerusalem. Jesus was going before them, and they were amazed. That means to stupefy with surprise, to astound or astonish. They were amazed. And as they followed, they were afraid. That word means to be alarmed. As they followed, they were alarmed.

Why? They were headed to Jerusalem. Then he took the 12 aside again and began to tell them the things that would happen to him. And I again in my notes immediately following this, James and John ask that they only sit on his right hand and on his left hand in his glory.

Folks, think about that. This is the third time Jesus has said, I will be killed. And after the third time he says that, these two brothers are saying, Can we sit on your right hand and your left hand when you come into your kingdom?

Baffling. The fourth instance of Jesus teaching what was going to happen is found in Mark 13, a little bit longer, 31 through 37. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will by no means pass away. But of that day and hour, no one knows.

Not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Take heed, watch and pray, for you do not know when the time is. It's like a man going to a far country who left his house and gave authority to his servants and to each his work and commanded the doorkeeper to watch. Watch, therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming, in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning, lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. And what I say to you, I say to all, watch. What I say to you, I say to all, watch. The New American Standard Version says, Keep on the alert. The English Standard Version says it, Be on guard, keep awake. You've heard me use this thought before.

It's not original with me, to be sure, but we live in lion country. Satan, the devil, is like a lion going about seeking whom he may devour. How could he devour us?

Well, it could be physical death, but lost testimony, complacency, coasting, apathy. The last text I want you to look at is Mark 14, 26-31. Following the Last Supper, we read this.

When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. Then Jesus said to them, All of you will be made to stumble because of me this night. For it is written, I will strike the shepherd and the sheep will be scattered. But after I've been raised, I will go before you to Galilee. Peter said to him, Even if all are made to stumble, yet I will not be. Stop there for a second.

Keep that in the back of your mind. Even if all are made to stumble, yet I will not be. Jesus said to them, Assuredly, I say to you that today, even this night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times. But he, Peter, spoke more vehemently, If I have to die with you, I'll not deny you.

And they all said likewise. In spite of the miracles that he performed before their eyes and the teaching that they had heard, for three years with him, they reject what he says is about to happen. The second application question that I would ask, Do you take Christ's warnings about the last days seriously, as evidenced by guarding and guiding your thoughts, words, and deeds by his word? Or are you asleep at the wheel as his warnings unfold? Beloved, it doesn't take a genius to look at what's happening in this world. Things happening in this world that we would not dream of happening five short years ago, in the span of a year and a half. Things happening in this world that are frightening in one sense, encouraging in another.

How can they be both? They're frightening because we don't know what lies ahead in the immediate future. They're assuring because we know what lies ahead after the final chapter. We will be in the presence of God. Back to our text in Luke 22. The third thing I want us to consider tonight is Christ's desperate appeal in the context of God's will. Christ's desperate appeal in the context of God's will.

Now, I'm going to mention this again later, but I want to say it now for emphasis. Keep in mind that we referenced John 17, where Jesus said, I have finished the work that you gave me to do. Keep that in mind as we get into this part of the text. Luke 22, 41 through 42. And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's throw, and he knelt down and prayed, saying, Father, if it is your will, take this cup away from me.

Nevertheless, not my will but yours be done. And here's the point, beloved. Jesus knew the wrath that lay within the cup ahead of him, and this knowledge impacted his prayer. He knew. He knew what lay within the cup that he would drink. He knew that Psalm 22 referenced him.

Reading that, he knew it. And the question I had before I asked you to listen to three texts out of Isaiah, when did he know that? When did he come to the realization as a man, a young man? Was it in his teen years?

We don't know the answer to that. But the thought that hit me as I immersed myself in these four parallel passages, whenever he knew that, he lived with it. He lived with knowing that someday soon this is going to happen to me.

Now I want you to listen to some texts that you've read many times. Isaiah 50, verse 6. I gave my back to those who struck me, and my cheeks to those who plucked. The Hebrew word is to tear out. I gave my beard to those who tore out the beard. I did not hide my face from shame and spitting. Isaiah 52, 14. Just as many were astonished at you.

Stop. These people are used to seeing crucifixion. Crucifixion was used to make a point by the Romans. Mess with us, and this is what you'll get. Crucifixion was such a horrible type of death that even the worst that they could do for a Roman soldier that had been negligent or had blown it was to crucify him.

That was the worst. It would be like, remember the story of when David told his general Joab to have Uriah get close to the wall because he wanted him killed? And Joab tells the messenger, by the way, if the king asked, why did so-and-so get killed? And how did he get killed? The worst way a warrior could get killed.

A woman threw a stone off the wall and crushed him. Nothing valiant, just a death because of the sin of David. Now, these people were used to crucifixion being the worst of the worst. And it says, just as many were astonished at you, his visage was marred more than any man and his form more than the sons of men. Putting that in the vernacular, they had never done anything like this to anyone else.

I mean, how else would you read it? His visage was marred more than any man and his form more than the sons of men. And the last text you're familiar with, Isaiah 53, 3 through 5. He's despised and rejected by men. A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid as it were our faces from him. He was despised and we did not esteem him. Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows. Yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions. He was bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement for our peace was upon him. And by his stripes we are healed.

Then verse 10 of Isaiah 53 said, Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him. He has put him to grief. Jesus qualifies his prayer. He knows what's going to happen. He's asking that this cup, that he knows full well what is in it. He qualifies his prayer with this. If it is your will, take this cup from me. And at the end of it, nevertheless not my will but yours be done. Beloved, the third application question, in the midst of your trials, and you all have them to varying degrees, in the midst of your trials, do you approach the throne of grace sincerely desiring his will to be done, even if it means drinking a cup of personal agony? I'm going to give you two personal illustrations. First one I'm going to give now or in my senility I may forget it.

This is nitroglycerin. There have been four or five times when I got it out of my pocket. You know what I'm saying when I say that?

I had a pain in my chest or up my arm. And I can say each time I said, Lord, I'm in your hands. Have your will be done. As sincerely as I know how to say it to you. I had complete peace from the time I had the heart attack until tonight. I will not leave this earth until it's God's will and nothing can keep me here when it is his will.

But I've taken that out of my pocket three or four times. The second illustration. When I ask God to give our special needs grandsons understanding and ability to function in an often unsympathetic world, I acknowledge he has made them as he wants them for his glory. And that's the bottom line that I have to do. He has made them as he wants them for his glory. I do this bowing the knee to his providence, knowing that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to his purpose. And that purpose is Christ's likeness.

Beloved, we all have a cup to drink. But I remind you, the greater the trial, the greater the grace. The greater the grace, the greater his glory. If we can just embrace that truth. The fourth thing that I want us to consider tonight is Christ's agony and the disciples' apathy.

When you go into a jewelry store, oftentimes you will see that they will feature their diamonds on a black velvet background and a black cloth background. And I can't think of any more fitting illustration than contrasting the agony of Christ and the apathy of those closest to him as his disciples. You talk about a contrast. Christ's agony and the disciples' apathy. Luke 22, 43 and 44. Then an angel appeared to him from heaven, strengthening him and being in agony, he prayed more earnestly. Then his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground. Why did I make the emphasis on certain words? God's answer to his prayer was not the removal of the cup, but the presence of an angel to minister to him. And folks, here's the point of the emphasis. The depth of his agony is seen in his intensified appeal after the angel ministered to him. His intensified appeal after the angel ministered to him.

Matthew and Mark's accounts state that he prayed the same words three times. Now you've heard that before. Keep that in mind. Keep that in mind because we're going to draw a parallelism here.

But that grips me. And I've seen the Passion. There's things, obviously, we disagree with that movie. But one thing Mel Gibson did do for us, we don't have some image of a Renaissance painting of Jesus hanging on a cross with a little blood here and there. He made a good attempt to show the horror of what Jesus went through. But when I think of him, and I reflect upon a couple of scenes in that film, in the blue blackness, blue black gloom, Jesus is lying on his face. He's ministered to by the angel, and he intensifies his prayer. You really have to think about that for a while.

You have to think about that for a while and really let it grip you. And here's the point why I said don't lose track that he prayed this three times. The apathy on the part of his disciples is apparent in their repeated sleep. It's difficult to understand how the disciples could see Jesus drenched in a bloody sweat and in such emotional turmoil and still sleep in light of what he told them was going to happen.

Are you ready? That night, tonight, Peter, you will deny me. Tonight, they will take the Son of Man.

Tonight, you will all flee. He prayed, and they slept. We go on, notice verses 45 and 46. It says, When he rose up from prayer and had come to his disciples, he found them sleeping from sorrow. Then he said to them, Why do you sleep?

Rise and pray lest you enter into temptation. What makes this so disturbing to me is that both Matthew and Mark's accounts state this. He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed. Then he said to them, My soul is exceedingly sorrowful even to death. Stay here and watch with me.

What's the point? They saw his distressed state as he talked with them, and they still slept. I think sometimes we will read passages like this with a two to zero mentality. Imagine him being alone in a crowded room.

It wasn't crowded, but you know what I'm saying. Alone with those closest to him in ministry. He's praying, and they're sleeping. Here's the punch line. While Jesus prayed three times in his hour of agony, they fell asleep three times.

I don't think that's an accidental parallelism. Mark's accounts are even more shocking. Listen to it if you would. Mark 14, if you want to look later, 37 through 41, listen to this. Then he came and found them sleeping and said to Peter, Simon, are you sleeping? I would like to back up and just interject a what if, if I could. What if Jesus said, Simon, are you sleeping? I'll die with you, Lord.

I'll die with you. That is kind of the opposite that you would think coming from someone who was asleep. He says, Simon, are you sleeping?

Could you not watch one hour? Then he says it again. Watch and pray lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. Again he went away and prayed and spoke the same words, and when he returned, he found them asleep again, for their eyes were heavy and they did not know what to answer him. They didn't know what to answer him.

There's no excuse. Then he came the third time and said to them, are you still sleeping and resting? It's enough. The hour has come. Behold, the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. The question that you can see in your notes, application question, does your life reflect passion or passivity, awareness or apathy, in light of what we see happening before us across the world?

Beloved, the word apathy means lacking in energy or will, lethargic, tending not to take an active or dominant part. And the question is this, are we watching and praying? Are we watching and praying? The last consideration tonight that we want to look at is Christ's actions evidenced faithful obedience in the midst of suffering. And I think that this is the key to handling emotional trauma.

What is the key? Do the next thing. Do the next thing. And you're going to see this as we read the last part of this text. How can you handle emotional turmoil?

One of the things, obviously, you pray, you're disciplined in prayer, you're watchful, you make an appeal to the Lord in the context of His will, you make certain you're not apathetic, but here's the thing, you do the next thing. My cousin that lost her husband recently, Jane and I went down to see her Friday and Saturday, and we commended her. Why? Because this is exactly what she's doing, the next thing. Does she grieve? Well, let me say this. She's the one that said, I'm crawling through my grief.

Yeah, she's grieving, but she understands that life has to go on. I've got to do the next thing, not only for myself, but for my kids, for other people. What did Jesus do when they came to get him? The next thing.

And you'll see that as we get into it. Christ's actions, evidence, faithful obedience in the midst of suffering. Look at 47 and 48, the pretended devotion of a traitor. While he was still speaking, behold a multitude, and he who was called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them and drew near to Jesus to kiss him. But Jesus said to him, Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?

And let me say this, Judas was one of the twelve who had been privileged to see Jesus like no other people had been privileged to see Jesus, perhaps with the exception, obviously, of his brothers and Joseph and Mary. But as far as followers, they'd been privileged to live with him for three years. And here is the point, beloved, great privilege is not a guarantee of saving faith.

And where are you going with that? We are privileged to attend a church where the Word of God is central. As a result of this privilege, I ask you, are you a proclaimer or a pretender? Pretenders, all they have to do is come and occupy a pew.

That's all they have to do. But if you are a proclaimer, you're going to be about the Lord's business. You'll be about the Lord's business. You'll be about the Lord's business just simply living in a way that would glorify him.

You'll be about the Lord's business by taking every opportunity you can to share the gospel with others. Notice verse 49 and verse 50, the futility of zeal without informed faith. Now, informed faith, their faith was uninformed, if I can put it that way, by choice because Jesus taught them the same thing four times. Jesus had repeatedly forewarned them what was to take place. Notice 49 and 50, when those around him saw what was going to happen, they said to him, Lord, shall we strike with the sword?

And Peter doesn't even give him a chance to answer. Lord, shall we strike with the sword? And one of them struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear. And we would say this, being fair with the disciples to an extent, courageous but ill-founded zeal before a crowd with swords and clubs is commendable. I mean, imagine 11 of you plus Christ and them, not equal odds. It's commendable, but it's ill-founded zeal. It's ill-founded zeal because Jesus had said they all would flee during that hour.

They all would flee during that hour. And then verse 51, the hardness of the unregenerate heart. And, you know, as you read scripture, you see this and think this often, I'm sure. Jesus answered and said, permit even this, and he touched his ear and healed him. Permit even this.

The New American Standard translates this, stop, no more of this. In other words, he's speaking to Peter, stop, no more of this. MacArthur says this, a miracle is unique in that Christ healed an enemy, unasked and without any evidence of faith in the recipient. That is mind boggling. The miracle is unique because Christ healed an enemy, unasked, without any evidence of faith in the recipient.

It's also remarkable, MacArthur says, that such a dramatic miracle had no effect whatsoever on the hearts of those men, none. Neither had the explosive power of Jesus' words which knocked them to the ground. That's recorded in John 18.

Peter had cut off Malchus' ear. After healing it, Jesus said to Peter, put your sword into the she. Shall I not drink the cup which my Father has given me?

The next step, he's telling him, I'm going to drink this cup. Notice verses 52 and 53, he committed, or his commitment to obedience in every providential detail. Verse 52, then Jesus said to the chief priests, captains of the temple, and the elders who had come to him, have you come out as against a robber with swords and clubs?

When I was with you daily in the temple, you did not try to seize me. But this is your hour and the power of darkness. Beloved, we need to keep in mind that this was not only the hour of evil, it was the hour when the agony of Christ led to the glory of the atonement for his own. It just depends on which perspective you look at this. If you look at it from a man's perspective, the glass is half empty. This innocent, exemplary man, from a human standpoint, would be brutalized.

That glass half empty, it's horrifying. But for us, who are redeemed by what he went through, it's an hour of glory for him. His hour of glory, God's hour of glory. Keep in mind this was not only the hour of evil, that's the hour when the agony of Christ led to the glory of the atonement for his own. Following Christ's emotional suffering in Gethsemane, he obediently did the rest.

Beloved, he went from Gethsemane to the trial, and after the trial they sent him to Gabbatha. And if you read any history about Roman flogging with the flagellum, nine cords and six inches up each cord, something sharp, and at the very end of each cord, a weight. A stone, a piece of lead, and they would take that flagellum. And usually Mel Gibson has Jesus draped over a stone and tied. But often they would tie the man's hands over his head and pull him up.

And what would that do? It would tighten his skin. And then they would take the flagellum and wrap it around his body and pull. And often, often, by the time they were done, internal organs would be exposed. Most people did not live through a Roman scourging, most of them. And to think that Jesus not only lived through it, but went to Gauda after it. And obviously that's the reason why he had to have his cross being carried. But he went from Gethsemane and the emotion that we've considered tonight, the agony that we consider tonight, to Gabbatha and the physical torture that astonished people when they saw him. And then he goes to Gaugatha and really the most heartbreaking part of the drama of redemption, if I can put it that way, is hearing Jesus say these words, My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Gethsemane, emotional, Gabbatha, physical, Gaugatha, spiritual.

The grave, glory. And he's interceding on behalf of his own even now. I'm going to repeat the questions.

You can look at them on the handout or just listen. By application, by way of application, do you follow Christ's example of private prayer? That is a consistent pattern in your life, no matter what your circumstances. Number two, do you take Christ's warnings about the last days seriously? Is evidence by guarding and guiding your thoughts, words, and deeds by his word, are you asleep at the wheel as his warnings unfold? Third question, in the midst of your trials, do you approach the throne of grace sincerely desiring, his will to be done, even if it means drinking a cup of personal agony? Do you desire his will to be done?

Fourth, does your life reflect passion or passivity, awareness or apathy, in light of what we see happening before us across the world? And then finally, do your actions and attitude reflect a commitment to persevere and obeying during every stage of God's providence for your life? Folks, we may be called to endure our own agony in the days ahead.

Fellow Christians are doing that across the world, even as we speak. We may be called to endure our own agony in the days ahead. We should examine our lives to discern whether apathetic or alert to the warnings of God's word. Let me close by reading Matthew 24, 35 through 44.

Listen to this if you would. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will by no means pass away. But of that day and hour, no one knows, not even the aims of heaven, but my Father only. But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. Then two men will be in the field, one will be taken, the other left.

Two women will be grinding at the mill, one will be taken, the other left. Watch, therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming, but know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore, in light of this, therefore, you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. By way of invitation, if you are here tonight and you are not in Christ, you are playing Russian roulette. And I would just encourage you and plead with you to flee to Christ. If you are here tonight and you are in Christ and you have that confidence and that peace that is almost unexplainable to someone who doesn't have it. But if you're here in that condition, are you pleading before the throne of grace for unsaved relatives? Are you pleading before pleading before the throne of grace for unsaved friends? Are you taking opportunity to share what you have been given in the gospel? You know, when we really think about it, we need to, we need to ask ourselves, am I apathetic in any way, shape, or form? And, brothers and sisters, I think just reading the account of Jesus in the garden should grip us.

And maybe we should do that more often than we do. Our closing song is one that we often sing. But I wanted to have you look at the lyrics of that. This, in my opinion, is an example of a song that has it all.

And what do I mean by that? I use the illustration with the teens often and in my Bible class. Imagine having a black and white photograph, black and white photograph, and putting around that photograph a gilded gold frame.

Now, the photograph could be outstanding, a landscape, something like that. It's just striking and beautiful, black and white. But you've got that gold frame around it. What's the point? Well, the gold frame doesn't do its function. It's supposed to complement the subject in the picture.

And my point is this. Oftentimes, music competes with a message. And when music competes with a message, you have been entertained.

When music enhances the message, you have been edified. I want to read one verse, and that's verse 3, if you'll look at it. His robes remind God's justice is appeased. Jesus is crushed, and thus the Father is pleased. Christ drank God's wrath on sin, then cried, "'Tis done."

Sin's wages paid, propitiation won. I cling to Christ and marvel at the cost. Jesus forsaken, God estranged from God.

Bought by such love, my life is not my own. My praise, my all, shall be for Christ alone. Father, we pray that you would take what we've shared tonight and challenge all of our hearts to discern whether we are in any way apathetic. Surely to some degree we are if we do not have a consistent and fervent prayer life, if we don't pray in the context of your will, if we're not watchful. We pray that you'd help us to realize as soldiers of Christ that we need to do all of these things. We pray that you take that which has been shared tonight and use it in each of our lives as you see fit in Christ's name. Amen.