Matthew 26:39, 42-44 (NKJV) Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”…He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.” When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing.
When we talk about the prayer of consecration, we mean “praying about the will of God for your life” because we do not know what it is. It can be a struggle for many Christians because it deals with the Lordship of Christ in our lives.
Jesus was 100% man and 100% God. His soul was overwhelmed with sorrow because of what He had to go through. Yet, Jesus was submissive to God by praying to the Father regarding His will. He was following God’s will, which involved paying a price. It can be challenging for our flesh to live out a consecrated life because we need to bring our flesh into submission to the Spirit. Nonetheless, we need to choose to be yoked with God and allow Him to be the stronger partner in the calling of our lives.
Jesus was not praying to receive anything, but praying about becoming the sin sacrifice for the world. He was praying to the Father to see if there was any alternative. Because He didn’t know, He was praying “if it was possible”. This is the only recorded prayer of Jesus which mentions: “if it is your will”. In v44, Jesus prayed a third time, saying the same words.
In the Garden of Gethsemane, we see that Jesus’ life was the culmination of a life of consecration. Jesus lived it every day and every step of His ministry. He was submitting to the will of the Father no matter how challenging and agonising it was. It means dying to our flesh to not do what we want but God’s plan for us. Jesus submitted to the will of the Father when He knew what the Father’s will for Him was.
John 6:38 (NKJV) For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of Him who sent me.
Submitting to God even when we don’t want to is a form of protection. Living a consecrated life is a choice. When we learn to walk in His will by surrendering ourselves to Him, we find ourselves living a life with joy, satisfaction of the soul and contentment of the spirit.
Sermon Series ： Consecration
我们生命的保障
马太福音26:39, 42-44 他就稍往前走，俯伏在地，祷告说：“我父啊，如果可能，求你使这杯离开我。然而，不是照我所愿的，而是照你所愿的。”…他第二次又去祷告说：“我父啊，这杯若不能离开我，必须我喝，就愿你的旨意成全。” 他又来，见他们睡着了，因为他们的眼睛困倦。耶稣又离开他们，第三次去祷告，说的话跟先前一样。
当我们提到分别为圣的祷告时，我们指的是“为上帝对你生命的旨意祷告”，因为我们不知道它是什么。对许多基督徒来说，这可能是一番挣扎，因为它关乎基督在我们生命中的主权。
耶稣是完全的人，也是完全的神。祂的魂因他必须经历的一切而悲伤得难以自持。然而，耶稣顺服上帝，以祷告向天父寻求祂的旨意。祂遵循了上帝的旨意，而这是要付出代价的。活出成圣的生命对于我们的肉体来说会是一个挑战，因为我们需要驱使我们的肉体顺服于圣灵。 无论如何，我们都要选择与神同负一轭，并让祂成为我们生命呼召中那位更强大的伙伴。
耶稣祷告不是为了得着什么，而是为了成为世人的赎罪祭。他在向天父祈祷，看看是否有其它可替代的选择。因为他不知道，所以他的祷告是 “如果可能”。这是有记载的耶稣的祷告中唯一一处提到“若这是你的旨意”的祷文。在44节中，耶稣第三次祷告，说了同样的话。
在客西马尼园中，我们看到耶稣的一生是成圣生命的巅峰。在他度过的每一天和他事奉的每一步，耶稣都活出了这般的生命。他顺服天父的旨意，无论这是多么艰难和痛苦。 这意味着向着自己的肉体死，不做自己想做的，而是遵行神为我们制定的计划。当耶稣知道天父对他的旨意是什么时，他就顺服了。
约翰福音6:38 因为我从天上降下来，不是要按自己的意愿行，而是要遵行差我来那位的旨意。
顺服天父的旨意，即使我们并不甘愿，这是一种保护。过成圣的生活是一个选择。当我们通过向祂降服来学习遵行祂的旨意时，我们会发现自己过着一种心喜乐、魂满意，灵满足的生活。
讲章系列： 分别为圣
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