The Fall-away

Mark 14: 32 They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, "Sit here while I pray." 33He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled. 34"My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death," he said to them. "Stay here and keep watch."
35Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. 36"Abba,[e] Father," he said, "everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will."

37Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. "Simon," he said to Peter, "are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for one hour? 38Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak."

39Once more he went away and prayed the same thing. 40When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. They did not know what to say to him.

41Returning the third time, he said to them, "Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough! The hour has come. Look, the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 42Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!"
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deeply distressed and troubled: why would Jesus be troubled if he already knew what was to come? here we see the humanness of Jesus... is he going to do what he is suppose to do? here, we see the struggles of obedience...

"everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will."

Again, simply interpreted: God, you could have choose any other ways to fulfil your destiny, but why this path? You are the all-powerful God , you can even send fire from the skies, but why this path? Negotiation, Debate. But after all the searching and answers presented; it boils down to ? Are you willing to obey?

Finally, we see the importance of prayer: prayer to align one's will to God's will, even at the request of one's preferred will- we should always learn to submit to God's way of doing things- which of cos , may not be our preferred choice. Here we see an example of a 'rejected' 'unanswered' prayer of Jesus- Yes! even Jesus!

we see another aspect of prayer: to prepare one for what he has come to do... to be... those who do not pray(the 3 fellows who slept) later fall away when the rubber meets the road. ie, the arrest of Jesus, and the betrayal of Judas. Prayer prepares us in a way that we only know it will be brought into effect much later on in life.

Hey, this story has not ended. Despite the fall-away as displayed by Peter and gang, they are the very people that Jesus choose to form his first church... Any fall-away or short-comings in the present circumstances only prepare us of what is ahead. Look backward in order to look forward. the story is not finished... this episode become a learning ground for all... for those who are still sleeping and not praying...

what did Peter lose in the midst of all these things? He loses his arrogance, his pretendence of 'know-it-all', he displays humility in time to come, he learn to SUBMIT to God.... learning what it means of surrendering to God- even at the expense of going to the cross... much like Jesus...