The Willing...The Wavering...and the Weak

In my last blog...I spoke about the Men's Retreat at my church...This was the Word from the Lord...Matthew 26:36-50...The Willing...The Wavering...and The Weak...

Matthew 26:36-50

36 Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder.
37 And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy.
38 Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.
39 And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.
40 And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?
41 Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
42 He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.
43 And He came and found them asleep again: for their eyes were heavy.
44 And He left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words.
45 Then cometh He to his disciples, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.
46 Rise, let us be going: behold, he is at hand that doth betray me.
47 And while he yet spake, lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and elders of the people
48 Now he that betrayed Him gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he: hold him fast.
49 And forthwith he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, master; and kissed Him.
50 And Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore are thou come? Then came they, and laid hands on Jesus, and took him.

Imagine for a moment if you knew the exact way you would die? If you know the time, the day, the place...everything about your death you already knew about it...well that is where Jesus was...that is the mental state he was in...He had the last supper with his disciples...He retreated to a familiar place...a frequent hangout...Gethesmane...An olive oil press at the top of the Mount of Olives...I do not know why Jesus hung out here. I do not know why Jesus chose to hang out at an olive oil press...I assume it was to be close to the oil...Oil has always represented the presence of God...maybe he chose to CLIMB to get closer to God...

If you haven't guessed already...in our text tonight...Jesus represents THE WILLING servant...

Jesus was willing to CLIMB...He have to be willing to grow in the Lord...we ought to have a desire to get closer to God...that is the sign of a willing servant...a close relationship with the
Master...
Jesus was willing to PRAY...the pray the same prayer three times...concerning his weakness...We have to be willing to PRAY to talk to God in our time of need...not only for ourselves but for others as well...
Jesus was will to DIE...the last sign of a willing servant is his commitment to the command...his commitment to the will of the Master...Jesus ultimately dies on Calvary for the sins of the world...He was willing to stick with it until the end...even unto death...

The disciples are our example of a Wavering servant...

The disciples suffered from severe ministry burnout...Jesus had been busy the last week of His life...read the Gospels and they will all confirm that in this last week of Jesus' life He was everywhere...and the disciples were right behind Him...even at the last supper...they ate together...they finally had a chance to rest...get their feet washed...feel their bellies...and Jesus asks them to follow him to Gethesmane...they were all tired...Judas was lost in the shuffle...and when the finally reach the top of the mount...they had a chance to sit down...and they fell asleep...they drifted...on their specific instructions...on their orders...to watch and pray...and they failed Jesus...he came first to Peter...then to the others...and found them sleeping twice...the third time...he came to them he woke them up...and prepared him for His betrayal...

The Disciples WAVERED in their leadership...Peter, James, and John were the closest to Christ...and even they failed Him...he brought them a little closer to Himself...and when he returned they were sleeping...As leaders in ministry we can not rest....we can not become lazy...or grow weary...because THE SPIRIT IS WILLING AND THE FLESH IS WEAK...
The Disciples were nodding off...and Jesus was in agony...

The Disciples WAVERED in their discipleship...they had been with Jesus more than anyone else...if anyone knew He was in agony...they knew...but they were too tired...to selfish to pray with God...in His moment of need...

The Disciples WAVERED in their relationship...they wavered in their relationship...to their brother...their weakest link...Judas...they allow him to get lost in the shuffle...somewhere between the Upper Room and Gethesemane...Judas goes unnoticed....We can not allow our weaker brother or sister to stumble...it is our responsibility to watch on their behalf...

Now finally...the Weak servant...It would be an injustice not to reveal Judas to you...I don't know what lead him to betray Jesus...maybe it was the fact that Jesus was so powerful...and influential that he could have easily become King...and Judas would be Secretary of the Treasury...what a waste (he may have thought)...Jesus spoke so much about dying for Israel...that he Judas decide to get rich off of His death...maybe he was angry when he left the room because Jesus...had .accused him of betrayal in front of the others...(Jesus didn't accuse him...Judas' guilty conscience may have pushed him over the edge)...nevertheless Judas (whose name means Praise) sold out just for the price of a common slave...Judas didn't live up to his name...He lived WEAK and he died WEAK...Judas later commits suicide overcome with the guilt of his actions...

Judas was too WEAK TO CLIMB...signs of a weak servant...stagnant growth...no growth...spotty service...frequent disappearing acts...you know this brother or sister...yet Sunday after Sunday you don't reach out...you don't disciple him...you allow him to get lost in the shuffle...

Judas was too WEAK TO PRAY...instead Judas chose to BETRAY...He sold out God...he gave into the flesh...he fail for the trick of the devil...he lost the battle with the enemy

Judas was too WEAK TO LIVE...God has called us to an abundant life? Yet we don't live it...we chose to settle for mediocrity...we do not walk into the blessings that God has for us...

Let us not be like the weak servant...but allow us to be more like Christ...who was willing to pay the costs for God's will to be done on Earth...through Him...Let's pray...

Lord you are so good...fill us with your awesome Spirit that our lives will be refreshed and renewed...encourage us Lord...thank you for the Word...thank you for your Son, Jesus Christ, who came that we might have an abundant life...a life in relationship with you...Thank you Father...bless the lives of those who have a desire to do your will...we thank you and we love you in Jesus' name I pray...Amen