HOW DO YOU MOVE FORWARD AFTER A TRAGEDY?
THE THIRD PRAYER
Matthew 26:43
In this day and age, violence is all around us. What makes the five-clock news first is
the report of death and destruction. We are living with escalating gun violence through
out our nation. For the last several months, there has been a series of violent storms moving
from the west coast to the east coast of the United States causing deaths and destruction.
Anyone can easily buy a gun and target schools, churches, shopping centers, grocery stores, and cars driving down the street.
We are not safe anywhere we go. Any time there is a tragedy we all suffer. You have either
been involved in an unexpected death or know someone involved. It is an unending grieving
process.
How do we move forward knowing that tragedy can happen at any moment?
You can close your mind and act like it not happening. You can close up in your home
and order everything and have it delivered. You can live in fear every day. You can get ahead
of everything and be part of the violence. You can arm yourself and be ready to kill if
attacked. You can pack your bags and move to a place where there is no violence,
No matter what you do, you cannot protect yourself. The 100-year event always happens.
The third prayer of Jesus the day He was betrayed by Judas gives us some insight.
In the garden of Gethsemane Jesus prayed three times
Matthew 26:36-51
36 Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, \”Sit here while I go over there and pray.\” 37 He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38 Then he said to them, \”My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.\”
39 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.\”
40 Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. \”Could you men not keep watch with me for one hour?\” he asked Peter. 41 \”Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.\”
42 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.\”
43 When he came back, he again found them sleeping because their eyes were heavy. 44 So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing.
45 Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, \”Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour is near, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46 Rise, let us go! Here comes my betrayer!\”
47 While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived. With him was a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and the elders of the people. 48 Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: \”The one I kiss is the man; arrest him.\” 49 Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, \”Greetings, Rabbi!\” and kissed him.
50 Jesus replied, \”Friend, do what you came for.\”
Then the men stepped forward, seized Jesus, and arrested him. 51
Jesus our Lord and Savior was preparing His disciples for a tragic event.
He who knew no sin would suffer a violent horrific death reserved for the worst criminals.
His disciples who loved Jesus and had walked with Him for 3 ½ years would be eyewitnesses.
His mother who He was born to and who raised and loved Him would see her oldest son die
at the hand of his own people. Those who loved Him would hear a mob yell the heart
-tearing words, crucify Him.
How do you move on from this kind of tragedy? How do you recover mentally from something
more tragedy than you could have imagined?
In this text, Jesus gives us directions for getting prepared and staying prepared in prayer.
The first thing I noticed is
prayer want stop tragedy from happening, it will get you prepared for tragedy when it happens.
Jesus was in prayer with the Father. If it is possible, let this cup pass from me. But
not my will but your will be done?
The second thing I noticed, is Jesus is in control of all the events in your life. He planned
every step of His death. You will find the prophecies of His death throughout the
Old Testament. From his birth to Mary, his growth as a carpenter’s son, His betrayer,
the people who hated him with the desire to kill him, and The cross to the borrowed tomb,
all written before the event.
The Lord teaches us how to pray and who to direct our prayers.
The third thing I notice is humble yourself before the Father. Jesus fell on His
Face before the Father. He was God, but as the Son on earth, Jesus reverences the Father.
You cannot go to the Father like you deserved to be heard.
It is a privilege to go to the Father in prayer. It is a blessing to be of the frame of mind
to pray to the Father.
The fourth thing I noticed, is there is an action in prayer.
It was after the third prayer that Jesus gathered His disciples to go meet the enemy, face
to face.
You got to know who you are dealing with. The enemy is not your neighbor. The enemy
is not the person with the gun planning to kill. The real enemy is Satan. Everybody and every
thing against you is an agent of Satan.
You remember Job. Read the book. Satan showed up at the meeting with God and His angels.
Satan told God, if you take your hedge of protection from Job so I can hurt him, he will
curse you. Everything that God allows to happen to you is designed to strengthen you
so that when tragedy strikes you will trust Him.
Jesus Prayed three times; Watch and pray was the command to the disciples
Watch:
The presence of the enemy
Temptations
Sinners
Deception of men
Your unbelief
For the second coming of the Lord
Pray: Unbelievers
Sinners
Christians who have fallen away
Health of others
Those who need prayer
Protection
Unbelief
Jesus prayed the same prayer three times.
Jesus Found the disciples sleeping.
They were with Lord but sleep. Not useful watching
Not useful praying
Not useful in exercising their faith
Not useful communicating with God
You may find the agent of the enemy in your own camp
The real enemy, Satan didn’t show up. The mob he influenced showed up.
Jesus didn\’t berate Judas. He chose His words carefully. Friend do
what you came to do. The word friend in this text in Greek is a companion.
Judas was not a friend but an agent of the enemy.
The third prayer was a Time to act. You can pray all day but there is a time to put faith in action
Time to put on the full armor of God
Peter, James, and John went to sleep. They were not in the prayer. They were not on
the watch. When Jesus said;
Look, the hour is near, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46 Rise, let us go! Here comes my betrayer!\”
The disciples were not ready even though Jesus had prayed with them and for them.
The world is a battlefield for Christians. When you go to the field you have to go with
the right Attitude. The attitude of humbleness. The Attitude of Love. The attitude of tolerance
The attitude of Hope, The attitude of confidence. A mind stayed on Jesus.
They didn’t have the Helmet of Salvation
If they had it on, they would have known that this was just a practice run. The battle was already won.
The Good News was about to be revealed.
They came out without the Breast Plate of Rightness. Peter drew His sword and cut off the servant
of the High Priest\’s ear. If he had the Breast Plate of righteousness on he would have known
you don’t harm an innocent man. You don’t act out of impulse.
Peter didn’t have the belt of truth. He would have known that battle was not his. It was the Lord’s
He didn’t have the Sword of the Spirit. Peter was operating out of the flesh and not the
guidance of the Spirit. Peter put his pride first. I going to defend Jesus. How are you going to
defend Jesus?
Peter carried the sword of man. Not the Sword of the Spirit. The spirit is kindness and compassion
Peter didn’t have the Shield of Faith. He had been with Jesus for 3 ½ years. He didn’t trust Jesus
the handle the situation.
Peter’s feet were not standing on the promises of the Gospel. He had an excellent audience to
proclaim Jesus as Lord of salvation. He acted like the world. It was criminal behavior. Peter acted out of fear.
God has not given us the spirit of fear. But power, love, and a sound mind.
A man or woman who acts according to the desires of the flesh is capable of doing anything.
In Matthew 28:19, Jesus commanded us to go tell the world about Him. Jesus sent us into
enemy territory.
Matthew 10:16
I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.
You need the full armor to deal with wolves. The enemy may come in sheep\’s clothing. Many that
God has called are dressed as wolves. You need God’s Word of truth to deal with a wolf.
It is the Word that will change a wolf into a sheep.
You need to keep praying so you will know the direction to go.
Jesus told His disciples all they needed to know about His death and resurrection. They
were not listening. They didn’t want to hear death, they wanted life on earth.
Sometimes to get your attention, God has to put you in a situation where He can emphasize
your weaknesses. Have you ever been in a situation where you said, I wish I had listened?
When Jesus was arrested, his disciples did not recall the previous conversation about His
death and resurrection. It was not part of their agenda for Jesus to die, but to displace the Roman
government.
Matthew 16:21-23
21 From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests, and teachers of the law and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.
22 Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. \”Never, Lord!\” he said. \”This shall never happen to you!\”
The Words of Jesus didn’t go in Peter’s ear, it bounced off.
Sometimes what the Lord tells us will happen, is unpleasant, so we ignore his words and
block them from our thought process.
Peter was self-assured and dependent on his strength. He saw Jesus from his viewpoint.
Peter saw what he wanted Jesus to be. If Peter had heard the prayer, he would have
seen Jesus\’ arrest as part of God\’s plan.
Sometimes God has to let us go through something to get us ready for the next
stage of our development.
Luke 22:31-33
31 \”Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. 32 But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.\”
Peter didn\’t take Jesus\’ prediction seriously.
Look at the verse. See what you can get out of it. This is what I see:
Peter, you will be my lead preacher. You will strengthen the brothers
You will fall but you will recover. I have prayed for you.
Notice Satan couldn’t sift Peter unless Jesus allowed it.
It was the sifting of Peter that got his attention.
He denied Jesus three times during His trial. When Peter heard the roster crow, he
woke up out of his pride. He realized he wasn’t all that. He remembered the Words
of the Lord and saw his failure and sin.
He failed, but Jesus would allow him to recover.
All the disciples deserted Jesus as He said. It was for the reason of bringing God Glory.
Peter didn’t know he would preach a sermon and 3 thousand would be saved. He didn\’t
know that he would preach another sermon and 2000 would be saved
James didn’t know he would be the first apostle to be murdered and would set the
the stage for the Church to be scattered throughout the world.
John didn’t know that he would be the last Apostle to die. He would be given
the revelation of the destruction of heaven and earth and the judgment of all mankind,
some to heaven and most to hell.
You have no idea what’s getting ready to happen in your life. God has a plan for you
that He has not revealed.
Let Me Summarize How To Deal With Tragedy
1. GET PREPARED AND STAY PREPARED IN
PRAYER
2. JESUS IS IN CONTROL
3. HUMBLE YOURSELF BEFORE THE LORD
4. PRAYER IS A CALL TO ACTION
With all the violence and deaths that happen to us and around us, God is getting us ready
for the next stage of our mission for Him.
God has some great things planned for your life. Just hold on and trust Him.
CLASS EXERCISE
CAN ANYONE TELL ME OF A TRAGEDY IN YOUR
LIFE THAT CHANGED YOUR DIRECTION?
