Words Matter: The Will of God
2019-04-07
Pastor Jonathan Falwell
Key Verse: Matthew 26:39 He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.”
Today, we’re going to look at just a few sentences that were spoken by Jesus in the moments leading to His arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane. These words, while simple, were some of the most painful words we see of Christ in the New Testament. But from them, we can learn much on how to deal with our own difficult journeys
Matthew 26:36-46 (NLT) Then Jesus went with them to the olive grove called Gethsemane, and he said, “Sit here while I go over there to pray.” 37 He took Peter and Zebedee’s two sons, James and John, and he became anguished and distressed. 38 He told them, “My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” 39 He went on a little farther and bowed with his face to the ground, praying, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” 40 Then he returned to the disciples and found them asleep. He said to Peter, “Couldn’t you watch with me even one hour? 41 Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak!” 42 Then Jesus left them a second time and prayed, “My Father! If this cup cannot be taken away unless I drink it, your will be done.” 43 When he returned to them again, he found them sleeping, for they couldn’t keep their eyes open. 44 So he went to pray a third time, saying the same things again. 45 Then he came to the disciples and said, “Go ahead and sleep. Have your rest. But look—the time has come. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46 Up, let’s be going. Look, my betrayer is here!”
1. Asking God to remove us from our present pain is okay
vs 39b My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me.
• Paul had present pain which he pleaded with God three times to remove (2 Cor 12:8)
• Throughout the Scriptures, we see multiple examples of Godly men and women asking God for deliverance from present pain.
• The key is our attitude.
2. Complaining is not
vs 39c Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.
• “Yet…” (Gk. – plēn) Nevertheless, regardless, but, “ONLY”
• Jesus taught us in this moment, we can seek God’s deliverance in whatever situation we might be facing, but ultimately we must accept…and even rejoice…in God’s Will.
• Paul asked for his thorn to be removed yet, it remained. Why? To keep Paul firmly in the will of God. (2 Cor 12:7)
2 Cor. 12:9b Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
• We must recognize that at times, God’s best is revealed through what we might consider our worst. But God’s plan is always better.
• So, how do we accomplish this?
3. To do the will of God requires dependence on God
Jesus – vs 41 Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak!
Paul – 2 Cor. 12:10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
You – ?
Trusting God in the worst of times is the best way of revealing the faithfulness of God