Friday Night Message – “God’s Will – Part VIII”

Aug. 7, 2020

Good evening brethren …

 

When one of His disciples asked Jesus for guidance on how to pray, He responded with what many term “The Lord’s Prayer”…

 

Matt. 6:9-10 – In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.  Your kingdom come.  Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

After a brief introduction, the first item Jesus mentions is the kingdom, by which God’s will shall be done and accomplished.  So God’s will is something to be included in your daily prayers to your spiritual Father in heaven.  So now let us seek to increase our understanding of the will of God.

 

Part I – The doctrine of the will of God

 

This first half of these messages focuses on the basic Biblical teaching of the will of God.  What is it, exactly …. How do we define it?  The second half of these messages will deal with the practical application …. How do we do the will of God?  How do we live our lives to fulfil that perfect will?

 

1. What is the will of God? (in broad terms)

 

2. What is the will of God? (more specifically)

 

*      Creating a Family

 

*      Sanctification

 

*      The key to salvation

 

*      The Will of God is irresistible. 

 

*      What are the options?

 

* God’s will can be known.

 

* We have free moral agency.

 

Deut. 30:15, 19 – See, I have set before you today life and good, and death and evil; in that I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments, His statues and His judgments, that you may live and multiply; and the Lord your God will bless you in the land which you go to possess.  But if your heart turns away, so that you do not hear, and are drawn away, and worship other gods and serve them, I announce to you today that you shall surely perish; you shall not prolong your days in the land which you cross over the Jordan to go in and possess.  I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live;

 

* We can follow the example of Christ.

 

Jesus left us the example of a perfect life, conforming to the will of His Father 100%.  Although we will never achieve that complete level of success, we need to strive towards that goal of perfection.

 

Matt. 5:48 – Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.

 

In John’s gospel we note that God’s will is what motivated Jesus.  Jesus did not come to earth to promote His will, but rather the will of God the Father.

 

John 4:34 – Jesus said to the disciples, My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work.

 

John 5:30 – I can of Myself do nothing.  As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.

 

In the Garden of Gethsemane the scripture reveals the attitude and resolve of Jesus Christ to do the Father’s will when literally “everything was on the line”.

 

Luke 22:42 – Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.

 

And so ends the first half of this series of messages about the will of God…Since God’s will can be known, and since we have free will, we should follow the example of Jesus Christ.  And thus we have finished the doctrine of the will of God.  Beginning next week, we will consider how we can seek out and apply God’s will in our lives.

 

Have a meaningful Sabbath,

Fred