Submission To His Will

Guest (Male): And whenever you go to pray, guess what happens? You're standing and you're entering the Garden of Gethsemane in your own home. It's a place of respect. It's a place of the holiest of holies where I humble myself before the Lord and I submit my life to him. Welcome to Somebody Loves You Radio, the Bible teaching ministry of Raul Ries in Diamond Bar, California. Today's lesson continues our series exploring the characteristics of believers who live under the lordship of Jesus Christ. Raul will highlight Jesus' attitude of selfless dedication. We'll see that when Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, he surrendered his life to his heavenly father with the kind of obedience that holds nothing back. With the lesson submission to his will, here's Raul Ries.
Raul Ries: Let's read chapter 26 of Matthew verses 36 to 46, 10 verses. This is where we have the Garden of Gethsemane's event here. I titled it submission of his will. So we're going to speak today not about your will and his will, my will, because the will is very important in the life of the person. That's where you make decisions and you commit yourself to either obeying or disobeying. And we know that disobeying is very easy, but obeying is pretty hard. Obeying not only takes a lot of work, but it takes a lot of discipline and obedience to say, Lord, here I am. I'm giving you my whole life. I told you the story where in an Indian camp they had a church. They were having a service and then they were going to take up the offering. And this Indian sitting way in the back of the pew and they began to pass the basket all around and then when it comes to the Indian, he takes the basket, he puts on the ground, he gets in the basket. He says, this is all I have to give to Jesus. What do you want to give to Jesus? He doesn't want our money. He wants every one of us individually, individually. Let's read beginning in verse 36. And then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, the Olive Press. And said to the disciples, sit here while I go and pray over there. And he took with him Peter, the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed. And then he said to them, my soul is exceedingly sorrowful even to death. Stay here and watch with me. He left he only took three. He left the others on the side. He says, and then he went a little further. He fell on his face and prayed saying, all my father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me. Nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will. And then he came to the disciples and found them sleeping and said to Peter, what could you not watch with me 1 hour? Watch and pray lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. Notice what he's saying. Again, a second time he went away to pray saying, all my father, if this cup cannot pass away from me unless I drink it, your will be done. And he came and found them sleeping again and their eyes were very heavy. So he left them and went away again, third time. And he prayed the third time saying the same words. And then he came to the disciples and said to them, are you still sleeping, resting? Behold, the hour is at hand. And the son of man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. Let's rise and let us be going. See, my betrayer is at hand. As he's sitting there in the mound of olives right below where Gethsemane is, looking across the valley of Kidron, the Kidron valley, all of a sudden he begins to see about 500 torches and swords coming to get one man, one person. And he's the son of God. You see, these words were written because they were inspired by the Holy Spirit of God. And in this part of the scripture, not only is it to be read, but it's also to meditate upon it, to meditate upon what Jesus is saying here because there's no human language that can express the agony, the agony that Jesus Christ went through to get victory, to get victory over Satan in this world. God has granted all of us not only an opportunity to know him, but to understand that my life has to be in submission to his will. And as I submit my will to his will, it is through a life of obedience and dying on the cross to myself. This is what the death of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, spoke of. In his death, he looked those and he took all of our sins, the sins of the world. And he said what in John 3:16, for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, Jesus Christ, that whosoever believe it in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Verse 17, for God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved. He who believes in him is not condemned, but he who does not believe is condemned already because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten son of God. And this is the condemnation that the light has come into the world, but men loved darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light that his deeds may be clearly seen and that they have been done in God. In God each one of us individually. He is accepting the verdict guilty to every man. He was in guilty. He didn't do one thing, but he accepts it. Secondly, he accepts the penalty and punishment of death. The punishment of death for who? For every man. And then his words that I used death here, not only does he speak of dying on the cross, but death means here a separation from my father. I'm separating myself from my father, the one that sent him. And the reason he separates himself is because the father cannot accept sin. Jesus becomes the sin bearer for each one of our lives. And this is now the time and the place where he's going to be standing. Look at first point here, entering his suffering chamber. Let's go back verse 36 and verse 37. And then Jesus came with him to the place called Gethsemane and said to the disciples, sit here while I go pray over there. Now what do you think they thought when the others were not called to come with Jesus, but he chooses the three, Peter, James, and John? And he brings them so they can support him in prayer. How many times you and I when we want to pray, when you make a real dedication to pray, what is the first thing Satan does? He wants to distract you. I like to kind of take a walk. And when I'm walking, I'm not only looking at the stars, but I really can be by myself with the Lord. And I can examine my life before the Lord. And I can ask him, Lord, the way you want to speak to my heart that I'm here. Lord, just maybe just follow your steps. Lead me, guide me into all truth. And whenever you go to pray, guess what happens? You're standing and you're entering the Garden of Gethsemane in your own home. It's a place of respect. It's a place of the holiest of holies where I humble myself before the Lord and I submit my life to him. The place not only the Jesus chooses here. It's a place where he's been coming for a long time. It's actually his headquarters. It's the place where he does his devotions. And now he's there with the disciples. And this will be his last devotion, but is this time of devotion he's going to have to submit, surrender his will to the will of the father. I wonder each one of us when we get up when we get on our faces before the Lord, the first thing we should do is submit our will to his will. Lord, my will today will be your will. Having a private time with the Lord Jesus Christ because in the garden there would be pain, suffering. Think about it in agony. Agony as he's there in the garden of Gethsemane. Jesus already one of your disciples have gone to betray you to sell you for 30 pieces of silver. And Jesus knew that he needed communion with the father. He wanted the father to know his heart. And here Jesus holding his disciples close to his heart just like he holds you and me close to his heart. When things are very dark in our lives, whatever you're facing today, when things are very dark, we can lean on the breast of Jesus and we can hear his heartbeat and he can hear our heartbeat. I love that because when we simply humble ourselves before the Lord, you'll never miss his heartbeat. It will always be there.
Guest (Male): This is Somebody Loves You Radio with Raul Ries. Visit somebodylovesyou.com for Bible rich resources to strengthen you in your relationship with God. The Somebody Loves You Worldwide YouTube channel is also a great source of biblical teaching both live and as podcasts. Now here's Raul Ries once again with the final part of our study, submission to his will.
Raul Ries: Look at secondly here, verse 38. The pain and the grief. And then he said to them, Peter, James, and John, my soul exceedingly sorrowful even to death, stay here and watch with me. Notice what he's asking for here. He felt a sorrow, a heaviness in his heart that he was going to die. He was suffering so much agonized grief and pain that he requested the presence of his disciples. He wanted them to pray for him and to be a comfort for you. Hey, I want you guys to support me. I am going to the cross for you. I want you to support me this way. Pray with me. Pray for me. I think that's so awesome what Jesus says here. He warns them to be watching and praying. Watch means be on the alert and then have communion with God the father. Why does he say that? Because the disciples are going to be facing some great great trials in their own lives. In a few hours, they will not only fall away, but they will deny the Lord Jesus Christ. They will deny the Lord Jesus Christ, especially Peter. And the reason is because instead of praying, they were sleeping. Sleeping. And so many times the reason we get ourselves in so much trouble is because we've been sleeping instead of praying. We need to pray, to pray for ourselves, to pray for our loved ones. Do you amaze the way God not only has touched your life, touched my life, the way he's touching people's lives? And to come to that place when you think of the Garden of Gethsemane, it's a clear picture in my mind sitting there. Jesus with his face to the ground and asking the father, father, not my will, but your will be done. Look at the third point. He prayed for the father's will, verse 39. And then he went a little further and he fell on his face and prayed saying, all my father, if it's possible, let this cup pass from me. Nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will. Underline that as you will. What cup? The cup of the cross. The cup is the cross of Jesus Christ. We notice here first of all that Jesus in confronting death, he turns to who? To God the father. He turns crying with many strong tears. You ever cry? I mean people cry watching movies. But have you ever on your face before God begin to weep as you look at your sinful condition and the way God has touched our lives and the way that he wants to touch my life constantly all the time. Coming to that place where I put my knees to the floor and I begin to call upon God, and what does he say? He says, all my father, that's his father. The father sent him. And now he's asking the father, father, I'm your son. Do you want me to go and die on the cross? If that is your will, I submit to you. Father, remove this cup from me. If I don't have to go, please don't let me go. What does he do? He surrenders to do God's perfect will, the father. Remember Genesis chapter 22, Abraham and his son. When he got up to the top of the hill carrying the wood, Abraham having the knife, 3-day journey speaks of the resurrection of Christ. Abraham's got the father, Isaac's got the son, and his son says, okay, dad, here is the wood. You got the knife, but where's the sacrifice? He said God will provide himself a sacrifice. 2,000 years later here's Jesus in the garden and he's going to be crucified. He's going to be crucified for the sins of the world. As he surrenders the will to the will of the father perfectly, it was through the surrender of his life to become the perfect man that he was able to bear the cup, notice, of God's wrath upon himself. He did it because he loved you. He loved me. He exhorts his disciples, verse 40. And then he came to the disciples and found them sleeping and said to Peter, imagine that. Here he's pouring out his heart to the father three times. And because the flesh is weak and they don't see the importance, men Satan has victory over their lives by sleeping instead of praying. He says, what could you not watch with me 1 hour? Just 1 hour. Watch. Be on the alert and pray lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but write this down, but the flesh is weak. That's the problem there. The weak is all the flesh. Yes, I want to pray, but my flesh says, no, it's too late. Go to bed. Better tomorrow morning you can do that. The flesh is always discouraging us because he doesn't want to be ruled by the spirit. We don't want to be ruled by the flesh. We want to be ruled by the spirit of God, ruled by the spirit of God so that he can use my life. Christ here is standing alone confronting death. He was neglected by his closest friends, Peter, James, and John. You guys, I've been with you. You've been with me. Why could you guys pray for me? What a beautiful picture for each one of us here tonight to pray for one another. And then he warns them here concerning temptation. If they don't pray, you're going to fall into temptation. He warns them concerning their flesh, their weaknesses by sleeping. And then these disciples not only were they depending upon their own wisdom. Think about that, their own wisdom and their own strength instead on God's Holy Spirit to fight their battles. We need to do that, to trust in the Lord, to trust in the Holy Spirit, to fight our battles against Satan. You don't have to be afraid of Satan. All you have to do is say, in the name of Jesus, I rebuke thee. The less you speak of Satan, the better it is. Don't give him credit. Don't give him credit. He loves people to speak about him. Let's speak more about Jesus and his Holy Spirit because what happens here, notice in verse 42 to 44, he continues to pray for the father's will. He never gives up. Verse 42 says, and again a second time he went away and prayed saying, all my father, Abba, if this cup cannot pass away from me unless I drink it, your will be done. And he came and found them asleep again for their eyes were very heavy. So he left them and went away again and prayed the third time saying the same words confronting the disciples to continue in prayer. Asking the disciples to please stay awake and pray, asking the father to deliver him from the cup that he wanted not only to bear if he had to, but according to the will of God he would do it. And as he found them sleeping, it says what? Their eyes were heavy. Instead of fighting, they went to sleep. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. The flesh is always weak. And then check this out. Three enemies against persevering prayer. Number one, physical drowsiness. Secondly, listen carefully, spiritual blindness. And thirdly, carnal security, trusting in your flesh, trusting in yourself. You can do that. You got to trust in him. And then look at the sixth point here. He has prayed up now for betrayal, verse 45 and 46, he says. And then he came to his disciples and said to them, are you still sleeping and resting? Notice how beautiful he is in love. He comes and says, are you still sleeping and resting? Behold, the hour is at hand, you guys. What him? That the son of man being betrayed into the hands of sinners. He says, you guys, I got to tell you I'm going to be betrayed. I'm going to go pretty soon. You've been sleeping, but I've been watching over you. And now I can see the light. I can see the torches coming toward us. Wake up. Get ready for my betrayer is at hand. Rise and let us be going. See that my betrayer is at hand. When I read those words, it just really spoke to my own heart because surely I do not want to be sleepy. I want to be watching. I want to be praying. Remember what he says. Behold, the hour is at hand that the son of man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. How about Psalm 40 verse 8? I delight to do your will, oh my God, and your law within my heart. John 5:30, I can of myself do nothing as I hear I judge and my judgment is righteous because I do not seek my own will, but the will of the father who sent me all the way to the Gospels who sent me. And then how about Hebrews 10:7? Then he said, Paul, behold, I have come. In the volume of the book it is written of me to do your will, oh God. Previously saying sacrifice and offering, burnt offerings and offerings for sin you did not desire, nor had pleasure in them, which we offer according to the law. Then he said, behold, I have come to do your will, oh God. He takes away the first that he may establish the second. By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of our Lord Jesus Christ once and for all. But this man after he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, he sat down at the right hand of God for you, for me so that we would never neglect his love, his grace, his mercies that he paid the ultimate price for each one of us here, young, old, I don't care who you are. And the reason is because he loves us and he cares for us. We only have 1 life to live and it'll soon be passed. And the only thing that is going to last is what you do for Christ, period. 1 life and it'll soon be passed.
Guest (Male): Well, Jesus showed us what it looks like to come to God in absolute surrender. And we hope his humble prayer in Gethsemane will inspire you to fully entrust your future to the Lord. You're listening to Somebody Loves You Radio with Raul Ries. Today's lesson was titled Submission to His Will. We've made an unedited version available to you for a donation of $5 or more. To get your copy, just call us at 800 634 9165. Now we'd like to tell you more about that 10-part series from Raul titled Called, Chosen, and Committed. It's available on either CD or USB. Now every lesson will draw you closer to the heart of God as you learn to establish your life in his word and make the daily choice to follow wherever he leads. You'll also discover the blessings that come from prioritizing the Lord's will over your own agenda. Connect with us at somebodylovesyou.com or call 800 634 9165 to purchase Called, Chosen, and Committed. We'll send you Raul's 10-message study on CD for $22 or on flash drive for just 13. That's 800 634 9165. Or you can order by writing to us at Somebody Loves You Radio, Post Office Box 4440, Diamond Bar, California 91765. Our Somebody Loves You Free Resources are easily accessible at home, at work, or on the road. Look for podcasts of all of these radio programs on iTunes and Spotify. You'll also find these podcasts in addition to live-streamed Bible messages on the Somebody Loves You Worldwide YouTube channel. We're a listener-supported ministry and we always appreciate your partnership. It's crucial to helping us reach more people with the good news of Jesus Christ. Next time on Somebody Loves You Radio, we'll continue our focus on true submission to the Lord. Together we'll consider the extraordinary example of Abraham who was willing to sacrifice his own son in order to honor the Lord with faith and obedience.
Guest (Male): This program is sponsored by Somebody Loves You Radio in Diamond Bar, California.