Sermon: The foremost conversation (Matt 26:39)

WHAT IS FOREMOST?
The Foremost Conversation (Matt 26:39)
pdf
Dr. Paul Manuel—2012

(This sermon is part of Dr. Manuel's sermon series: "What is Foremost?" Links to
each of the sermons in the series will be found here as they are posted.)

Does God hear your prayers? ...Does God answer your prayers? ...Does He always answer them? ...How can you be sure?

At the bottom of the test, the professor had included a statement he wanted students to sign certifying that they had not received any outside assistance during the exam. Turning in his completed test, one student told the professor that he was not sure if he could sign the statement in good conscience, because he had prayed to God for assistance. The teacher gave a cursory glance at the exam and said, "You can sign it with a clear conscience.... God didn't help you."

Does God always answer your prayers? ...How can you be sure? ...You can be sure, because He said He will,¹ and He keeps His word. About His devotee, God says in Ps 91, "He will call upon me, and I will answer him" (v. 15). It is as simple as that. Of course, the particular answer He gives may not be the one you wanted, but that is His decision not yours.

There were probably some events in your life that, if you knew were coming, you would have avoided, were that possible.

• Slowing down to avoid that speeding ticket
• Choosing a different restaurant to avoid that food poisoning
• Holding your tongue to avoid that argument

How many unpleasant experiences might you have avoided if only you had known they were coming? The same may have been true for Jesus, especially concerning an event he knew was coming toward the end of his ministry, an event he mentioned several times to the disciples.

When they were in Caesarea Philippi, Jesus began to explain to the disciples "that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed...." (Matt 16:21)

After the transfiguration, he told the disciples," [T]he Son of Man is going to suffer at the[] hands [of the religious authorities]." (Matt 17:12)

In Galilee, Jesus said to the disciples, "The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men [and t]hey will kill him...." (Matt 17:22-23a)

On the way to Jerusalem, he said again, "[T]he Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will turn him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified." (Matt 20:18-19a)

It was apparent that Jesus' impending death weighed heavily on his mind, and increasingly so as the time drew closer.

It is our common destiny that, unless God intervenes,² we will all face death one day. Solomon observed...

Eccl 7:2b ...death is the destiny of every man [so] the living should take this to heart.

Paul said similarly,

Rom 5:12b ...death [comes] to all men... [and]

1 Cor 15:22a ...in Adam all die....

Age may bring the time of one's departure from this life closer, yet precisely when the end will occur is still uncertain.

Gen 27:2 Isaac said [to his son Esau], "I am now an old man [but I still do not] know the day of my death."

Again, Solomon notes that...³

Eccl 8:8a ...no one has power over the day of his death.

The difference for Jesus was that he knew how he would die and that it would be soon. That was, after all, his raison d'etre, the reason for the incarnation.⁴ Jesus himself said,

Matt 20:28 ...the Son of Man [came] to give his life as a ransom for many. [Moreover]

John 10:18a No one takes [my life] from me, but I lay it down of my own accord.

Despite the apparent clarity of his mission, Jesus had opportunities along the way to change course.

• Satan tried to persuade him with his temptation.

Matt 4:8 [T]he devil...showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 "All this I will give you," [Satan] said, "if you will bow down and worship me."

Jesus did not have too die to be recognized as a king. Satan could grant that, so there was another way, but the savior would not change course.

Matt 4:10 Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.'"

Satan tried to persuade Jesus with his temptation but failed.

• Peter tried to dissuade him after his confession.

Matt 16:16 Peter [said], "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." ...21 [Then] Jesus began to explain...that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things.... 22 Peter...began to rebuke him. "Never, Lord!...This shall never happen to you!"

Jesus did not have to die to be recognized as the messiah. Peter already knew that, so there must be another way, but the savior would not change course.

Matt 16:23 Jesus...said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me...."

Peter tried to dissuade Jesus after his confession but failed.

Right up until his arrest, Jesus could have evaded capture by fleeing down the eastern slope of the Mount of Olives toward the Dead Sea and hiding in the wilderness. Eventually the authorities would have given up, but Jesus would not flee. He stayed the course, saying to the disciples,

Matt 26:45c Look...the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46 Rise, let us go! Here comes my betrayer!

Still, despite the apparent strength of his commitment to God's plan, Jesus had doubts and wondered if there was another way. That uncertainty led to...

XLVII. The Foremost Conversation

...in the Garden of Gethsemane, with Jesus checking but not challenging the Father's plan, as is evident in...

• The posture before God (Matt 26:39)

...that Jesus adopts in his prayer. Please turn to...

Matt 26:39 Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup⁵ be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will."

Prayer was important to Jesus, as he demonstrated in both his preaching and his practice.⁶ Matthew mentions various occasions when the rabbi taught about prayer or modeled prayer, most notably...

• He taught the disciples to pray, not like hypocrites or pagans but addressing "Our Father in heaven."

• He modeled for the disciples how to pray when parents brought their children to him for blessing.

• He taught the disciples to pray after the antichrist's desecration of the temple that their flight from the persecution to follow would not be in winter or on the Sabbath.

• He modeled for the disciples how to pray when he struggled with the prospect of his impending arrest and execution, wondering if there was another way, an easier way, to accomplish God's plan.

We often view prayer primarily as a means of requesting something from God. What Jesus shows here is that prayer is also (and, perhaps, more importantly) a means of demonstrating something to God. You cannot make the same sacrifice Jesus did, but you can show the same submission he did. Jesus demonstrates two qualities in his prayer that should also characterize your prayer.

Jesus knows his place in the divine scheme. Despite the fact that he is fully God, his mission requires that he lay aside some prerogatives of deity and assume the confines of humanity, which he did.⁷

• There were physical limitations, as he now got thirsty, hungry, fatigued, and was even subject to death.⁸

• There were mental limitations, as he was now ignorant of certain future events in the divine plan, most notably, the precise time of his return.⁹

• There were volitional limitations, as he now submitted his will to that of another, the will of the Father.¹⁰

Your place in the divine scheme—and you do have a role in God's program—your part may also require that you set aside some things, personal aspirations about what you would like to do or what you would like to have. That submission of your will should be apparent when you come before Him. As Jesus prayed, so...

1. Your petition must reflect your humility.

...the recognition and admission that what you want is not important. This is not always easy to do, especially when you really want something. It is, however, what you must do volitionally, and may do physically, as Jesus did "with his face to the ground."

What posture do people in scripture use when they pray, and does it matter?

• The primary posture in scripture (as in the synagogue today) is to pray standing, as a sign of honor to the king of the universe. When Jesus addresses prayer in his Sermon on the Mount, he opens with this default posture. He says, "when you stand praying..." (Mark 11:25a).¹¹

• The secondary posture in scripture (as in some churches today) is to pray kneeling, as a sign of deference to the king of the universe. Jesus adopts this posture on at least one occasion, Luke records that "He withdrew about a stone's throw beyond [the disciples], knelt down and prayed" (22:41a).

The most recognized portrayal of Jesus in the garden is the oil painting "Christ in Gethsemane," by Heinrich Hofmann (1890), which shows Jesus in this second posture, on his knees, gazing upward.¹² The biblical account, though, depicts him in a third posture. Matthew writes...¹³

Matt 26:39a [Jesus] fell with his face to the ground and prayed,

• The tertiary posture in scripture is to pray prostrate,¹⁴ as a sign of abject submission and profound sincerity before God. Prostration is reserved for very serious and urgent situations. (It is also the posture for special occasions of worship.)

• The standard position in our church is to pray seated, because that is how we are most comfortable—not the best of reasons.... I found no examples in scripture of this posture in prayer.... Perhaps a change is in order for us?

Whatever position you adopt, your petition should reflect your humility.

Although the gospel writers mention Jesus' frequent conversations with the Father, they do not often provide a transcript,¹⁵ as Matthew does in chapter 26, where the apostle reconstructs Jesus' prayer on that fateful night.¹⁶

The dreadful reality of what Jesus is facing has now struck him. As it stares him in the face, he recoils from it. And he comes to God with the question: Does it have to be? (Nolland 2005:1099)

• In Jesus' first approach (Matt 26:39), he asks that his future might be different, but he affirms his commitment to God's plan.

"My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will."

• In Jesus' second approach (Matt 26:42), he recognizes that his future will probably not be different and reaffirms his commitment to God's plan.¹⁷

"My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done."

• In Jesus' third approach (Matt 26:44), he says "the same thing."

The common element in Jesus' prayer is his commitment to God's plan. That elevation of God's will should be apparent when you come before Him. As Jesus prayed, so...

2. Your petition must respect His sovereignty.

...the admission that what God wants is paramount. This is not always easy to do, especially when you really want something. It is, however, what you must do volitionally, and may do verbally, as Jesus did, saying to God, "your will be done."

Unlike Jesus, your understanding of God's will may not always be clear. The teacher knew what he had to do and told the disciples well in advance.

Matt 20:28 [T]he Son of Man [came] to give his life as a ransom for many.

If I asked, "What is your particular contribution to the advancement of God's plan?" ...You might not know the answer. Actually, it is likely that God expects you to accomplish several things. Jesus told Pilate about another purpose for the incarnation.

John 18:37c for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth.

God is not limited to doing just one thing with a person's life; He can and will, in fact, accomplish many things, if you make His will paramount. You may identify some of what God is accomplishing in your life, but there is probably more.¹⁸

If, however, you discover something He is doing that is particularly unpleasant, something you would rather avoid, even though you know God could use it for good, do not hesitate to ask Him about it. Jesus did, so you would be in good company There is another incident in scripture that also illustrates this point.¹⁹

God told the apostle Paul to spread the gospel, which he did with considerable success. In the course of that assignment, Paul received from God a series of revelations that gave him unparalleled insight into the spiritual realm. This kind of access, much more than others had, gave quite a boost to Paul's ego. Because pride would have reduced the apostle's effectiveness, God allowed Satan, who was already after Paul,²⁰ to afflict the apostle, not to the extent that it hindered his ministry but to keep his pride in check. Paul writes in...

2 Cor 12:7 To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.

The specific nature of this "thorn" is unknown.²¹ Whatever the malady, Paul asks God for relief from it.

2 Cor 12:8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9a But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."

God did not grant the apostle's request, even as God did not grant the savior's request (which he also made three times).²² Nevertheless, like Jesus, Paul demonstrated a positive attitude in the face of God's refusal.

• Jesus said, "not as I will, but as you will" (Matt 26:39c).

• Paul said, "when I am weak, then I am strong" (2 Cor 12:10b).

In the end, the most important aspect of certain prayers may not be how God responds to your request, but how you respond to His refusal. Do not regard it as a rejection of His concern for you but as an affirmation of His confidence in you, that your role in the divine program matters?

Jesus' impending death weighs heavily on his mind, causing him to wonder if there is another way. It is a question Jesus poses in The Foremost Conversation, as he checks but does not challenge the Father's plan.

Having considered The Foremost Conversation, we will look next at The Foremost Contortion, the panic before God that forces of evil exhibit in Luke 9:39,42.

For the Bibliography and Endnotes, see the pdf here.

(This sermon is part of Dr. Manuel's sermon series: "What is Foremost?" Links to each of the sermons in the series will be found here as they are posted)