Did you know that avoiding temptation is easier than pole vaulting?
This is Scripture for Students. I’m Steve Whitacre, president of Trinity College and a pastor at Sovereign Grace Church of Louisville. I want to help students build a daily habit for life-long Bible reading. Today is February 11, 2025 and this episode of Scripture for Students is called Avoid Temptation in Two Easy Steps! Grab your Bible and let’s get started.
Our readings for today are Genesis 44, Mark 14, and Job 10.
Please open your Bibles to Mark 14.
When I was in 8th grade, I decided I wanted to become a pole vaulter. Somehow, I convinced my parents to sign me up for a pole vaulting clinic at my school that winter so I could learn the finer arts of pole vaulting and be ready for the spring track season.
“This is actually quite simple,” the coach said. “There are really just two parts to this: step one: sprint down the runway and plant the end of your pole in the box. Second, using the momentum from your run, swing yourself up and over the pole.” Two simple steps.
I am a little embarrassed to tell you that after six weeks of Sunday afternoon pole vaulting lessons, I never once got. off. the. ground. See, there were some hindrances to becoming a pole vaulter that I did not anticipate. What I learned is that in order to succeed as a pole vaulter, you need two things. You gotta be fast. You gotta be strong.
So, while it is true that pole vaulting is simple, I didn’t have the strength on my own to make it as a pole vaulter. In today’s Scripture for Students, we’re going to read about a very important spiritual skill that is just as simple: only two steps. But similar to me learning to pole vault, we’re going to need more strength than we’ve got in ourselves to succeed. Please follow along as I read Mark 14:32–42 and see if you can spot the spiritual skill I’m talking about.
32 And they went to a place called Gethsemane. And he said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.”
33 And he took with him Peter and James and John, and began to be greatly distressed and troubled.
34 And he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death. Remain here and watch.”
35 And going a little farther, he fell on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him.
36 And he said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”
37 And he came and found them sleeping, and he said to Peter, “Simon, are you asleep? Could you not watch one hour?
38 Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
39 And again he went away and prayed, saying the same words.
40 And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were very heavy, and they did not know what to answer him.
41 And he came the third time and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? It is enough; the hour has come. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.
42 Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand.”
May the Lord bless the reading and the hearing and the keeping of his Word.
You know where we are in the story: we’re getting very close to the end of Mark’s gospel, which means very close to the crucifixion. It’s the night before, Jesus has finished the Last Supper with his disciples and they have gone out to the Garden of Gethsemane, which is maybe not even a mile outside the walls of Jerusalem, just a short walk down into the Kidron Valley and then up a small hill called the Mount of Olives. Judas will be along soon with the authorities, to betray Jesus, but first, we get this brief and moving scene of Jesus praying. There are two things I want us to look at here.
First, we get the briefest glimpse into the relationship that Jesus has with his heavenly Father. We get to hear one half of the conversation: Jesus prays directly to God in verse 36, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”
Abba is a term of respect and endearment. It’s not as flippant as saying “Daddy.” We don’t have a great English equivalent. Abba is weighty with respect, but also quite affectionate.
And Jesus prays to the Father, “Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.” Jesus is saying, if there is any other way to accomplish your plan to save your people rather than through me dying on the cross and bearing your wrath, let’s do that. This is a poignant moment because we only hear one side of the conversation. And that’s because there is only one side of the conversation. Jesus prays to the Father, but the Father doesn’t answer. The silence is the answer. There is no other way for Jesus to save God’s people. He must go to the cross, he must be crucified, he must bear the Father’s wrath against sin, and he must die.
It’s a very emotional moment, which makes for a bit of a contrast in the next verse, when Jesus finds the disciples sound asleep. Here he is, the most difficult and emotional moment of his life, and his closest friends have dozed off. In fact, we read in the next few verses that this happens three times.
In verses 37 and 38, Jesus speaks directly to Peter about this and Jesus tells Peter to, “Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation.” It’s just that simple, Peter. Like pole vaulting, just two simple steps to keep from entering into temptation, which is a code word for starting to sin. What does Peter have to do to avoid temptation? And following his example, what do we do to avoid temptation? First, keep watch. This refers to situational awareness, knowing ourselves and the world around us well enough to know how we might be tempted. And then either avoiding those situations or going into them well-prepared with the second step: to pray.
We pray by doing the same Jesus did here: bringing our requests to God, making them known to him, and trusting him for an answer. What, exactly, are we supposed to pray for? Well, we know from other parts of Scripture that we should bring to God anything and everything that we are burdened, concerned, or anxious about. But I think the next verse teaches us that we should pray for strength to resist temptation and not enter into temptation by sinning. There it is: avoid temptation in two easy steps!
Jesus tells Peter, “The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Most bible scholars agree that the spirit Jesus is referring to here is not the Holy Spirit, but our own spirits—our internal preferences and desires. We want to obey and follow God, but our flesh is weak. So we need to be watchful so we recognize the temptations that come our way and we need to pray that God will give us the strength to resist temptation, in whatever form that might take.
This might be a great conversation with your parents: discuss one way you think you might be tempted in the next day or two. Talk about what it will mean for you to be watchful against that temptation and then pray together for spiritual strength.
That’s all for today. If you enjoyed this episode please share it with a friend and follow us on Apple Podcasts.
This content is sponsored by Trinity College of Louisville. We shape young men and young women for Christ and for the church. Learn more at TrinityCollegeLou.com. Until next time, keep growing!