Triumphant Prayer
How Jesus Inspires Our Faith • Sermon • Submitted
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· 27 viewsJesus' prayer in the garden; his resoluteness against tempation inspires us in our quest for victorious faith today.
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
➟ ➟ ➟ During October we have examined Jesus’ faithfulness to the Father and how that inspires us to lead lives of obedient and persistent faith.
➟ ➟ ➟ 2 weeks ago - Matthew 3.13-17 - Jesus’ baptism. Jesus was “All in for God.”
It was a moment of triumph and declaration.
The Messiah is here. Jesus is king & creator. He has all authority. He is the anointed one.
Jesus did not need to be baptized because of sin, but wanted to obey every command of His father. His eagerness to submit to God was seen in everything He did.
Jesus’ baptism declared His personal ministry had begun.
It also identified him with sinners, … He has come for the purpose of deliverance.
And, from this moment of triumph, we immediately see Jesus head off to do battle with Satan.
➟ ➟ ➟ 1 week ago - Matthew 4.1-11 - Jesus faces Satan, whose objective is to keep Jesus off the cross.
In each of the temptations Satan offers to give Jesus what was rightfully his … apart from the suffering, grief, humiliation, and death the cross required.
Satan wanted Jesus to cling to:
the right to be satisfied. (turn these stones into bread)
the right to be acknowledged as Messiah (throw yourself down from the temple)
the right to rule the kingdoms of the world (bow down and worship me)
Satan offers everything God promised - only at what appears to be at a much lower cost.
4.10-11 - Jesus is unbreakable. Jesus triumphs over Satan here … not in the sense of finality as it would be at the cross, but triumphing by resisting Satan and depending on God to sustain him.
If Jesus’ baptism led to goodness at his highest level commending Him, then Matthew 4 is where evil at its lowest is conquered by Him.
➟ ➟ ➟ Now, in today’s text, Satan’s goal is still the same - keep Jesus off the cross.
The final 12 hours of Jesus’ life, with Jesus completely alone to face it all - is Satan’s final and most severe.
➟ ➟ ➟ Luke 22.53 - Jesus calls it the hour of dominion and darkness.
➟ ➟ ➟ Mark 14.34; Matthew 26.38 - the conflict is so intense that Jesus says, I am deeply grieved to the point of death.
Christ’s sorrow in facing death as the sin-bearer is incomprehensible.
What Jesus endured is absolutely unique in the history of the world.
There is no human experience like it.
➟ ➟ ➟ Hebrews 5.7 - we are stunned by the intensity of the battle.
➟ ➟ ➟ 5.7b - he was heard because of his reverence...
heard, as in being delivered from the cross? No. But...
➟ ➟ ➟ Luke 22.43 - at Jesus’ darkest moment, an angel appears strengthening Jesus.
God is going to go as far as He can, but the mission must be accomplished.
➟ ➟ ➟ Luke 22.39 … this is happening very late on Thursday or very early Friday morning.
Jesus has come out from the upper room.
He has proceeded to the Mt. of Olives, as was his custom, John 18.2. The 11 follow.
On the Mt. of Olives, there was a garden known as Gethsemane (Olive Press). Here Jesus often went for rest, private time, and prayer.
It is here where one of the greatest spiritual battles in history takes place .... and the means Jesus is using is prayer.
➟ ➟ ➟ Today as we examine Triumphant Prayer and what it is, what are the events here that show us Jesus’ faithfulness to the Father?
What can we learn in the text that will inspire our faith?
What will be points of application to help us as we face our own temptations?
Jesus prayer of Luke 22.39-46 is one of:
22.40 - expectation.
22.41 - agony.
22.42 - submission.
22.43-46 - which leads to His restoration.
Luke 22.40 - Expectation
Luke 22.40 - Expectation
➟ ➟ ➟ Luke 22.40 - When He reached the place, he told them, “Pray that you may not fall into temptation.”
As Jesus enters the place, he knows what is coming. Satan is going to use Jesus’ holiness against him.
Jesus is perfect pure/holy and righteous.
Within His divine nature there would have been a great resistance to being made sin for believers.
21 He made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
His struggle is the struggle to set aside his holiness and embrace the bearing of our sin. Satan is going to tempt him to hold onto his purity, dignity, and righteousness.
He knows that the road he is on is going to lead to his separation from the Father.
➟ ➟ ➟ Isaiah 53.5 - he knows all of this is coming.
➟ ➟ ➟ Now, connect this to John 17.5 - which He prayed just a few hours before.
He’s asking God to get him through this - to the other side and back to glory.
This is a prayer for strength and his ultimate restoration.
➟ ➟ ➟ Luke 22.40 - just as he is going to be ready through his own prayer, he wants them to do the same. Pray that you may not fall into temptation. (Be overwhelmed by)
And so they enter the garden.
➟ ➟ ➟ Mark 14.32 - sit here while I pray.
➟ ➟ ➟ Mark 14.33 - Peter, James, and John are allowed to go farther with him where they observe him becoming deeply distressed and troubled.
➟ ➟ ➟ Mark 14.34 - He goes farther - away from them. No one can go with him where he is going.
The disciples are told to pray. He is praying.
It is time to petition divine help.
Self confidence has been emptied.
Spiritual pride and over-estimation of spiritual strength - out the window.
Only help from God will do at times like this.
➟ ➟ ➟ Application: If we want to be victorious, we have to expect temptation and be ready with prayer.
Prayer that confesses:
weakness; frailty; inability; lack-of-strength.
Prayer that demonstrates:
humility; meekness.
Message is don’t get caught when temptation hits with full force - not having prayed. The assurance is help awaits the one who prays.
Luke 22.41 - Affliction
Luke 22.41 - Affliction
Matthew/Mark add more detail.
After Jesus goes away from Peter, James, and John, He returns twice more and finds them asleep.
➟ ➟ ➟ Luke 22.41 - Jesus knelt in prayer.
➟ ➟ ➟ Matthew 26.39 - Jesus fell facedown and prayed. (He is lying flat on the ground.... sobbing and crying.)
➟ ➟ ➟ Mark 14.33 - Jesus was deeply distressed and troubled.
Hebrews 5.7 - loud crying and tears.
Intense agony; a huge struggle.
The man of sorrows has entered his greatest and most sorrowful conflict. Jesus has been:
rejected by Israel
betrayed by Judas
repudiated and denied by Peter
He now faces the imminent desertion by the rest of the disciples.
He is now about to face a corrupt court & be slain by evil men.
The greatest woe upon him is the bearing of our sin.
This is the affliction he bore.
May we come away from this realizing in order to triumph over sin - we first have to experience the painful assault of sin.
We need to be repulsed by it.
We need to agonize in prayer to be delivered from it. We need to understand and experience the type of agony that comes because we hate sin; love holiness; and Christ Himself.
➟ ➟ ➟ Victory comes by loving holiness; hating sin; and praying for strength.
Luke 22.42 - Submission
Luke 22.42 - Submission
➟ ➟ ➟ Luke 22.42a: Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me...
This is the ultimate in Jesus’ faithfulness to the Father.
See the longing in Jesus’ heart to do the will of God.
The goal of all true prayer is that God’s will be done.
➟ ➟ ➟ Mark 14.36 - abba Father… “Abba” is a term of endearment. He is pleading before God on the basis of their close and loving relationship.
➟ ➟ ➟ Take this cup away… Cup in the OT is often associated with judgment. It would be a cup of suffering; agony; pain; and wrath.
The struggle here is very real.
This is a Satanic assault beyond our capacity to fully understand.
The agony of bearing our sin is beginning to take its toll.
➟ ➟ ➟ Luke 22.42b - Nevertheless… not my will, but yours, be done.
Here is the ultimate superlative in submission.
Jesus fully hands his will to the Father so he can become the sin offering that takes away our sin.
➟ ➟ ➟ John 18.11 - within an hour/two, he demonstrates the reality of this submission.
Luke 22.43-46 - Restoration
Luke 22.43-46 - Restoration
➟ ➟ ➟ Luke 22.43 - Then an angel appeared to him, strengthening him.
The only other time we read of this happening is with his temptation in the wilderness, Matthew 4.11.
An angel comes to confirm the Father’s care for him; strengthen his confidence that ultimate he will not be forsaken; and heighten his hope in being restored to glory - just as he had prayed in John 17.5.
➟ ➟ ➟ The same is true for us. Hebrews 1.14 - angels also minister to us as we prayerfully submit to God’s will. Isn’t that a blessing to know?
➟ ➟ ➟ Luke 22.44a- why the angel came: being in anguish, he prayed more fervently,…
ESV: “Agony.” a state of extreme sorrow. Intense. (combat unto death)
“Fervently,” means to stretch. Jesus is under unbelievable strain. Jesus couldn’t pray any harder. He prayed so hard that:
➟ ➟ ➟ Luke 22.44b - and his sweat became like drops of blood falling to the ground.
blood oozing from his skin.
Deeply grieved; massive struggle; intense concentration.
➟ ➟ ➟ Luke 22.45a - When he got up from prayer and came to the disciples...
Note how he arises from the prayer in triumph. He’s ready to go. He’ll get through this. He knows God is with him.
➟ ➟ ➟ 22.45b - he finds the disciples sleeping - exhausted from grief and despair. Their world was collapsing.
➟ ➟ ➟ Luke 22.46 - Get up and pray, so that you won’t fall into temptation. This actually happens three times.
➟ ➟ ➟ At the last time, 22.47 - while he was still speaking, suddenly a mob came....
The hour has come.
No more time to prepare or pray.
Christ enters the arena to face the enemy and be victorious because of his prayer.
The disciples face the enemy and are defeated.
As We Close
As We Close
➟ ➟ ➟ Luke 22.45 - When he got up from prayer and came to the disciples...
Jesus arises … bloody, but unbowed.
He is read. Strengthened to endure the next 12 hours, where he will
Triumph over Judas; the Sanhedrin; and the Romans.
On the cross he will defeat Satan once and for all. He was made to be sin so that we might become the righteousness of God.
He will triumph over death - raise from the dead on the third day. He will be highly exalted to the right hand of the Father, where he is sitting right now.
➟ ➟ ➟ What about us? Will we allow Jesus’ victory, triumph, inspire us in our own struggles?
Will we expect temptation to come and prepare for them through prayer? As we start our day, will we pray so that we might not fall into temptation?
This is the only way we can endure the agony and affliction of sin and get through. We must come to the point where we hate and resent sin.
Will we submit to the will of the Father? Are we eager to obey?
Will we come to depend on the power of His restoration? Will we live in faith that no matter what happens God will come to our aid?
Will we allow this to fill our hearts with love and motivate us to further obedience?
21 He made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.