The Call of the Cross

Mt 26:36-41

Introduction

- Hearing My Mother’s Call

- All through our Lord's ministry he heard the call of the cross.

- No point in time when he became aware of it

- It seems that he had always known.

- At the sunset it seemed be louder

- At Table, we too can hear the call of the cross.

- The call of the cross is:

I. A Call to Prayer.

v.36 - Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder..

- The nearer Christ came to the cross the more he felt the need for prayer.

       1. He prayed for himself,

       2. For God's will to be done

       3. For the salvation of humankind.

- Knowing what would come he needed others to pray (Matt. 26:41).

- Peter did not pray

- Denial of Christ followed.

- We can never face the pressures of life and the temptations without prayer prayer.

II. A Call to Go Farther.

v 39 - And he went a little further . . .

- The cross always calls us to go a little farther

- It calls us to go a little farther with the Lord then before

- As see Christ's dying for us, how can we be content to stay where we are?

III. A Call to Go it Alone.

v.38-39 Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me. 39 And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, . . .

- All the disciples went to the garden.

- Peter, James, and John went still a little farther with him.

- He made the last lonely steps alone!

- There will be some who will go with you part of the way.

- Others will go with you most of the way.

- Going all of the way into the will of God, be prepared to make those last stto go all alone.

IV. A Call for Total Surrender

v. 39 . . . O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt. ..

– Christ is saving. "If there is any other way for people to be saved than by. my death on the cross, save them that other way. Nevertheless, if not your: will be done."

- He is saying, "More than I want to live, I want your will done

- The call of the cross is a call to surrender to God's will.

V. A Call to Persistency.

40-41 And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour? 41 Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

- The cross calls us to experience victory in our lives through persistent vigilance and prayer.

- We are beckoned to "watch and pray,"

- To often "the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh s weak."

Conclusion

So what is our response when we hear the call of the cross?