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b'SERVICE VIDEO (link)TEXT: Luke 22:41-44; John 18:4,10-11,33-40\\n\\n\\n\\n\\u201cThy will be done.\\u201d\\n\\n\\n\\nJesus taught us to pray in that way and he prayed in that way. But what does that mean? What does that mean for you and me, not only to pray it, but desire and seek God\\u2019s will in our lives?\\n\\n\\n\\nToday we look at some of the timeline leading to the cross and to Easter morning as we continue \\u201cPreparing for Easter.\\u201d We will hear Jesus pray that prayer and the context in which he prayed it. We\\u2019ll look at what happened when one of his most devoted followers veered from God\\u2019s will. And we\\u2019ll ponder the interesting exchange between Jesus and Pilate as a way to better understand what the Father\\u2019s will was for the Son. My hope is that you will not only learn something new or deeper about this part of the story leading up to Easter, but that it will also shape your prayer life and understanding of following Jesus.\\n\\n\\n\\nNot My Will, But Yours (Luke 22)\\n\\n\\n\\nLuke 22 records several key events on the Thursday night before the Friday crucifixion. Jesus and the disciples have the Passover meal, the Last Supper in which Jesus identifies the bread as his body and the cup as his blood, broken and poured out for them. Shortly after that there is an argument among the disciples about who is the best. It is then that Peter so boldly declares he is prepared to go to prison or die for Jesus, but Jesus indicates Peter will soon deny knowing him.\\n\\n\\n\\nFrom there they go out of Jerusalem and go up the hill outside the city to the Mount of Olives to pray. Once there, Jesus separates and goes off a little way to pray by himself:\\n\\n\\n\\n41 And He withdrew from them about a stone\\u2019s throw, and He knelt down and began to pray, 42 saying, \\u201cFather, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done.\\u201d 43 Now an angel from heaven appeared to Him, strengthening Him. 44 And being in agony He was praying very fervently; and His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down upon the ground.\\n\\n\\n\\nThere are a number of really interesting things in that short description of Jesus\\u2019 time of prayer. He clearly knows what is going to happen and it is interesting to note that he prays for another path, but only if the Father is willing. We\\u2019ll see this here and then in a later scene, but he speaks of \\u201cthis cup\\u201d as a metaphor for the suffering he is to endure, or more broadly speaking, for God\\u2019s will for him. It was only a short time earlier (an hour?) that he held up a cup at the Last Supper and said \\u201cthis cup is poured out for you in my blood.\\u201d (v.20) And now he is asking the Father to \\u201cremove this cup,\\u201d but once on either side of making that request: \\u201cif you are willing\\u201d and \\u201cyet not my will, but Yours be done.\\u201d\\n\\n\\n\\nWhat a great model for us! In the Lord\\u2019s Prayer and here Jesus teaches us to pray for God\\u2019s will to be done, but it is okay to let God know what we desire.\\n\\n\\n\\nJesus seemed to really be struggling with what was coming. He is described as \\u201cbeing in agony,\\u201d \\u201cpraying very fervently,\\u201d and sweating \\u201clike drops of blood.\\u201d That is really intense. Have you ever wrestled over something in prayer that felt like that?\\n\\n\\n\\nBut also look at v. 43 \\u2013 \\u201can angel from heaven appeared to him, strengthening him.\\u201d What a mercy in the middle of such an agonizing time! It is a comfort to think that God would strengthen us to yield to His will for us while also hearing our struggles and agonizing prayers. We do not have to clean up or pretty up or hold things in when we pray to the Lord, but we are wise to seek God\\u2019s will, even when it seems difficult or at odds with our own will.\\n\\n\\n\\nMy Will (John 18:4,10-11)\\n\\n\\n\\nWe will shift to a different book, to the Gospel of John, but the events pick up right after that time of prayer, which John actually records in much greater detail. After praying, they rise and the group coming to arrest him comes out. John tells us that Jesus knew what was coming and went out to meet them, even identifying himself to them. Though his prayers might have been'