The Scariest Prayer in the Bible
March 21, 2021 Morning Service
Immanuel Baptist Church, Wagoner, OK
Rick Boyne
Message Point: We must be willing to surrender completely to God’s will, no matter what.
Focus Passage: Mark 14:32-42
Supplemental Passage: The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD saying, "Arise and go down to the potter's house, and there I will announce My words to you." Then I went down to the potter's house, and there he was, making something on the wheel. But the vessel that he was making of clay was spoiled in the hand of the potter; so he remade it into another vessel, as it pleased the potter to make. Then the word of the LORD came to me saying, "Can I not, O house of Israel, deal with you as this potter does?" declares the LORD. "Behold, like the clay in the potter's hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel. (Jeremiah 18:1-6 NASB)
Introduction: Recently, our two-year-old granddaughter stayed with my wife and me for a few days while her little brother was being born. We had such a good time as long as we did what she wanted to do. Mostly, that was watch a pre-school show called, “Cocomelon.” Whenever we suggested doing something like taking a bath, or changing a diaper, or taking a nap, we were met with typical two-year-old tantrums. While quite distressful for all of us, we simply couldn’t do what she wanted to do all the time. Of course, at two years old, it is always about her. But, alas, we ended up getting our way, because it was time to eat, time to bathe, time to nap, etc. A two year old child does not have the capacity to reason or make choices that benefits others. They are completely egocentric. And that’s OK as long as you are two years old. The real problem comes when you are old enough to know what’s best and still are egocentric. As a mature adult, we usually want to do what God wants us to do (as long as it is something we want to do). We are very reluctant to ask God what it is that He wants in us, through us, or for us. That’s mighty scary when we don’t know exactly what they may be. For Jesus in the Garden, it was extremely stressful because He knew EXACTLY what the Father wanted, knew EXACTLY what it would mean for Him, yet prayed it anyway. Oh that we would be more like Jesus!
I. The Situation
a. Jesus knew what was to come: the mocking, the beating, the humiliation, the physical torture, the mental anguish, the spiritual separation
b. Jesus knew that He was at the very doorstop of the mission for which He had come; to suffer, to die, to live again
c. Jesus knew that, as fully man and fully God, the man part of Him was very weak. The Man part of Jesus cried out in anguish to the Father to make sure there wasn’t some other way; but He knew that HE WAS THE WAY!
II. The Prayer
a. The prayer was simple to utter, but hard to grasp
b. “Not My way, not My will, but Your Way, Your will.
III. The Scary Part for Us
a. While Jesus knew what the answer would be, we, often, do not
b. Sometimes we know what the answer will be and we won’t like it so we don’t pray that prayer
c. To pray that prayer is to literally say, “God, it doesn’t matter what I want, what I prefer, or even what I don’t want, I want Your way in my life!”
d. Many aren’t willing to pray that because they don’t mean it. They are afraid of what the answer could be.
i. becoming a missionary in Africa
ii. being single the rest of my life
iii. being a foster parent
iv. becoming a Sunday School teacher
v. becoming a pastor
vi. living in poverty
vii. moving away from “home”
e. The reality is that God has the very best in mind for us. And His very best almost ALWAYS looks different than our idea of what is very best for us.
Application/Call to Obedience: What are you holding back from God? Are you afraid to pray that His will be done in your life? Are you afraid of what that may entail? Do we not trust God enough to be the clay in the potter’s hands? Are you even in His hands? The Bible says, that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. (Romans 10:9-10 NASB)
