Not My Will But Yours!

KJV - Luke 22:39-42 And he came out, and went, as he was wont, to the mount of Olives; and his disciples also followed him. (40) And when he was at the place, he said unto them, Pray that ye enter not into temptation. (41) And he was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, (42) Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.

NIV - Luke 22:39-42  Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him. (40) On reaching the place, he said to them, “Pray that you will not fall into temptation.”(41) He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, (42) “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.”

These may be the most important 5 words in all of the Bible.  These 5 words, in many ways, separate the saved from the unsaved. These 5 words reveal a very basic, yet critically important truth:  Who is in control?  Are you in control of your life or have you relinquished control so that God is in complete control?

The real problem with this concept is that most people have been fooled into thinking that because they are religious, because they believe in God, then there is nothing else to worry about.  The fact is, that you can believe in God or you can be extremely religious and still be ruling and controlling your own life.  If that is the case, they your belief is in vain.

In our text today, Jesus has left the upper room where he instituted the Lord’s Supper and now is in the Garden of Gethsemene where he is praying.  He is only a few minutes from being arrested and tried and only a few hours from his execution.  What’s worse is that he knows what’s coming and that is the focus of his prayers in the Garden.  This experience is going to be excruciating both physically, emotionally and spiritually.  The human side of him is dreading what is to come and that is noticeable in his prayer.  In verse 42 he essentially asks God if there is any other way for their goals to be met without him having to endure this treachery because he wanted out.  However, he concludes this thought by saying:

KJV - Luke 22:42 ...nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.

As much as Jesus dreaded what was to come...as much as he wished there was another way..ultimately Jesus was willing to put aside his own desires to do what GOD WANTS.  

The ultimate question is:  Can we then disregard the Will of God to do what we want and still be pleasing to Him?  The answer is a simple NO!  The statement that Jesus made is very much a theme of how we are expected to live as well!

Matthew 7:21-23 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. (22) Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? (23) And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Does Jesus’ statement reflect your will? Or do you expect God to put on rose-colored glasses and over look your rebellion?

May we all search the Bible diligently to understand God’s will and then be willing to put aside our own to follow it!

Reflecting His SON,  

Dennis Hogan

Minister, North Hardin Church of Christ

dennis.hogan@icloud.com

1804 Sam Stewart Dr.

Radcliff, KY  40160

Questions, comments or  further explanation?  Contact me at:  dennis.hogan@icloud.com

If you have friends, family, or acquaintances that you feel could benefit from RTS, please forward 

their e-mail address to me and I will add them to my mail list.

Who Is the Greatest?

KJV - Luke 22:24-27 And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest. (25) And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors. (26) But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve. (27) For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth.

NIV - Luke 22:24-27  Also a dispute arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest. (25) Jesus said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. (26) But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves. (27) For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves.

In most aspects of our lives we strive or at least desire to be Great.  We want to have a great marriage.  We want to have great kids.  We want to have a great job or career and the list could go on almost indefinitely.  

“Greatness” is defined as:  “being such in an extreme or notable degree”. Notice the word “degree”.   The word “Degree” implies scale of intensity. Therefore “Greatness” is a comparison of ‘scales of intensity’ between two or more things.  The problem with the concept of “greatness” is what “scale” is being used?  There is an old saying:  “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder”.  That is a truism that applies to greatness too.  “Greatness is in the eye of the beholder”....or better said, what is the standard of greatness?

As we se in our text today, whenever humans get together, comparisons begin to take place.  There are competitions between some woman about who is prettier.  There are comparisons in family gatherings about who is the favorite.  There are comparisons about who is smarter, etc.  There were even comparisons among the apostles.  The apostles were having a dispute among themselves about who was the greatest.  But again, what is the standard of comparison?  They were comparing themselves to each other based upon worldly standards.  One might have argued that he was greater because he had a better family tree.  We do not know the specifics but they too were bound by human frailties.

After hearing enough, Jesus finally interjects His perfect view into the conversation.  Jesus is not concerned about the scales of greatness from an earthly point of view.  Instead he wants to inform his apostles, and us, as to the only standard with which God is concerned.  While the world measures greatness by money, power, influence, intelligence and the like, God measures greatness in terms of SERVITUDE!  That is the exact opposite of world.  But really isn’t most things.  

Having the attitude of being a servant is so foreign to the American psyche.  We pride ourselves on being independent and being free.  But if we want to be great, we must learn to be like Jesus. We must therefore learn how to submit and serve as he did!

Matthew 20:28 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

Jesus was the epitome of servitude.  And if Jesus can do it, then so can we!  Some might think that Jesus was so different that it is not fair to compare.  But one thing that we have to keep in mind is that the sacrifices that Jesus made is infinitely greater than anything that we are asked to make.  We just need to put our own wants, wishes, and desires aside to be what God wants us to be.

Be great!  But be great by God’s standards.  Be a servant to both God and others!

Reflecting His SON,  

Dennis Hogan

Minister, North Hardin Church of Christ

dennis.hogan@icloud.com

1804 Sam Steward Dr.

Radcliff, KY  40160

Questions, comments or  further explanation?  Contact me at:  dennis.hogan@icloud.com

If you have friends, family, or acquaintances that you feel could benefit from RTS, please forward 

their e-mail address to me and I will add them to my mail list.

Is There a Little Judas in All of Us?

KJV - Luke 22:1-6 Now the feast of unleavened bread drew nigh, which is called the Passover. (2) And the chief priests and scribes sought how they might kill him; for they feared the people. (3) Then entered Satan into Judas surnamed Iscariot, being of the number of the twelve. (4) And he went his way, and communed with the chief priests and captains, how he might betray him unto them. (5) And they were glad, and covenanted to give him money. (6) And he promised, and sought opportunity to betray him unto them in the absence of the multitude. 

NIV - Luke 22:1 Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread, called the Passover, was approaching, (2) and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for some way to get rid of Jesus, for they were afraid of the people. (3) Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, one of the Twelve. (4) And Judas went to the chief priests and the officers of the temple guard and discussed with them how he might betray Jesus. (5) They were delighted and agreed to give him money. (6) He consented, and watched for an opportunity to hand Jesus over to them when no crowd was present. 

Judas Iscariot’s betrayal of Jesus is Legendary!  The name or word “Judas” has come to be synonymous with being a traitor.  But is there a little Judas in all of us?  Are we more like Judas than we care to admit.

First let me set the stage.  It is my understanding of the scriptures that Judas made his own decisions and went his own way.  He was not forced or in any way manipulated to do this deed, any more than anyone else is tempted to sin.  We MUST understand that there is a difference between God knowing something is going to happen and God making a person perform an action.  At the point that Jesus chose him to be an apostle, he was as deserving as anyone else that was selected.  He simply followed a different path than others.  There lies within each of us the potential to rebel against God in a similar vain as did Judas.  

1 Corinthians 10:12 Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. 

That potential or weakness MUST be guarded against and protected at all times.

Matthew 26:41 Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

Ephesians 6:11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 

Judas makes some key decisions that led to his demise.  They are traps that Satan is constantly setting for us that we must ALWAYS be on Guard for.

1.  He Spent too much Time with the WRONG People.

Luke 22:4 And he went his way, and communed with the chief priests and captains, how he might betray him unto them.

This is a mistake that so many people make.  I saw a video just last week of a popular celebrity that is now known for hisChristian lifestyle.  He was telling the story of his younger years in which he too followed a similar path as Judas.  He fell into a life of drugs and alcohol.  The story was so poignant.  It started out like so many of these accounts do:  “I met these new friends....”.  And there began the downfall. There are so many warnings in the Bible to beware of those that have influence over us.  The reason that the Jews entering the promised land were to destroy all of their enemies was for this reason.

Deuteronomy 7:1-4 When the LORD thy God shall bring thee into the land whither thou goest to possess it, and hath cast out many nations before thee, the Hittites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, seven nations greater and mightier than thou; (2) And when the LORD thy God shall deliver them before thee; thou shalt smite them, and utterly destroy them; thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor shew mercy unto them: (3) Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son. (4) For they will turn away thy son from following me, that they may serve other gods: so will the anger of the LORD be kindled against you, and destroy thee suddenly. 

We tend to put our guards down when we are around people that we invite into our lives.  But some of those people do NOT help us to be better Christians, in fact they are just the opposite.  They influence us very subtly to turn away from him.  Judas was around Jesus for much of Jesus’ ministry.  That was not enough to protect him.  When we have free time, do we choose to spend time with people that will encourage us to be faithful to God or are they subtly encouraging us to Sin?

2.  He Loved This World too Much

Luke 22:5 And they were glad, and covenanted to give him money. 

Loving this world is a major temptation for Christians.  It can be very difficult to be in this world without getting influenced by it.  The troubling yet subtle point about this is that the things that can cause us to love this world too much is not always inherently sinful.  In fact, they may even be things that are encouraged by God.  Take family for instance.  We are commanded to care for our families but we can so love them that they take priority over God.  

Matthew 10:37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

The same with our careers.  I believe the Bible teaches us that we need to provide for our family, but we can get so caught up in success that it becomes our focus and not God.  Loving this world comes down to keeping our priority on God.  Judas allowed this world to draw him away from God.  

We must learn from the sin, poor judgements and short comings of Judas.  Judas was not an isolated incident.  He was not so overwhelmed with fate.  He chose his path and followed a life of self-indulgence.  Unfortunately, we too can follow the same path as Judas.

Ephesians 6:11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

Reflecting His SON,  

Dennis Hogan

Minister, North Hardin Church of Christ

dennis.hogan@icloud.com

1804 Sam Stewart Dr.

Radcliff, KY  40160

Questions, comments or  further explanation?  Contact me at:  dennis.hogan@icloud.com

If you have friends, family, or acquaintances that you feel could benefit from RTS, please forward 

their e-mail address to me and I will add them to my mail list.

Are You Giving Enough?

KJV - Luke 21:1-4 And he looked up, and saw the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury. (2) And he saw also a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites. (3) And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all: (4) For all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God: but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had.

NIV - Luke 21:1-4 As he looked up, Jesus saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. (2) He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. (3) “I tell you the truth,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others. (4) All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”

The giving of our financial means is a dangerous topic to discuss; either from the pulpit or in a setting like this.  So much so, I know a gentleman with which I work that says he does not go to any religious assemblies because of this topic.  He claims that every time he goes to a worship service, all they can talk about is everyone giving more money. Either this friend of mine has extremely bad timing or he is going to the services of groups that have their priorities misplaced.  I do have a sense of his discomfort because I have tuned into some religious programming and their only topic was “Send Us Money” thinly veiled with other ramblings.  Many many times not even thinly veiled!  In fact, those kinds of televangelists have caused a term to be created called “Prosperity Gospel”.

Just because other religious groups have followed the path of chasing “Filthy Lucre” (Titus 1:11), does not mean that we should be chased off of the legitimate topic that the Bible teaches.  And so today we shall.

Sometimes as Christians, we tend to be like children.  If we ask our children to do something for us, we are giving them an option to say no.  We have to rephrase it and say: “If you don’t do it, I will have to punish you”.  All too often I see Christians with that same mindset.  They don’t seem to respond to choosing a pattern of behavior simply because it is the best thing to do to bring glory to God, but only when there is a “Thou Shalt” or “Thou Shalt Not”.  In this passage, Jesus is using this opportunity to teach us what is the best pattern of behavior that we should employ.  He is not threatening us.  He is not ordering us.  But simply pointing to an example that we should follow.

Jesus observes many people dropping their offerings into the temple treasury, but one particular person really captures his attention:  The one that drops in the least.  What is really surprising is that he uses her as an example that we SHOULD follow!  The last statement says it all.

NIV - Luke 21:4 All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”

Jesus isn’t really concerned with specific dollar amounts.  He is more concerned with the proportion of our giving.  Do we make him a priority with our money or do we give him only what is “left over”?

There are far greater principles in giving than just the amount of money that is actually collected.  In some ways we can look at it that God does not NEED anything from us because he already owns it all.  The giving of our means is as much for us as it is for God.  Notice how these principles plays into our giving.

1.  Faith or Trust:  Do you really believe that God is going to take care of you if you give more or do you believe that you have to withhold money to take care of yourself?

Matthew 21:22 And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.

2.  Priority:  Is God a priority in your life when it comes to your money?

Matthew 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

3.  Sacrifice:  There is an element of sacrifice in the giving of our means.  Does the amount that you give hurt you at all or is it so small that it has little effect on you?  Remember Jesus gave his life for us.  Can we really out give God?

Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 

Are you giving enough?  Or are you holding back from God.  That is a question that only  you can answer.  You must periodically search yourself to see if you are giving all that you can and should!

Reflecting His SON,  

Dennis Hogan

Minister, North Hardin Church of Christ

dennis.hogan@icloud.com

1804 Sam Steward Dr.

Radcliff, KY  40160

Questions, comments or  further explanation?  Contact me at:  dennis.hogan@icloud.com

If you have friends, family, or acquaintances that you feel could benefit from RTS, please forward 

their e-mail address to me and I will add them to my mail list.