2015-07-05 Faith Talk Jesus Prays

2015-07-05 Faith Talk Jesus Prays

Jesus led His disciples to the Garden of Gethsemane where He asked them to watch and pray while He went deeper into the Garden to pray alone. As He departed, Jesus told His disciples His soul was exceedingly sorrowful, even unto death. Interestingly, I never considered that Jesus had a soul, but then again, why wouldn’t He? We were made in His image, and we have souls, why would Jesus not have one? Now that I think about it, as I look at people, I often neglect to realize each one I see has a soul as well. We all do well to remember that.

We have another feature Jesus had as well, that of choice. Jesus sets a great example of how to choose right.

Read Matthew 26:39 (NKJV)39He 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."

Consider: Jesus left His disciples, went deeper into the garden, and prostrated Himself before His Father God to seek God’s will. Jesus poured out His heart to His Father. Jesus asked if it was possible for the cup to pass by Him that night. Jesus willingly submitted to God’s will, even though His choice would lead to His death.

Imagine the anguish Jesus felt knowing what was in store for Him in the next few hours. Feel His anguish as Jesus begged for an alternative. Listen as Jesus chose submission to His Father and as Jesus made His commitment to do His Father’s will no matter what. Jesus chose God’s will that night rather than His own.

Questions to discuss: How many times have we been in the same position as we considered a serious life decision? Have we ever totally chosen to leave the decision in God’s hands like Jesus did that night? How comfortable are we making the commitment Jesus did to follow God’s will regardless of whether it matches our own? Should we take the same serious approach to our decision making process that Jesus took, submitting totally to God first? How often do we involve God in our decisions at all? If not always, where do we draw the line between what we ask God to be involved in and what we decide ourselves?

Jesus left this decision up to God. I suspect Jesus had already made the choice to be obedient to His Father regardless. We do well to consider and adopt Jesus’ approach to decision making in our future decisions.

Read Matthew 26:40-41 (NKJV)
40Then He came to the disciples and found them asleep, and said to Peter, "What? Could you not watch with Me one hour?
41Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."

Discuss: Imagine how alone Jesus must have felt at that instant. Imagine dealing with the anguish of facing dying a gruesome death in just a few hours. Imagine the feeling of being abandoned by those you were considering dying for. Would the thought cross your mind to change your mind? Would you ask yourself if they were really worth dying for? Could this have been what Jesus meant when He said, “The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”? Could this have been why Jesus returned to pray again and again? Might Jesus’ prayer have included mention of the ungratefulness of even those He loved most dearly as He asked His Father again to let the cup pass?

Is the situation any different today? How committed to serving Jesus are those He died for today?

Read Matthew 26:42-44 (NKJV) 42Again, a second time, He went away and prayed, saying, "O My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done."
43And He came and found them asleep again, for their eyes were heavy.
44So He left them, went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words.

Notice: Jesus did not awaken His disciples the second time, He went back to pray the same prayer He had prayed before. Jesus persisted in asking His Father if it was possible to let the cup pass. Jesus persisted in his commitment to be obedient to God the Father just the same.

Jesus did not continue in His request for His disciples to join Him in His prayer. He only gave them two chances; Jesus asked His disciples to watch and pray with Him once, Jesus asked them a second time, and then Jesus let the disciples sleep. What does this say about our opportunities to serve our Lord? What does this say about how ready we need to be to obey when Jesus asks us to serve Him?

Discuss: Jesus set an example in His repeated prayers. How willing are we to pray repeatedly for the same thing when we do not get an answer, or when we do not get the answer we want? How committed are we to being obedient when we do not get the answers we hoped for? Do we accept God’s answer, do we seem to have trouble hearing God’s answer, or do we choose not to obey God and ask for forgiveness afterwards?

On the night Jesus was betrayed, He taught us a lesson about prayer. We need to follow Jesus’ example of praying persistently and committing in advance to obedience regardless of the answer.

Challenge: Take a close look at your prayer life. How closely does your approach to decision making resemble Jesus’ method that night? Choose obedience regardless of the answer before you pray, pray persistently, and obey God when He answers.

Love,

Tom