I'd like to invite your attention
this morning to Matthew chapter 26, please. Matthew chapter 26. My text to be found in verse
39, Matthew 26, 39. It's here we find the Lord Jesus
Christ in the garden of Gethsemane. and in and by the anguish of
his soul, he's sweating, as it were, great drops of blood falling
to the ground. The sins of all God's elect throughout
the course of time, present, past, and future is being put
on him as the sinner's substitute and sacrifice. No man, no woman
has ever suffered like this man. We can't imagine the anguish
and the agony and the suffering that this caused. Yet with all
that upon him, our Lord praise these words to his heavenly father,
verse 39. Oh my father, if it be possible,
let this cup pass from me. Nevertheless, not as I will,
but as thou will. In Luke chapter 22, verse 42,
Luke recorded the words of our Lord as being, father, if thou
be willing, remove this cup from me, nevertheless, not my will,
but thine be done. So we see that from comparing
the two texts that only that which is God's will is possible. Nothing is possible or impossible
apart from God's sovereign will. The word nevertheless found in
those two passages simply means however, regardless, or in spite
of what men and women will to happen, only that which God wills
is possible. Now, I readily admit that I have
not attained or reached that level of faith and trust. I just
haven't. I so desire and want to. There's
still way too much of what David wants and wills in my heart,
but thank God that I do believe. Thank God that he's helping me
with my unbelief. That should be our constant prayer,
Lord, I believe. Thank you for the faith that
you've given me, but help thou my unbelief. Oh, may God be pleased
to enable us not to desire what we will, but what he wills. And
that's how our Lord prayed. And that's what he always desired. His will was always what his
father will. John chapter six, verse 39, tells
us very plainly and simply what the Lord's will is. And this
is the Father's will, which hath sent me, that of all which he
hath given me, I shall lose nothing, but should raise it up again
at the last day. And this is why we find our Lord
in the garden. He's preparing to die. the just
for the unjust, that he might bring his people to God and not
lose a one of them, not a single one. Yes, he does pray here,
if it'd be possible, let this cup pass. Yes, he does say, Father,
if I be willing, remove this cup from me, but our Lord makes
it very clear by that next word, nevertheless, however, regardless,
in spite of all that, not my will. but thy will be done."
Isn't that how the Lord taught us to pray? You remember in Luke
chapter 11, verse two, and he Christ said unto them, when you
pray, say our father, which is in heaven, hallowed, that word
means holy, purified, be thy name. So the first thing we see
in praying according to the will of God is to recognize and to
acknowledge the glory of God. It's to see God's holiness. It's
to see God's authority in all things. Our Father, which art
in heaven. Our Father, which is on His holy
throne. Our Father, our God, who's ruling
and reigning over all things. Our God and Father, who's working
all things after the counsel of His holy will. Holy is your
name. having some understanding of
who God is and where God is, what should follow should be
obviously the words that do, thy will be done. His will is
gonna be done because his will shall be done every time, all
the time. and knowing something about who
God is. He's sovereign. He's omnipotent. He's a potentated ruler. We don't
just believe that because John Calvin believed that. We believe
that because that's what God declares Himself to be in the
Scripture. God's not some mealy-mouthed
old man upstairs that wants to save and can't. No, sir. He's a sovereign, omnipotent
ruler. And because of that, His will
shall be done. Our father, which art in heaven,
thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as
it is in heaven. And why not? After all, whatsoever
the Lord pleased, that did he in heaven and in earth and in
the seas and all deep places. He causeth the vapors to ascend
from the ends of the earth. He make the lightnings for the
rain. He bringeth forth the wind out of his treasuries. What about
the devastating tornadoes that came our way Friday evening?
Was that God's will? It hadn't been. He bringeth the
wind out of his treasuries. Now there'd be some that would
argue with on that, but no argument for me are God's people. God's
people say, I want God's will to be done, but I'm not sure
that's always the case. What they mean is, is they want
their will to be done and they hope that God's will is to give
them their will. Now let's just be honest. But
do you want God's will when it's not what you want? Do you want
God's will even if it's giving you what you don't desire? All
God's elect people want the will of God to be done regardless
of what it is. And why wouldn't we? You see,
if you belong to God, if you are the called, if you are of
them who love the Lord, all things, All things, everything, are working
together for your good, regardless if that's what you want or not.
We don't know what's best for us. I'm convinced of that. How
many times have I desired things and prayed for things, I see
now that they would not have been good for me spiritually.
They would not have been to my spiritual and eternal good. Can
you say that about yourself? I know you can. But as believers,
those who love God, those who want God's will, all things,
everything is working together for our eternal good. And many
times I pray, Lord, if this be possible, or if that be possible,
or Lord, if you'd be willing, do this, do that, make it come
to pass. But when he doesn't, the child
of God is more than good with it. Why? Because the believer
knows that it is God's will to always do them good spiritually
and eternally. You can have great confidence
in that. If you're trusting in His Son, God is out to do you
good. He's not out to do you harm.
Jesus Christ was the Lamb of God slain before the foundation
of the world. We know that. He was wounded
for our transgressions. He was bruised for our iniquities.
The chastisement of our peace was upon Him. By His stripes,
we are healed. How many times did the Lord tell
his disciples that the son of man must suffer many things and
be rejected of the elders and the chief priests and his own
people, the Jews, and not only that, but be slain and then be
raised again the third day. He told them time and time again,
and they didn't believe him. They just wanted to think on
the good things. That's what's wrong with people
today. They want to talk about God's love and about what they're
doing for God. The issue is what God's done
for sinners. Do you have any interest in that?
Only if you're a sinner. The Son of Man must be killed.
He must be. When he cried, if it be possible,
let this cup pass. When he cried, Father, if thou
be willing, remove this cup from me. This was a prayer that was
born out of real agony. This was a request which came
from real conflict. The Lord Jesus Christ was a man. He was touched with the feeling
of our infirmities. This prayer came from real suffering. Was this not His purpose for
coming? He came into the world to save sinners. It's a faithful
saying and worthy of all acceptance by everyone in this world. He
came into the world to save sinners. He shall save His people from
their sin. Is He now wanting to abandon
His mission? No, He's showing us that it's
not possible. He's teaching us that the Lord
is not willing that this cup pass from Him. He's declaring
to us that He must drink of this cup in order for God's people
to be saved. He's saying, Father, quickly
deliver me from the curse of the law. And this isn't a sinful
or selfish request. We see that by the words that
follow, nevertheless, Father, if you'd be willing, if it'd
be possible, let this cup pass from me. Nevertheless, regardless,
in spite of my suffering, the suffering of my soul, oh my,
he suffered physically like no man ever suffered by his visage
was so marred that he didn't even resemble a man, but we cannot
enter into the soul suffering of the Lord Jesus. We just can't.
It's not possible that this cup should pass from him. God's not
willing that it should. There's no other way for a sinner
to be saved. Nevertheless, regardless, however,
in spite of, Christ says, God, I want what you want. Your will
be done, not mine. Oh, God enabled me to pray that
way. Not my will, Lord, but your will be done. This is the Father's
will. God's will shall be done. You
know, in Matthew chapter 20, the mother of James and John
came and she desired a certain thing of the Lord. Do you remember
what it was? She said, grant these, my two
sons, that they may sit, the one on thy right hand and the
other on the left in thy kingdom. And you know what the Lord answered?
He said, you don't know what you ask. Are you able to drink
the cup that I shall drink of? Can you be baptized with the
baptism that I shall be baptized with? Now, what is this cup of
which Christ must drink dry? It's the wrath of God. It's the
punishment for sin. It's the judgment and justice
of God. It's that which you and I deserve. Did you hear me? It's what you
and I deserve. And all of these things are because
of sin. and Christ drank the cup of our
judgment dry. He must. It's not possible that
it should pass from Him. Not in you and I be saved. James
and John could not drink this cup to the satisfying of God's
wrath and judgment. You and I cannot drink this cup
for the fulfilling of the law and the paying of sin's wages.
Christ is the only one that can drink it. He's the only one who
can keep God's law. He's the only one who can pay
sin's wages. He's the only one that can satisfy
God's justice. There's only one mediator between
God and man, the man, Christ Jesus. Shall he not drink it?
He must if we're to be saved. A little later when the soldiers
came and Judas betrayed the Lord with a kiss, Peter pulled out
his sword and he cut off the ear of the high priest's servant.
The Lord said, Peter, put up your sword. Put up your sword
into a sheath, the cup which my father hath given me, shall
I not drink it? Not only shall he, but he must. There's no other way for you
and I to be redeemed. This is the father's will. All
that he hath given me shall come to me and I shall lose nothing. Not a single one. No man can
pluck them out of my hand. Nothing shall separate us from
the love of God. Salvation is on purpose. There
are no accidents with God, none. Men aren't lucky, no. There's
nothing that God does not know. There's nothing that God cannot
do except clear the guilty, except condemn the innocent. His justice
will not allow either. God cannot remain God and clear
the guilty or condemn the innocent. Proverbs 17, 15 says just that. He that justifies the wicked
and he that condemneth the just, even they both are an abomination
unto the Lord. And that is my friends, why we
find Christ in agony of soul here in Gethsemane's garden.
This is why we find him suffering. So this is why we find him surrendering
his will to God. He's saving his people from their
sin. If it'd be possible, but it's
not. Nevertheless, regardless, however,
in spite of my suffering and my desire for this judgment to
be quickly over, not my will, but Thy will be done. As I said,
we can't enter into what our Lord was going through when He
prayed this prayer. Men and women talk a great deal
about the physical suffering of the Lord Jesus, but few ever
mentioned the suffering of His soul. You know why? Because we
don't know much about it. We just don't. We suffer, I know
that we suffer with many things in this life. Sickness, loss
of loved ones. There are a lot of folks, as
I said earlier, that are suffering right now because of what's transpired
the last couple of days. But I'm telling you this much,
we don't know much about true soul suffering. The Lord calls
it light affliction. Light affliction compared to
what He was inflicted with. But in this matter of substitution,
in this matter of putting our sin on Christ, in this matter
of Christ being made sin for us, God, as the righteous judge,
ought to have His way all the time. Why? because it's simply
a matter of what is right. The Lord Jesus said, is it not
lawful? Is it not right for me to do what I will with my own?
As an omnipotent creator, the sovereign potter has the right
to form the clay however he pleases. He's the potter. We're the clay,
shall the thing form? Say to him that formed it, why
have you made me this way? The answer is a resounding and
an emphatic, no, God has a right to do what He will with His own.
Whatever God does is right. If we had a will that we could
accomplish, I fear and I know that we would soon be trusting
our will instead of seeking God's. God is out to do you good. I
can't tell you that enough. So when we pray, not my will,
but thine be done, we're praying according to the will of God.
You wanna pray according to the will of God, pray that. Lord,
not my will, but your will be done. In everything, regardless
of how it may hurt me for a time, regardless of how it may be physically
uncomfortable, not my will, don't want my will. I don't know what's
best for me, but He does, let's trust Him. Turn with me to Luke
chapter 5, just a few pages over. Luke chapter 5, I want you to
look at this. Beginning in verse 1, Luke 5
verse 1. I'm going to turn you to a few passages,
so I need to hurry. In verse one here in Luke chapter
five, it says, and it came to pass that as the people pressed
upon him, upon Christ, to hear the word of God, he stood by
the lake of Gennesaret and saw two ships standing by the lake,
but the fishermen were gone out of them and they were washing
their nets. And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon's,
Peter's, And he prayed him that he would thrust out a little
from the land and he sat down and he taught the people out
of the ship. And now when he had left speaking, stopped speaking,
he said unto Simon, watch out into the deep and let down your
nets for a draught. And Simon answering said unto
him, master, we've toiled, we've fished all the night and we've
taken nothing. What Peter is saying here is
we're professional fishermen. Now, I know you're a preacher,
but you're not a fisherman. And that's what we are. We've
been doing this all our lives. We fished all night. We didn't
catch a thing. The moon's too bright. The tide's
not right. Nevertheless, you see that? However, regardless, in spite
of all that, in spite of how much we know about fishing, at
thy word, I will let down the net. You remember what happened? Well, he had caught so much fish
that the nets broke. And Peter fell down on his face
and he said, Lord, I'm not worthy. I'm a sinful man. I'm not worthy
even to be in your presence. All that we might learn, nevertheless,
however, regardless, in spite of all these things, not my will,
but your will be done. Nevertheless, it's your word.
Not what I want, but what you want. Not what I think, but what
you say. Now, I don't understand that.
Do you understand those things? Christ said, if you'd be rich,
give it all away. You tell somebody that that's
got money today and they'll say, yeah, right. And I start with
you, I guess. If you'd be rich, give it all
away. If you would receive, then give. If you'd be wise, become
a fool. If you would live, then die.
If you would save your life, then lose it. It's not what we
will, but what God wills. Nevertheless, at your word, Lord. Turn with me to 2 Timothy chapter
one. 2 Timothy chapter one. I want
you to look at verse eight. While you're turning, let me
say, speaking here to the young preacher, Timothy, this is a
young man, the apostle Paul took under his wing as a preacher.
And in 2nd Timothy chapter 1 verse 8, Paul wrote, be not thou therefore
ashamed of the testimony of our Lord. Don't be ashamed of the
gospel. He said, don't be ashamed of
the gospel nor of me, his prisoner, one who is in prison for preaching
the gospel. As many of you know, I have a
son in prison. I'm telling you, he's ashamed
of it. He's ashamed that he's in prison. Paul's saying, I'm
in prison, but don't be ashamed of me nor the gospel that I preach. I'm in prison for preaching the
gospel. But be thou a partaker of the
afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God. And what
Paul is telling Timothy here is, join with me. Join with me
in these afflictions that come from preaching the gospel which
is the power of God unto salvation according to Romans 1 16. Look
at verse 9. God who had saved us and called
us with a holy calling not according to our works but according to
his own purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Jesus
before the world began but This gospel is now made manifest by
the appearing of our Savior, Jesus Christ, who hath abolished
death and hath brought life and immortality to life through the
gospel, whereunto I'm appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and
a teacher of the Gentiles, for the which cause I also suffer
these things." Timothy, that's why I'm in prison. Paul suffered
affliction, persecution, and prosecution, and imprisonment
because he preached the gospel. Then look at what he says. Nevertheless,
regardless of that, in spite of all that, he said, I'm not
ashamed. I'm not ashamed. Ashamed of what? His suffering, his persecution,
his imprisonment. Many would be ashamed of being
in prison, but not Paul. No, sir. Why? He said, because
I know whom I have believed. You see that? Paul believed in
the one and the only true God and Jesus Christ whom God sent. That's eternal life, according
to John 17 three. And he said, and I am persuaded
that he, God, is able to keep that which I've committed unto
him against that day. What did Paul commit unto him?
Same thing you are, your soul. In the last 35 years since I
heard the true gospel, I've seen many people profess love for
Christ only to leave and forsake the Lord, the truth, who they
profess to believe. I've seen it time and time again.
Even preachers, preachers that preach the unsearchable riches
of Christ, gone. No longer preaching, no longer
believing. Turn over to 2 Timothy 2. Look
at verse 17. He says, and their word, which
eat as doth a canker, or gangrene, that's what the word means, of
whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus, who concerning the truth have
erred, saying that the resurrection is past already, and they overthrow
the faith of some. In chapter four, verse 10, Paul
said, Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world. In verse 14, he said, Alexander
the coppersmith did me much evil. And then in verse 19, Paul said
this, nevertheless, regardless, in spite of these things, the
foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, the Lord knoweth
them that are his. and let everyone that nameth
the name of Christ depart from iniquity." Now listen to me. The foundation of God stands
sure. Christ is that sure foundation.
Those that build their house upon the solid rock, that house
shall stand. You can count on it. God knows
what He's doing. God knows them that are His. We don't, but He does. Let every
professing child of God depart from iniquity. No one's gonna
hide anything from God. Oh, you can hide it from me and
I can hide it from you, but we can't hide it from God because
all things, especially our sins are naked and opened unto the
God with whom we have to do. Turn with me to Philippians chapter
one, verse 23. But Philippians chapter one,
verse 23, here Paul wrote these words. He said, for I am in a
strait betwixt two. On one hand, I have the desire
to depart and be with Christ. That's an admirable desire, isn't
it? He said, I have a desire to depart
and be with Christ, which is far better, and it is. He said,
nevertheless, regardless, in spite of that, to abide in the
flesh is more needful for you. There are many spiritual desires
that the Lord's people wills and wants that's in line with
the scriptures. This is most certainly one of
them. What a wonderful desire to depart and be with Christ.
To be absent from this body is to be present with the Lord.
Paul knew that to die was gain. Those are very good things to
know. Nevertheless, regardless, however, and in spite of knowing
these things, Paul said, for me to remain is more needful. For me to abide with you is the
will of God. You still got some things to
hear. You still got some things to learn. For me to continue
with you for your furtherance in the gospel and faith is what
God wants. And it's not my will, but God's
will that will and must be done. Turn with me to Revelation chapter
two. Revelation chapter two. The Lord
here is speaking to the church at Ephesus. And I want you to
notice how he commends them. He commends them saying in verse
two, Revelation two, verse two, he said, I know thy works and
thy labor and thy patience and how thou canst not bear them
which are evil. All those are good things, desirable
things. And thou has tried them which
say they are apostles and are not and has found them liars. You don't just believe everything
you hear, you try the Spirit, you search the Word of God to
see that it's true. Verse three, and has born and
has patience for my name's sake hast thou labored and hast not
fainted. Oh, how wonderful it is to be
commended by the Lord and of the Lord himself. The church
at Ephesus had worked and labored in the gospel. They had great
patience, mercy, and long-suffering to new believers and even troublemakers. They opposed all who opposed
Christ. They tried all the spirits and
the apostles that had claimed to be the apostles of Christ
and proved them to be liars. For the sake of Christ and His
great name, they had not fainted in the faith. But look at verse
four. Nevertheless, However, regardless
and in spite of all those things, the Lord said, I have somewhat
against you because thou has left thy first law. Ephesus had not forsaken their
hospitality to strangers. They had not forsaken their zealous
concern to feed the flock. They had not become lax to maintain
their church discipline. They had not ceased to love the
saints of God, but in their effort and in their zeal to further
the work of the gospel, a very commendable thing, their love
for Christ had diminished. May we never become so involved
in Christ's work that we lose our first love, which is Christ
himself. Oftentimes, love at first is
new and exciting and strong and warm, but it doesn't always continue,
does it? May God enable us to first and
foremost always love our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who
loved us and gave himself for us. Jesus Christ has made unto
us wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption.
He alone is all we need. He's everything. Christ is all
in all. Don't ever lose track of your
first love, which is Christ. And then one more passage, 2
Peter 3. 2 Peter 3. I want you to look
at verse 12. 2 Peter 3, verse 12. I think it's important that we
see these scriptures in our own Bible, read them for ourselves.
Verse 12, Peter writes, looking for and hasting unto the coming
of the day of the Lord. Looking for, looking forward
to it. Hasting unto the coming of the
day of our Lord, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be
dissolved and the elements shall melt with a fervent heat. You
know, I hear a lot today about the end times. God destroying
the earth with a fervent heat. I hear a lot about the rapture.
I hear a lot about Armageddon. I hear a great deal about the
end of all things and a thousand year reign. What do you think
about the thousand year reign? Verse 13, nevertheless. regardless however in spite of
all that now look at this we according to his promise look
for a new heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness
you want to be concerned about something you want to endeavor
to think about something a lot you think about that cleared
of everything noxious and needless and disagreeable. The new heavens
and the new earth will appear and there'll be refined and purged
from everything that the curse has brought upon us because of
sin. Gonna be a new heaven and a new
earth. And there'll be nothing that
dwells there, but perfect righteousness. You wanna think about something,
you think about that. And it's all because of Christ. Verse 14, wherefore beloved,
seeing that you look for such things, look at this, be diligent
that you may be found of him in peace without spot and blameless. Verse 15, an account that the
long suffering of our Lord is salvation. A child of God, hear
me when I tell you this, when you read that word, nevertheless,
remember that it is nevertheless. It's always more, always more. More because nothing can happen
to the child of God that's contrary to the will and purpose of God.
Nothing, nothing. If it be God's will, then in
Christ, it's our will too. by our union with Him. If it
pleases God, it pleases me. It pleases His people. And it
pleased the Lord to make you His people. And I'm pleased that
I am one of you. God has been pleased to give
us a part of His will. Therefore, we're satisfied with
whatever God sends. Aren't we? We need to be. We
ought to be. Oh, we must be. having our minds
wholly resigned to God's work and God's will, we have no fear
at all of this world or in this world. Not of tornadoes, not
of earthquakes, not of crashing comets, not of viruses, not of
Satan, not of what man can do to us, not of death, not of the
grave, not of nothing, pardon my English, but of nothing. Because whatever God sends is
for our good. May God be pleased to make it
so for his own glory, our good, and for Christ's sake.