Not my will...
Gethsemane
(Mark
14:32-42, Preaching: Pastor Stephen Magee, March 8, 2020)
[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.”
What
are we to do when we fear that the Lord's will may be different than
ours? Can we still ask for what we want? What if we don't receive
what we earnestly request?
The
prayer of a very sorrowful righteous soul (32-36)
A
place called Gethsemane
Greatly
distressed and troubled
“My
soul is very sorrowful, even to death. Remain here and watch.”
He
fell on the ground.
He
prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him.
“Abba,
Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me.”
“Yet
not what I will, but what you will.”
The
sleeping disciples and a betrayer at hand (37-42)
He
came and found them sleeping.
“Simon,
are you asleep? Could you not watch one hour?”
“Watch
and pray that you may not enter into temptation.”
“The
spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
And
again he went away and prayed, saying the same words.
And
again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were very
heavy.
They
did not know what to answer him.
And he
came the third time...
“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.”
“Rise,
let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand.”
THE
POINT: The cross of Christ was in accord with the Father's will.
Applying
these verses:
1. Our
flesh is weak. Pray that you will not enter into temptation.
2. The
will of God was very costly to Father and Son and should be most
precious to us.
3. We
need to grow in our use of this prayer of Jesus: “Not my will...”
A few verses...
Old
Testament Reading—Psalm 130 –
Out of the depths
New
Testament Reading—1 Corinthians 3
– Solid Food – All things are yours
Other
passages:
Psalm
22
[1]
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why
are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?
…
[21]
Save me from the mouth of the lion!
You
have rescued me from the horns of the wild oxen!
…
[30]
Posterity shall serve him;
it
shall be told of the Lord to the coming generation;
[31]
they shall come and proclaim his righteousness to a people yet
unborn,
that
he has done it.
Psalm
69
[1]
Save me, O God!
For
the waters have come up to my neck.
…
[6]
Let not those who hope in you be put to shame through me,
O
Lord GOD of hosts;
let
not those who seek you be brought to dishonor through me,
O
God of Israel.
...
[32]
When the humble see it they will be glad;
you
who seek God, let your hearts revive.
Psalm
143
[1]
Hear my prayer, O LORD;
give
ear to my pleas for mercy!
In
your faithfulness answer me, in your righteousness!
…
[10]
Teach me to do your will,
for
you are my God!
Let
your good Spirit lead me
on
level ground!
Psalm
130
[1]
Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD!
…
[5] I
wait for the LORD, my soul waits,
and
in his word I hope;
[6]
my soul waits for the Lord
more
than watchmen for the morning,
more
than watchmen for the morning.
[7] O
Israel, hope in the LORD!
For
with the LORD there is steadfast love,
and
with him is plentiful redemption.
[8]
And he will redeem Israel
from
all his iniquities.
What
are we to do when we fear that the Lord's will may be different than
ours? Pray. Can we still ask for what we want? Yes.
What
if we don't receive what we earnestly request? Wait for the Lord;
hope in his word.