Church 11/3/2021
Sermon series thesis: Prayer equals Godly wisdom
The Bible says God cannot lie.
The Bible also says that Satan is the father of lies.
Satan tries to get you not to pray.
God is not the author of confusion; Satan is. If you’re experiencing confusion, it’s not from God.
Last week we looked at the story of Daniel when prayer was made illegal in Babylon. Daniel prayed anyway. It got him through all sorts of trials.
Tonight’s thesis: Jesus teaches us the importance of prayer
When it was evening, Jesus sat down at the table with the Twelve. While they were eating, he said, “I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me.” Greatly distressed, each one asked in turn, “Am I the one, Lord?” He replied, “One of you who has just eaten from this bowl with me will betray me. For the Son of Man must die, as the Scriptures declared long ago. But how terrible it will be for the one who betrays him. It would be far better for that man if he had never been born!” Judas, the one who would betray him, also asked, “Rabbi, am I the one?” And Jesus told him, “You have said it.”
Matthew 26:20-25 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=Matthew%2026:20-25&version=NLT
Pause: addressing a common false statement that God “made” Judas Iscariot betray him. Yes, God knew that Jesus would die for the world’s sins. But Judas still made a choice.
Using the analogy of God hardening pharaoh’s heart. In reality, Satan tempted pharaoh and he fell. Likewise, Satan tempted Judas to betray Jesus, and he fell.
More in-depth scriptures about how big a problem it is to tempt another person: (especially a little child)
“And anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf is welcoming me. But if you cause one of these little ones who trusts in me to fall into sin, it would be better for you to have a large millstone tied around your neck and be drowned in the depths of the sea.
Matthew 18:5-6 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=Matthew%2018:5-6&version=NLT
“But if you cause one of these little ones who trusts in me to fall into sin, it would be better for you to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone hung around your neck.
Mark 9:42 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=Mark%209:42&version=NLT
Jesus describes judgment for those who cause temptation:
One day Jesus said to his disciples, “There will always be temptations to sin, but what sorrow awaits the person who does the tempting! It would be better to be thrown into the sea with a millstone hung around your neck than to cause one of these little ones to fall into sin.
Luke 17:1-2 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=Luke%2017:1-2&version=NLT
The point is, not only did God not cause Judas to betray Jesus (in the same way that He did not cause pharaoh to harden his heart against the Israelites), but He also has stiffer judgments for those who tempt others or cause others to stumble. That said, people still have the power to choose, whether to follow temptation or whether to resist it. And that’s what happened here.
As they were eating, Jesus took some bread and blessed it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, “Take this and eat it, for this is my body.” And he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. He gave it to them and said, “Each of you drink from it, for this is my blood, which confirms the covenant between God and his people. It is poured out as a sacrifice to forgive the sins of many. Mark my words—I will not drink wine again until the day I drink it new with you in my Father’s Kingdom.”
Matthew 26:26-29 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=Matthew%2026:26-29&version=NLT
Jesus was saying that it is now His blood to remember and not the blood from the paschal lamb in the days of Moses.
Then they sang a hymn and went out to the Mount of Olives. On the way, Jesus told them, “Tonight all of you will desert me. For the Scriptures say, ‘God will strike the Shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ But after I have been raised from the dead, I will go ahead of you to Galilee and meet you there.” Peter declared, “Even if everyone else deserts you, I will never desert you.” Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, Peter—this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny three times that you even know me.” “No!” Peter insisted. “Even if I have to die with you, I will never deny you!” And all the other disciples vowed the same. Then Jesus went with them to the olive grove called Gethsemane, and he said, “Sit here while I go over there to pray.” He took Peter and Zebedee’s two sons, James and John, and he became anguished and distressed. He told them, “My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” 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.” Then he returned to the disciples and found them asleep. He said to Peter, “Couldn’t you watch with me even one hour? Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak!”
Matthew 26:30-41 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=Matthew%2026:30-41&version=NLT
Especially verse 41, Jesus knew that Peter was going to betray Him. But He also knew that Peter stood a better chance of not giving into the temptation that would lead him to betray Him by not falling asleep but instead staying up and praying while He prayed.
Our spirits, especially once we are saved, want to pray. Our spirits lead us to pray. Then there’s the flesh, the “old self,” who doesn’t want to pray.
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.” When he returned to them again, he found them sleeping, for they couldn’t keep their eyes open. So he went to pray a third time, saying the same things again. 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. Up, let’s be going. Look, my betrayer is here!” And even as Jesus said this, Judas, one of the twelve disciples, arrived with a crowd of men armed with swords and clubs. They had been sent by the leading priests and elders of the people. The traitor, Judas, had given them a prearranged signal: “You will know which one to arrest when I greet him with a kiss.” So Judas came straight to Jesus. “Greetings, Rabbi!” he exclaimed and gave him the kiss. Jesus said, “My friend, go ahead and do what you have come for.” Then the others grabbed Jesus and arrested him. But one of the men with Jesus pulled out his sword and struck the high priest’s slave, slashing off his ear. “Put away your sword,” Jesus told him. “Those who use the sword will die by the sword. Don’t you realize that I could ask my Father for thousands of angels to protect us, and he would send them instantly?
Matthew 26:42-53 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=Matthew%2026:42-53&version=NLT
Prayer is important. We can pray for anything and in boldness. In verse 53, Jesus reminded His disciples who were there with Him that, even in spite of being arrested at that moment, He still held all the power in the world, and therefore had the power to call on all the angels to assist them. Prayer is indeed that powerful.
Part 3 next Wednesday.
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