园里的危机
马可福音十四章32至42节
32他们来到一个地方，名叫客西马尼。耶稣对门徒说：“你们坐在这里，等我祷告。”
33于是带着彼得、雅各、约翰同去，就惊恐起来，极其难过，
34对他们说：“我心里甚是忧伤，几乎要死，你们在这里等候，警醒。”
35他就稍往前走，俯伏在地，祷告说：“倘若可行，便叫那时候过去。”
36他说：“阿爸，父啊！在你凡事都能，求你将这杯撤去；然而，不要从我的意思，只要从你的意思。”
37耶稣回来，见他们睡着了，就对彼得说：“西门，你睡觉吗？不能警醒片时吗？
38总要警醒祷告，免得入了迷惑。你们心灵固然愿意，肉体却软弱了。”
39耶稣又去祷告，说的话还是与先前一样。
40又来见他们睡着了，因为他们的眼睛甚是困倦；他们也不知道怎么回答。
41第三次来，对他们说：“现在你们仍然睡觉安歇吧！（注：“吧”或作“吗”）够了，时候到了。看哪，人子被卖在罪人手里了。
42起来，我们走吧！看哪，那卖我的人近了。”
信息分享
危机可能在瞬间出现，你曾亲身遭遇过吗？无论是国家或国际层面，都是如此。我们也在人生中感知过。危机令人情绪不安、身体疲累和灵性受到冲击。基督也是一样。基督在周日以王的身份进城；随后的每一天都充斥各样的活动并遭遇反对。周四晚吃了最后晚餐，接着，是基督对门徒的临别训言，详见约翰福音十四至十六章。然后，基督便与门徒一起走向客西马尼园，或许途中还一路分享和祷告。
按今天的考据，他们吃最后晚餐的楼房位于耶路撒冷的南面，客西马尼园则在东边，由楼房步行至园子大约需要25分钟；但基督可能在途中停下来祷告。
马可告诉我们，当基督来到园子，「心里便甚是忧愁」，当中的一个词可解作「思乡病」。保罗在腓立比书二章26节，说到以巴弗提思念教会众人，甚至患上重病的时候，用的是同一个字。
基督吩咐八个门徒留在园子入口附近，然后带着彼得、雅各和约翰走到树下。祂渴望有人在祂身边，并与祂一同祷告。我们每个人都有过这种经历与需要，因此，我们岂不应更敏感那些在危机中的人对与我们相交的需要吗？岂不能求主使我们在那样的环境里更敏感吗？这便是真正的基督徒相交生活。
THE CRISIS IN THE GARDEN
Mark 14:32-42
32 Then they came to a place which was named Gethsemane; and He said to His disciples, “Sit here while I pray.”
33 And He took Peter, James, and John with Him, and He began to be troubled and deeply distressed.
34 Then He said to them, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch.”
35 He went a little farther, and 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. Take this cup away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will.”
37 Then He came and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “Simon, are you sleeping? Could you not watch one hour?
38 Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
39 Again He went away and prayed, and spoke the same words.
40 And when He returned, He found them asleep again, for their eyes were heavy; and they did not know what to answer Him.
41 Then He came the third time and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? It is enough! The hour has come; behold, the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners.
42 Rise, let us be going. See, My betrayer is at hand.”
Message
Have you ever experienced how quickly a crisis can develop? We have seen it on national and international levels. We have known it in our own lives. A crisis is emotionally draining, physically weakening, and spiritually challenging. It was so with Christ. Sunday was the King’s procession. Each day that followed was filled with activities and opposition. Thursday night brought the Last Supper. Afterwards, those wonderful quiet talks with His disciples - John 14, 15, and 16. Then the walk to the Garden, perhaps sharing and praying along the way.
The house of the Last Supper is shown today as being on the southern side of Jerusalem. The Garden is around on the eastern side. The time it takes to walk from one to the other would be possibly 25 minutes but Christ may have stopped to pray on the way.
Mark tells us that upon entering the Garden, Christ began to be “deeply distressed and troubled”. One of the words used could be paraphrased “homesick”. The same word was used by Paul for Epaphroditus in Philippians 2:26 when the latter was sick in Rome and very concerned about the church members back in Philippi.
Christ left eight of the disciples somewhere near the gate and took Peter, James, and John with Him to a spot under the trees. He longed for someone to be with Him and to pray with Him. We all know that experience, that kind of need. In turn, should we not be more alert to others’ needs for our fellowship in their time of crisis? Can we ask the Lord to make us more sensitive in that kind of situation? This is true Christian fellowship.