A. Welcome:
B. Preacher’s Retreat: Lordship + Worship + Fellowship + Discipleship
C. Easter/3 Service options:
D. Series: Last Sunday, we began a new sermon series that will take us to Easter. This series has been inspired by Mel Gibson’s, The Passion of the Christ. Last week we talked about Christ’s Passion against the Evil One. Next week we’ll be looking at Christ’s Passion for People. On Easter Sunday, we’ll talk about Christ’s Passion for Victory. But today, I want us to talk a bit about Christ’s Passion for the Father.
E. Joke: Jay Leno recently joked, “The movie, The Passion of the Christ is such a success, I hear that they are going to be making a booking. Well, I do confess that I have high ratings for the movie, but the book is still better.
F. The movie The Passion of the Christ, only deals with 12 hours of Christ’s life that leads up to the cross. The first scene takes place in the Garden of Gethsemane. Matthew 26:36-39 says.....
Matthew 26:36-39– “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.” He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” 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.” ...... Then verse 42 says, “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!”
G. Most of the time, many are distracted by Christ’s request in this text. Usually we are so overwhelmed by Jesus prayer request and we miss what’s really important. All of our attention usually gets caught up in his request to consider something else. I personally do not believe Jesus was asking God to take away the cross. He knew the plans from the beginning of Creation. The only reason he came to earth was to head to that cross. But I believe he was praying that God would remove the stress of it all, the pain, the torture, the anxiety, the fear, the pressure that accompanied the cross.
H. Jesus, the Son of God was about to die! He was about to assume all of mankind’s sin and let it be nailed with Him on the cross. He’s never experienced either of those two things before.
I. As I sat in the theater and watched this scene, I was stirred by Christ’s Passion for God the Father. And I really appreciated this text because it helps me know how to relate to God.
J. Christianity is all about relating to God. Christianity is not about religious activity, holy rituals and impersonal duties. Christianity is all about a relationship with God. And here’s the point of today’s message...... God’s greatest desire is relational intimacy with you!
K. From today’s text, let’s follow the example of Christ and let’s learn how we are to go about relating to God....
1. Relationship is seen in his Address of God. “My Father”.
A. Jesus addressed God as “Father”..... 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.”
B. And not only was that his example, that was also Christ’s instruction. In Matthew 6:9, Jesus said, “When you pray, say, “Father in Heaven, Hallowed by your name!”
C. There’s something special, something indicative in addressing someone was, “Father.”
D. My wife has a cousin who refers to her own dad by his first name, “Bob”. Now, I know that her relationship with her dad isn’t the greatest in the world and that is expressed in her address to Him. I think it is of great significance that Jesus doesn’t not cry out, “God, Jehovah, Lord Almighty!” Nothing wrong with that address (that’s who He is) , but “My father” is so much more intimate. And it’s indicative of the relationship.
E. Often after church, on my way home I’ll reach for my cell phone, I’ll call back home to Mom and Dad’s in Ohio and when my dad answers I often say, “Dad!” (My next word is often: Whatzzzuuuupppp!)
F. When I address God as “Father”. I’m reminded of my relationship with Him and it is good!
2. Relationship is seen in his Time spent with God. “His face to the ground and prayed!”
A. I think it would bee good for everyone of us to evaluate their time with God. When is the last time you spend any quality time with your heavenly Father? (Me on sidewalk in Indianapolis).
B. You see, Prayer is “me and God time!” It’s my time with my Heavenly Father. I have a great earthly father. And I love the fact that I have a dad that I can call at anytime and say, “Dad, I need to talk!” And to tell you the truth, that is the kind of dad I want to be.
C. Time for that: This past week, Ethan, Chip and I did our annual Preacher’s Retreat. We flew to Columbus, Ohio, rented a car and then drove to Indianapolis. We were there three day and then made our way back to Columbus, via Cincinnati. On Sunday night I called dad to alert him we would be in the area. No answer. I called on Monday. No answer. I finally caught him on Tuesday evening and said, “Dad, we’re going to be driving through Cincinnati on Thursday and wanted to know if you and mom had time to meet us for supper. I loved his immediate response. “We always have time for that!” Now, I’m not sure if he meant, “We always have time to meet with you!” Or, “We always have time for supper!” Anyway– we had a great supper with Mom and Dad. I love my dad. When we pray, our heavenly Father is always home and he’s immediate with his response, “I always have time for that!”
D. Time with God is how you handle life.... In the movie, every time the pressure increased, Jesus prayed. When tempted by the devil, instead of having words with the devil, he talked to his Father. When totally frustrated, he spoke with God. When in total physical agony, he cried out to God– the Father.
E. Prayer (time with the Father) is where you handle Life.
3. Relationship is seen in his Submission to God. “Yet not as I will, but as you will.”
A. Jesus prayed... “ “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” B. Jesus demonstrated that our relationship with God is dependant upon our attitude of submission.
C. The only thing that mattered in the life of Christ was God’s will.
D. How about for you? I think you need to spend some time thinking about what’s really important. What is the thing that matters most? Jesus demonstrated that God’s will was the only thing that mattered.
E. Christianity is about submission....
F. Joke: The other day, I understand that Lee Davis, police officer in South Bethany had an interesting arrest. A man coming up on a four way stop, basically just slowed down, looked every direction, and continued through the intersection without really coming to a stop. Lee happened to see this fellow’s “rolling stop”, noticed his New Jersey plates and decided to pull him over. This man was irate. He argued with Lee, “I looked and looked, nothing was coming. What difference does it make if I stop or just slow down?” And Lee thought for a moment and said to himself, I”m going to teach this man a lesson. He whipped out his billy club, did a little “Ratatat tat” his head and then said, “Now let me ask, “Do you want me to stop or just slow down!” It’s a matter of submission!
4. Relationship is seen in his Trust in God. “May your will be done!”
A. 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!”
B. I think this relationship of trust was best seen when Jesus was on the cross. His last words were, “It is finished!” Or in the movie, “It is accomplished!” And then, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” And he breathed his last.
C. Jesus died entrusting his soul to the Father. God in the flesh was about to die! He was facing the unknown and he handled it via trust in the Father.
D. When Micah was two years old, I can remember the First time I stood Micah on the counter and encouraged him to jump to daddy. I stood him at the counter’s edge and said, “Jump to daddy! Jump to daddy!” He had never done that before. He wasn’t really sure what I was asking him to do and He wasn’t sure He wanted to do such a crazy thing. He squatted down, and looked, and thought and looked and thought. For a time he was paralyzed. Finally after much persuasion and contemplation, Micah finally lunged out. I caught him, hugged him, kissed him and it was a time of joy. And you know what happened next, “Again! Again!”
E. That is how we need to approach life... ( Baptism, Tithing, Priorities, Death)
F. If you are a Christian, you are a child of God. God Almighty through His amazing Grace, has adopted you into His family. And what He wants most of all from his children is a returned love. Or in other words.... He wants a response of “Passion”. Jesus himself said, “The first and greatest commandment of all is to Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your mind and with all your strength!”
G. We prove that in our address, our time, our submission and our trust!
Conclusion: My favorite part of the movie in the Passion of Christ came at the end of the movie. Jesus had just died and the perspective was watching from above the cross. And as I watched, the scene of the cross got farther and farther away! Then a water droplet formed and then descended toward the earth. At first I kept wandering, “What was that?” It was a tear drop. God the Father cried.
I implore you, respond to God the Father with Passion! Because the truth is this.... He has a passion for you! “For God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life!”
