Not as I will, but as You will
Not as I will, but as You will
Jesus had a choice to pray a different prayer at Gethsemane but He choose to pray three times, “O My Father, [h]if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done.” Jesus would have prayed to “My Father, and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels.” Why?
Jesus knew the will of the Father, and as Son and God, knew that there was no other plan for the salvation of humans from the wrath of God. We rejoice and thank God that His plan to be betrayed, arrested, tried, unjustly crucified, buried, rising from the dead, and ascending to heaven never changed. That is the good news, the gospel for which we are saved from our sins and reconciled to God forever.
There is still no other plan for you and me. Jesus is the only plan and the only will. Will you allow God’s will to be done in your life today? He has died to give strength to our flesh (humanity) for “The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak”.
Oh friends, there is betrayal, mocking, injustice and suffering for Christ as a follower but Jesus has already done it for us. We must allow Jesus to have His rightful way in our lives as our Savior and Lord.
“Not as I will, but as You will.” We don’t suffer to please God. Jesus already did that for us. We endure suffering to be identified with our Lord.
Please hear apostle Peter speak: “12 Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; 13 but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy. 14 If you are [e]reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.” 1 Peter 4:12-14.
May God’s grace suffice for us today. Please give hope to one suffering in Christ. Amen. Share the gospel for Jesus is the gospel. Yes, you will be mocked and laughed at and seen as stupid. Jesus saves!
Matthew 26:36-56: The Prayer in the Garden
36 Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to the disciples, “Sit here while I go and pray over there.”37 And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed. 38 Then He said to them, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me.”
39 He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.”
40 Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “What! Could you not watch with Me one hour? 41 Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
42 Again, a second time, He went away and prayed, saying, “O My Father, [h]if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done.” 43 And He came and found them asleep again, for their eyes were heavy.
44 So He left them, went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words. 45 Then He came to His disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Behold, the hour [i]is at hand, and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46 Rise, let us be going. See, My betrayer is at hand.”
Betrayal and Arrest in Gethsemane
47 And while He was still speaking, behold, Judas, one of the twelve, with a great multitude with swords and clubs, came from the chief priests and elders of the people.
48 Now His betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “Whomever I kiss, He is the One; seize Him.” 49 Immediately he went up to Jesus and said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed Him.
50 But Jesus said to him, “Friend, why have you come?”
Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and took Him. 51 And suddenly, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword, struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear.
52 But Jesus said to him, “Put your sword in its place, for all who take the sword will [j]perish by the sword. 53 Or do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels? 54 How then could the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must happen thus?”
55 In that hour Jesus said to the multitudes, “Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs to take Me? I sat daily with you, teaching in the temple, and you did not seize Me. 56 But all this was done that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.”
Then all the disciples forsook Him and fled.
Jesus had a choice to pray a different prayer at Gethsemane but He choose to pray three times, “O My Father, [h]if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done.” Jesus would have prayed to “My Father, and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels.” Why?
Jesus knew the will of the Father, and as Son and God, knew that there was no other plan for the salvation of humans from the wrath of God. We rejoice and thank God that His plan to be betrayed, arrested, tried, unjustly crucified, buried, rising from the dead, and ascending to heaven never changed. That is the good news, the gospel for which we are saved from our sins and reconciled to God forever.
There is still no other plan for you and me. Jesus is the only plan and the only will. Will you allow God’s will to be done in your life today? He has died to give strength to our flesh (humanity) for “The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak”.
Oh friends, there is betrayal, mocking, injustice and suffering for Christ as a follower but Jesus has already done it for us. We must allow Jesus to have His rightful way in our lives as our Savior and Lord.
“Not as I will, but as You will.” We don’t suffer to please God. Jesus already did that for us. We endure suffering to be identified with our Lord.
Please hear apostle Peter speak: “12 Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; 13 but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy. 14 If you are [e]reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.” 1 Peter 4:12-14.
May God’s grace suffice for us today. Please give hope to one suffering in Christ. Amen. Share the gospel for Jesus is the gospel. Yes, you will be mocked and laughed at and seen as stupid. Jesus saves!
Matthew 26:36-56: The Prayer in the Garden
36 Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to the disciples, “Sit here while I go and pray over there.”37 And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed. 38 Then He said to them, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me.”
39 He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.”
40 Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “What! Could you not watch with Me one hour? 41 Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
42 Again, a second time, He went away and prayed, saying, “O My Father, [h]if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done.” 43 And He came and found them asleep again, for their eyes were heavy.
44 So He left them, went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words. 45 Then He came to His disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Behold, the hour [i]is at hand, and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46 Rise, let us be going. See, My betrayer is at hand.”
Betrayal and Arrest in Gethsemane
47 And while He was still speaking, behold, Judas, one of the twelve, with a great multitude with swords and clubs, came from the chief priests and elders of the people.
48 Now His betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “Whomever I kiss, He is the One; seize Him.” 49 Immediately he went up to Jesus and said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed Him.
50 But Jesus said to him, “Friend, why have you come?”
Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and took Him. 51 And suddenly, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword, struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear.
52 But Jesus said to him, “Put your sword in its place, for all who take the sword will [j]perish by the sword. 53 Or do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels? 54 How then could the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must happen thus?”
55 In that hour Jesus said to the multitudes, “Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs to take Me? I sat daily with you, teaching in the temple, and you did not seize Me. 56 But all this was done that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.”
Then all the disciples forsook Him and fled.
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