HopeLives365

Guest (Male): I cannot do it alone. The waves dash fast and high. The fog and the mist set in. The light goes out in the sky. And I know in the end, we too shall win. Jesus and I.

This is HopeLives365 with Pastor Mark Finley. Today's message: Agony in the Garden. Enjoy and remember you can always catch up with past messages and stay up to date with HopeLives365 and Pastor Mark by going to HopeLives365.com. And now, Pastor Mark Finley.

Mark Finley: The researchers at a large, prestigious eastern university desired to discover the most significant motivating factor in monkeys. They chose a male monkey for the experiment. They placed the monkey in a large cage and began a process of carefully recorded observations. They observed the eating patterns of the monkey, the sleeping patterns, the mating patterns, and how this monkey cared for its young.

Then they hooked up an electrode to the monkey's brain with the ability to stimulate the brain to give the monkey a sensation of pleasure. The researchers taught the monkey how to push the pleasure button. The monkey now had the key to happiness: a pleasure button. The monkey neglected its young. It ignored its food. It forgot about Mrs. Monkey. It went crazy over pleasure. It literally knocked itself out having fun. The monkey killed himself having a good time. He just kept hitting that pleasure button and hitting that pleasure button. The highest goal for the monkey was pleasure, having fun, stimulating the nerve endings, and doing what made him feel well.

Human beings too often act like monkeys. They think that the insatiable desire for pleasure is going to give them satisfaction. But human beings are dramatically different than monkeys. God has given us the capacity to choose. The essence of life is not pushing the pleasure button. Life takes on a new dimension viewed through the eyes of Jesus. The essence of Christianity is surrender and trust.

In the book of Psalms, the 16th chapter and the 11th verse, we read this. We want to look at a passage in the Old Testament and a passage in the New Testament on how we find genuine pleasure in life, how we find genuine joy in life, and where pleasure actually comes from as we examine God's way. There are people who just want to keep pushing that pleasure button, but God says, and David says, "You will show me the path of life. In Your presence is fullness of joy. At Your right hand there are pleasures forevermore."

Where do we find the fullness of joy? In the presence of Christ. Where do we find pleasures forevermore? At the right hand of our heavenly Father. John 10, verse 10. Often when I'm traveling and preaching in large evangelistic meetings, people come up with their Bible and they ask me to sign their Bible. I never simply put my signature in their Bible. I always will sign it with a Bible text. The text I most often use is John chapter 10, verse 10. "The thief comes not but for to steal, to kill and destroy." Who's the thief? It's Satan. "I am come that they might have life and might have it more abundantly."

Let's put these two texts together. In the presence of Christ, there is fullness of joy. Jesus comes to give us life more abundantly. Loving God enough to trust Him, seeking His will, and finding in His will our highest pleasure brings life's greatest joy. A world trembles in the balance. The conflict wages. The struggle intensifies. But yet, Jesus trusts His Father. Jesus is committed to doing His Father's will at any cost.

Let's go to one of the greatest struggles that Jesus ever faced. It's the struggle in Gethsemane. It was there in Gethsemane that Christ trusted that doing the Father's will in the end would bring the greatest joy. Certainly, He took the cup of suffering in His hand. Certainly, He faced the cross, not singing the doxology, "Praise God from whom all blessings flow." He faced the cross in trust. Certainly, the nails driven through His hands brought pain. The crown of thorns jammed upon His head brought pain. But you remember what it says in Isaiah? "He shall see the travail of His soul and be satisfied."

Jesus' joy was in doing the Father's will and bringing joy to others. He came not to be ministered unto but to minister to others. So let's go to Gethsemane and learn a little bit about the joy that we find in total commitment to Christ and in doing God's will. Mark, the 14th chapter. Mark chapter 14, and we're going to look here at verses 32 to 34. Jesus here in Gethsemane teaches us a vital lesson about finding true meaning, true purpose, and true satisfaction in life.

Mark 14, verse 32 and onward. The scripture puts it this way: "And they came to a place which was named Gethsemane. And He says to His disciples, 'Sit here while I pray.' And He took with Him Peter, James, and John, and He began to be amazed and very heavy. And He said to them, 'My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even unto death. Tarry and watch.'" They came to a place called Gethsemane. Jesus was amazed, His soul heavy. Phillips translation says He was horror-stricken and desperately depressed. The New English Bible says horror and dismay came over Him. The Living Bible says, "My soul is crushed by sorrow to the point of death." This does not seem like the path of joy. This does not seem like pleasures forevermore. This does not seem like the life of super abundance.

Why was Jesus so amazed? Why was He so horror-stricken? Why was He so distressed? Gethsemane was the center of a cosmic conflict. It was the focus of a titanic struggle between the forces of good and the forces of evil. In the garden, Jesus experienced the heat of severe conflict between the forces of hell and the force of heaven. Jesus faced dreadful prospects. Here are the issues: the corporate weight of the guilt of the sins of the world came crashing down upon Him. The condemnation which sin brings filled His heart with sorrow and horrors. He felt His soul being separated from God. Not only does sin separate us from God, it separated Jesus from God, the one who was one with His Father.

He felt totally alone, abandoned. The disciples slept. The face of God was hidden. The demons of hell oppressed Him. He longed for human fellowship. Imagine the kind of mental game Satan may have played with Jesus. Satan suggested, "Your sacrifice is going to be in vain. It will accomplish absolutely nothing. Your own people, the Jews, will reject you. Judas will betray you. Peter will deny you. Your death will accomplish nothing." I can just imagine Satan whispering those doubts in Jesus' ears. No wonder Christ was filled with such darkness and loneliness. No wonder He was stunned with horror and oppressed.

It appeared to Him that He would be separated eternally from the Father, and His sacrifice would be unappreciated even by His closest followers. In one of the most magnificent passages in all of scripture, Jesus powerfully states the essence of living the Christian life. Mark 14, verse 36. And He said, "Abba, Father, all things are possible unto You. Take away this cup from Me. Nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will."

"Abba" is a word a young child uses to address his father. It's an everyday family word, a word which indicates childlike, trustful obedience. Even when Jesus did not understand, Jesus called Father "Daddy." Confronted with the cross, faced with the darkness and despair, tempted to mistrust, He called His Father "Daddy." You see, my friends, even when we go through agony, pain, and suffering, as we trust, there's a joy that fills our soul. There's a satisfaction that comes into our heart. There's a peace that comes from trusting God.

Richard Cameron was a great man of faith and courage during the Counter-Reformation in England. He was martyred by the church-state official. Cameron's head and hands were cut off and brought to his father, who was in prison for the same crime in Scotland. As the boy's mangled, bloody arms and head were brought to the father for the express purpose of giving him added grief and striking terror into his heart, the officials asked, "Are these the arms and head of your son Richard? Do you recognize them?"

The father's answer is classic. With tears streaming down his face, his lips quivering with sobs of agony, he said, "I know them. I know them. They are my son's, my own dear son's. But it is the Lord who grants me mercy all the days of my life. Good is the will of the Lord who cannot wrong me or mine." Richard Cameron's father recognized this eternal truth: that although God does not cause suffering, and God did not cause the death of this man's son, it was done by evil, wicked men. But even in that, one can know that even through the death of that boy, others seeing his courage would have courage. Others seeing his faith would have faith. Others seeing his trust would trust.

Even the work of the enemy in destroying his son could not shake his trust. Life may be cruel, but God isn't. Life may not be fair, but God is. Trust does not mean I understand what's happening. Trust doesn't mean I accept what's happening. Trust doesn't mean I like what's happening. Trust doesn't mean what's happening is fair. Trust doesn't mean the experiences are just or even that I deserve them. Trust doesn't mean that I believe God caused what I'm going through. Trust means that I understand God loves me. Through this experience, He's going to bring me out triumphant.

Trust means that in spite of what's happening, I still have confidence in God. Trust means that I rest in His care, that I love even though I don't understand. Trust means I believe He desires me no harm. He's my friend. So I surrender in absolute confidence. I accept His purpose. I cry out, "Not my will, but Thine." You see, at times when I cannot understand, I can still have peace.

Here in the book of Philippians, there's a classic text that's brought me encouragement through my life. Let me share with you how I learned about this text and one of the first persons that ever brought it to my attention. Her name is Sandy. And Miss Sandy had a son by the name of Trevor. And Trevor had a terrible disease and was dying. She would visit him in the hospital, hold him in her arms, and just rock him back and forth. The little boy's courage and faith inspired the nurses.

And one day, Sandy brought in cocoons, these butterfly cocoons. And little Trevor, from his hospital bed, in the condition that he was in, dying, kept looking at those cocoons. And she told me, she said, "You know, Pastor Mark, it came the time when the little butterflies were breaking through the cocoon. And so we wheeled Trevor up on the roof of the hospital. We went up on this beautiful, sunny day. We opened the jar and the butterflies flew away. And little Trevor said to me a little while after, 'You know, Mama, I think my life is like that.' He said, 'I'm like a little cocoon. And you know, one day I will fly away like those butterflies to be with Jesus.'"

Isn't that what the Apostle Paul says? "The Lord Himself," 1 Thessalonians chapter 4, verses 16 and 17, "The Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, with the trump of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them to meet the Lord in the air." One day, heartache and sorrow and death will be over. So no matter what you face, no matter what difficulty you are going through, like Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, you can trust, and that trust brings you peace.

We do not have to understand to trust. And Sandy brought me this text after Trevor died. She says she read to me Philippians 4, verses 6 and 7: "Be careful for nothing." That's "be anxious for nothing." Don't be worried about anything. But in everything, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, make your request known to God. Then verse 7. Verse 7 is a classic. Verse 7 speaks to us in our need. There's somebody listening to this radio program that verse 7 is going to speak to your heart today. There's somebody listening. You may be driving in your car. You may be at home and resting. You may be just exercising and listening to your radio on your earbuds. But this text is going to touch your heart. "And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."

The peace of God that passes understanding. I may not understand with my head. I may be confused in my mind. I may wonder why God allowed certain things to happen. But the peace of God, which passes understanding, will keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. So I can have a peace when I don't understand. And that peace when I don't understand, that peace will keep my heart and mind.

The whole world is getting ready to lose its mind. The trials that are coming in the future on this planet are going to cause people to lose their minds. They're looking at what the world looks at, and they're fearing what the world fears. Luke chapter 21 tells us about the fear that is striking millions in this world today. Luke chapter 21, and we read there in Luke 21, verse 34: "Take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness." Surfeiting, that's overeating and eating the wrong kind of food. Drunkenness, the cares of this life, so that day, that's the coming of Christ, come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it come upon all the earth that dwell on the earth. "Watch therefore and pray always that you're worthy to escape the things that are coming on the earth."

Notice what scripture says. It says that quickly, rapidly, unexpectedly, that Jesus is going to come back again, and that many people, it will be like a snare, like a trap for them. Their hearts will be failing them for fear and for the things coming on this earth. Luke 21, verse 26: "Men's hearts failing for fear and for looking upon those things that are coming on the earth, for the powers of heaven will be shaken."

But what are we to do? And it says, "Then they shall see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. When these things begin to come to pass, then look up, lift up your heads, for your redemption draws nigh." Their hearts are failing with fear. Why? Because they do not trust Jesus in trial. When Christ went through Gethsemane, He trusted His Father. He trusted that a new day was coming. He trusted that through His death on the cross of Calvary, that the human race could be saved.

Jesus went through agony, but there was a peace in His soul because He knew He was committed to doing the Father's will. When we are committed to do the Father's will, no matter what we experience in life, we know that God is with us. We know that God is by our side. I love the story of Dan Crawford. Dan Crawford was the successor to David Livingstone, missionary to Africa. And Dan Crawford spent years of his life sharing the gospel in Africa. And he wrote in the flyleaf of his Bible these words: "I cannot do it alone. The waves dash fast and high. The fog and the mist set in. The light goes out in the sky. And I know in the end, we too shall win. Jesus and I. A coward, wayward and weak, I change with the changing sky. Today so strong and brave, tomorrow too weak to try. But He never gives up. In the end, we too shall win. Jesus and I."

The greatest joy in life is not pushing the pleasure button like some monkey, because the insatiable desire for pleasure will never bring to you eternal happiness. It'll never bring to you joy and peace that only Christ can bring. Someday, that pleasure's going to let you down, and you're going to wake up early in the morning on a bed saying, "My life is empty." You're going to wake up feeling discouraged, depressed. But in Christ, as we go through trial, in Christ as we go through difficulty, in Christ as we go through the challenges of life, there's a satisfaction, there's a peace that passes all understanding. There is a joy that floods into our life because Christ will never leave us. Christ will never forsake us.

And what does Jesus say to us in Isaiah chapter 41 and verse 10? These are words to encourage your heart today. Let this text burn its way into your heart. Let it burn its way into your soul. Isaiah 41, verse 10: "Fear not, for I am with you. Be not dismayed. Don't be confused by the things going on around you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. Yes, I will help you. Yes, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." Jesus says, "Don't let your life be filled with fear. Trust me, I'm with you. Realize that in your weakness, I will strengthen you. Realize that in your confusion, I will give you guidance. Know that whatever you're facing, I'm going to help you. Know that I'm going to hold you up. You are not going to collapse in this trial and this difficulty."

Where do we find life's greatest joy? Where did Jesus find it? Jesus said, "Not my will, Father," when He was in Gethsemane, "but Your will." He said, "If it's possible, let this cup pass from me. Let the cross pass from me. Let this trial be gone. Let this difficulty be over. Not my will, Lord, but Your will. I'm willing to take the cup. I'm willing to embrace the cup." You see, the cup of suffering is given to every one of us in life at some time. You don't find joy by avoiding the cup. You see, you can do three things with the cup. You can resist the cup, be angry because the cup's placed in your hand. You can accept the cup grudgingly and resent it. Or you can receive it. You can reject it, you can resent it, or you can receive it. And in the cup of that suffering, you can learn to trust God more deeply, have a peace that you've never ever known before or never experienced. So today, my friend, receive the cup, whatever cup God puts in your hand, and learn to trust Him more deeply. And let the peace of Christ flood into your heart.

Guest (Male): You've been listening to HopeLives365 with Pastor Mark Finley. We hope you've enjoyed today's message and remind you that you can find more in our many ministry resources at HopeLives365.com. And you can support this ministry by going to HopeLives365.com/donate. And now, a final prayer from Pastor Mark.

Mark Finley: Let's pray. Father in heaven, we thank You with all of our heart that we can receive the cup. And in receiving it, find life's greatest joy, life's greatest purpose, life's greatest meaning. We thank You, we praise You for Your goodness, that You have said, "Fear not, I am with you. I'll strengthen you. I'll uphold you by My righteous right hand." We thank You, Lord, that You're going to hold us up as we receive the cup that You put in our hands, and that we can have a peace that passes all understanding. In Jesus' name, Amen.