How Empty? How Full? How Much?
Matthew 26:39
Introduction
[Hook]
When ordering a drink at a restaurant – would you really care how clean the glass was once it was offered to you? (Have two clear glasses, one with remanents of “crud” and one that is clean. Get a picture of water. Fill both glasses and offer one at a time to a congregation member…what is their response?) Which would you prefer?
[Reveal the Need]
Often we want a life “full of God” or a life marked by “joy, peace, fulfillment, and abundance”. We desire God’s blessing in what we do – but have we ever stopped to consider what we are offering Him each day?
[Orientation to the Subject]
Jesus spoke of a glass – or cup, being representative of the condition of our hearts. He spoke very boldly regarding what we offer to God on a daily basis, or how empty our hearts can be, or how full they can be?
This morning I want to take a moment and ask you a question, since we are re-visiting the cross. How empty? Or How Full? Or How Much? Does God have control of your Heart? What are you offering Him each day - a cup that is dirty or a cup that is clean?
[Orientation to the Biblical Text]
In the moments before Christ went to the cross – He was offered a cup to drink from, which the Lord Jesus shrank from momentarily in Gethsemene – but he drank to the dregs at Calvary – that cup was the cup of our sin. Our sin was paid for once and for all…this is why we can ask Him for forgiveness when we need it.
But living in this world day to day we are susceptible to sin; however, if we will allow Him to show us what is in our cup and then give it to Him. He will cleanse us in His precious blood that still flows for that sin. Christ’s cross always cleanses from sin.
Read Text: MT 26:39 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."
[Structural Overview]
This morning, as we revisit the Calvary Road, I want you to reflect on the condition of your heart. How Empty is it? How Full? How much of it have you offered Jesus of yourself?
Body
I. I First We Must Empty our Hearts of Sin?”
A. Notice Jesus in Gethsemene! “Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me!” He who knew no sin would be forced to drink to the dregs- your sin! Oh how he desired not to taste of such sin…yet He was obedient to drink from that dreaded cup because He loved us.
B. How we pray so often “Bless Me Lord!” “Answer my prayers!” Yet we do not look closely at the condition of our hearts when we lift our voices in prayer. We do not consider enough our hearts condition.
1. “Fill my cup Lord! I lift it up Lord, Come and quench the thristing of my soul!” Yet one thing that prevents Jesus filling our cups as He passes by is sin – in all its forms. The Lord Jesus does not fill dirty cups.
2. Anything that springs from self, however small it may be, is sin. Self-Engery or Self-Complacency in Service…is sin. Self Pity in trials and Self Seeking in business or Christian work – all of these were poured into the cup that Jesus had to drink from. Why would he fill hearts that have the residue of dregs that He was forced to drink?
3. Jesus’ strongest rebukes were to those who failed to acknowledge that their cups were dirty – that their hearts needed to be cleansed from sin..
a) In talking to religious people…Pharisee’s to be exact, were some of Jesus’ harshest words, MT 23:25 "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. 26 Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.”
C. If we are daily going to walk with Jesus we must daily confess our sin to him. We must daily search our hearts to make sure they are empty of deliberate sin.
1. But suppose you have let the Lord Jesus cleanse your cup and have trusted Him to fill it to overflowing…then something comes along (a touch of anger, a smudge of envy, the residue of resentment). What happens? Your cup becomes dirty and it ceases to overflow.
2. If we are constantly being defeated in this way, then our cup is never overflowing with God’s abundant life in us. If we are to know the continuous filling of God’s Holy Spirit then we must learn to keep our cups clean – Empty of Sin.
[ Trans] But how are we to do this?
(illustration) Here is a glass half full. Lets say that the water inside is Sin. How can I get rid of the Sin? (Suggestions: pour it out – but its still empty? Use a vacuum and suck everything out – but it is still empty?)
We can try harder! We can try to empty our hearts of sin all by ourselves. We can repeat the same old cycle….Sin-Repent-Sin-Repent, but not really live abundantly. We can Empty the cup ourselves through effort! But the problem is that it remains Empty – A void has developed. This is the condition of many Christian’s hearts…they know Christ but the remain empty inside. Something else is necessary…
(Pour the pitcher of water into the glass until it overflows) If I pour something into the glass it flushes out what was inside…cleans it and fills it! Which leads me to my second point..
II. We must Fill our Hearts with Gods Fullness!
A. Andrew Murray says “ Just as water ever seeks and fills the lowest place, so the moment God finds you abased and empty, His glory and power flows in.”
1. Renewal is being absolutely filled to overflowing with the Holy Spirit, and that is victorious living. All we have to do is present our empty hearts to Christ and let Him fill us!
2. Like the old hymn resounds in our ears today “ He will fill your hearts to overflowing – bring your vessels if a few as the Lord commanded you.”
3. As we approach Him in prayer or devotion He looks into our cup, and if it is clean-He fills it to overflowing with His joy. This is something of what David meant in Psalm 23 “My cup overflows! Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life!”
B. If we are to be continusouly full of Gods presence then we must make sure our lives our continuously clean!
1. People imagine that dying to self makes one miserable – but it is the opposite. How many do not come to Christ because they have believed the lie of the enemy that to deny yourself and pick up your cross means that life is empty! They are looking at the glass as half full!
2. But the opposite is true. It is the refusal to die to self that makes one miserable. The more we know of Christ’s life in us the more real peace and joy will overflow through us!
3. If we will but go back to Calvary’s cross and learn afresh how Jesus’ blood cleanses us from sin moment by moment – then we have learned the secret of cups constantly cleansed and constantly overflowing.
4. The moment you are conscience of that touch of: anger, envy, criticism or resentment… whatever it is – ask Jesus to cleanse it and clean your heart through His forgiveness. This is how we keep our hearts clean and our cups overflowing. This is how we keep our hearts full of Gods fullness!
[Trans] Once we ask How Empty our Hearts are of Sin and How Full our Hearts are with God’s Presence…there remains one more thing we must ask ourselves….How Much?
III. How Much of Gods Peace Guards our Hearts?
A. I am convinced that there was one solitary prayer that Jesus prayed that went unanswered. It could be that in his humanity he knew the answer lay in his predetermined obedience. Katherine Bregy captured that thought in one stanza of her poem “Gethsemene’s Gift”
“But I would not forget what the olive tree’s heard –
His one unanswered prayer!
The prayer that if there be anyway that the Father would take this cup from Him.
But Jesus drank the cup of Calvary willingly – He took our sin upon Him so that
We might live eternally – but notice something as he sets his face toward the
Cross – He is at peace through the whole process! We never read of any anxiety
Or cowering. We never observe any intrepidation or second thoughts. He had
Perfect peace all the way to the cross. I believe he received that peace while he
Was in Gethsemane.
B. There is one simple but all inclusive guide the Word of God gives us to regulate our walk with Jesus and to guard our hearts so we do not loose the overflowing presence of God.
1. Colossians 3:15 says “Let the peace of God rule in your hearts.”
2. What often disturbs that peace in our hearts is sin, no matter how small, and no matter how little it may first appear to be – Sin will cause the overflowing cup to dry up!
3. This peace is to “rule” our hearts. (A more literal translation is “to be the referee of our hearts”)
4. When the referee blows his whistle at a football match, the game has to stop, a foul has been committed. When we loose our peace, God’s referee in our hearts has blown his whistle. We need to stop immediately, ask God to show us what is wrong, put by faith the sin he shows us under the blood of Jesus, and then peace will be restored and we shall go on our way with cups running over.
a) Many of us, however, have neglected the referee’s whistle so often and for so long that we have ceased to hear it. Day follows day and our condition will get worse unless we discern what sin is robbing us of God’s peace that is able to guard our hearts.
b) Proverbs 4:23 says “ Above all else…guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.” A “wellspring” is a main source of flowing water. It the origin or starting point. Solomon tells us that our hearts are the main source – the primary starting point where our lives issue from. We are told to “guard our hearts”
1) We are told in Colossians 3 and Proverbs 4 that we have a responsibility to allow Gods peace to “stand watch” or “referee” how much we allow God’s Holy Spirit to keep our hearts clean.
2) Well, you may ask, how can I train myself to Guard my Heart or allow the peace of God to referee my heart so that my heart will overflow with God’s abundant life? The scripture gives us the answer again in Phillipians 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me--put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
Conclusion
So examine your “cup” today. What are you offering God each time you approach Him. Only you and the Lord know the truth of that answer.
Do you need to Empty your heart of any un-confessed, hidden sin that is blocking the flow of living water in your life?
Are you daily filling your heart Full of Gods presence? Making the time to read His Word and Pray?
How Much of the Peace of God is guarding your hearts? You are responsible to keep watch!
I encourage you to daily consider the state of your heart and reflect on Christ’s Cross.
In the words of Ella Wilcox:
“All those who journey, soon or late,
Must pass within the garden’s gate;
Must kneel alone in darkness there,
And battle with some fierce despair.
God pity those who cannot say:
“Not mine but thine”; who only pray:
“Let this cup pass,” and cannot see
The purpose in Gethsemane.
Prayer-A-Phrase “Lord, each of us hold up the cup of our hearts before you. Referee our desires and dealings. May your Holy Spirit show us daily Sin and may we Empty ourselves of it. May you pour out your living water and Fill our Hearts full of your Presence and help us to continually walk – watching and being ever diligent to guard our hearts, knowing Sin will rob us of you Peach. Let us remember that you drank that cup for us that we might live right with you.” Amen.
