Truth of Prayer

Luke 22:39–46 NKJV

Coming out, He went to the Mount of Olives, as He was accustomed, and His disciples also followed Him. When He came to the place, He said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” And He was withdrawn from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and prayed, saying, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.” Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him. And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground. When He rose up from prayer, and had come to His disciples, He found them sleeping from sorrow. Then He said to them, “Why do you sleep? Rise and pray, lest you enter into temptation.”

Main Idea: God desires for His followers to experience the importance of prayer.

Motivating Idea: Jesus desires to teach us the importance of prayer.

Key question: How important is prayer in your life?

1. Prayer was regular for Jesus. (v. 39, 41)

Luke 22:39–41 NKJV

Coming out, He went to the Mount of Olives, as He was accustomed, and His disciples also followed Him. When He came to the place, He said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” And He was withdrawn from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and prayed,

A. Regular practice (v. 39)

Luke 22:39 NKJV

Coming out, He went to the Mount of Olives, as He was accustomed, and His disciples also followed Him.

Luke 5:16 NKJV

So He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed.

Luke 6:12 NKJV

Now it came to pass in those days that He went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.

B. Regularly private (v. 41)

Luke 22:41 NKJV

And He was withdrawn from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and prayed,

Luke 6:12–13 NKJV

Now it came to pass in those days that He went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. And when it was day, He called His disciples to Himself; and from them He chose twelve whom He also named apostles:

Luke 9:18 NKJV

And it happened, as He was alone praying, that His disciples joined Him, and He asked them, saying, “Who do the crowds say that I am?”

2. Prayer was specific for Jesus. (v.40, 42)

Luke 22:40–42 NKJV

When He came to the place, He said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” And He was withdrawn from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and prayed, saying, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.”

A. Specific for His followers (v. 40)

Luke 22:

Luke 22:40 NKJV

When He came to the place, He said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.”

They needed to pray for themselves too!

Luke 11:1–4 NKJV

Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.” So He said to them, “When you pray, say: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. Give us day by day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins, For we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one.”

Luke 11:1-4

- Specific for Himself

B. Specific for Himself (v. 42)

Luke 22:42 NKJV

saying, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.”

John 12:27 NKJV

“Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour.

John 12:27

Hebrews 5:7–8 NKJV

who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear, though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered.

3. Prayer was strengthening for Jesus. (v. 43-44)

Luke 22:43–44 NKJV

Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him. And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

In the midst of prayer, came strengthening.

It did not remove or make easy the situation.

It increased His resolve!

Matthew 26:41 NKJV

Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

4. Prayer was supernatural for Jesus. (v. 45-46)

Luke 22:45–46 NKJV

When He rose up from prayer, and had come to His disciples, He found them sleeping from sorrow. Then He said to them, “Why do you sleep? Rise and pray, lest you enter into temptation.”

flesh says sleep/avoid/ignore

Spirit says fight!

Eph 6:

Ephesians 6:18 NKJV

praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—