Living a “NevertheLess” Life
Notes
Transcript
And He came out and proceeded as was His custom to the Mount of Olives; and the disciples also followed Him.
When He arrived at the place, He said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.”
And He withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and began to pray,
saying, “Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done.”
Now an angel from heaven appeared to Him, strengthening Him.
And being in agony He was praying very fervently; and His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down upon the ground.
When He rose from prayer, He came to the disciples and found them sleeping from sorrow,
and said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray that you may not enter into temptation.”
We are going to focus a lot today on the confession Jesus makes in His prayer to Father God in verse 42.
saying, “Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done.”
I Like the word used in the King James translation. It uses a word not often used today. It is a word that Maintains the sincerity of the request being made while at the same time acknowledging a deep desire, that is no less sincere and even more important, than the request being mad.
“NEVERTHELESS”
“NEVERTHELESS”
Nevertheless your will be done means doing the will of God could never be less important to me than any request I would make for myself.
Read it again!
This is not popular in our world today.
We often think of God doing what we need and desire as the core purpose of His existence. We are much more focused on getting God to do our will or our desire, instead of acknowledging His will is never less needed or correct that what we want.
Consider who is praying this sincere prayer. So sincere that sweat drops of blood fall from His face as He prays.
This is Jesus, the very essence of the Triune God. The Trinity is often miscommunicated. It is essentially an acknowledgement that the God of the Old Testament (who is called the only ONE God and referred to as Father), that He, and the Holy Spirit (who hovered over the earth at creation as well as indwells our lives at conversion) and Jesus Christ (who both existed and created the foundations of the world and also walked on this earth) are all God!
Jesus, who is independently personified in the Godhead, yet collectively unified in the Godhead, prays in His humanity , NEVERTHELESS!
Jesus, who is independently personified in the Godhead, yet collectively unified in the Godhead, prays in His humanity , NEVERTHELESS!
He and the Father are one
God is Spirit
Jesus requests the Spirit
The Father sends the Spirit
Jesus is led by the Spirit into the wilderness
If you have seen Jesus you have seen the Father
Took on flesh/tempted as a human
In Jesus’ humanity, we see bottomless treasures of how to relate to God in our humanity.
In Jesus’ humanity, we see bottomless treasures of how to relate to God in our humanity.
1. Living the “Nevertheless” life hinges on close fellowship with Father God.
1. Living the “Nevertheless” life hinges on close fellowship with Father God.
Jesus in His humanity developed consistent habits
And He came out and proceeded as was His custom to the Mount of Olives; and the disciples also followed Him.
We are all busy. We must find a way! Don’t let the devil convince you that your excuses are more valid than others. Jesus found a way!
Time alone with God must be a priority!
Time alone with God must be a priority!
In the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and was praying there.
Jesus developed deep relationship with Father God in His humanity.
Jesus developed deep relationship with Father God in His humanity.
We can and should do the same.
Jesus knows who He is but contends with the limitations of the flesh, just like us.
2. Living the “Nevertheless” life is the result of genuine trust and confidence in the heart of the Father.
2. Living the “Nevertheless” life is the result of genuine trust and confidence in the heart of the Father.
saying, “Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done.”
Jesus knows this is possible
This is not about God’s ability, it is about His permissive will for the good of the Kingdom of God.
The same is true of us when “Nevertheless” leads to us to seeing things differently than what we desire.
Jesus knows He can trust the heart of the Father.
Jesus knows He can trust the heart of the Father.
You can’t trust someone you don’t know. It is easy to trust someone you know.
Do you see why it is so important for you to truly know the heart of God in deep relationship.
When you have confidence and trust in the heart of the Father, you know “Nevertheless” is good for you!
When you have confidence and trust in the heart of the Father, you know “Nevertheless” is good for you!
This kind of trust will produce courage to embrace the Nevertheless Will of God.
The lack of courage reveals a lack of complete trust.
3. Living the “Nevertheless” life comes with the provision of God.
3. Living the “Nevertheless” life comes with the provision of God.
Now an angel from heaven appeared to Him, strengthening Him.
What did this provision look like?
Maybe the angel affirmed in His humanity that He is in great hands?
Maybe the angel reminded His humanity of the power of God?
God brought Jesus strength as He embraced “Nevertheless” (the will of God). I believe He will do the same for us as we embrace His will when things don’t go the way we were hoping.
God brought Jesus strength as He embraced “Nevertheless” (the will of God). I believe He will do the same for us as we embrace His will when things don’t go the way we were hoping.
4. Living the “Nevertheless” life calls us to prepare for whatever may come.
4. Living the “Nevertheless” life calls us to prepare for whatever may come.
Look at 40, and 46
Praying that you do not fall into temptation.
The prayer is to not fall into temptation when it comes.
The scripture is clear that temptation will come.
He said to His disciples, “It is inevitable that stumbling blocks come, but woe to him through whom they come!
No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.
This is why Jesus called them to pray.
The life of prayer builds our relationship with the Father.
The life of prayer builds confidence and trust in the Father.
The life of prayer experiences the provision of the Father.
The life of prayer brings strength to stand against temptation.
