Key points
- 1
1Jesus, facing the physical and spiritual horror of the cross, prayed honestly for a different outcome yet surrendered completely to the Father's will.
- 2
2It is not sinful to not want what God wants for you — whether it is sinful or righteous is entirely about your follow-through.
“Is it a sin to not wanna do the things that God wants you to do? The answer is no. Whether it's sinful or righteous is about your follow through”
- 3
3What Jesus does in the Garden of Gethsemane fixes what happened in the Garden of Eden: where Adam took a fall, Jesus took a stand.
- 4
4Our enemy uses the same three tactics today that he used in Eden: getting us to question God's word, God's goodness, and God's provision.
“the bible is a story of two gardens, Eden and Gethsemane. In the first, Adam took a fall. In the second, Jesus took a stand. In the first, God sought Adam. In the second, Jesus sought God”
Illustration
Max Lucado quote contrasting the two gardens — Eden and Gethsemane
A story from life
Rocky's story about copying math answers from the back of the book in fourth grade and being caught by his teacher
- 5
5Surrendering our will begins with praying for change — not just a change in circumstance, but a change in us, because God often wants to do something in you before He does something for you.
“God wants to do something in you before he does something for you”
- 6
6We were created to be connected to God and to others; choosing community over isolation is part of surrendering our will, just as Jesus brought Peter, James, and John into the garden with Him.
“prayer is not simply meant to just be transactional. Prayer is meant to be relational”
Illustration
Muhammad Ali refusing to wear a seatbelt on a plane, claiming he is Superman, until the stewardess points out Superman doesn't need a plane
A story from life
Bria's video testimony about finding community and support through Embrace Grace as a single mother
- 7
7At some point we must simply decide to trust God — judging His love not by our circumstances but by the empty tomb.
“you cannot judge the love of God based on your circumstances. You judge the love of God based on an empty tomb”
A story from life
Rocky's story of his son Orion choosing to take his medication despite not wanting it, as an illustration of trust
Application
Pastor Rocky calls every person in the room to make the same choice Jesus made in Gethsemane: surrender your will to the Father rather than reaching outside His will for what looks good, pleasing, and desirable in the moment. Practically, this means three things. First, pray honestly — it is not wrong to ask God to change your circumstances, but also ask Him to change you in the process, because He often wants to work in you before He works for you. Second, stop going it alone — you were created to be connected to God and to others, and having the courage to say 'I need help' is not weakness, it is the posture Jesus Himself modeled. Third, choose to trust — not based on how your circumstances look right now, but based on the reality of an empty tomb. God is good, He is still on His throne, and everything He has for you is for His glory and your good.
