Teaching

In Luke 22:42, when Jesus prayed in the Garden before He was arrested, He said,

“Father, if You are willing, please take this _____ of suffering away from Me.”

What is the missing word? Hold up the cup saying “God’s Will.”

When Jesus talked about that cup, He meant suffering and dying on the cross. Hold up the cup saying "My Will."

Jesus had to choose between God’s will and His own will.

Read Mark 14:35-36

He prayed that, if it were possible, the awful hour awaiting Him might pass Him by. “Abba, Father,” He cried out, “everything is possible for You. Please take this cup of suffering away from Me. Yet I want Your will to be done, not Mine.”

What was that last sentence? “I want Your will to be done, not Mine.”

Jesus was perfect and had never sinned, even once, so He had never felt the horrible feelings of guilt and shame. As a human being, He must have dreaded the pain He would feel on the cross. But even worse was that He would take the punishment and guilt for every sin ever committed by every single human being! Jesus is the Son of God. He said in John 10:30,

“The Father and I are one.”

And He knew that while He was carrying all of our sins on the cross, He would be separated from His Loving Father in heaven.

Hold up the cup saying “God’s Will.”

In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus prayed that God’s will—not His own will—would be done. Jesus chose what God wanted, not what He wanted. Jesus demonstrated His love and obedience to God by laying down His own will in obedience to God’s will. By doing this, He fulfilled God’s plan of salvation—dying on the cross so that our sins would be forgiven. This is what our SuperTruth is all about today. Let’s say it together: “Jesus fulfilled God’s plan of salvation by dying on the cross.”

In Matthew 6:10, when Jesus taught His disciples how to pray, part of His prayer said this:

“May Your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.”

How often do you think God’s will is done in heaven?

God’s will is always done in heaven! On Earth, however, there is a struggle. The devil may try to tempt us to resist God’s will and follow our own plan. And because we are human, we are tempted by our own selfish desires to do what pleases us instead of God. But when we ask for God’s help by praying, reading His Word, and obeying His Spirit in our hearts, we have the grace to yield our own wills to His. Put the “My Will” cup inside the “God’s Will” cup.

With God’s help, our will can be His will!

Discipleship Challenge/Practical Application

This reminds me of our Superbook challenge. Is anyone wearing your cross today?

What happened when you prayed for God’s will to be done instead of your own will?

Allow time for children to share brief testimonies. Hand out the challenge materials to any children who were absent for Lesson 1. Challenge the children to continue to place a priority on praying for God’s will instead of their own each time they pray.