Grace through Wisdom – Does Jesus have a Personality? Mark 14:32-42
1. Our personality traits and temperaments merely indicate our strengths and weaknesses, but not what we are potentially capable of

Personality is made up of the characteristic patterns of thoughts, feelings and behaviors that makes us unique and remains fairly consistent throughout our lives

Jesus always responded wisely in the right way in any situation

Mark 14:32-38 (NIV) 
    They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, "Sit here while I pray." [33] He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled. [34] "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death," he said to them. "Stay here and keep watch."
    [35] Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. [36] "Abba, Father," he said, "everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will."
    [37] Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. "Simon," he said to Peter, "are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for one hour? [38] Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak."

- Friendships need to understand both the doctrine of Creation and the Fall 
-  Healthy friendships need to understand the solitude of the inner life

Proverbs 14:10 (NIV) 
    Each heart knows its own bitterness, and no one else can share its joy.

- Good friendships will not place the burden of God on our friends              

John 15:15 (NIV) 
    I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.

2. The Good News of Grace tells us that we can break out beyond the boundaries of our personalities 

Whatever new habits we begin to practice, if we continue to practice them, they become part of our new character that in turn influences everything else we do

Our temperaments and personality traits are not fixed and unchangeable

Luke 5:16 (NIV) 
    But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.

Luke 22:41 (NIV) 
    He withdrew about a stone's throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed,

Philip. 3:3 (NASB) 
    for we…who worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh,

Keep evaluating and retesting our deepest convictions because they might actually be based on our blind spots

The things that we believe very deeply are the areas that are least open to correction

Nietzsche – convictions are more dangerous to truth than even lies!

3. Application:

Choose to grow and serve beyond our personality boundaries or comfort zones

Don’t be a spiritual Hakikomori!  Confidently break through your personality boundaries by faith into your God-given potential and purpose

Humbly be willing to have our deepest convictions challenged by the wisdom and truth of God