Moses did not enter the promised land
Deut 3:23-28
The book of Dt was written right before the children of Israel were to enter the land that God had
promised to give them. Moses takes time to tell them the law of God again and what God has done for
them these many years. This book covers a two month period which includes the 30 days of mourning
over the death of Moses. What Moses gives in his messages were probably given with in a seven day
period. I want us to liken this seven day period as one in which is like the last seven days that Jesus had
before his crucifixion. I want us to see how prayer is a very important part of the life of those who follow
God.
Here is a outline we get from Moses here in DT. That can aid our prayer life.
I. Prayer should begin with praise. Vs. 24 O Sovereign LORD, you have begun to show to your servant your greatness and
your strong hand. For what god is there in heaven or on earth who can do the deeds and mighty works you do?
II. Prayer should include purpose. 25 Let me go over and see the good land beyond the Jordan--that fine hill country and
Lebanon.
III. Prayer calls for believing and obedient performance. 26 But because of you the LORD was angry with me and
would not listen to me. "That is enough," the LORD said. "Do not speak to me anymore about this matter.
IV. Prayer is answered in God’s way. 27,28 Go up to the top of Pisgah and look west and north and south and east. Look
at the land with your own eyes, since you are not going to cross this Jordan. 28But commission Joshua, and encourage and
strengthen him, for he will lead this people across and will cause them to inherit the land that you will see."
So every prayer should include Praise, Purpose, Performance and God’s answer in His way. As I said
this was in a week’s time that Moses gave these messages. It was the last week of his life. He pleaded
with the Lord to let him enter the promised land but was denied that request. I want us to turn to the last
week in Jesus’ life and see how God dealt with Him and how He deals with us. As you read the Gospels
you find that one day Jesus came riding into Jerusalem on a donkey and the people gave Him great
praise. Someone asked, “Who is this man?” “This man is Jesus, the prophet from the town of Nazareth
in Galilee.” “Praise God! God bless the one who comes in the name of the Lord! That kingdom is
coming.” “There is peace in heaven and glory to God.” What a great day for Jesus. It would appear that
all things are going well. Then comes the final week of His life as a man on the earth. We want to turn to
the last dark night. What did Jesus experience that we can relate to but also see that God is in control?
As with Moses, Jesus prayed.
I. JESUS EXPERIENCED UNANSWERED PRAYER. Mt 26:36 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." 37He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to
be sorrowful and troubled. 38Then he said to them, "My soul is overwhelmed with
sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me." 39Going 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."
Lk 22:44And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops
of blood falling to the ground.
A. Never has a man offered such an urgent prayer. Never has heaven offered a more deafening
silence. Jesus’ prayer was not answered. Doesn’t that seem a little strange in the same sentence we
can say “Jesus and unanswered prayer. How could that be? As we view this in human terms we might
say, Would the son of Henry have no Ford? Would the son of Bill gates be denied a computer? Yet we
read here that God who created all and is over all denies His one and only Son the request that he
makes. That night he did.
B. Jesus had to deal with unanswered prayer.
II. JESUS EXPERIENCED UNFRUITFUL SERVICE. Mt 26:47, 51While he was still speaking,
Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived. With him was a large crowd armed with swords and
clubs, sent from the chief priests and the elders of the people.
a. Judas comes with an angry crowd of people. Jesus has just experienced an unanswered
prayer and now He sees unfruitful service.
B. The people he had come to save now have come to arrest Him. Now as we picture it we have
seen that Judas perhaps came with around 12 soldiers but wait, let us see what is written. Matt.
Says that he brought with him “many people.” In john we read a “group of soldiers.” The Greek
word here for group means at least 200 and could have been up to 1900 men. So it was not just
12 men with Judas but many people and an army of soldiers.
C. What interests me here is that with that many people would there not be one who would stand
up in defense for Jesus? Surely they had seen or heard of the help he had given to people.
Surely some of them had heard the great messages he had spoken? Surely some of them had
been touched by the miracles he had performed? Where is the fruit from all he has done for
these people? We hear no one speak up and say, “Jesus is innocent.” Not one voice is heard in
behalf of Jesus. The people for whom He has given His life for have turned completely against
Him in one week. We might say well this was a crowd of people and they were being led by
wicked men so they have an excuse.
III. JESUS EXPERIENCED UNBELIEVABLE BETRAYAL. MT 26:56, But this has all taken place
that the writings of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples deserted him and fled.
MK.14:50 Then everyone deserted him and fled.
A. We know that Judas has already gone against Him but now we read that the rest of his close
friends run away. Yet in this same chapter of MT we read, But Peter declared, "Even if I have
to die with you, I will never disown you." And all the other disciples said the same.
B. His dearest friends now run away.
As this message came it really made me realize that Jesus does know all that we are going
through. God His Father did not answer his prayer. The people have turned against him. His
friends have run away. We might say all that Jesus was living for has collapsed. His life has had
a ton of garbage dumped on him in just 24 hours.
How did Jesus view this? He was able to see the good in the bad. He saw God’s purpose in his
awful pain. He was aware of God’s presence in a devastating problem. Let us face it we live in a
trashy world. We have a lot of unwanted, undeserved garbage thrown at us without permission.
We have experienced prayer that seems to be unanswered. We have had big dreams that have
turned into nightmares. We have experienced people who we thought were ones we could trust
betray us. So let us think as Jesus did, He was able to see the good in the bad. He saw God’s
purpose in his awful pain. He was aware of God’s presence in a devastating problem. Did you
know that Jesus spoke some 98 words in His arrest and trial. Of those in 30 He spoke of the
purpose of God is all that was happening.
God does not promise to remove all our struggles. He does promise to change the way He wants
us to see them. God corrects our vision. May our prayer be, “Lord help us to see as You see.”
