So this week is revival at our church! I'm super excited about it! We have Brother Doyle Williamson speaking. He spoke this morning and tonight! It was like my spiritual health got revived! I know that is what revival is about but I love the feeling. He got me thinking about a few things so here is my notes from this morning! I hope you enjoy!!!
39 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." 40 Then He returned to His disciples and found them sleeping. "Could you men not keep watch with me for on hour?" He asked Peter. 41 "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptations. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak." 42 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." 43 When He came back, He again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. 44 So He left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing.
Matthew 26: 39-44
Jesus prayed the same pray that night 3 times. Asking God if this cup could be taken from Him. At the end of each pray He said, "not as I will but as you will." I believe this was Jesus' human side showing in this moment. Jesus knew He had to do this so we could have a relationship with God. Even though He knew what He had to do He asked if this could be taken away because He knew He had to suffer for us. Now I'm not saying He didn't want to do this but any human that is near death would act like this. I know if I was fixing to die I would be like, "can someone else do this?" Jesus knew this was the only way for us to have a relationship with His Father! Just think Jesus knew He was going to suffer before He died. God did this so we would know how much He loves us!!! If He didn't love us do you think He would have sent His son to die for us? I don't think so. Even Jesus who was fully God turned to Him for help. If Jesus can turn to God, His Father, in times of need why don't we? We need to remember even Jesus prayed to God.
Verse 41 makes me think that Jesus wasn't just telling the disciples this. I think He was reminding Himself that too. He was telling Himself, " hey remember my body is human but I am the Son of God."
There they offered Jesus wine to drink, mixed with gall; but after tasting it, He refused to drink it.
Matthew 27:34
They offered Jesus wine mixed with gall. Gall acts like an anesthetic. Jesus refused it. I wonder if He did that because He knew He had to suffer for our sins. So that we could all see how much He suffered for us so that we could have a relationship with God.
39 Those who passed by hurled insults at Him, shaking their heads 40 and saying, "You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!" 41 In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked Him. 42"He saved others," they said, "but He can't save Himself! He's the King of Israel! Let Him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in Him. 43 He trusts in God. Let God rescue Him now if He wants Him, for He said, ' I am the Son of God.'" 44 In the same way the robbers who were crucified with Him also heaped insults on Him.
Matthew 27:39-44
They were telling Jesus to save Himself if He was the Son of God. But Jesus couldn't because He had to be a sacrifice for our sins so that we could have a relationship with God.
45 From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land. 46 About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" which means "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"
Matthew 27:45,46
Jesus asked God why He had forsaken Him. I think this might be the other part of His human side coming out. Since He took all our sin on to His body He had to feel the separation from God for a short time. That had to kill Him inside. He was God's Son and God sent Him to die for us. Maybe Jesus was thinking just for a second, " are they worth it?"
50 And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, He gave up His spirit. 51 At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split.
Matthew 27:50,51
The curtain was torn in two. Some think when this happened it was God showing us that he barrier between God and man was torn down. Jesus dying on the cross allowed that barrier to be torn down. We have to believe in Jesus so that we can have a relationship with God. If we don't then Jesus dying on the cross was all for nothing.
54 When the centurion and those with Him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, "Surely He was the Son of God!"
Matthew 27:54
How many of us ask for a sign from God before you believe? That is why we have Faith! Faith is believing without seeing. We live in a world today that they want you to see before you believe. If you can't see it, it doesn't exist! How do you think God and Jesus feel when we think that way? Jesus dying on the cross was a sign that God does exist and He loves you more than you will ever know.
Everything I have written about today shows you how much God loves you! We can't fathom how much God loves us! It would blow our minds if we could. God loves you no matter what. He might not like what you are doing but He still loves you! God wants you to choose Him, to love Him, and to live for Him. I think Jesus dying for us is pretty big. So don't you think living for Him is the least we could do?
Lord,
I want to thank you for blessing my life with everything you have given me or not giving me. Lord I pray that anyone that reads this will come to know you if they don't already! I pray that they know how much You love them! If they will just let You in it will change their lives like they will never know! Lord please be with everyone that reads this.Thank you for sending Jesus to die for us so that we could have a relationship with you!
In Your Sons' Name I pray,
Amen!
