Gethsemane - Submitting to the Father’s Will
I See Jesus series:
Gethsemane - Submitting to the Father’s Will
March 9, 2008
Pastor R. Greene, Pastor Eric Miller
Text: John 4:4-26, Matthew 26:36-46
(Read John 4:4-26; Listen to John 4:4-26)
(Read Matthew 26:36-46; Listen to Matthew 26:36-46)
- When you have a problem, who do you run to first?
- Describe a situation where you have come up with your own alternative plan to God’s will.
- What do you need to offer to God in your cup?
- Practice praying “Yet not as I will, but as You will”
Midweek Moment:
Introduction:
- Our best days are ahead
- There are moments we look forward to and moments we do not look forward to
- Jesus gives us an example of each of these in His own life
The Father’s Will: Jesus’ Ministry (John 4:34)
- A Divine Appointment With the Father’s Will (The Samaritan Women at the Well)
- Jesus had to pass through Samaria as His assignment from the Father
*Jesus was tired and was resting, waiting patiently when the Samaritan woman came to draw water.
*Jesus waits patiently to meet each one of us in so many ways and times. He is there!
*The Samaritan Woman comes to the well unhappy, unfulfilled and lonely.
*Jesus initiates a conversation by asking: “Will you give me a drink?”
The well she draws from is contaminated, stagnant
Jesus sees her deepest need of the thirst of her soul to find meaning, purpose and fulfillment. She is THIRSTY! Jesus shares with her by asking her more questions about herself, not judging or condemning.
*Jesus leads her to Himself as the water she could drink and never thirst again! A man
who wants nothing from her but wants to give something to her: If you knew the person asking you for a drink, you would have asked him, He would have given you living water!”
- John 3:34 Jesus loves doing the Father’s will and thus the woman became filled with being loved. She out of her fullness delighted to do God’s will and told those in the town. Do you delight in God’s Will or would you rather that it conform to your will?
- Above everything else Jesus lived to do God’s will! Doing His will gave Him joy, delight, satisfaction.
The Father’s Will: Jesus’ Submission (Matthew 26:36-36; Hebrews 5:7,8)
- The Father’s Will: THE CROSS
- Jesus and the disciples are in the garden of Gethsemane and Jesus is very sorrowful (My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death.”) He was seeing the Cross, He was seeing the sin of the whole world upon His shoulder, He was seeing the Father turn His back.
- Jesus prayer in the Garden: “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet, not as I will, but as you will.” (Herein is the example for us in submitting to God’s Will)
- We have many times when we are sorrowful over a myriad of things that come to us and Jesus gives us an example:
- 1. Ask close friends to watch and pray. Matthew 26:37,38)
*Jesus was real about His feelings and shared His moment with His disciples
*He longs for companionship and comfort from His disciples
* We do not need to hide them or pretend they are not there.
*We were not meant to carry sorrow alone in times of sorrow
2. Be honest and bring your feelings to God.
*Jesus was honest about His feelings openly and honestly with the disciples and
and the Father.
*In the garden we see Jesus sharing his deepest emotions and sorrow and identifies with us in His humanity.
*He is able to identify with whatever feelings we have. Jesus’ life long submission to His Father does not make Him wooden, plastic but it frees Him to be Honest.
3. Offer your request without expectations (Matthew 26:39)
*Jesus says to the Father: If possible, can this cup be taken from me BUT not as I will but as You will.
*We face and experience our cups (Gethsemane) everyday - caring for elderly parents, waiting for a significant other, have children, bad marriage, a diagnosis.
*Praying like Jesus did gives us release from our rights, the way we want things and releases God to refine us and make us like Him.
4. Surrender to God’s will (Matthew 26:42)
*No longer does Jesus pray to take away the cup but He says that He will drink
of this cup and He will obey the Father.
*Herein is the battle: Our will vs the Father’s
*When we release our will to the Father we find peace.
*We will be tempted and there are many doors you could enter but the one
that is pleasing to the Father has a name of “Submission to His Will”. What is in
your cup of temptation? What names are on the doors? What will you choose?
5. Accept God’s Peace (Matthew 26:43-46)
*Jesus has come through his agonizing in the garden and submitted to the
Father’s will and PEACE has been restored to His heart. The Father has strengthened Him through prayer and dispatched angels to comfort Him.
Jesus’ Submission as seen in Hebrews 5:7,8 (read again)
- How could Jesus learn submission ? As God He needed nothing, as God/man He had to
experience what His people would experience so He could be their High Priest. As God He could not be disobedient but as God man He had to experience what was involved in obedience. He did not pray to be saved from death or to be spared from death but to be saved out of death. God answered His prayer with the Resurrection!
The Father’s Will: Our Submission to His Ministry (John 14:12)
- This is for Us: “I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in Me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.”
- Jesus choose union with the father through prayer. He yielded to the Father and He ministered in the power of the Spirit.
- Do you want His Will? Are you fighting against Him?
- It is time for you to walk where our Savior walked, kneel with Him at Gethsemane and say:
LORD, NOT MY WILL BUT YOURS BE DONE
This week as the issues of life come may we pray this and experience His Peace.