MEETING AGENDA
- OPENING PRAYER – Ask one person to open the meeting in prayer.
- GROWTH QUESTIONS – Ask everyone the Growth Questions.
- ATTENDANCE – Take attendance through the DG Attendance System.
- TODAY’S LESSON – Go over this week’s DG lesson.
- GIVING – Encourage everyone to give on the App.
- CLOSING PRAYER – Ask for prayer requests and pray.
PRAY LIKE JESUS
TODAY’S PASSAGE:
Matthew 26:39-46 NLT 39 He went on a little farther and bowed with his face to the ground, praying, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” 40 Then he returned to the disciples and found them asleep. He said to Peter, “Couldn’t you watch with me even one hour? 41 Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak!” 42 Then Jesus left them a second time and prayed, “My Father! If this cup cannot be taken away unless I drink it, your will be done.” 43 When he returned to them again, he found them sleeping, for they couldn’t keep their eyes open. 44 So he went to pray a third time, saying the same things again. 45 Then he came to the disciples and said, “Go ahead and sleep. Have your rest. But look—the time has come. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46 Up, let’s be going. Look, my betrayer is here!
- Jesus knew that He was headed toward a torturous death on a cross so He turned to God in prayer.
- First, He asked if there was any other way. He asked if the “cup of suffering” He’d been handed could be taken away. He clearly didn’t want to experience this pain.
- Even though He asked for things to go differently, He ultimately submitted to God’s will.
- Jesus’ prayers repeatedly acknowledged that He was committed to whatever God’s will was for His life. He trusted that the Father had the best perspective and plan.
- We should always remember that God’s will is far better for us than our own. The greatest plan we can think of will always fall short of what God has planned.
Ephesians 3:20 (NLT) – Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.
- Praying for God to accomplish His will in our life, like Jesus did, is the best thing we can pray.
- Jesus encouraged His disciples to pray with Him, knowing there was a major battle ahead of them all. (v. 41)
- He made it clear that prayer could strengthen them in the fight and prepare them for victory.
- Sadly, the disciples were too weary to heed the lesson. They chose physical rest for their bodies rather than the spiritual strengthening that was available to them through prayer.
- The consequences of the disciples’ lack of prayer is clearly seen later in this chapter. They all abandon Jesus and Peter vehemently denies Him. (Matthew 26:56-75)
- On the other hand, Jesus’ prayers prepared Him for His greatest victory, defeating death, hell and the grave!
- In each of Jesus’ prayers, He asked again and again if the suffering was necessary, but then affirmed His commitment to His Father’s will. (v. 44)
- Jesus had earlier commanded His disciples not to repeat themselves thinking that it would make their prayers more powerful or attractive to God.
Matthew 6:7 (NLT) – When you pray, don’t babble on and on as the Gentiles do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again.
- In contrast, Jesus’ repeated prayers were meant to align His heart and will with the Father’s. He was showing us how prayer can change our perspective and prepare us to accomplish the purpose of God in our lives.