Palm Sunday 2019
Palm sunday 2019
We call this time in the life of Jesus the " Agony". It was in the Garden of Gethesame, the Mount of Olives where Jesus had often gone to spend periods of reflection perhaps on His life, mission and purpose. Agony is a trauma which may include extreme mental and physical suffering. The central vs I wish to discuss is vs 22, Luke 22, " Not my will, but yours, be done." How did Jesus come to this answer? He was human as well as divine and was truly tested as a man.
He prayed to God for guidance. " And he knelt down , and prayed." The usual form for prayer was to stand, but on this occasion at it was especially difficult, he knelt. We too face decisions in our lives when we must ask God for His purpose for us. We are human too with fears, doubts, perplex issues and problems. We cannot face them alone.
Others can help ---yes, we call some friends, mentors and guides. Another person who listens with discretion and discernment is so good in these times of distress. Not all of life is sunshine. The rain must fall, and the storms must come . There is the rainbow after the storm , thank God. But all of us need a confidant.
" Not my will...." " At Gethesame Jesus did not drink the cup; He consented to drink it." As Leon Morris said, " the real battle was fought here." Every Christian must get to " not my will" if they want to be servants and followers of God. Finding His will begins with not my will. The cups we drink are not always the ones that God has for us. We often say as Jesus did, " let this cup be removed." When He doesn't, then it is time to see what He truly wants us to do. What cup does He want us to drink from ?
WILL OF GOD
A bishop of a century ago pronounced from his pulpit and in the periodical he edited that heavier-than-air flight was both impossible and contrary to the will of God. Oh, the irony that Bishop Wright had two sons, Orville and Wilbur! Wright was wrong. Sure of himself, but wrong.
Robert P. Dugan, Jr., Winning the New Civil War, Page 38.
2 Original Word: ἀγωνία," And being in agony, he prayed more earnestly." 22:44 agónia: a contest, great fear biblehub.com
Definition: a contest, great fear
Usage: (properly the feeling of the athlete before a contest), great fear, terror, of death; anxiety, agony.
His sweat became like great drops of blood falling to the ground.
This shows that this was a very agonizing serious thing.
What do we take this seriously? The word agony is about the athlete before the game. What I am going to is a life changer in other words. Of course a game is only a game, but life is not a game. The athlete prepares in agony before the meet. If they take this that seriously because it is important, what do we take seriously in our lives here?
3. The disciples were sleeping. Instead of being with the Lord in His greatest trial, they were so sorrowful that were exhausted and slept.
2x Jesus tells them not to enter into temptation . This time the disciples failed. It must have been difficult for Jesus to see this as they did not get what was happening. Instead of being there, they were not there spiritually.
Who has failed us in our spiritual journey? We can see how this can be discouraging . But Jesus answers, " Rise and pray that you may not enter into temptation."
Writing about God's sure guidance, British pastor Frank W. Boreham recounted a time when a minister visited his home in New Zealand. Being young and inexperienced, Boreham sought the counsel of his guest. He said that one morning they were sitting on the veranda, looking out over the golden plains to the purple sunlit mountains. He asked the minister, "Can a man be sure that in the hour of perplexity he will be rightly led by God? Can he feel secure against making a false step?" "I am certain of it," exclaimed the minister, "if he will but give God time! As long as you live, remember that. Give God time!"
Tim LaHaye, How to Study the Bible for Yourself, Harvest House, pp. 95-96.
We call this time in the life of Jesus the " Agony". It was in the Garden of Gethesame, the Mount of Olives where Jesus had often gone to spend periods of reflection perhaps on His life, mission and purpose. Agony is a trauma which may include extreme mental and physical suffering. The central vs I wish to discuss is vs 22, Luke 22, " Not my will, but yours, be done." How did Jesus come to this answer? He was human as well as divine and was truly tested as a man.
He prayed to God for guidance. " And he knelt down , and prayed." The usual form for prayer was to stand, but on this occasion at it was especially difficult, he knelt. We too face decisions in our lives when we must ask God for His purpose for us. We are human too with fears, doubts, perplex issues and problems. We cannot face them alone.
Others can help ---yes, we call some friends, mentors and guides. Another person who listens with discretion and discernment is so good in these times of distress. Not all of life is sunshine. The rain must fall, and the storms must come . There is the rainbow after the storm , thank God. But all of us need a confidant.
" Not my will...." " At Gethesame Jesus did not drink the cup; He consented to drink it." As Leon Morris said, " the real battle was fought here." Every Christian must get to " not my will" if they want to be servants and followers of God. Finding His will begins with not my will. The cups we drink are not always the ones that God has for us. We often say as Jesus did, " let this cup be removed." When He doesn't, then it is time to see what He truly wants us to do. What cup does He want us to drink from ?
WILL OF GOD
A bishop of a century ago pronounced from his pulpit and in the periodical he edited that heavier-than-air flight was both impossible and contrary to the will of God. Oh, the irony that Bishop Wright had two sons, Orville and Wilbur! Wright was wrong. Sure of himself, but wrong.
Robert P. Dugan, Jr., Winning the New Civil War, Page 38.
2 Original Word: ἀγωνία," And being in agony, he prayed more earnestly." 22:44 agónia: a contest, great fear biblehub.com
Definition: a contest, great fear
Usage: (properly the feeling of the athlete before a contest), great fear, terror, of death; anxiety, agony.
His sweat became like great drops of blood falling to the ground.
This shows that this was a very agonizing serious thing.
What do we take this seriously? The word agony is about the athlete before the game. What I am going to is a life changer in other words. Of course a game is only a game, but life is not a game. The athlete prepares in agony before the meet. If they take this that seriously because it is important, what do we take seriously in our lives here?
3. The disciples were sleeping. Instead of being with the Lord in His greatest trial, they were so sorrowful that were exhausted and slept.
2x Jesus tells them not to enter into temptation . This time the disciples failed. It must have been difficult for Jesus to see this as they did not get what was happening. Instead of being there, they were not there spiritually.
Who has failed us in our spiritual journey? We can see how this can be discouraging . But Jesus answers, " Rise and pray that you may not enter into temptation."
Writing about God's sure guidance, British pastor Frank W. Boreham recounted a time when a minister visited his home in New Zealand. Being young and inexperienced, Boreham sought the counsel of his guest. He said that one morning they were sitting on the veranda, looking out over the golden plains to the purple sunlit mountains. He asked the minister, "Can a man be sure that in the hour of perplexity he will be rightly led by God? Can he feel secure against making a false step?" "I am certain of it," exclaimed the minister, "if he will but give God time! As long as you live, remember that. Give God time!"
Tim LaHaye, How to Study the Bible for Yourself, Harvest House, pp. 95-96.
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