Weak Flesh June 23, 2024 - Killen Global Methodist Church

4 min read

Matthew 26:36-46 nkjv

36 Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to the disciples, “Sit here while I go and pray over there.” 37 And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed. 38 Then He said to them, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me.” 39 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.” 40 Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “What! Could you not watch with Me one hour? 41 Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 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.” 43 And He came and found them asleep again, for their eyes were heavy. 44 So He left them, went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words. 45 Then He came to His disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46 Rise, let us be going. See, My betrayer is at hand.”

❓When has your faith every really been challenged? When have you given into the temptations of your flesh❓ 👉 ****) A W Tozer once said, “ The inner life must overcome the flesh or the flesh will overcome the inner life!” (*****👈

⭐ We see that one of the most powerful weapons that Satan uses against us is our own flesh. Ephesians 6:12 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. The schizophrenia of Christianity. The battle of the two natures. Galatians 5:16 16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.

💥 As the hour of their real crisis of faith approached, Jesus warned the disciples to be prepared. v41) 41 Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation.

But the main obstacle they had to overcome to remain obedient and faithful was their flesh.
- The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

⭐ The flesh may be weak when it comes to obedience to God, but it is powerful when it comes to disobedience.

➢ They were about to be led by their flesh to:

BREAK the promises they had made to Jesus- And do what they said they would never do. (I will die before I leave.)
Deny their faith- In word and actions - turn their back on Him.
Not stand up for their faith- They were too afraid or embarrassed to stand up for their faith and for Jesus.
They were about to let sin control their life.
They were about to leave Him. (The unthinkable.)

💥 We focus on what they did after Jesus was arrested as the worst thing they could have done. ➢ Forsook Him - Not just running away - But forsook Him. Abandoned Him. ➢ Peter outright denied Him in the courtyard.⭐ But their fall had basically already happened! Matthew 26:36-46)

We give more attention to the result of what happened after these verses instead of focusing on how it could have been different for at least some of the disciples.

⭐ The real crisis of faith: 1. They failed to believe Jesus in the calm. When they felt no danger. 2. They disobeyed Him when they didn’t see the present danger. Felt no harm. 3. They gave into their flesh because it seemed OK to do. Sleep🏴 The Flesh:

Wants to ignore God - His voice in our life.
Disobey God - Just do what we want to do instead.
Indulge in its own desires, regardless of the consequences.

🚩 About God: Why did Jesus not just make them do what He wanted them to do? Stay awake -- Make them pray -- Show what was going to happen? Why didn’t He just stop things from happening? 1. Jesus will not overrule our free will. We are not robots. It’s an act of obedience, faith and love when we believe and obey God. Abraham the father of faith! It’s not doing what we want to do and trying to blame Him for it. 2. God does not force us to do His will. How many times has God warned us about things and we simply ignore Him? We will reap what we choose to sow. (Or else everything is His will, both the good and evil.) 3. We must overcome the flesh. - Dieting - drugs - alcohol - watching bad things on TV and cell phones - gossip - attitudes.

⭐ What does this teach?I. We must be sensitive to the prompting of the Holy Spirit! v36) 36 Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to the disciples, “Sit here while I go and pray over there.”

This is exactly what happens when we walk in the Spirit.
- He leads us and guides us and shows us things to come. John 16:13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.
Not just when we see the storm clouds coming!
- But daily ( We are just like the disciples. It is hard to do when the seas are calm!)

II. Walk in the Spirit. v37) 37 And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed. Give room for God to work. Have the time and space provided for God in your daily life.

This is not a stretch. Jesus took them to a specific place and told them to do a specific thing. V40-41) 40 Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “What! Could you not watch with Me one hour? 41 Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

💥 PRAYER YES! Always!!! But it’s not just only praying.

But obedience to whatever He tells us to do. Read - Pray - What He says to do
This is what Jesus did!

III. Obey! They were almost there! They were in the right place, at the right time, but did the wrong thing. It’s not about just going to church, Sunday School, or church activities. It’s more than just being here that makes us more than conquerors. (It helps but doesn’t always protect us from failure) ⭐ BECAUSE OUR FLESH IS ALWAYS HERE, TOO!

LOVE GOD! Be involved. For self and others. 2. Listening to God- reading His Word 3. Doing what He tells you to do. Learn to deny yourself and take up your cross and follow Him. Matthew 16:24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.

Results: 41 Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Obeying what God leads us to do.A. It’s an ordained weapon against Satan and temptations.B. An avenue to the power of God. That you enter not into temptation!C. A means to make life better! Avoid failures - sin - shortcomings. Bring out our best.