Tuesday, April 12, 2005
Nevertheless
Matthew contains an extraordinary account of Gethsemane.
Matthew 26:37-39 37 And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be grieved and distressed. 38 Then He said to them, "My soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death; remain here and keep watch with Me." 39 And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying, "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will."
Matthew 26:42 He went away again a second time and prayed, saying, "My Father, if this cannot pass away unless I drink it, Your will be done."
Jesus determined to drink the cup because it was His Father’s will (vss. 39,42). He freely chose the Father’s will. This was a free offering of His own life.
Later that night, Jesus said, “Father would still deliver me if I but ask.” Father would have put at His disposal legions of angels to deliver Him. (vs. 53)
Jesus was not legalistically doing Father’s will. The Lord Jesus would have dwelled in His Father’s favor even if He had asked to be delivered.
Matthew 26:53 "Or do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels?”
Does your relationship with God look anything like this?
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Matthew 26:37-39 37 And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be grieved and distressed. 38 Then He said to them, "My soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death; remain here and keep watch with Me." 39 And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying, "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will."
Matthew 26:42 He went away again a second time and prayed, saying, "My Father, if this cannot pass away unless I drink it, Your will be done."
Jesus determined to drink the cup because it was His Father’s will (vss. 39,42). He freely chose the Father’s will. This was a free offering of His own life.
Later that night, Jesus said, “Father would still deliver me if I but ask.” Father would have put at His disposal legions of angels to deliver Him. (vs. 53)
Jesus was not legalistically doing Father’s will. The Lord Jesus would have dwelled in His Father’s favor even if He had asked to be delivered.
Matthew 26:53 "Or do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels?”
Does your relationship with God look anything like this?
