Right Before...
Are you connected to the source? Let me pray for us. “-Lord, help us to stay away from temptation and close to you, so we can do your will in Jesus name, amen.”
Lent is meant to be a time of repentance. Lent occurs 40 days right before the miracle.
Common day duties are set aside to praise and worship the Lord; to read the Bible more, and to pray more often. Christians who observe Lent correctly anticipate deeper intimacy with the Lord. (Christianity Today article)
Luke 22:39-46NIV Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him. 40 On reaching the place, he said to them, “Pray that you will not fall into temptation.” 41 He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, 42 “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” 43 An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him.
Stop for a moment, An angel visited Jesus and stayed... Remember the temptation at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry?
Luke 22:44-46NIV And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.
45 When he rose from prayer and went back to the disciples, he found them asleep, exhausted from sorrow. 46 “Why are you sleeping?” he asked them. “Get up and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.”
Right before Jesus would be Falsely accused, laughed to scorn, Right Before, Jesus was Arrested, Right Before, A Mock Trail, Right Before, Jesus was Beaten and left at the fringe of death. Right before, Jesus was nailed to the cross, Right Before, one criminal believed and Jesus replied to him, “This day you will be with Me in heaven.” Right Before Jesus died a murders’ death, Right before, Jesus was resurrected, Right before, Jesus gave us some final commands, Go! If you ‘go’, My peace will be with you.” Right before, Jesus ascended. The angel told these men from Galilee stop gazing, go! Acts 1:11.
Right before all that, Jesus surrendered His will to His Father.
Please note: “I believe it was at this time, (at Gethsemane garden), this prayer moment that Jesus received His assignment in full.” PH
As you walk and fellowship with God daily there will be pivotal moments.
(CECC sign on i75, AWANA, Our Worship, Our full surrender. Our Growth.
Once again Jesus found Himself in the Garden of Gethsemane. (Oil Press).
Jesus found himself in solitude over and over again because He was totally dependent on his Father!
At his baptism, (Luke 3:21).
Regularly He would withdrawal from the crowds, (Luke 5:16).
After healing people in the evening, (Mark 1:35).
Before walking on water (Matt 14:23, Mark 6:46, John 6:15).
Before choosing the Twelve (Luke 6:12).
Before Peter's confession (Luke 9:18).
-Jesus knows how to make you right! This Mount of Olives/Garden of Gethsemane experience, would change the trajectory of mankind forever.
It was at Gethsemane, that Jesus chose our wrongs, so we may be made right. 2 Corinthians 5:21 Jesus became sin for our behalf! P.H
It was at Gethsemane, (Oil press) that Jesus made a powerful declaration.
Luke 22:42 “Nevertheless, not my will, but yours be done!”
This piece of history, this giving up of a will is written in todays text, Luke 22. Moreover, this famous document is also written by Marks gospel, Mark 14, Matthew 26, and John 18.
“This Gethsemane experience, this dying and letting go, produced harvest!” P.H
Remember this, you can never hold on, and be the blessing God created you to be. -You got to let go.” P.H
After the death, Say, “After the death.” After Jesus’ death to self, in Gethsemane, I believe He saw the entire picture. Jesus knew what had to be done. -After Jesus’ physical death, His disciples begin to reflect, to remember, -they finally got it!
John Jesus’ beloved writes in, John 15:5KJV I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
John 15, is all about staying connected to the source. Furthermore, in John 15, Jesus teaches a simple truth.
As you stay connected, you will bear more fruit, you will love without reservation, and you will grow forward. In fact, John 15, is really about loving like Jesus loved! P.H
Many of us fear aging with all the trouble it brings… But when you are gradually stripped of everything that props us up – whether wealth, independence, health, dignity, beauty, or all of the above – remember this, ‘we are left with more, and more of God!’
Doctor Joseph Stowell states, “So no matter how old you are, it's not too late to dig deep in God's word, and invest more and more time in your spiritual well-being. You'll see the payoffs, now, and later. The older, you get, the better you can become!
I think it’s important to have greater insight into the last days leading to the betrayal of Jesus.
There are several truths from this epic event.
1. As Jesus prepared for His journey, His next great adventure to the cross and everything to come, -Jesus prayed. He prayed.
Luke 22:39-40 As Jesus arrived to His secret place, His personal altar, His garden of prayer. He told His disciples to pray so they might not be lead to temptation.
Prayer, Listening for His still small voice, dialoging with God, it’s your personal communication, Jesus becomes our strength. -Prayer keeps us connected to the source.
Ever wonder what Jesus prayed? I believe at some part of His Gethsemane Jesus would pray what He taught from the Sermon On The Mount.
Matthew 6:9-13AMP “Pray, then, in this way:‘Our Father, who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. 10 Your kingdom come, Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. 11 ‘Give us this day our daily bread. 12 ‘And forgive us our debts, as we have forgiven our debtors [letting go of both the wrong and the resentment] 13 ‘And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. [For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.]’
2. Prayer keeps- the God song alive. Prayer keeps- you stable. -Keeps you conditioned, Prayer humbles you.
James 4:10NIV Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.
“Staying prayerful means you’re dependent.” P.H
Jesus knew He was dependent on His Father.
John 17:23NLT I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me.
Again, 2. Prayer works on you, it humbles you.
3. When you are connected to the source you withdraw occasionally. -You go at it alone!
Luke 22:41-42TPT Then he withdrew from them a short distance to be alone. Kneeling down, he prayed “Father, if you are willing, take this cup of agony away from me. But no matter what, your will must be mine.”“ 42 “Father, if you are willing, take this cup of agony away from me. But no matter what, your will must be mine.”“
The king James records, Jesus withdrew about a stones throw away and prayed, “Not My will but thine will be done.”
Father take this cup of agony away. Cup of loneliness, Cup of hurt, Cup of brokenness. Take this Cup of selfishness, take this cup of self-will away!
Are you ready to hear the results? “Not my will but yours be done!”
Again, 3. Although you go alone, you become undergirded. -You are not alone, John 14:16.
4. Prayer keeps us sober, Prayer keeps us filled with the Holy Spirit!
Jude 20KJV But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,
Peter stated this about prayer. -1 Peter 5:6-9AMP ”Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God [set aside self-righteous pride], so that He may exalt you [to a place of honor in His service] at the appropriate time,“ 7 ”casting all your cares [all your anxieties, all your worries, and all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares about you [with deepest affection, and watches over you very carefully]. 8 Be sober [well balanced and self-disciplined], be alert and cautious at all times. That enemy of yours, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion [fiercely hungry], seeking someone to devour. 9 But resist him, be firm in your faith [against his attack—rooted, established, immovable], knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being experienced by your brothers and sisters throughout the world. [You do not suffer alone.]
Again, 4. Prayer us sober, and keeps us full of the Holy Spirit.
5. Jesus prayed more earnestly, prayer can be, “Lord, help me!” It might be quiet, a still small voice, maybe prayer will be very forceful.
Luke 22:44TPT ”He prayed even more passionately, like one being sacrificed, until he was in such intense agony of spirit that his sweat became drops of blood, dripping onto the ground.“
Hematidrosis is a rare, but very real medical condition that causes one’s sweat to contain blood. The sweat glands are surrounded by tiny blood vessels that can constrict and then dilate to the point of rupture, causing blood to effuse into the sweat glands. -The cause of hematidrosis is extreme anguish. We can see the level of Jesus’ anguish, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death”
Jesus pled, He was in deep agony of spirit. Palm Sunday is often overshadowed by Resurrection Sunday.
However Palm Sunday makes us conscious of the agony of Jesus. Palm Sunday prepares us for more!
Again, 5. Jesus prayed more earnestly.
6. Palm Sunday prepares us for total victory.
“If we didn’t have Palm Sunday, we wouldn’t appreciate Easter.” P.H
Paul ask a group of John the Baptist disciples in, Acts 19:1-3AMP ”It happened that while Apollos was in Corinth, Paul went through the upper [inland] districts and came down to Ephesus, and found some disciples. 2 He asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed [in Jesus as the Christ]?” And they said, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” 3 And he asked, “Into what then were you baptized?” They said, “Into John’s baptism.”
You got to get a firm grip on Palm Sunday, (the sufferings etc.), now get ready for Easter).
Acts 19:4-6AMP Paul said, “John performed a baptism of repentance, continually telling the people to believe in Him who was coming after him, that is, [to confidently accept and joyfully believe] in Jesus [the Messiah and Savior].” 5 After hearing this, they were baptized [again, this time] in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 And when Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking in [unknown] tongues (languages) and prophesying.“
Again, 6. Paul wanted John’s disciples to celebrate complete victory.
7. How do you spell Gethsemane? -More.
Benediction. -Nothing you face is in vain. Trusting Jesus leads you from Gethsemane, to victory! And victory leads to rewards, temporal but better than that, eternal!
