Looking Back

Last Sunday we went with the disciples and Jesus into the garden of Gethsemene. Pastor Bret exposed us to the text to help us appreciate our Savior in vivid ways as Jesus tells of the weightiness, perfect love and obedience to his Father, moments before the weight of judgement and wrath would come pouring over him.

Remember, there were four ways to appreciate the Savior's work on the Cross in this passage: 1) appreciate His depth of sorrow; 2) appreciate His commitment to God's plan; 3) appreciate His dependence on God's grace; 4) appreciate His kindness to expose the disciples to so much in those moments.

Listen Again

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Thinking and Acting Ahead

• Thinking through those points after reviewing the sermon and your notes again, reflect on the example of Jesus under this burden comparing it to his disciples example.
• Have you been under the burden of pressures, ailments and exhaustion, only to push harder in your own strength (and weakness) and fail to see the futility in light of how Jesus relied upon God in his moments of weakness and testing?  Test yourself in these moments to realize who you are relying on and shift from a self-centered focus to a Christ-centered focus. 
• How can increase your time in prayer this week as you hit walls in your day, either in physical, mental or emotional limitations? Revisit this passage as you do and pray.  
• Remember the absolute trust and obedience to God's plan Jesus exemplifies, even in the face of physical abuse and death. Look at his physical limitations being exposed and the extremes temptation to abandon God; yet his love and obedience is what brings us to the cross with him so we might have new life in Christ forever. How can we remember that to encourage us, praise Him for doing what we cannot, and reflecting that in becoming more like him?
• Pray for each other this week in the trials and weaknesses we each have. Contact one another and inform them we are praying for them and love them.  Seek ways to pray more for one another and serve one another.