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{Prayers of the New Testament} ~4

 A PRAYER OF JESUS - 

Submitting to God's will_ 

 
Most people don’t enjoy (and try to avoid) any kind of conflict. 
Whether that's having that difficult conversation or having to send that text or email. 
But sometimes it's simply unavoidable. 
Sometimes it's the only way forward. 
And sometimes God is the one leading us towards those things. 

 

[Group discussion starter] Have you ever felt led by God to do something that you really didn't want to do? Do you remember wrestling with God in prayer about it? Describe what you learned from that situation. 

 Jesus wrestled with his Father in the garden of Gethsemane, praying his willingness to obey God. We are privileged to have a glimpse into that sacred conversation that helps us see how honesty in prayer transforms us into willing servants of God... 

 

[Read Matthew 26:36-46]


Verses 36-39 lay out the characters and the setting. 
If you were staging this scene for a play, where would you put the people on stage? 

 
What kinds of props and lighting would you use? 

 

In verses 37-38, what words would you use to describe the emotions Jesus is experiencing? 

 

How does it make you feel to read about the intensity of Jesus' emotions? 


Notice the posture, Jesus prays "with his face to the ground" (v39). 
Why do you think he prays this way? 

 

Try to paraphrase Jesus' prayer, in verse 39. What is he saying and why? 

 

Sleep is often used figuratively in the bible to represent mental or spiritual lethargy – being dull, slow or sluggish. Why does Jesus emphasise, to the disciples, the importance of staying alert in verses 40-41? 

 

In what ways does the disciples' sleep – their dullness and sluggishness – make Jesus' agony more intense? 

 

Jesus' second prayer (v42) is slightly different than his first prayer (v39). 
Compare and contrast the two prayers. 

What do you think caused the differences? 

 

In verse 44, why do you think Jesus prays the prayer a third time? 

 

When you read Jesus' words in verses 45-46, what tone of voice do you imagine him using? What could his mood be like at this point in the story? 
How has Jesus’ mood shifted over the course of this scene? 

 

Jesus expresses his desire not to have to suffer and die on the cross, but also his willingness to do what his Father wants him to do. Why are both of these components important in prayer? 

 

In what areas of your life are you most likely to pray a prayer like Jesus' prayer?

  

 

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