This morning Pastor David introduced us to the last message in his series in Luke’s gospel. He read from Luke 22: 39-46.
Here Jesus instructs his disciples to pray, Jesus prays himself and then reinstructs his disciples to pray as they had fallen asleep.
His subject was PRAYER – the importance of it, the need for it and the power with it.
David challenged us to think of the place and priority of prayer in our own lives in the past week.
Disappointing disciples
It was an intense situation. If there was ever a time Jesus needed his disciples, it was now.
David referred back to last week’s message – the Last Supper.
“My body given for you… my blood poured out for you.”
giving emphasis to the sacrifice he was making, the argument over who was the greatest, the fact that one of them would betray him and that Peter would deny him three times. The disciples got it so wrong when they should have got it so right.
“And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me. In the same way after supper he took the cup saying, “This cup is the new Covenant in my blood which is poured out for you.”
The sense of being let down lingers and we too can get it so wrong when we should get it right.
Discipleship is a process. Our lives can be God honouring, but we can allow pride to creep in. We can deny our Saviour by some of our actions, we can fall into temptation and we can fail to pray.
But Jesus does not give up on them. He still instructs them. When they fall asleep, he gives them another chance. He will complete the work he started in us.
Powerful Prayer
David drew our attention to two words in the first verse of our reading: ‘as usual’.
“Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him.”
Jesus wants us to take up our cross and follow him every single day.
“Each day Jesus was teaching at the temple and each evening he went out to spend the night on the hill called the Mount of Olives.”
Every morning Jesus went out to teach and every evening he went to meet with his Father.
Jesus commands his disciples to pray that they will not fall into temptation. We mess up because of our lack of prayer. Jesus knows the importance of prayer in our lives.
Submissive Saviour
“Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.”
Jesus teaches us the intimacy of prayer – “Our Father”.
“If you are willing” – if there is another way – “take this cup from me”.
“Not my will, but yours be done.” He stresses his submission.
David pointed out the rhythm that Jesus had and challenged us by asking:
Do you have a usual pattern, a usual rhythm, a usual place where you spend time with your Father in prayer?
Jesus gives us the reason for prayer:
“Pray that you will not fall into temptation” (Luke 22:46) (Temptation = testing)
What is the secret of not giving into temptation? Prayer is primarily defence.
A life where prayer has its priority.
David ended his series in Luke by Focusing on Jesus and on his Specific Prayer. (v.42)
