Mike Novotny - Whose Will Be Done
I mean why do relationships or marriages get tense or ugly or fall apart? Wow! We are here! Jesus was here, not around here. But here. Earlier this year, I got to explore Israel. I'm sitting, literally, in the place where Jesus' feet touched. I saw some amazing places. The old city of Jerusalem. In the Garden of Gethsemane. Beautiful Nazareth. At the Mount of Beatitudes. Capernaum, on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. And I can't wait to share these video devotions with you.
I'm standing here today on a beautiful, busy day in Jerusalem, and today I'm in the Garden of Gethsemane. And this place reminds me how much better Jesus is than people. Do you know one of the worst problems with people? They don't want to submit to anyone. I mean, why do relationships or marriages get tense or ugly or fall apart? Because no one wants to submit. Everyone wants their way, their timing, their schedule, their preferences. And when two people have that same attitude, things fall apart.
Why do kids get in so many problems with their parents? Because no one wants to submit. Mom wants her way. Dad wants his way. The kids want their way. And when everyone wants their way, things blow up. Why do schools, sports teams, every, why is there so much tension and conflict? Because we all want something and if we don't get it, we get angry about it. And that's what makes Jesus so much different. And so much better and so much more beautiful.
Do you remember what he prayed here in the Garden of Gethsemane? Matthew, chapter 26, it says, Isn't that beautiful? Jesus and his Heavenly Father had a perfect relationship because Jesus didn't insist on getting his way. He said, "Your will be done. If there was a way not to drink the cup of your wrath, to go through hell on the cross, that's what I want. But it's not about what I want. It's about your will, Father". And because Jesus submitted to his Father in Heaven, you and I have salvation despite all the conflict, struggles and pride of our past.
Actually, at my church in Wisconsin, we try to remember this every single Sunday. We've hung a giant, wooden homemade cross in the entryway to the church. And as we leave, the cross says, it's etched across the top, "Submit to one another". We know that the best marriages, the best neighborhoods happen where people submit to each other and they say, "You first". But when you walk into the church, on the other side of the cross, it says what Jesus said here. "Father, your will be done".
We walk into church to worship a Savior who is so humble and he was so good, he was so holy, that he submitted everything to his Heavenly Father, no matter what it would cost him. That's why we worship him. That's why we pray to him. That's why we praise him. It's why we find salvation through him. So, remember that Jesus submitted to his Father for you. And then submit to one another, out of reverence for Christ. That's the encouraging news we learn here in the Garden of Gethsemane.