When The Mountain Don't Move Series

When the Mountain Don’t Move

(Remember His Way is Best)

Mark 14:32

The Tension between Mountain Moving Faith and When the Mountain Don’t move

Have you ever asked your parents for something and they said no. Have you ever asked the teacher at school to allow you to do something and they said no. Have you ever asked God why did you allow my friend or loved one to go into a coma, and die. What did you do? Did you throw a temper tantrum, did you close the door to your room, did you go on strike with God by not attending church, stop tithing, or find something else to do. Many of us like being allowed to do whatever we want to do, but the challenge comes when we don’t get what we want. In our text today, Jesus gives us an example on how we should accept God’s answer when he says no to us.

Jesus is our example. He went through every kind of situation we will go through, and shows us how to handle it. We were born with a sinful nature that wants its own way, and doesn’t want anyone to tell us what to do. However, God expects our parents to begin breaking our self will when we are small by telling us no, and allowing us to learn to deal with life when we don’t get our own way. However, it isn’t always successful. We have teachers, principals and coaches who tell us no. We have friends to tell us no. Then we have spouses who also want their own way, and so there is conflict. All this is to prepare us to surrender our self will to our creator’s will for our lives. There will always be times when his will and yours aren’t the same, which will you choose. Jesus faced this same kind of issue in the Garden of Gesememe. Lets go to Mark

1. God Wants You to Accept Not Getting Your Way As a part of Maturity.

2. God Wants You to Accept His NO at Times

A. God Always Responds to His People’s Prayers

-Yes, No, Later, Something better

B. Does God have the Right to tell us no. - In theory we all agree

-But when the issue is critical to us, we change our tune

C. Even Jesus heard God say NO

1. Jesus had submitted to the Fathers will all his life

2. But Now the Stakes are Highest - He knows he is facing the cross

-He had told his disciples several times

-He had just told them earlier that evening at the last supper

3. His Humanity shrinks back from the cup of suffering

4. He asked the Father to take away the cup

D. How do We Know when God says no? Sometimes it is hard to tell.

1. He tells you in your spirit

2. It doesn’t happen

3. God is silent

4. The gift of faith doesn’t come

5. The desire goes away

E. Why Does God Say NO

a. My Reasons (The Ones I control)-

1. If I’m not his child - He has no obligation to answer

2. I have known sin and rebellion in my life and refuse to deal with it.

3. I have asked selfishly (James 4)

4. I do not have faith - Doubt (James 1)

5. I have not been persistent in prayer

b. His Reasons -(The Ones God Controls)

1. He sees the whole situation (and the future) and determines it is not best (for me and/or others)

2. He is too good to give me something that would ultimately harm me.

3. He has a different and better solution to the situation or problem.

Paul’s Thorn in the Flesh 2 Cor. 12.

7 even though I have received wonderful revelations from God. But to keep me from getting puffed up, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from getting proud. 8 Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. 9 Each time he said, "My gracious favor is all you need. My power works best in your weakness." So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may work through me. 10 Since I know it is all for Christ's good, I am quite content with my weaknesses and with insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Cor. 12

3. God Wants You to Respond to His NO with Trust

-God Knows Best and Has my best interest at heart

Imagine if God had said YES

A. To Jesus - There would be no cross, no salvation, no resurrection, no heaven, no hope, sin and death would reign, and mankind would have destroyed themselves by now. No Good Friday, No Easter, no eternal life,