Thy Will Be Done | August 13, 2023

Brian Van Eps | Guest Speaker

Matthew 26:36-46
6 Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” 37 He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38 Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”

39 Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”

40 Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. 41 “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

42 He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.”

43 When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. 44 So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing.

45 Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour has come, and the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners. 46 Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!”

The Question: How do we pray in the face of great suffering?

The Answer: We need to move from “My will be done” to “Thy will be done”

Four things we can learn from Jesus’ Prayer:
1. Don’t pray alone (v. 38)
2. Be brutally honest in prayer (v. 39)
3. Keep praying (v. 44)
4. Surrender to God’s mysterious will (v. 39)

What do you need to surrender to God’s will today?

Reflection Questions:

When was the last time you faced great suffering?
How did you react to that moment? What did you do?
How is your prayer life in the face of suffering?
Who would you ask to pray with you?
What is something you haven’t been brutally honest with God about?
When have you given up on prayer?
What do you need to surrender to God’s will today?

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Notes Page: https://journeyweb.net/sermons/notes/2023.08.13.pdf