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[Music] welcome to everyone it's good to be here on the Lord's Day Sabbath to worship our triune God a couple of announcements before we begin just a reminder that this Tuesday evening will be the South Surrey Bible study that is at the Pacific Inn in South Surrey and then Wednesday night here our own Bible study that's at 7:30 p.m. and then just a reminder that the Children's Sunday School is on summer vacation well for our called to worship this morning you can turn in your Bibles to Psalm 43 Psalm 43 echoes of which are found in our passage when our Lord Jesus Christ is expressing his agony in the Garden of Gethsemane he takes the language of the Psalter and it certainly is indeed his language in fact some have recognized rightly that the Psalms are indeed the prayers of the Lord Jesus Christ Psalm 43 beginning in verse 1 vindicate me O God and plead my cause against an ungodly nation o deliver me from the deceitful and unjust man for you are the God of my strength why do you cast me off why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy o send out your light and your truth let them lead me let them bring me to your holy hill into your tabernacle then I will go to the altar of God to God my exceeding joy and on the harp I will praise you O God my God why are you cast down O my soul and why are you disquieted within me hope in God for I shall yet praise Him the help of my countenance and my god amen well please turn in your Trinity hymnal to him number 89 hymn number 89 will stand as we sing together [Music] into the presence of the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit as David said I was glad when they said unto me let us go to the house of the Lord and certainly our God we pray that this would be the disposition of our hearts this morning that it would be the the chief desire of our hearts to be in the public place of worship corporate worship calling upon our Father through the mediation of the son by the power of the Holy Spirit and that for the glory of our great and awesome triune God we acknowledge your majesty your infinite glory your excellence and your splendor certainly these summer days dude to declare to us the majesty of God in creation the Providence of God throughout history the way you govern all your creatures and all their actions with the peculiar reference to the to the good of the church does display your power and your glory and your goodness and certainly on the Sabbath when we consider our Lord's resurrection from the dead and the gospel of Jesus Christ our hearts are drawn out to worship and to praise into a door for your grace and your mercy in your kindness for certainly Lord God you owed us nothing but hell and damnation but in your loving kindness and mercy you chose us in him before the foundation of the world and in the fullness of the time you sent forth your son born of a woman and born under the law to redeem those under the law and you have sent the Holy Spirit to affectionately call us out of darkness into marvelous light so certainly we rejoice in your loving-kindness and in your mercy to us we give you praise Lord God that you have not dealt with us according to our sins nor rewarded US according to our transgressions but as far as the east is from the west so you have removed our iniquity and as the Prophet says you have cast our sins into the depths of the sea and in this we greatly rejoice God we know that you are a holy God or right just God and that you must punish said so we are thankful for the work of the savior on our behalf we thank you that you made him who knew no sin to be sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God in him lord help us this morning as we sing as we pray as we look to Holy Scripture to magnify God Almighty we pray that your name would be hallowed here that you would be glorified and praised we pray that your kingdom of Grace would come through the proclamation of your gospel we pray as well that your will would be done among all of us she would help us by the Holy Spirit to be obedient to you help us Lord God to pursue those things that are indeed pleasing in your sight and in your mercy and in your grace would you send forth temporal and eternal or spiritual blessings upon us this month this morning grant us help Lord God as we enter into your presence and even now we are mindful of our own sin and waywardness we are mindful to the fact that there is remaining corruption in our hearts but we're also mindful of the fact that there is forgiveness with you that you may be feared so forgive us and cleanse us and wash us in the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ we also pray for any and all who have come here this morning that are still dead in their trespasses and sins we pray that today would be the day of salvation that you would come through the preaching of the word that your Holy Spirit would bring conviction for sin and set forth Christ in his offices in his person and his work and his glory and in all of his ability to save to the uttermost all who draw nigh unto God through him Lord save sinners according to your mercy according to your sovereign power we also ask our Father that you would undertake on behalf of the the physical needs and our congregation we just pray for those who are struggling with chronic illness those who have chronic pain we know Lord God that you are good you are indeed the divine physician you know us better than we know ourselves so minister unto your people we also pray for Chris Colley that she would be able to get the the help that she needs father that she would be able to get this surgery that you would certainly guide the hands of the involved and that she would come out on the other side healthy and well and seeking to honor you we also pray for the several ladies in our congregation that are that are pregnant scripture says the children are indeed a gift from Yahweh and we confess and acknowledge that readily and happily and we pray that you would bless these ladies in the fruit of the womb that God these little ones would be born physically healthy and well and one day born again by the power of the gospel and we do pray for all of our children and for all of our young people we acknowledge and we confess or we see easily that this is indeed a godless generation a wicked generation and there are many temptations presenting themselves to our young people and we pray that by your grace they would remember their Creator in their youth that they would come unto the Lord Jesus Christ they would believe the gospel and they would walk in faith according to your will and according to the power of your Holy Spirit watch over them protect them and bless them greatly and our God we thank you that we're not alone in Chilliwack we thank you for the other churches in our community and we pray for your special presence among your people we pray God that the people of God would be encouraged and cheered by the presence of the Holy Spirit and that the gospel would be preached in these pulpits and throughout this city many would come to the Lord Jesus Christ confessing their sins and finding mercy and grace from on high be merciful throughout this country send forth your Holy Spirit revive your people and awaken those who are dead in their trespasses and sins and God blessed the persecuted Church throughout the earth we know there are many brothers and sisters who suffer for the cause of God and truth so we pray that you would protect them that you would empower them to stand fast in the midst of such things and to persevere knowing that God is good god is faithful God is gracious to his suffering Saints may they indeed testify concerning that goodness even in hostile lands and may your gospel go forth conquering and to conquer in these nations and may a multitude from every tribe and tongue and people in Asia turned from their useless idols to the true and living God we thank you for this opportunity to pray to you we thank you for the blessed privilege of singing to you and we praise you for the word of God help us not to take this for granted that we have Bibles and that we have Liberty to preach those Bibles may you cause us to be lovers of the word and may we see it's great value and it's great worth and its profit in our own lives and we pray these things through Jesus Christ our Lord amen well please turn with me in your Trinity Psalter this to Psalm 45 that's the red smaller book Psalm 45 will stand as we sing together [Music] well please turn in your Bibles to Mark's Gospel chapter 8 for our scripture reading mark chapter 8 will pick up reading at verse 22 then he Jesus came to Bethsaida and they brought a blind man to him and begged him to touch him so he took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the town and when he had spit on his eyes and put hid put his hands on him he asked him if he saw anything and he looked up and said I see men like trees walking then he put his hands on his eyes again and made him look up and he was restored and saw everyone clearly then he sent him away to his house saying neither go into the town nor tell anyone in the town now jesus and his disciples went out to the towns of Caesarea Philippi and on the road he asked his disciples saying to them who do men say that I am so they answered John the Baptist but some say Elijah and others one of the prophets he said to them but who do you say that I am Peter answered and said to him you are the Christ then he strictly warned them that they should tell no one about him he began to teach them that the Son of man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes and be killed and after three days rise again he spoke this word openly then Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him but when he had turned around and looked at his disciples he rebuked Peter saying get behind me Satan for you are not mindful of the things of God but of but the things of men when he had called the people to himself with his disciples also he said to them whoever desires to come after me let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me for whoever desires to save his life will lose it but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it for what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul or what will a man give in exchange for his soul for whoever is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation of him the son of man also will be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his father with the Holy Angels amen well our Lord here asked his disciples probably the most important question ever asked fact this will be the study of the the subject of the Surrey Bible study in the few few coming sessions a series on who is Jesus Christ and we see that this isn't original to the Surrey Bible study it's not original to the free grace Baptist Church but it's a question posed by Jesus to his disciples he asks them who do men say that I am so the answer John the Baptist some say Elijah others one of the prophets so he starts first out there among the general population who do men say that I the Son of Man am and then he goes specifically to these men and says who do you say that I am we ought never conclude or ought never to infer or imply that everybody within the professing church knows who Jesus Christ is it's good for us to get our doctrine to get our understanding from the Word of God most high now note Peters answer or Peters response Peter answers and says to him you are the Christ in Matthew's Gospel we read the Son of the Living God and on the heels of that confession on the heels of that very wonderful admission concerning who Christ is Christ praises the father for the fact that Peter knew this in other words he doesn't say wow Peter you've stumbled on to some knowledge that that others just haven't seen or Wow Peter you're a wiser student of the Scriptures than than others no he says blessed are You Simon bar Jonah for flesh and blood did not reveal this to you but my father who is in heaven and I submit that that's very excellent and very good news it's not about wisdom it's not about learning it's not about PhDs it's not about how many hours you put in it's about the grace of God God's grace makes us able - behold the Son of the Living God God's grace is the provision for faith and repentance God is a merciful God a gracious God a kind God therefore I encourage all of you to look to that God to learn from that God and to confess with this up apostle thou art the Christ the Son of the Living God and I think we ought to conclude by an observation of the last section where Christ presses upon them the importance of discipleship the Lord's when we confess faith in Christ when we confess that he is the son of the Living God when we exercise by God's grace faith and repentance what does that mean what is the practical outflow of such a life well Jesus describes that he says whoever denied a desires to come after me let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me that's what a life a discipleship looks like it looks like following Jesus and in Revelation 14 the the followers of the lamb they follow the lamb wherever he he goes that is indicative or descriptive of the people of God he says whoever desires to save his life will lose it but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it in other words Christ is an ought to be the priority don't hold on to the things of this world such that you lose eternal life Jesus says value and prize supremely those things that are indeed supreme CS Lewis was right we are like the child who prefers to make mud pies you know next to a garbage dump then go to a holiday by the seaside why would we settle for the sorts of things that we settle for in light of the grace of God the power of God the might and mercy of God as it's displayed to us through the gospel of God we ought to value prize and some pre a supreme we cherish our Lord Jesus and follow him wherever he bids us to go well let us pray and ask God to give us that kind of faith brethren most of us do profess faith most of us do confess that Christ is the son of the Living God well certainly most of us ought to display or exemplify this kind of discipleship as well well let us pray our Father in Heaven we thank you for your word and the clarity of our Lord's instruction god it is clear it's just that we are dull and we are hard-hearted as we'll see further in Matthew 26 we are sluggish God awaken us and arouse us and cause us to pursue those things that are indeed pleasing in your sight namely the glory of the triune God as well father we pray that today would be a day when many would confess that Jesus Christ is the son of the Living God that they would receive that gift from on high that they would be pronounced blessed because of the sovereignty of God's grace continue with us now we pray through Jesus Christ our Lord amen well for our final hymn before we look in detail at God's Word you can turn to number 582 a good reminder of how we stand accepted before a holy God 582 will stand as we sing together [Music] well please turn with me in your Bibles to Matthew chapter 26 Matthew 26 our focus this morning is to finish up our Lord's Prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane specifically verses 40 to 46 but I do want to begin reading in Matthew 26 at verse 31 then jesus said to them all of you will be made to stumble because of me this night for it is written I will strike the Shepherd and the Sheep of the flock will be scattered but after I have been raised I will go before you to Galilee peter answered and said to him even if all are made to stumble because of you I will never be made to stumble jesus said to him assuredly I say to you this night before the rooster crows you will deny me three times Peter said to him even if I have to die with you I will not deny you and so said all the disciples then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane and said to the disciples sit here while I go and pray over there and he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee and he began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed then he said to them my soul is exceedingly sorrowful even to death stay here and watch with me he went a little farther and fell on his face and prayed saying O my father if it is possible let this cup pass from me nevertheless not as I will but as you will then he came to the disciples and found them sleeping and said to Peter what could you not watch with me one hour watch and pray lest you enter into temptation the spirit indeed is willing but the flesh is weak again a second time he went away and prayed saying O my father if this cup cannot pass away from me unless I drink it your will be done and he came and found them asleep again for their eyes were heavy so he left them went away again and prayed the third time saying the same words then he came to his disciples and said to them are you still sleeping and rest behold the hour is at hand and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners rise let us be going see my betrayer is at hand amen well let us pray father we thank you for this account in Holy Scripture and certainly God it communicates to us deep and mysterious things help us by your spirit to uncover what you would have for us this morning help us as your people to marvel at the the sufferings of our Savior not because he was a sinner but because we're such sinners how we thank you for what he underwent on our behalf how we thank you not only for the garden here but for the the arrest and the trial and ultimately the crucifixion the God how we praise you he was raised the third day how we praise you he's enthroned at your right hand and he will judge all things until he comes again in glory to ultimately judge the living in the death we ask our Father that you would help us to be encouraged at the thought of the gospel of our Lord we pray that you'd open eyes and hearts and ears to understand the gospel for those who have not yet come and do this by the power of your Holy Spirit and again forgive us for our sins and our transgressions against you and we pray these things through Christ Jesus our Lord amen well as I mentioned last week Ryle says that this is a passage which undoubtedly contains deep and mysterious things we ought to read it with reverence and wonder and structurally it's simple Jesus praised the disciples sleep Jesus prays again the disciples sleep again Jesus prays a third time and the disciples sleep a third time so last week we looked at the Savior's first prayer in Gethsemane and we sort of stayed specifically with the Savior we looked at the setting of the Savior's agony at the Garden of Gethsemane the sorrow of the Savior when he praised of the Father that if it is possible let this cup pass from me but he shows the resolve and the resignation to do the Father's will when he says even so or rather nevertheless not as I will but as you will so we saw the sorrow the supplication and this morning we're going to look at the sluggishness of the disciples in verses 40 to 41 and then we'll take up the other two prayers and then Christ's statement concerning the arrival of the hour but the sluggishness of the disciples is conspicuous here as is the prayer of our Lord on three separate occasions which he describes as an hour these men continue to sleep notice first the situation it says he came verse forty to the disciples and found them sleeping and said to Peter now this is an absolute contrast with what we find with our Lord isn't it Christ doesn't slumber Christ doesn't sleep Christ isn't trying to energize himself or refresh himself or take a nap prior to the greatest distress that any man ever went through no Christ is watchful Christ is prayerful Christ is on guard and certainly as we saw last week Christ could have used some earthly companionship this Bible or this section sets forth the true humanity of our Lord Jesus Christ he didn't just appear to be a man he didn't just appear to be like we are but he is indeed man and this scripture sets that forth he sees or we see rather his sorrow his distress his grief at the prospect of drinking this cup of God's wrath and at the prospect of undergoing this hour of death and so as a man it would be legitimate and it would be something that we ought to sort of assent to they would want companionship you and I go into distressful situations and we want friends don't we it's tough to go things alone it's tough to go through hardships and trials all on our own it's a good thing to be surrounded by the people of God by family so Christ wants this companionship he comes to them and he finds that they are indeed asleep as well it is an utter contrast with their professed willingness to die with him the sons of Zebedee in this passage or James and John the sons of Zebedee in chapter 20 and verse 23 have affirmed the Lord their willingness and ability rather to drink the cup that he is going drink and to be baptized with the baptism he will be baptized with in that context it's not water baptism it is an overwhelming distress in the crucifixion in the sufferings that the Son of Man would undergo so the sons of zebedee affirm that in the passage that I read Peter affirms that Peter says everybody else may stumble everybody else may fall how's that for a great boat of encouragement or a great vote of encouragement from your fellow they all may stray from you Lord but but I won't I won't desert you and then he goes on to up the ante he says I will die with you if necessary and here he can't even keep his eyes open in fact Chrysostom made this observation for they who are desiring to die with him were not even able so much as to sorrow with him wait filet but sleep overcame that I think this is a great place for us to remind ourselves that there is in our hearts pride I don't want to pick on Peter I don't want to say WOW Peter what a horrible human being you are as I said last week the example in this passage is not Christ's sufferings are like our sufferings Christ's sufferings were not like ours I mean they were like ours in the sense that he was true humanity they were not like ours in the sense that he was a public person he was a representative he was a covenant head and so all the sins of the elect were heaped upon him and all the wrath and fury of God do to the elect was heaped upon him so we're not to see our example in the suffering of Christ in the sense that our sufferings are like that I think rather this passage holds forth to us the disciples is our example are we that kind of a disciple everybody else may stumble everybody else may fall away but I never will now that's not bad to have resolve it's not bad to make resolution I think the psalmist in psalm 119 does this certainly Daniel the godly man in Babylon did this resolutions aren't in and of themselves necessarily wicked but we know we better be able to put up or shut up what is the preacher tell us in the book of ecclesiastes do not swear oaths rashly you've got to be careful and in this particular passage I don't think it's accidental that we have Peters affirmation and then Gethsemane right on the heels of it perhaps Matthew our theologian is also being practical here and cautioning us against this sort of pride this sort of an exaltation of oneself the situation is they couldn't even keep their eyes open with our Lord Jesus now Luke adds he found them sleeping from sorrow again I think that at times we need to appreciate sorrow does have such an effect upon us but at the same time Jesus does not sort of mitigate or sort of relax or or or or let them off the hook in this particular instance now note the rebuke the specific addresses to Peter notice there in verse 40 he says he came to the disciples and found them sleeping and said to Peter now it's plural from a following so it's for all the disciples but it is intriguing that Peter is singled out isn't it the man who boasted the loudest about his allegiance is the man who's called out when it comes to speaking forth what they have done fact Spurgeon makes this observation he who had made the loudest protestations of devotion deserved to be the most blamed for his on faithfulness and note our Lord's question in verse 40 what could you not watch with me one hour what's the implication I don't know that we need to take that strictly as 60 minutes I think it could refer to you know 48 minutes it could refer to 58 minutes but whatever it refers to there's nothing wrong with taking it literally either but whatever it refers to gussick Christ's question imply that it was doable he's not asking them to spend 40 days and 40 nights on the mountain with him he's not asking them to on their knees and make some trip up some you know Roman a Roman Church on it on the steps to bloody there he says you couldn't watch with me for one hour brethren is that somewhat indicative of us as well we can certainly put an hour into certain activities can't we we can certainly give ourselves to the wake for an hour we certainly can give ourselves to you know all sorts of media or entertainment for an hour how many of you if you had a Facebook or a Twitter or an Instagram sort of record of how much time you spent on it might just be rebuked in light of our Lord's words here it's an amazing thing that we give ourselves two hours here and hours there and hours here and hours there but if a preacher goes ten minutes over the expected hour boy were upset we can't hear anything after 12:30 one we're just upset we're looking at our watch you know kids are honest enough to look back at the clock parents kind of do you know this sort of thing Christ's question implies that they could have kept awake for an hour but Christ's question also encourages us there's nothing new Under the Sun we have been to swim in sluggish as disciples since the outset we have been sluggish as disciples since Gethsemane prior to that obviously but specifically here in our tax the question assumes the disciples ought to have been able to watch for one hour and the question underscores the disciples and our weakness when it comes to spiritual things what could you not watch with me one hour do you think we're gonna hear that when it comes to Judgment Day I don't know how it's gonna work on Judgment Day sometimes people say how's it gonna be on Judgment Day you know is it like a delicatessen where you pull the number and you just wait there and then he calls you before and then he sort of tells you everything you did or you didn't do and you get yelled at and but then Christ's blood is the the reason for your end I don't know how all that's gonna work I really don't doesn't get into that it tells us it's going to happen but it doesn't get into the logistics of how it's going to happen I wonder if we there is that rehearsal of things or do our own consciences by the power of the holiest oh holy spirit ever provoked us or or convict us in that wake you couldn't watch for an hour you you couldn't do this spiritual thing you couldn't read your Bible you know we're so busy but we have a lot of things to help us and our busyness don't we we look at certain characters in the Bible and they were men of devotion take Joshua for instance Joshua was a man of devotion he's able to say at the end of his career a very successful military career a very busy military career he says as for me and my house we will serve Yahweh Josh wouldn't lay on the couch all day Joshua wasn't updating his Instagram Joshua is out killing Canaanites Joshua was out dispossessing the land of Canaanites and yet he found time in the busyness of his day to commune with his God you see can we not watch with Christ for one hour now notice exhortation here he says watch and pray lest you enter into temptation the spirit indeed is willing but the flesh is we the exhortation is directed to the disciples and it's for the disciples notice watch and pray lest you enter into temptation you see our Lord does it say I want you to pray so that I am able to undergo what I'm going through now according to his humanity probably would have enjoyed such a prayer on their behalf but this exhortation is to the disciples and it's for the disciples he says watch and pray lest you enter into temptation Calvin says as the disciples were unmoved by their masters danger their attention is directed to themselves that a conviction of their own danger may arouse them you see that brethren he doesn't say I want you to watch and pray for me and with me but now he's exhorting them with a general principle as to their own spiritual safety their own spiritual condition watch and pray that you do not enter into Dasia now the specific exhortation here is the desertion in the denial that he has spoken to I don't think the temptation is to sleep I think the temptation is to desert Christ and to deny Christ one man has well said that Peter's denials in the courtyard followed his three naps in the garden please understand Christ isn't anti nap Mark's Gospel Matthew's Gospel what does Jesus do when the disciples are about to perish I mean that's their language he's asleep in the boat jewel of their passive-aggressive tendency Lord don't you care that we are perishing Wow just say what you mean brethren don't you care that we are perishing Christ is an anti nap kids if you're listening this morning I'm paying attention don't go home and say well Peter slapped and he got into big trouble so mom I don't think I should take my afternoon nap that's not the point of the passage the point of the passage is watch and pray lest you enter into temptation notice very specifically Jesus had warned them concerning desertion and denial and now Jesus says watch and pray lest you enter into temptation the idea here is not enter into it in the sense that we will never have temptation it's to yield to it it's to succumb to it it's akin to Matthew 6:13 pray to the Father lead me lead us not into temptation doesn't mean we're never gonna have temptation the idea is this keep me from going into it in the sense that I succumb to it that I yield to it that I participate in it we cannot live in this world brethren without some sort of temptation we cannot live in this world without some sort of difficulty we cannot live in this world in a world that is an oppositional to the living and the true God then we're gonna just skate through without any temptations whatsoever we pray for the grace of God so that we go through it in the sense that we don't succumb we don't yield we are victorious we come out the other side praising God that he sustained us and labeled us well what does Christ specify as a means by which we do that watch and pray watch and pray that's what our responsibility is now notice Christ acknowledges very specifically in a very gracious but as well at and in an adman Ettore way notice he says watch and pray lest you enter into temptation the spirit indeed is willing but the flesh is weak and I think there's a lot of things going on in this statement the spirit indeed is willing but the flesh is weak some say well he means the Holy Spirit flesh is willing but the Holy Spirit in us or the flesh is is weak but the Holy Spirit in us is willing it could mean that but I think more along the lines of Romans chapter seven Romans seven talks about believers and the sort of tension or the struggle or the turmoil or the trial they find themselves in specifically in 721 223 and Paul identifies when that tension that trial that turmoil is most heightened it's when we would to do good in other words in it in crunch time when we are seeking to honor the Lord that's when we see this this law at work in us this principle of resistance at work and us and I think this is what Christ is saying in this particular instance the spirit indeed is willing you as new man in Christ us regenerate believers us born again once the spirit indeed is willing there is a willingness there there is a resolution there there is a desire there but the flesh is weak now here this idea the flesh is weak I think goes back to Psalm 103 not not solely and alone but by way of consolation we ought to remember God knows our frames doesn't he this doesn't legitimize sin it doesn't justify sin it doesn't say well because he knows that your weaksauce go out and sin no no no that's not what it does but God does know our friends he pities us he knows that we are but dust Psalm 103 I think that Christ's words can be taken in that light because of what happens at the end of the narrative year when he hears most likely those soldiers coming into the garden seeing perhaps the torches led by Judas what does Jesus say he says rise up let us be going is that beautiful he doesn't say you dirty rotten scoundrels fell asleep on me three times that's it no more for you you're not going to accompany me you're not going to be present with me you're not going to participate with me he knows their weakness he knows their Frank he knows their but does he reproves them he rebukes them he warns them he admonishes them and yet he continues to involve them in his life you want grace grace is verse 46 let us be going he doesn't discount them he doesn't cast them off he doesn't say no more I've had it with you again put yourself into the life of the Savior someone falls asleep three times on you when they're supposed to be watching and praying do you keep exercising forgiveness to them do you keep saying to them oh yeah I still want you at my side I mean three times they've proven they're not faithful at your side you might be akin to say well you know I love you and things are great but you know I want you to stay here you've proven no help and Gethsemane where there's been no threat certainly don't know how you're gonna be in Gethsemane when there is a threat but that's not how Christ operates so I think there is that behind-the-scenes consolation of Psalm 103 he knows our frame he pities us he knows that we're but does but this isn't taken as an excuse this word of consolation cannot be abused by the people of God don't say well he knows my frame therefore I'm gonna go out sin no it's the basis for the warning you see that the Spirit is indeed willing but the flesh is weak so don't say well you know that's just the price of doing the price of tea in China that's just the way we function we know that the flash is willing that's the basis upon which he makes the admonition watch and pray o its brethren you know your flesh is weak you know you have remaining corruption don't say well God knows my frame he pities me knows that I'm but dust and everything is ok or don't go to Paul and Romans 7 I said well Paul said the good that he willed to do he didn't do and the evil that he didn't want to do he found himself doing so Paul was that way well then certainly I'm gonna be that way no watch and pray that's the admonition of the Savior the consolation of God is a blessed wonderful gift but it's never an argument or a justification for us to remain weak were supposed to pursue maturity were supposed to grow were supposed to wake up were supposed to watch with Christ for an hour we're supposed to be faithful in the duties that God gives to us and the way by which we pursue that is by watchfulness and prayer you see you may right now be saying man I'm a weak believer and you are we all are every single one you know the pathway to strength well I've got to get books on spiritual warfare I've got to attend a conference on donning the whole armour of God I'm not suggesting those are necessarily bad things you need to watch and pray that's not as romantic is it it's not as sensational is it is it I mean everybody can see that you go to this conference everybody knows what you're doing in terms of the outward manifestation of your Christian walk that watchfulness and prayer though speaks to the private place not just the closet but you went when you're out of town it speaks to when you are outside of your normal environment watchfulness and prayer is the means by which you enter not into temptation again the means God is the one who keeps us out of trial and temptation God is the one who grants deliverance so that we do not go headlong into sin but the means that God uses is watchfulness in prayer it's no secret it's not magic wow that guy's so holy I wonder what he's doing he's watching and praying he's faithful to watch and pray did this let's just get right down to it is this you is this me can we define our Christian lives as a life of watchfulness and prayer can we define our Christian lives as lives where ours with Christ matter more than ours on Facebook but again I'm not saying go get rid of your Facebook account it's just the low-hanging fruit what matters to us there in the presence of the Savior who's at the very epitome all moaning to the epitome of his distress and in sorrow and his distress and they're sleeping there they can't keep their eyes open so there's consolation in this statement there is theological sort of doctrine spirit indeed is willing flesh is weak Romans 7 consolation Psalm 103 but the specific reason it is stated there as Ryle said he used that very weakness as an argument for watchfulness in prayer other words when you know that you're weak what should be your recourse watchfulness in prayer now I I've been here for 20 years and I've been talking to people for twenty years and even beyond that and it's here brethren that the Christian life is fought in one it's here and it's here the public worship of God corporate nation as I was musing on and meditating upon this chapter her passage you know I've expressed many times my desire not to nag people in our church I am NOT your mother I don't want to be your mother I'd be a terrible mother I don't want to nag people to come to church but I have as a pastor observed the people that typically use the means or people that typically grow just like as a gym member I have regularly and routinely observed that people who pick up heavy things and put them down repeatedly and eat properly are fit and healthy I mean I'm not a science but I figured that out pick up heavy things put them back down and do it again about ten times for three sets and then eat some protein and guess what you'd be in decent shape so when I take that sort of metric and I look at the church and I say wow these people seem to be growing what's their secret well they show up at church they watch and pray they do what they're supposed to do there's no secret you want to grow in the Grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ I have a lot of books you could read a lot of help or encouragement to give but brethren the battle is fought and won here watch and pray pray corporately try that show up on a Wednesday night show up on a Sunday morning I'm now into mother mode and I'm going to nag you show up and pray with the people of God maybe we don't get the victory in our Christian lives is because we're putting nothing into our Christian lives I mean don't think I'm speaking out of line we just read mark 8 and our Lord says if you're not taking up your cross daily and following after me you're not worthy of me I'm saying be here for corporate worship morning and evening spend the hour on the day that God has set apart in particular for his worship with his people in his presence watch and pray you say well okay on Sunday but by the time I get to Tuesday everything's really hard watch and pray fill your mind and heart with Scripture say well you don't know I need about ten hours of sleep every night now you don't you need to get out of bed and read your Bible I know that that's countercultural and I know that's somewhat offensive to our flesh because we like to pamper the flash and stay in bed and cuddle and be cozy who doesn't like that but brethren we need to watch and pray Peters three denials in the courtyard followed Peters naps in the garden there's no accident there had Peter watched and prayed had Peter sought by the grace of God not to enter into temptation had Peter back down his zeal a bit in the previous section and not put him so forth as the super disciple nice speak as a man I understand the decree I understand that all things happen according to the town Planning Council of God but again as a human as a man had Peter used those means guess what maybe he wouldn't have denied his Lord in that courtyard maybe we wouldn't click on that porn site if we watched and pray maybe we wouldn't be disobedient wretches to our parents if we watched and prayed maybe we wouldn't be liars and cheats and covetous if we watched and prayed maybe we wouldn't be the mess that we oftentimes are if we watched and prayed you see this my dear brothers and sisters is where the battle is more often than not fought and one how does Joseph run from Potiphar's wife as he watched and prayed how does David commit adultery and murder because he didn't watch and pray how do the men of God in the history of the Church of God scan fast because they watched and pray how did John Knox have it said of him at his death by a man that he feared nor flattered any man it's cuz he watched and prayed this is it you've got the secret now go live happily joyfully and prosperously you see brethren we're always itching for the secret we want the conference we want the bestseller we want all those things that are going to to fill us with this impetus to do what we're supposed to do but we don't listen to Jesus words in the garden where he says watch and pray lest you enter into temptation notice the second prayer of the Savior in the garden we'll move through prayer 2 and 3 quickly because it's basically the same notice in verse 42 again a second time he went away and prayed saying O my father if this cup cannot pass away from me unless I drink it your will be done the request for the removal of the cup is absent in this particular petition the lack here indicates obviously Jesus knows the answer the requests for the will of the father to be done is repeated the resolve the resignation the submission and obedience of the Son of God is displayed for us clearly in this second prayer the sluggishness of the disciples in verse 43 he came and found them asleep again for their eyes were heavy for their eyes were heavy Luke tells us because they were sorrowful I wondered perhaps if we are being shown something of that weakness of the flesh again not just at its sinfulness but in its creatureliness there is a reality brethren where sorrow does paralyze us to the point where we want to sleep what happens when you're depressed are you out running marathons typically now when you're depressed you shut the blinds you lay in bed you pull the covers over your head you want to stay there isn't that it oh no not me brother never been depressed always up and running marathons good some of us actually have that sorrow and difficulty in trial and heartache and we want to just get back into bed cover up with blankies because blankies are nice they don't yell at us they don't complain they don't be do mean things to us right see there's not only the sinfulness of our flesh but there is the creatureliness of our flesh and perhaps that's what Luke is speaking to when he tells us they slept because they were sorrowful perhaps that what that's what Matthew is speaking to when he says for their eyes were heavy it is a reality this had been a long day they had celebrated the Passover the disciples were the ones that got everything ready you know what getting things ready meant for Passover it didn't mean filling up little cups and and putting little pieces of bread in a pot and a platter that's work I acknowledge that these guys had to kill animals they had to prepare meat they had to secure a place for this to happen so it's late at night these guys are tired so brethren learn from this we not only have our sinful difficulties we have our creaturely limitations we have the sorrow that depression brings to us and makes us want to sleep we have the heaviness of our eyelids because we're creatures now God's not at war with our creatureliness that's not a bad thing he doesn't say how dare thou want to sleep no but it's another reality that we need to factor in we need to understand brethren that not only do we have remaining corruption we've got these bodies that are weak we've got these bodies that do hurt we've got these bodies that do ache we've got these bodies that grow old we've got these bodies that when you hit a certain age you can't see you as well when you hit a certain age you can't eat as much when you hit a certain age things just start falling apart those are things we need to take into consideration and as a result watch and pray our creatureliness argues that we ought to be watchful and prayerful the fact that we are tired yet to bed earlier get up later if you can successfully navigate the whole way so that you can get everything done there's not a one-size-fits-all approach to Christianity pen and pocket read this amount of I will do that no no no no sometimes your eyelids are heavy and the sleep hits you but this is what we see here the spirit was still willing in these men but the flesh was still we sluggishness of the disciples is a persistent problem and the failure to take seriously the exhortation to watch and pray he came and found them asleep again for their eyes were heavy think about the context think about where we're at think about the exceeding sorrow and distress of the Savior and the fact that he just got braided that and he just said what what you couldn't watch with me for one hour he says to them watching lest you enter into temptation what do they do they go to sleep as a general rule brethren if the Son of God tells you to watch and pray prior eyelids open and watch and pray don't do that don't go back to sleep do you see that the progression Jesus says watch and pray and then go back to sleep but but it happens a third time so anybody ever said to you wow that God that you serve is just not a very gracious merciful or patient God look at how he deals with us here's the Spirit is willing the flesh is weak in terms of its consolation that 103 context verse 44 he left them went away again prayed the third time saying the same words then he came to his disciples and said to them are you still sleeping and resting see our example in the passage isn't we're gonna drink the cup of God's wrath but we're most likely gonna fall asleep in crunch time so what's the antidote what's the answer watch and pray these disciples didn't they were told by Christ the specific remedy so as not to engage in this particular con conduct the fact that our Lord Jesus Christ prays three times the fact that after the second time Luke tells us that being in agony he prayed more earnestly than his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground which highlights the sorrow distressed the stress of the situation that is going on with reference to our Savior the fact that all of this is going on with our Lord he still prays three times and these disciples asleep right after each occasion right after the warnings not to again I find this to be encouraging not in some sick weird sense but encouraging in the fact that you know what there is nothing new Under the Sun let's just quickly move on before we look at verses 45 and 46 a bit of a question with verse 45 are you still sleeping and resting the original there's no question mark there we don't know if it was a question the way the New King James renders it and there are about three ways to take this the Lord as I think is represented here in the New King James are you still sleeping and resting it's an exasperated question and I think we can get that right you're you know you come up on the same situation again or are you still are you doing it again some suggest that he's giving them instruction go ahead and get some rest with a view to we're gonna have a tough few days coming up I don't think context bears that out or it's an ironic comment like oh go ahead and sleep go ahead and rest all of which is without sin on the part of perfect humanity but tend to opt with that first it's an exasperated question it's a are you still sleeping and resting is this really how you're going to respond in light of the fact that I have twice told you to watch and pray that I have twice exhorted you on how to remedy the situation are you still going to continue down this particular path I think that's probably where it's at let's look move finally to the Savior's announcement of the arrival of the hour notice in verse 45 be behold the hour is at hand now the hour is the hour of his death for sinners you see it spoken of often in John's gospel say John 5:25 twelve 2317 one the hour is consistent with what we've already seen in terms of the cup the cup is the wrath of God the fury of God divine vengeance from God upon sinners again Christ isn't a sinner but by virtue of imputation all of our sins are heaped upon the Savior and he is going to drink the cup of God's wrath well Christ says that hour is come the hour has drawn near the hour is upon us what he came to do is upon him now the statement indicates that the Lord knows exactly what is taking place Matthew doesn't ever let us forget that Jesus is in control he goes willingly he goes submissively he goes as a man to be sure praying if it's possible let this cup pass from me but nevertheless not as I will but as you he resigns himself resolves himself to do holy what the father has said well that hour is upon him the statement indicates that what he prayed is being applied as his evident in his submission of the Father's will John Owen said if we pray as we ought when we get up we ought to live as we prayed look at the connection if we've prayed as we ought we ought to live as we pray you see that's vital we pray the Lord's Prayer and then we get up and we don't wander aimlessly into temptation how many times have we prayed the Lord's Prayer lead me not into temptation and then in you know ten minutes later were in a place of utter temptation but God still can deliver us and God is still merciful and still kind but I think the logic of Jesus instruction concerning prayer is use your melon as well if you've got a problem at this particular place don't wander over there if we've prayed as we ought we ought to live as we pray and Christ does that nevertheless not my will but your will so what does he do now he says the hour has come he doesn't say rise let us run rise let us go the other way rise let us escape Judas and this angry mob know he goes to meet them he goes to his arrest errs he goes to his persecutors he goes to those who have betrayed him the previous announcements of the betrayal in chapters 17 20 26 several times is here coming to fruition behold the hours at hand the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of the sinner hands of sinners now hands of sinners is probably both Jew and Gentile who are involved in this godless act but again notice the that resolved for bringing this to a conclusion let's just follow verse 40 Rhys let us be going see my betrayer is at hand the terror of the cup did not dissuade the Savior from pressing on and it was terror wasn't it it was horrific for the Savior for the Son of God to pray according to his humanity if it is possible let this cup pass from me it's got to be a pretty bad cup doesn't it Christ knows the Old Testament Scriptures would speak of the cup of God's wrath I studied the Old Testament Scriptures he would have learned about the contents of that cop in his study saith Psalm 11 in his study saith Psalm 75 in his study saying of the prophecies of Isaiah Jeremiah and he's Ezekiel who all mentioned or indicate the cup of God's wrath in his fury but it didn't keep him from pressing on as well the resolve of the Savior is seen in his command to the disciples let us be going calvin says by these words he declared that after having prayed he was furnished with new arms calvin sees this in light of Hebrews 5 7 to 8 which teaches us that Christ learned obedience through suffering the Calvin says that through this prayer he is furnished with new arms to say rise let us be going Gill along the same line says not to run away from the enemy but to meet him this was said partly to arouse his to see a sleepy disciples and partly to show his love to his father and his submission to his will as also to express the fortitude of his mind as man this is a statement of victory and not in the charismatic weird Pentecostal sense let's say the statement of resolve a resolution rise let us be going see my betrayer is at hand you see his resignation to do the will of the Father knowing good and well what the cup holds knowing what the hour means he says let us be going and then as I said earlier we're gonna develop this for just a moment let us be going let us be going the grace of Christ is seen in his invitation to the disciples one commentator makes this observation this is beautiful this is absolutely glorious we studied first Kings chapter 20 on Wednesday night do you not much grace is in first Kings chapter 20 you know how when people say oh the Old Testament is full of wrath and fury and benjin's and judgment you know what God does in first Kings chapter 20 he gives Ahab two victories over the Syrians hey what's that mean in terms of God's grace if ever there was a man that should have sang Amazing Grace how sweet the sound that night saved but at least delivered a wretch like me I once was very lost but now I'm found again not redemptive Lee was blind but now I see he gave victory to Ahab for those of you who haven't been there on Wednesday night a hub was the man who took over the northern kingdom married a woman by the name of Jezebel went first and worship their gods with her and then built a temple and an altar to her gods right there in Israel what should God have done what they had obliterated him destroyed him removed him from the face of the earth now ultimately there was a prophecy at the end of chapter 20 concerning the demise of Ahab but the fact is is that God showed Amazing Grace to a abbe in that not once but twice Israel beat Assyria on the battlefield and they shouldn't have they shouldn't have in terms of military power strength savvy and ability they shouldn't have won but they won because of God this is another instance of that grace right let us be going Brunner says Jesus does not give up on his disciples that is the most personal lesson of this verse let's go in that simple plural there is Grace Gethsemane fully exposed exposes human weakness but it ends with the long-suffering of the Lord who still has time for disappointing disciples he still has time for disappointing disciples you see why I suggest there's encouragement there because we are disappointing disciples we are weak our eyes are heavy we sleep when we should be watching and pray we sin when we should be watching and pray but there is forgiveness with thee that thou mayst be feared if we confess our sins he's faithful and just to forgive us of our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness there is a fountain open for sin and uncleanness you see how much grace is poured out by God upon disappointing disciples notice not disappointed disciples we are disappointing disciples we are not what we ought to be these men were not what they ought to have been he says rise let us be going see my betrayer is at hand so he doesn't give up on them in crunch time they slept three times in crunch time he intercedes in crunch time he is resolved in crunch time he presses forward but let us not leave the narrative without making this final observation he knows he must go it alone he knows that the way to the suffering of the cross is solitary he says let us be going my betrayer is at hand the betrayal is of Christ the arrest is of Christ the death is of Christ he must tread the winepress of God's wrath alone he is indeed that figure of Isaiah 63 he must tread that winepress alone the disciples will be there for a time they'll forsake him in the very next scene Peter will deny him in the courtyard but he doesn't say well you know they've all given up so now shall I know he's resolved he's resolute according to his humanity he has submit himself to the Father's will and he will not shrink back this is the prophet Isaiah when it says that he set his face like a flint to go to Jerusalem or or the language of Luke 9 reflecting what we have in the servant song of Isaiah so he shows grace shows mercy includes them even after they have slept on him and he nevertheless recognizes that it's his time of the trial betrayal it's his arrest and it's his death well brethren in conclusion I think we learned a couple of things in the first place we ought to appreciate the tendency toward pride in theory the tendency toward pride and theory now by that I do not mean that theoretically it's possible for us to be proud I don't mean that it's absolutely certain that we're proud but to be proud in theory in terms of what we see in the previous section everybody else stumbles I will not I will die with you and our minds and our heads and our vocalization we are proud we vote of verbal eyes things that we can't deliver on or we have no you know purpose on delivering on the tendency towards sin rather in practice theory practice what we think we are or what we think we are and what we really are you've all seen those memes the way you know this person sees you this way and this way and then they see you this way and this is the way the truth everybody see that and I'm not the only one who's ever seen a meme right you know the way society sees your the way your kids see the way the way we see ourselves it's easy to pick on Peter but brethren I think we're Peter all those other wretches in our church may disappoint you Lord but not me they may be disappointing a put disciples but not me I'm willing to die for you lord that's way the way we see us the way God sees us is quite differently nevertheless he's gracious and merciful and kind the tendency to downplay the weakness of the flesh as a reality as well this meant one hour of prayer for us it often means times of prayer in private times of public worship we downplay the weakness of the flesh we think that we are something when we are not as well we ought to reflect on this exhortation to watch and pray it's a recurring theme in the New Testament just a couple of passages to sort of you know bring this home I'll just read a few off and read a few Romans 13 verses 11 to 14 you can turn there just get this watch and pray sort of motif in your minds and hearts because it's most important Romans 13 beginning in verse 11 and do this knowing the time that now is now it is high time to wake out of sleep for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed the night is far spent the day is at hand therefore let us cast off the works of darkness and let us put on the armor of light let us walk properly as in the day not in revelry and drunkenness not in lewdness and loss not in strife and envy but put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh to fulfill its lusts you see that's watch and pray notice in 1st Corinthians 16:13 I will quote the King James Version because I think it renders it beautifully first King 16 first Corinthians 16:13 watch ye stand fast in the faith quit you like men be strong what's Paul saying act like men that's not very common today is it that's very harsh Paul to tell women they should act like men they should act like men when it comes to spiritual things men are typically known for more strength that's just proven you know I'm gonna get big trouble here I'm gonna be called to the gender police and everything that's you know bad and unholy in our day I'm gonna say it Peter says women are the weaker vessel this Peter said that I you know you can throw things at me but Peter said it what's Paul saying with this quit you like men act like men he's writing to men and women in the Church of Jesus Christ there are men sisters that don't act like men so just so you know we're not to act like babies we're not to act like toddlers we're not to act like girls were to act like men spiritually that doesn't mean of course women act like men and we're you know whatever it is that men wear do whatever it is that men do you get the point it's in a spiritual context watch pray quit you like men quit whining and sniveling and belly aching and crying get up men up and do it you're supposed to do you are responsible under God for your growth and grace certainly it may be contributed to by a bad Church bad preaching bad elders all that may be contributing but you're ultimately responsible you have to embrace that and you have to run with that and you have to act upon that that's the admonition of the apostle several others in the New Testament you have Ephesians 6 verse 18 same sort of a thing watch and pray you see these apostles remembered our Lord's words and incorporated them in their instructions to the churches Ephesians 6:18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the spirit being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints you see it in 1st Thessalonians 5 6 to 11 and then interestingly enough look at 1st Peter chapter 5 1st Peter chapter 5 guess who finally learned the lesson 1st Peter chapter 5 verse 8 be sober be vigilant because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour resist him steadfast in the faith knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your Brotherhood in the world but may the God of all Grace who called us to his eternal glory by Christ Jesus after you have suffered awhile perfect establish strengthen and settle you to him be glory or the glory and Dominion for ever and ever amen and then in 2nd Peter 3:17 you therefore beloved since you know this beforehand beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness being led away with the error of the wicked but grow in the Grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to him be glory both now and forever amen you see this is a recurring emphasis upon the people of God in the New Testament Scriptures a failure to apply ultimately results in spiritual lapse spiritual Falls spiritual life less nests spiritual apathy spiritual lethargy see the antidote to your problems spiritually our watch and pray apply the means that God has given for the good of his people as they walk in this lower world our struggles in the Christian life are also directly connected to a failure to watch and praying what are you doing about it it's an amazing thing when we struggle physically we take the means necessary to deal with the situation I'm really struggling with hunger what do I do I walk to the refrigerator and I take an apple Wow and I eat it how many of us when we're struggling spiritually take the Apple out and eat it we're an odd duck people aren't we we have bought the lie that the way to spiritual vitality and health is through this DVD set it's through this particular conference it's through this mantra it could never just be through watchfulness and prayer could it couldn't be that simple we have to complicate everything someone well said concerning the federal government if you put the federal government in charge of the Sahara Desert there would be no more sand there in five years I think that's an accurate description the church has somehow imbibed that or the Christian mind has imbibed that and complicates everything well I've got a zit just watch and pray show up at church put yourself under the means eat the Apple drink the water pick the heavy stuff up and put it down and guess what you will be healthy not healthy as you ought to be healthier than when you just sat and vegetated we'll use the means when it comes to the physical but man when it comes to the spiritual it's like pulling teeth to get the people of God to do what they're supposed to do listen to Ryle with reference to the constant necessity in the Christian life with reference to watching and praying he said if we know anything of true religion let us never forget this lesson if we desire to walk with God comfortably and not fall like David or Peter let us never forget to watch and pray let us live like men on enemy's ground we need that don't we let us live like men on enemy's ground and be always on our guard we cannot walk too carefully we cannot be too jealous over our souls the world is very ensnaring the devil is very busy let our Lord's words ring in our ears daily like a trumpet our spirits may sometimes be very willing but our flesh is always very weak then let us always watch and always pray there's your example from this passage there's the morality there's the practical application there's what you need to go do this afternoon probably tonight certainly tomorrow morning and for the rest of your life watch and pray don't let the devil win don't let the flesh win don't let any enemies win fight strong man wait quit you like men don't lay down and take it don't be passive don't be little girls when it comes to spiritual things little girls are great in life but when you're a Christian man and you're acting like a little girl spiritually speaking you've got to stop Society May coddle you your mother may still coddle you all the world may coddle you listen to the master who calls you to watch and pray that's your marching orders that's what you're supposed to do that ultimately is the pathway to happiness and a comfortable walking with God as Ryle suggests in our passage there's the how-to with reference to Gethsemane the what ultimately we ought to observe with reference to Gethsemane is our Lord and His true humanity our Lord in his sorrow in his agony in his distress and nevertheless doing the will of his father the obedience of Christ the submission to the Father that the law keeping to very end all of that our Savior did why to save us from our sins his life was from from cradle to grave a life of humiliation a life of suffering he was called by the prophet Isaiah a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief that sorrow comes to a point here in Gethsemane when we see into the savior soul and he tells us it's exceedingly sorrowful he went through that on our behalf this is where we praise and we wonder and we stand and we worship and we love and we adore so learn the lesson in terms of discipleship watch and pray but learn the lesson in terms of worship and behold your God and Gethsemane well let us pray our Father we thank you for your graciousness to us we thank you for the fact that you know us better than we know ourselves and that you always speak words of health and healing and comfort and strengthening to us give us ears to hear and hearts to receive these things and God just when we think it shouldn't be so simple it really is we need to watch and we need to pray we need to read our Bible so we need to worship God and our families we need to worship God and our churches we need to make much of the means that you've provided for our well-being may it not be the case that we would be upbraided or indicted or reproved because we couldn't watch for one hour grant us strength and the power of the holy spirit and even as I pray these things God I'm mindful of the fact probably gonna go fail this afternoon thank you that there is forgiveness with you thank you for the gospel of our salvation thank you that we're not saved because we watch and pray we're saved because Jesus watched and prayed we're saved because Jesus resolved himself to do what the father gave him to do thank you for this and thank you for our so great a salvation go with us now bring us together tonight again that we may worship you that we may observe the supper and in so doing give glory to our great God and we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord amen we'll close with a brief time of meditation and then be dismissed you