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Maundy Thursday 2021 : “Not My Will but Yours be done”

Text: Matthew 26:36-46; Luke 22:39-53; Hebrews 10:5-10
1 April 2021

INTRODUCTION

1. The Will of God determined for the Lord Jesus Christ

“It is written of Me- to do Your will, O God”   Hebrews 10:7

2. The Will of God for Mankind

a) To do His Will
b) To obey Him

3. The Will of God for Israel

a) To do His Will
b) He made everything possible to obey Him
c) But Israel failed

4. The Will of God before the Lord Jesus Christ

a) In the Garden of Gethsemane
b) Carefully recorded in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke

STRUGGLING WITH THE HEAVINESS OF GOD’S WILL

1. He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed   (Matthew 26:37-38)

2. He shared with His disciples

a) “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death”   (Matthew 26:38a)
b) “Stay here and watch with Me”   (Matthew 26:38b)

3. Intense Agony felt

a) “And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly”   (Luke 22:44a)
b) “Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground”   (Luke 22:44b)

STRUGGLING WITH GOD’S WILL IN PRAYER

1. His word of advice to His three Disciples

“Pray that you may not enter into temptation”   Luke 22:40

2. This word of advice was not kept by the Disciples

a) Then He came to His disciples and found them sleeping
i) And said to Peter,
“What? Could you not watch with Me one hour?”   (Matthew 26:40 )
ii) “Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation”   (Matthew 26:41a)
iii) “For the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak”   (Matthew 26:41b)
b) Sleeping through sorrow
“He found them sleeping from sorrow”   (Luke 22:45b)
i) “Why do you sleep?   (Luke 22:46a)
ii) “Rise and pray, lest you enter into temptation”   (Luke 22:46b)
c) “And He came and found them asleep again,
for their eyes were heavy”   (Matthew 26:43)
d) “Then He came to His disciples and said to them,
‘Are you still sleeping and resting?”   (Matthew 26:45a)
e) “Behold the hour is at hand,
and the Son of Man is being betrayed
into the hands of sinners”   (Matthew 26:45b)

SOME OF THE THINGS THE LORD JESUS STRUGGLED WITH

1. “The hour”

a) “Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say?”   (John 12:27a)
b) “Father, save Me from this hour?”   (John 12:27b)
c) “But for this purpose I came to this hour”   (John 12:27c)
This was the Hour of His suffering and death!

2. “Your hour, the power of darkness”   (Luke 22:53b)

a) It would be another spiritual battle
b) The power of darkness is associated with the Evil One
c) He will assail the Lord Jesus with everything in his arsenal
i) Dark thoughts
ii) Dark feelings
iii) Dark doubts
iv) Dark despair
This was the Hour of His battle against Satan and his kingdom.

3. The glorifying of the name of God

“Father, glorify Your name.”   John 12:28a
Response to this prayer
“I have both glorified it and will glorify it again”   John 12:28b
a) The fulfilment of God’s Will
b) The obedience to His Plan
c) The manner of obedience to His will and Plan

SEEKING AND FINDING STRENGTH

1. Strength that was already in the Lord Jesus

a) Cultivated over the years
b) Continuing growth

2. Strength that came from an angelic visit   (Luke 22:43)

a) Encouragement
b) Presence of an angel

3. Strength in the Lord   (Psalm 18:1; Ephesians 6:1)

“O My Strength”   Psalm 22:19

4. Strength in Submission to God’s Will

a) The first Prayer: “Taking away the cup”
i) “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup from Me”   (Luke 22:42a)
ii) “Nevertheless not My will, but Yours be done”   (Luke 22:42b)
b) The second Prayer: “The drinking of the cup”
i) “O My Father,
if this cup cannot pass away from Me   (Matthew 26:42a)
ii) Unless I drink it, Your will be done”   (Matthew 26:42b)
c) The third Prayer: “Your will be done”
“So He left them, went away again,
And prayed the third time, saying the same words”   (Matthew 26:44)

CONCLUSION

1. Experiencing a deeper appreciation of the Lord Jesus Christ

2. Having a greater understanding of how we can understand and submit to God’s will

3. A greater faith in trusting in the Will of God in the trials of our life