WEBVTT 00:00:07.040 --> 00:00:12.720 This sermon was recorded at Faith Evangelical Free Church in Grand Forks, North Dakota. 00:00:18.960 --> 00:00:25.760 Sleeping on the job is serious business, especially during wartime. 00:00:26.000 --> 00:00:28.480 So it was for Private Jack Dunn. 00:00:28.719 --> 00:00:36.479 He would learn this the hard way during the climactic point in the Gallipoli campaign during World War I. 00:00:36.880 --> 00:00:49.600 Private Dunn, an infantryman from New Zealand, was posted in one of the trenches as a sentry to alert everyone of enemy activity. 00:00:50.880 --> 00:01:02.159 So it was during the night Private Dunn dozed off for a minute or two, but one of his officers startled him and reported him to the commanding officer. 00:01:02.880 --> 00:01:17.840 In a subsequent court martial, Private Dunn was given, get this, the death penalty for the dereliction of his duties and endangering not only himself, but his entire unit. 00:01:18.000 --> 00:01:31.920 And if it was not for General Sir Ian Hamilton, who rescinded his sentence on August 5th, 1915, he would have certainly gotten the death penalty. 00:01:32.079 --> 00:01:40.719 Because Dunn suffered from several ailments, the general felt sorry for him and gave him 10 years of hard labor. 00:01:41.200 --> 00:01:46.400 When unfortunately, Dunn died weeks later in the Battle of Gallipoli. 00:01:46.640 --> 00:01:55.519 But if we have a look here at Mark chapter 14, verses 32 to 42, and I want to read this for us. 00:01:56.079 --> 00:02:07.599 Because here, in a sense, Jesus is posting his disciples to be serving as sentries, to be on their guard for the enemy. 00:02:08.000 --> 00:02:09.919 And they too doze off. 00:02:10.000 --> 00:02:17.520 And hence the title of today's message is three lessons about prayer to sleepy soldiers of the cross. 00:02:17.759 --> 00:02:18.960 Let me read for you. 00:02:23.199 --> 00:02:27.680 And he said to his disciples, Sit here until I have prayed. 00:02:27.919 --> 00:02:36.960 And he took with him Peter and James and John and began to be very distressed and troubled. 00:02:38.240 --> 00:02:44.240 And he said to them, My soul is deeply grieved to the point of death. 00:02:44.479 --> 00:02:47.199 Remain here and keep watch. 00:02:48.240 --> 00:02:57.759 And he went a little beyond them, and he fell to the ground, and he began to pray that if it were possible the hour might pass him. 00:02:58.479 --> 00:03:02.800 Verse 36 of John Four Mark 14. 00:03:03.520 --> 00:03:08.960 And he was saying, Abba Father, all things are possible for you. 00:03:09.199 --> 00:03:14.800 Remove this cup from me, yet not what I will, but you what you will. 00:03:16.000 --> 00:03:18.879 And he came and found them asleep. 00:03:19.919 --> 00:03:24.319 And he said to Peter, Simon, are you asleep? 00:03:24.639 --> 00:03:28.400 Could you not keep watch for one hour? 00:03:28.960 --> 00:03:33.840 Keep watching and praying that you may not come into temptation. 00:03:34.080 --> 00:03:37.840 The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. 00:03:38.319 --> 00:03:43.840 And again he went away and prayed, saying the same words. 00:03:44.319 --> 00:03:56.400 And again he found them sleeping, for the eyes were very heavy, and they did not know what to answer him. 00:03:57.039 --> 00:04:03.599 And he came the third time and said to them, Are you still sleeping and resting? 00:04:04.639 --> 00:04:06.800 It is enough, the hour has come. 00:04:06.960 --> 00:04:10.960 Behold, the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. 00:04:11.199 --> 00:04:14.639 Get up, let us be going. 00:04:14.960 --> 00:04:19.360 Behold, the one who betrays me is at hand. 00:04:21.920 --> 00:04:30.399 The disciples of Jesus who were with him in the garden of Gethsemane were asked a few simple things. 00:04:30.720 --> 00:04:32.079 Watch and pray. 00:04:32.319 --> 00:04:44.959 Like good soldiers and supporters of Jesus to watch and pray needed to face the enemy and the portrayer to come. 00:04:47.600 --> 00:04:56.319 There's no doubt that these disciples were sincere and genuinely committed to the cause of Jesus Christ. 00:04:56.639 --> 00:05:02.319 But they failed in one thing to watch and pray. 00:05:04.160 --> 00:05:14.399 They failed to watch and pray simply because they failed to understand what it means that the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. 00:05:15.920 --> 00:05:36.240 This statement of Jesus is often construed differently, but I would like to posit that this phrase, the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak, is something to say about self-confident bravado that usually ends in disaster. 00:05:37.680 --> 00:05:46.959 Was it not Peter who several verses ago proudly said, If I must die with you, I will not die, deny you. 00:05:48.480 --> 00:05:50.560 Mark 14, 31. 00:05:51.920 --> 00:06:04.560 But only hours later, Simon Peter was fast asleep, and he could not even pray for an hour, let alone die with Jesus and never deny him. 00:06:04.879 --> 00:06:17.279 And sure enough, not only Peter failed dismally, alongside him plummeted headlong eleven other disciples into diverse temptations. 00:06:18.879 --> 00:06:22.639 But all the disciples had one thing in common. 00:06:23.279 --> 00:06:24.959 They failed to pray. 00:06:25.199 --> 00:06:29.759 They failed to pray because they were too confident in themselves. 00:06:30.240 --> 00:06:41.600 And so the scene here at Gethsemane would go down in history as the story of the sleepy saints who could not even watch and pray for one hour. 00:06:42.800 --> 00:06:51.839 But amongst the sleepy disciples, there are three valuable lessons to be learned for the Church of Jesus Christ. 00:06:51.920 --> 00:07:03.680 And hence, the title here this morning, the title here this morning is three lessons about prayer for sleepy soldiers of the cross. 00:07:04.000 --> 00:07:06.399 The scene here is Gethsemane. 00:07:08.399 --> 00:07:16.560 And the Aramaic word for Gethsemane means oil press or olive press. 00:07:16.720 --> 00:07:25.439 This was an especially pressing time for our Lord Jesus Christ because Satan tempted him and exploited the situation. 00:07:25.839 --> 00:07:37.120 Prior to drinking the cup of suffering and of shame, Satan was exploiting the situation. 00:07:38.000 --> 00:07:50.879 Gethsemane is a wonderful lesson because it gives us not only insights of Jesus praying, but also perspectives on how he prayed. 00:07:50.959 --> 00:07:53.199 So here's a wonderful lesson here. 00:07:53.360 --> 00:07:55.920 In fact, three lessons for us here. 00:07:56.800 --> 00:08:03.839 If we want to be watchful, alert, and prayerful, we need to learn from Gethsemane. 00:08:04.480 --> 00:08:08.000 And here are three things that I think we can learn. 00:08:08.319 --> 00:08:13.279 If we want to stand strong during temptation, it will require prayer. 00:08:13.439 --> 00:08:19.279 If we want to have a steady submission to do our Lord's will, it will require prayer. 00:08:19.759 --> 00:08:28.720 And if we want to be sustained and strengthened for the battles of life, that, my dear brothers and sisters, will require prayer. 00:08:30.000 --> 00:08:33.039 So let's think of the practice of Jesus Christ. 00:08:33.279 --> 00:08:36.399 He would often retreat to prayer. 00:08:36.559 --> 00:08:43.200 Some say his place of private retreat was indeed the garden of Gethsemane. 00:08:43.440 --> 00:08:46.720 Mark 135 and 646. 00:08:48.080 --> 00:08:54.639 This was his place of seclusion where he could retreat in prayer. 00:08:55.120 --> 00:08:56.480 Verse 32. 00:08:56.799 --> 00:09:02.080 He leads these disciples to a place named Gethsemane. 00:09:02.559 --> 00:09:08.080 And he said to the disciples, Sit here until I have prayed. 00:09:09.200 --> 00:09:20.399 He took three of his most trusted disciples, Peter, James, and John, with them, and he says to them, You sit here, watch, and pray. 00:09:21.600 --> 00:09:30.879 And in verse 34, Jesus said, My soul is deeply grieved to the point of death. 00:09:31.200 --> 00:09:37.039 You remain here, keep watch while I pray. 00:09:37.279 --> 00:09:49.279 Jesus leads his disciples in the late hours of the night into his inner sanctuary for a private prayer retreat in the Garden of Gethsemane. 00:09:49.600 --> 00:09:55.360 This is an hour and a time of intense turmoil of our Lord Jesus Christ. 00:09:55.679 --> 00:10:00.480 The situation here upon him brings him deep anguish. 00:10:01.519 --> 00:10:07.440 He says, My soul is deeply grieved even to the point of death. 00:10:07.600 --> 00:10:12.799 What could have caused our Savior so much grief? 00:10:13.919 --> 00:10:18.159 I will speculate like everybody else, but I would say this. 00:10:19.440 --> 00:10:22.240 He was concerned about his disciples. 00:10:22.559 --> 00:10:36.720 He knew that Satan asked to sift them like wheat, and yet he knew they were very self-confident and they did not understand the power and the need for prayer. 00:10:36.879 --> 00:10:52.799 Number two, the thought of becoming sin on the cross and the separation of fellowship between God and his son might have caused Jesus some deep grief and anguish. 00:10:52.879 --> 00:11:08.159 And then thirdly, Satan was no doubt tempting Jesus and his disciples in a crafty way, perhaps tempting Jesus to abandon the thought of dying on the cross. 00:11:08.559 --> 00:11:11.840 You see, Satan may have tried to persuade Jesus. 00:11:12.000 --> 00:11:21.360 You see, Jesus, if you don't become sin, you will not be broken in your fellowship with your Father. 00:11:21.840 --> 00:11:32.000 But then again, if Jesus abandoned the thought of the cross, in all honesty, all of humanity will be condemned to eternity of hell. 00:11:34.879 --> 00:11:47.039 In these trying circumstances for Jesus Christ, it demonstrates something about how he dealt with difficult circumstances. 00:11:47.440 --> 00:11:48.960 Verse thirty-five. 00:11:49.919 --> 00:11:56.559 And he went a little beyond them, a stone's throw away from them, and he fell to the ground. 00:11:56.720 --> 00:11:59.120 The idea here is he collapsed. 00:11:59.759 --> 00:12:02.639 And he began to pray. 00:12:03.440 --> 00:12:15.200 And likewise, he it also commanded his disciples to do likewise in verse 38, keep watching and praying that you may not come into temptation. 00:12:15.279 --> 00:12:17.279 And here's lesson one. 00:12:19.440 --> 00:12:32.559 On prayer and the need for prayer, if we as the saints of Jesus Christ, the soldiers of the cross, want to stand strong in times of temptation, we need to be a praying people. 00:12:33.759 --> 00:12:44.159 If Jesus was praying during the hours of peril, how much more should his disciples, he's trusted three, and us pray? 00:12:45.519 --> 00:12:54.000 Stay close to me, stay awake, and be on the alert for these schemes of the devil, and pray that you do not fall into temptation. 00:12:54.159 --> 00:12:57.679 That was a simple set of instructions. 00:13:00.559 --> 00:13:05.840 And he came, verse 37, and found them what? 00:13:07.679 --> 00:13:08.799 Sleeping. 00:13:10.320 --> 00:13:16.559 And he said, Peter, Simon, are you asleep? 00:13:16.879 --> 00:13:20.080 Could you not keep watch for one hour? 00:13:20.320 --> 00:13:24.320 Keep watching and praying that you do not come into temptation. 00:13:24.480 --> 00:13:28.480 The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. 00:13:30.960 --> 00:13:50.720 You see, Jesus was praying and he was not making silent mutterings with his lips, but the indication here from this passage is that Jesus fell to the ground and cried out in audible supplications to his father. 00:13:51.759 --> 00:13:57.519 Just to earshot away in the camp of the disciples, there was an eerie silence. 00:13:58.559 --> 00:14:13.600 But the eerie silence in the camp of the disciples was loudly resounding the voice of self-confidence that is so common among sleepy saints. 00:14:14.080 --> 00:14:22.000 Listen to what Daniel Henderson wrote in his book Transforming Prayer. 00:14:22.159 --> 00:14:24.000 I would highly recommend that book. 00:14:24.320 --> 00:14:31.919 He says, prayerlessness is our declaration of independence from God. 00:14:32.559 --> 00:14:36.559 You see, the disciples did not bother to pray even for a minute. 00:14:36.639 --> 00:14:42.320 There's no indication that they even bothered to pray for even 30 seconds. 00:14:43.360 --> 00:14:44.639 We can do it. 00:14:44.879 --> 00:14:46.559 We okay, we can do it. 00:14:46.799 --> 00:14:47.360 Don't worry. 00:14:47.519 --> 00:14:48.799 We're gonna be here, Jesus. 00:14:48.960 --> 00:14:51.840 We're gonna we gotta see you through and we're gonna see ourselves through. 00:14:52.240 --> 00:14:53.360 We're very confident. 00:14:53.519 --> 00:15:12.879 And you see, dear brothers and sisters, the absence of prayer in the Christian church is always a sign of not just sleepy soldiers of the cross who will be caught off guard when the enemy strikes, but it's also a sign of self-confident saints. 00:15:15.519 --> 00:15:20.720 Think upon the past year how much time you devoted to prayer. 00:15:20.879 --> 00:15:26.320 I mean just devoting time to prayer, not praying while you do a hundred other things. 00:15:26.559 --> 00:15:32.480 I mean taking time and seek the face of God, the Father, in prayer and in supplication. 00:15:32.960 --> 00:15:44.720 But maybe the silence even amongst us is an indication that we don't understand what it means that the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. 00:15:46.720 --> 00:15:54.559 That statement should say everything that we should not be confident in ourselves. 00:15:55.200 --> 00:16:04.399 Because we might be eager, we might have good intentions, but we are still at best human. 00:16:05.440 --> 00:16:09.759 I think Paul picked up on this thing in 1 Corinthians 10 12. 00:16:09.840 --> 00:16:18.320 He says, Therefore, let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he falls. 00:16:18.639 --> 00:16:19.519 Thank you. 00:16:21.360 --> 00:16:38.000 You see, like sleepy saints, there's a prayerlessness in the community of the saints, who are wise in their own estimation, and they rest confidently in their own abilities. 00:16:38.639 --> 00:16:41.919 We can just buckle up and get through this. 00:16:42.159 --> 00:16:44.240 There is no time to pray. 00:16:44.480 --> 00:16:46.320 Life is way too busy. 00:16:46.559 --> 00:16:53.440 But will the Church of Jesus Christ be ready for the onslaughts and the attacks of the enemy? 00:16:53.679 --> 00:17:01.279 Will they not be caught off guard like these disciples and like Private Dunn at Gallipoli? 00:17:02.879 --> 00:17:08.240 You see, the eleven disciples were resting rather than resisting. 00:17:08.799 --> 00:17:11.680 They were resting rather than resisting. 00:17:12.400 --> 00:17:12.799 Why? 00:17:13.039 --> 00:17:14.960 Because they were self-confident. 00:17:15.759 --> 00:17:23.920 John Piper once said, prayer is the antidote to the disease of self-confidence. 00:17:26.160 --> 00:17:33.039 Prayer is the antidote for the disease of self-confidence. 00:17:35.440 --> 00:17:44.160 Jesus prescribed an antidote to the disease of self-confidence amongst these sleepy disciples. 00:17:44.799 --> 00:17:49.440 Pray that you do not come into temptation and be aware. 00:17:49.839 --> 00:17:59.200 You might be willing, eager, and confident, but you're still a fleshly creature. 00:17:59.759 --> 00:18:01.440 You're still human. 00:18:04.640 --> 00:18:11.440 You see, the eleven sleepy disciples, or at least ten. 00:18:11.920 --> 00:18:14.319 No, eleven, but Judas is gone. 00:18:16.480 --> 00:18:20.640 Will be caught off guard when the enemy strikes. 00:18:22.559 --> 00:18:30.720 They should be dressing themselves in the armor of God, but the armor of God is lying on the floor like dirty laundry. 00:18:31.200 --> 00:18:37.519 They are vulnerable to the schemes of the wicked one. 00:18:38.400 --> 00:18:39.920 This is what Paul says. 00:18:40.079 --> 00:18:43.839 We all familiar about the armor of God. 00:18:44.000 --> 00:18:53.759 We often say, even to our children and young people, you gotta dress yourself in the armor of God, but the armor is often sloppily put on. 00:18:55.759 --> 00:18:58.720 Look at Ephesians 6, 11. 00:18:59.599 --> 00:19:06.000 It says there in verse 10, finally be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 00:19:06.160 --> 00:19:06.640 How? 00:19:06.880 --> 00:19:08.240 Put on the armor of God. 00:19:08.400 --> 00:19:14.160 Put on the full armor of God, and there's a whole list of what the armor looks like. 00:19:16.480 --> 00:19:23.680 So that we will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. 00:19:25.039 --> 00:19:27.519 But how do we put that armor on? 00:19:28.799 --> 00:19:39.680 How do we put that armor on, and how do we tighten that armor armor so there's no breaches for the fiery darts of the enemy to go through those? 00:19:40.799 --> 00:19:42.640 Look at verse 18. 00:19:45.359 --> 00:19:49.200 Through all prayer and supplication. 00:19:49.680 --> 00:20:03.119 Your translations may read differently, but I can just say this that the first word in the Greek New Testament there in verse 18 is Dia, which means through. 00:20:03.359 --> 00:20:05.519 That's how you put the armor on. 00:20:06.079 --> 00:20:09.839 So if you don't pray, guess where the armor is lying? 00:20:10.720 --> 00:20:12.160 On the floor. 00:20:13.200 --> 00:20:18.799 Can any soldier go into battle with a breastplate that's flopping around? 00:20:20.400 --> 00:20:22.960 This is what one Puritan writer once said. 00:20:23.119 --> 00:20:30.160 He said, the absence of prayer in the times of temptation is the breach in the Christian's armor. 00:20:30.720 --> 00:20:34.960 Those who don't pray will become the devil's prey. 00:20:35.839 --> 00:20:37.359 Well said, Mr. 00:20:37.519 --> 00:20:38.240 Puritan. 00:20:38.720 --> 00:20:40.720 So let's summarize here. 00:20:43.359 --> 00:20:44.880 Our first lesson. 00:20:45.119 --> 00:20:56.880 If this congregation, if you as an individual want to stand strong during times of temptation and times of trials and tribulation, you need to put that armor of God on. 00:20:57.920 --> 00:21:07.039 But taking up the armor of God and tightening the buckles on the armor will mean you will have to pray. 00:21:08.720 --> 00:21:20.160 Let's transition here in the scene here at Gethsemane as we get a glimpse here into a very private subject matter. 00:21:20.559 --> 00:21:28.640 We have known all through the Gospel of Mark and even the Gospel of Matthew that Jesus was a man of prayer. 00:21:29.359 --> 00:21:34.960 He would rise early in the morning and even late evenings, he would go to pray. 00:21:36.079 --> 00:21:44.640 But we don't always get a glimpse of the content and the subject matter of his prayer between him and his father. 00:21:44.880 --> 00:21:56.079 And so here is a camera zooming in with a microphone to and eavesdropping into the prayers of Jesus Christ. 00:21:56.240 --> 00:21:57.279 Look at this. 00:21:58.160 --> 00:21:59.680 This is so precious, verse 3. 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:00.960 36. 00:22:02.160 --> 00:22:06.160 Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. 00:22:06.400 --> 00:22:11.039 Remove this cup from me, yet not what I will, but what you will. 00:22:12.160 --> 00:22:15.759 These, my dear brothers and sisters, are loud cries. 00:22:16.400 --> 00:22:19.359 These are not silent mutterings, and guess what? 00:22:19.519 --> 00:22:22.480 His disciples are an earshot away. 00:22:22.720 --> 00:22:32.319 And here's a lesson to be learned, the second lesson is submission to the Father's will. 00:22:33.519 --> 00:22:43.440 If we commit ourselves and we say, we want to commit ourselves to God's will this year, dear brothers and sisters, this will require what? 00:22:44.720 --> 00:22:45.359 Prayer. 00:22:45.519 --> 00:22:49.359 I don't want to hear any silence amongst the sleepy saints here. 00:22:52.559 --> 00:22:55.759 Have you heard people often argue this way? 00:22:56.960 --> 00:22:59.279 Maybe it's just me that have heard this. 00:22:59.440 --> 00:23:03.200 People will often say, well, you know, I have a hard time praying. 00:23:03.279 --> 00:23:10.160 I'm not particularly good at praying because, you see, I can't change God's mind. 00:23:10.319 --> 00:23:15.200 You know, he's made up his mind, you know, and I can't change his mind. 00:23:16.400 --> 00:23:22.480 Or some would say, you know, I pray for things, but God is just not answering my prayers. 00:23:23.440 --> 00:23:28.319 And I'm so meticulous to ask God for specific things, so I don't bother. 00:23:28.559 --> 00:23:29.920 Can't change God's mind. 00:23:30.160 --> 00:23:30.880 Why bother? 00:23:31.119 --> 00:23:34.000 I don't get what I want, so why bother? 00:23:35.119 --> 00:23:37.119 But let's take another look here at prayer. 00:23:37.200 --> 00:23:40.079 Let's zoom into the prayers of Jesus Christ. 00:23:40.240 --> 00:23:44.559 He says, Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. 00:23:44.720 --> 00:23:50.400 Remove this cup from me, yet, not what I will, but what you will. 00:23:50.559 --> 00:23:53.759 Now I think here's three observations that's helpful. 00:23:54.640 --> 00:24:02.559 Firstly, his prayer expresses something about intimacy and fellowship and relationship. 00:24:02.799 --> 00:24:04.720 Abba Father. 00:24:06.880 --> 00:24:19.279 Jesus sees God as a loving Father, not as a cosmic genie or a vending machine, but as a loving father. 00:24:20.720 --> 00:24:32.319 Something here about the prayer of Jesus expresses the sovereign wisdom, the power, the might, the potency of God the Father. 00:24:32.559 --> 00:24:42.240 He can do anything he wants, but does not always choose to do what we ask for. 00:24:43.200 --> 00:24:46.799 And that seems to be fine for Jesus. 00:24:48.000 --> 00:24:52.319 This is a difficult verse to interpret. 00:24:52.559 --> 00:24:54.079 But let me say this. 00:24:54.319 --> 00:25:10.400 I can say one thing, here is a steady submission to the Father's preordained plan, which is to drink the cup of suffering and shame for the salvation of his people. 00:25:10.880 --> 00:25:12.720 Acts 2.32. 00:25:14.000 --> 00:25:22.079 This plan was forordained and predestined by the predetermined plan of God. 00:25:22.559 --> 00:25:24.079 Acts 2.23. 00:25:24.400 --> 00:25:36.960 This man who is Jesus delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed him to a cross by the hands of godless men and put him to death. 00:25:38.240 --> 00:25:45.279 So why is Jesus asking to change God's mind if he knows that this is the plan? 00:25:47.920 --> 00:25:58.000 Maybe he's not trying to change the mind of God, but nevertheless expresses himself to God. 00:25:59.039 --> 00:26:07.279 He expresses his heart and pours out his heart to a loving father. 00:26:10.160 --> 00:26:19.680 For one, he knew that his father cared, and he knew that his father delighted to hear the prayers of his son. 00:26:20.880 --> 00:26:24.880 For God that was enough, and for Jesus that was enough. 00:26:25.279 --> 00:26:32.240 Hebrews 5, 7 summarizes this so well. 00:26:32.400 --> 00:26:42.799 It says during the days of Jesus' life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death. 00:26:42.880 --> 00:26:48.079 And he was heard because of his reverent submission. 00:26:48.160 --> 00:26:49.279 There was submission. 00:26:49.440 --> 00:26:54.319 There was not this idea of trying to strong arm God to do his will. 00:26:56.400 --> 00:26:58.000 And God heard him. 00:26:58.720 --> 00:27:00.319 And that was okay. 00:27:04.319 --> 00:27:07.839 Jesus prayed to the Godhead as Father. 00:27:08.079 --> 00:27:19.759 A father who delighteth in hearing his son's prayers, and a son who delighteth in doing the Father's will, and that is a perfect combination. 00:27:21.680 --> 00:27:32.880 God delights to hear the prayers of submissive saints, saints who have a steady submission to do thy will. 00:27:35.599 --> 00:27:39.359 So Jesus prayed here, I believe, in harmony with the Father's will. 00:27:39.519 --> 00:27:46.480 He expressed his commitments and submission to the Father's desired plan and mission. 00:27:47.039 --> 00:27:49.839 And the Father delighted to hear that. 00:27:51.200 --> 00:27:54.640 What did Jesus say to his disciples? 00:27:54.799 --> 00:27:55.440 They should pray. 00:27:55.519 --> 00:27:57.119 How should they pray? 00:27:58.319 --> 00:28:10.880 Our Father, our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 00:28:11.279 --> 00:28:12.319 Did you hear that? 00:28:12.480 --> 00:28:13.200 Your will. 00:28:13.359 --> 00:28:19.680 There's that steady submission even in prayer to not strong arm God's will. 00:28:21.599 --> 00:28:29.839 A steady submission to the will and the word of God is the attitude we are to have in prayer like Jesus. 00:28:31.279 --> 00:28:43.839 Yes, we express our heart to Jesus as a loving Father, yet our attitude is that of a steady submission to his will. 00:28:44.000 --> 00:28:46.079 And where do we find his will? 00:28:48.400 --> 00:28:49.759 In scriptures. 00:28:51.200 --> 00:28:54.400 John Piper says something here profound. 00:28:54.559 --> 00:29:05.839 He says, I have seen that those whose prayers are most saturate with Scripture are generally most fervent and most effective to pray. 00:29:06.079 --> 00:29:12.880 And where the mind isn't brimming with the Bible, the heart is generally not brimming with prayer. 00:29:13.200 --> 00:29:29.839 If you want to revive your prayer lives, I don't know what the New Year's resolutions are in this congregation, but my New Year's resolutions are, for one, to pray more and to pray correctly. 00:29:31.599 --> 00:29:40.880 And one way of getting into a habit of prayer is to come into the habit of being in the word. 00:29:41.359 --> 00:29:54.799 And as the word overflows in our hearts and minds, so will our mouths overflow with prayer, saturated and brimming with Scripture. 00:29:56.079 --> 00:29:57.039 Keep this in mind. 00:30:00.960 --> 00:30:16.640 This is the confidence which we have before him that if we ask anything, if we ask anything, if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 00:30:18.319 --> 00:30:21.200 That's pretty, that's pretty big. 00:30:21.680 --> 00:30:25.440 I mean, sometimes I put my orders into Amazon, it's like Christmas. 00:30:25.599 --> 00:30:26.880 Oh man, I got three days. 00:30:26.960 --> 00:30:29.039 I gotta give my wife a gift, right? 00:30:29.599 --> 00:30:31.519 And they don't deliver the goods. 00:30:31.680 --> 00:30:33.119 And like we ran out, right? 00:30:33.200 --> 00:30:34.160 And Debbie left. 00:30:34.480 --> 00:30:35.839 Did that happen with you? 00:30:36.480 --> 00:30:37.039 It did. 00:30:37.200 --> 00:30:37.519 Yeah. 00:30:37.680 --> 00:30:41.680 I mean, it's not in no even guarantees with even Amazon. 00:30:42.000 --> 00:30:47.279 But if we ask according to his will, he hears us and he will give us. 00:30:47.599 --> 00:30:48.799 According to his will. 00:30:48.960 --> 00:30:51.279 Here's the psalmist, Psalm 40, verse 8. 00:30:51.440 --> 00:30:53.359 I delight to do your will. 00:30:53.519 --> 00:30:56.079 Here's the attitude he comes to God with. 00:30:56.319 --> 00:30:58.720 I delight to do your word, O God. 00:31:00.079 --> 00:31:02.240 Your law is within my heart. 00:31:02.480 --> 00:31:02.799 Oh. 00:31:03.519 --> 00:31:13.920 So there's scripture in the heart of the saint, and the saint expresses himself as one who delights to do the Father's will. 00:31:17.440 --> 00:31:34.319 Should our prayers not sound more like the psalmist, where the word of God is brimming in the heart of the one who prayers, one who delights in doing the Father's will. 00:31:35.200 --> 00:31:39.440 For those are the prayers that the Father delights to hear. 00:31:40.720 --> 00:31:54.559 So let's summarize our second lesson here is uh in prayer, we see this attitude of Jesus of a steady submission and seeking and doing the Father's will. 00:31:56.559 --> 00:32:09.359 If we pray in such a way of seeking and doing and submitting to the Father's will, there will be no lack of confidence and assurance. 00:32:10.160 --> 00:32:17.759 If we ask anything according to His will, He hears us, and we can go to the throne of grace with confidence. 00:32:18.000 --> 00:32:21.920 Let's move on to the third lesson here on prayer. 00:32:23.039 --> 00:32:28.880 Sustained strength for the battles of life requires prayer. 00:32:31.759 --> 00:32:42.400 I don't know what 2022 is going to bring, but for the saints, there will be a fair share of struggle, I am sure. 00:32:44.799 --> 00:32:57.039 Mark 14, verses 41 and 42 says, and he came a third time and said to them, Are you still sleeping and resting? 00:32:57.279 --> 00:32:59.119 It is enough, the hour has come. 00:32:59.279 --> 00:33:03.680 Behold, the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. 00:33:03.920 --> 00:33:05.839 Get up, let us be going. 00:33:06.000 --> 00:33:10.160 Behold, the one who betrays me is at hand. 00:33:11.599 --> 00:33:12.559 Get up. 00:33:12.880 --> 00:33:14.240 Let's get going. 00:33:15.440 --> 00:33:17.440 I can imagine the sleepy saints. 00:33:17.519 --> 00:33:17.759 Huh? 00:33:17.839 --> 00:33:18.000 Huh? 00:33:18.079 --> 00:33:19.440 What's going on here? 00:33:21.359 --> 00:33:22.559 Where are we? 00:33:25.039 --> 00:33:27.359 They weren't prepared for this. 00:33:27.680 --> 00:33:28.799 What do you mean? 00:33:29.599 --> 00:33:31.279 Are we going to meet enemies? 00:33:31.680 --> 00:33:32.960 Who's the enemy? 00:33:34.480 --> 00:33:35.279 Betrayal? 00:33:35.440 --> 00:33:35.759 Huh? 00:33:35.920 --> 00:33:36.799 What's going on here? 00:33:36.960 --> 00:33:38.079 I'm not tracking. 00:33:38.240 --> 00:33:39.440 I took a nap. 00:33:41.359 --> 00:33:43.359 The onslaught is imminent. 00:33:43.519 --> 00:33:45.839 The attack is unavoidable. 00:33:46.480 --> 00:33:55.039 But these saints will be useless in the cause of Christ from that point on. 00:33:55.759 --> 00:33:59.759 Until he obviously restores them after his resurrection. 00:34:02.240 --> 00:34:16.079 You see, since these disciples were resting and not resisting in prayer, because they fell into a self-confident slumber, they will scatter like sheep without a shepherd. 00:34:16.239 --> 00:34:19.920 They will be winnowed like wheat in the wind. 00:34:23.360 --> 00:34:38.079 But Jesus, because he spent the hours in prayer, one Bible teacher says here's a final consideration here, coming to the last couple of verses of this passage. 00:34:39.039 --> 00:34:44.480 He simply calls it a triumphant submission, a triumphant submission. 00:34:44.639 --> 00:34:50.559 He says that he yields to the will of the Father in each of those prayer cycles. 00:34:50.960 --> 00:34:54.800 But he finally emerges triumphantly. 00:34:55.199 --> 00:34:57.199 The last temptation is over. 00:34:57.440 --> 00:35:08.960 He is resolved triumphantly, majestically, unhesitantly to do what his father has asked him to do. 00:35:09.280 --> 00:35:12.880 He is going to the cross. 00:35:15.039 --> 00:35:17.360 Imagine Jesus took a nap. 00:35:18.320 --> 00:35:20.480 Yeah, this will work out okay. 00:35:20.960 --> 00:35:21.599 Right? 00:35:23.760 --> 00:35:25.519 God will work it out. 00:35:29.599 --> 00:35:39.360 No, he says, after a time of fervent prayers, seeking the face of God, not the hand of God, he says, enough. 00:35:39.760 --> 00:35:41.039 Okay, guys. 00:35:41.760 --> 00:35:42.800 Time's up. 00:35:43.760 --> 00:35:44.800 Let's get going. 00:35:44.960 --> 00:35:49.280 Let's go meet the enemy face to face. 00:35:51.519 --> 00:36:04.000 Jesus, after his time of prayer, was resolved to go to the cross triumphantly, majestically, and confidently. 00:36:05.519 --> 00:36:12.719 And he was confident that he would be able to resist further enemy onslaught and attacks. 00:36:14.000 --> 00:36:21.760 Jesus embraced this cup of suffering that was ordained for him from before the foundation of the world. 00:36:23.119 --> 00:36:33.039 And after a time of prayer, he was ready and prepared for the task, the mission, and the ministry ahead. 00:36:33.840 --> 00:36:36.159 What do we do, dear brothers and sisters? 00:36:36.239 --> 00:36:38.559 And I'm gonna wrap it up soon. 00:36:40.800 --> 00:36:43.920 We often do ministry and then we pray. 00:36:44.159 --> 00:36:48.079 We come up with a mission or a ministry and then we pray. 00:36:48.639 --> 00:36:53.679 Shouldn't the work of prayer lead us into the ministry and the mission? 00:36:53.760 --> 00:37:07.679 And Charles Bridges, also a Puritan, once said, he says, prayer is one half of our ministry, and it gives to the other half all its power and success. 00:37:08.159 --> 00:37:08.800 Wow. 00:37:09.119 --> 00:37:18.559 Prayer is one half of the work, and it gives us power and success to the other half. 00:37:21.599 --> 00:37:29.519 Prayer bolstered Jesus' commitment to go from Gethsemane to Golgotha. 00:37:30.239 --> 00:37:34.000 He went without wavering, he went without hesitation. 00:37:34.400 --> 00:37:44.960 His time of prayer and fellowship with God, his father, gave him the strength and the courage to drink the bitter cup of God's wrath. 00:37:46.320 --> 00:37:58.400 Psalm 138, verse 3 says, On the day I called, you answered me, my strength of my soul, you increased. 00:37:58.639 --> 00:38:02.320 The strength of my soul, you increased. 00:38:03.440 --> 00:38:04.079 Wow. 00:38:06.719 --> 00:38:15.119 How many of us are at a place where Jesus says, My soul is deeply grieved? 00:38:15.679 --> 00:38:31.280 You may sit here at the first of a new hear, at the beginning of a new hear, and you say, My soul is deeply grieved, my soul is deeply grieved even to the point of death. 00:38:32.000 --> 00:38:37.039 Can I say to you, dear brother and sister, pray. 00:38:38.079 --> 00:38:43.119 Your father in heaven delights to hear the prayers of a righteous. 00:38:43.519 --> 00:38:52.079 And if you want your soul, your burdened soul to be strengthened, as the psalmist says, pray. 00:38:54.480 --> 00:38:57.280 So let's wrap it up here, dear brothers and sisters. 00:38:57.440 --> 00:38:58.400 What have we learned? 00:38:58.559 --> 00:39:04.880 We've learned something about ourselves, about sleepy saints. 00:39:05.840 --> 00:39:12.800 These sleepy saints were to be the soldiers, the future soldiers of the cross. 00:39:13.039 --> 00:39:15.199 They will learn how to pray. 00:39:16.400 --> 00:39:30.480 But sleepy saints are usually without strength, and they often lack the moral courage in the times of temptation to stand up for what is right and true, and therefore we need to pray like Jesus did. 00:39:32.719 --> 00:39:40.719 Sleepy saints are reluctant often to pray because they are unwilling to submit to God's will. 00:39:42.880 --> 00:39:50.559 But we must learn from the words of Jesus, your will be done, not mine. 00:39:51.039 --> 00:40:13.599 And then thirdly, sleepy saints will often have little strength, and their souls will be burdened by the enemy attacks, and they will have a hard time fulfilling the God-given ministries simply because they rest in self-confidence instead of praying. 00:40:14.239 --> 00:40:30.000 My goodness, dear brothers and sisters, Jesus, the Son of God, God, immortal, invisible, only wise, goes to his face and prays. 00:40:31.119 --> 00:40:34.320 Why should we not learn from this? 00:40:34.800 --> 00:40:42.719 A word of encouragement and exhortation from Daniel Henderson's book, Transforming Prayer. 00:40:43.039 --> 00:40:47.840 He says, Prayerlessness is my declaration of independence from God. 00:40:48.079 --> 00:40:53.840 We can no longer afford this sinful luxury of prayerlessness. 00:40:54.079 --> 00:40:59.760 We must become the praying, dependent people that Christ has designed us to be. 00:41:00.000 --> 00:41:15.199 By the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit, let us change the dilemma of prayerlessness into victorious, prayerful dependence and see what a holy God can do with the church sold out for Christ. 00:41:17.519 --> 00:41:22.079 You think God can do more than what he did with us in the year past? 00:41:22.400 --> 00:41:28.719 And not that I'm saying that we were sleepy saints, but maybe we were sleeping on the job. 00:41:29.840 --> 00:41:30.480 Right? 00:41:32.400 --> 00:41:43.519 Just imagine if we are unified in prayer, what God can do through his spirit with a church sold out for Christ. 00:41:44.480 --> 00:41:48.239 That concludes this sermon from Faith Evangelical Free Church. 00:41:48.400 --> 00:41:55.280 Our mission is to declare the Word of God and disciple believers into mature, devoted followers of Jesus. 00:41:55.519 --> 00:41:59.599 You can learn more by visiting our website at faithfree.com.