Preparing for Trials Like Jesus

Introduction

In the days of the telegraph, a business advertised that they were hiring a Morse code operator. A handful of young men came to the busy office to be interviewed. When they arrived, a sign told them to sit and wait until they were summoned to the inner office. They had hardly settled into their seats when one of them stood up and walked right into the office. The other applicants laughed and congratulated themselves they had one less competitor. But, to their surprise, the young man reappeared a few minutes later along with the smiling hiring manager. The manager thanked the other applicants for coming and informed them that the young man had been given the job. When the others began grumbling, the manager explained. “I’m sorry, but all the time you’ve been sitting here, the telegraph has been ticking out the following message in morse code: ‘If you understand this message, then come right in. The job is yours.’ None of you heard or understood it. This young man did. So the job is his.” One of the secrets of successful people is that they prepare before the moment of crisis. In Mark 14:27-42, Jesus and the disciples are facing a moment of crisis. Study the passage to learn how Jesus prepared Himself to pass the test.

Observation

Pray

Before you start studying the Bible today, ask God - its Author - to help you understand and live it.

Read Focus Verses

Read Mark 14:27-42 and notice what Jesus does and what He says to do in these verses.

Repeated Word

There's a word repeated many times in these verses that describes what Jesus did and what He wanted the disciples to do. What repeated word describes the theme of these verses?

Keyword - Prayer

Marking the keywords in a passage helps it open up visually.

Prayer

Mark the words pray, prayer, and prayed in Mark 14:27-42.

Keyword - Jesus Christ

Jesus is the main character in these verses - which makes sense since the Gospel of Mark is all about Him.

Jesus Christ

Mark each time Jesus is named or referenced in Mark 14:27-42.

Context

The verse right before today's passage - Mark 14:26 - tells what happened at the end of the Last Supper and gives us context for today's passage.

Where?

Where were Jesus and His disciples in today's passage?

Tonight

What did Jesus say would happen in verse 27?

Afterwards

What did Jesus promise in verse 28?

Response

How did Peter and the rest of the disciples respond to Jesus' words?

Peter

What did Jesus say Peter would do in verse 30?

A Place

What was the name of the place on the Mt. of Olives that Jesus went according to verse 32?

Instructions

What did Jesus tell the disciples to do in verses 32, 34, and 38?

The Disciples

What did the disciples do according to verses 37 and 40?

Experience

What was Jesus feeling and experiencing according to verses 33-34?

Jesus' Response

How would you describe what happened in verse 35?

Jesus' Prayer

What did Jesus pray according to verse 36?

Decision Made

How do Jesus' words in verses 41-42 contrast with His earlier words?

Interpretation

Prophesy

As today's passage opens, Jesus quotes an Old Testament prophesy to help the disciples understand what was happening. Read the verse Jesus quotes in Zechariah 13:7.

Prepared for the Plan

Why do you think Jesus quoted God's Word to explain what was going to happen? How did He want that to impact the disciples?

Fulfilling Prophecy

Even with that explanation and others, the disciples still didn't get it. But after Jesus' resurrection, see what Luke 24:25-27 says.

Opening Their Understanding

Look a few verses later at Luke 24:44-48.

Explaining from the Bible

What did Jesus do after His resurrection according to these verses?

Patience

What can you learn about the Lord Jesus from the way He explained things over and over to the disciples even when they hadn't listened or understood Him before?

Come with Confidence

How can seeing God's patience encourage you to pray that He would help you know Him and understand His will? (Luke 24:45 which you just read is a good prayer.)

As He Said

In the second verse of today's passage, Jesus told them what would happen after His death, but they forgot. Look at what the angel says in Mark 16:5-7.

The Comforter

John 14:26 says that the Holy Spirit will do the same thing for Christians.

Reminding Us of Jesus' Words

Just like the angel reminded the disciples of Jesus' words about where to meet Him, what will the Holy Spirit do for Christians according to John 14:26?

Forgiving and Merciful

What can we learn about Jesus that, even though He knew the disciples were going to fail and forsake Him, He told them where to meet Him again after His resurrection?

Third Prophecy

Jesus makes a third prediction in today's passage - this one about Peter. If you have time, you can see how it was fulfilled at the end of the chapter in Mark 14:66-72.

About Jesus

What does it reveal about Jesus that all three of these things He said in today's passage would happen did in fact happen just as He said?

Peter's Bluster

Did Peter's loud words about how faithful he wanted to be keep him from failing?

A Contrast

In contrast to Peter's response, how did Jesus face temptation?

The Garden

John 18:1-2 tells us something neat about the Garden of Gethsemane and Jesus.

A Favorite Place

What do these verses tell us about this garden?

Map

In this map, you can see where the Garden of Gethsemane is thought to be - right across from the temple.

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A Pleasant Evening Walk

In this stylized shot of modern Jerusalem you can get a better feel for how close it really is to the Temple Mount.

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Friends

What do we learn about the genuineness of Jesus' humanity by the way He took three of the disciples to support Him while He prayed?

Feelings

What do we learn about the genuineness of Jesus' humanity by the way He experienced such intense feelings of sorrow and heaviness?

Sad and Tempted

When Jesus faced a trial and time of temptation, what did He do to prepare Himself? What did He do when He was sad?

Jesus' Prayer

Look again at Jesus' prayer in verses 35-36.

Model Prayer

In your own words, what did Jesus pray?

Okay or Not?

Some people say it's never okay to ask God to take away a trial. Since we know Jesus never sinned, how could you use Jesus' prayer in these verses to respond to that?

Demand or Request

Would you say Jesus' prayer was more of a demand or a request?

About Prayer

1 John 5:14-15 teaches us about prayer.

Praying for God's Will

What does 1 John 5:14-15 say about prayer?

If It's Your Will…

So if you know something is God's will, you know you can pray for it knowing you'll receive it. But what if you don't know what God's will is? How does Jesus' example in today's passage teach us to pray when we don't know God's will about something?

Watch and Pray

The disciples wanted to do the right thing and they thought that was enough. Look again at what Jesus said about that in verse 38 of today's passage.

Facing a Test

So, based on Jesus' instructions in that verse, when you're facing a difficult time or a test of your faith, how should you prepare for it - even if you're sure you'll do the right thing?

Persistence

Jesus was an example of this. Of all people you'd think He would just walk right into any situation. But what did He do to prepare?

Keep Praying

How many times did Jesus pray before He was ready to face the spiritual battle ahead?

Nothing Fancy

If someone told you that Jesus' warning not to use vain repetitions in prayer means you should never pray the same thing again, how could you use Jesus' example in today's passage to answer them?

Prepared, Settled, at Peace

Based on what He says to the disciples in 41-42, how would you describe how Jesus was feeling after He prayed and prepared for the trouble and testing ahead?

The Peace of God

Philippians 4:6-7 tells us that we can have that same peace.

Peace through Prayer

How does Philippians 4:6-7 tell us to get God's peace?

Once More

Read Mark 14:27-42 once more now that you've studied it.

About Jesus

This passage helps us get to know the Lord Jesus so much better. What are some of the things that stand out to you about Him from this passage?

Preparing for Trial

What do these verses teach us about how to (and how not to) prepare for trials and temptations?

Application

When Trials Come

When trials come, do you tend to respond more like Jesus or more like Peter?

Real Praying

Think of a difficult situation you're in or might be in soon. What would it look like to respond like Jesus with real, earnest prayer that seeks God's will and prepares to do it no matter what? You don't need fancy words - Jesus' prayer was simple - but you need to open your heart to the Lord and yield to His will.

Commit

Like the disciples found, thinking about doing the right thing isn't enough. Will you commit to really pray about that situation like Jesus would?

Wrapup

Closing

We hope this study plan has helped you understand how Jesus prepared for trials and has challenged you to prepare the same way.

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