Will of God sermon 2 of 5 7/17/11
Sermon series on God’s will 2 of 5
07/17/011
My dear fellow brothers and sisters in Christ last Sunday I started a five part sermon series on the “Will of God”. We found out that even though you might not have ever actually spent time studying or doing much thinking about the “Will of God” you have still have an idea about the “Will of God.” Those thoughts that you have; that we all have, have not only shaped your view of how God works in your life, but how you see the world around you and all those who live in it.
Knowing the will of God, at least as much as we can know it since, as Saint Paul writes, “We see in a mirror darkly”, is critical to living our lives, as God would desire them to be lived. A great example is found in the book of Job where we see Job trying to understand the will of God. Job was a righteous man. He did everything right, but when things went bad for him he could not understand why God was not blessing him, as Job thought he should, for after all Job had done everything right.
Job is not alone, for his struggles are our struggles, although I pray that they will never be as bad, as his were. We all at least from time to time try to figure out God’s will in our lives. Just like Job we too need to not just have a personal opinion about the “Will of God”, but have a solid biblically based knowledge of the “Will of God” so that we are not tossed back and forth like a little chip of wood in the storms of life.
While in my preparation for this series I have read many books written by others on the “Will of God” what I am saying to you in this series is based solely on the Word of God. In my scripture studies I was pleasantly surprised, although I should not have been; to see how many times the “Will of God” is directly mentioned in God’s Word.
So, let us jump right in. When God created the universe, everything he created was very good. It worked in perfect harmony. Humankind was put into the world to take care of it living in perfect harmony with it and God. God’s intentional will was and still is that all of creation, especially his human creation are to be in harmony with him, each other, and the earth.
As you can see by the handout in your service folder this morning God’s Word tells us quite a bit about his intentional will. Because of time constraints I will not have time to go over all of them. So they are there so you can take them home and study them, as you have time. (For those reading this sermon over the internet the Bible texts are at the end of the sermon.)
For example, in the first verse that I have given you, you will see that whoever does the will of God is his. In other words, you need to do what God wants to do, so you can be, as he says his brother, sister and mother. But that does not tell us what his intentional will is, does it?
The next verse tells us that our discernment of what is good, acceptable, and perfect is the intentional will of God. The rest of the verses are basically saying the same thing, except for 2 Corinthians 1:1, where we see the intentional will of God is to call apostles or today we would say call pastors to teach God’s Word.
In 1 John 2:17 and Hebrews 10:36, we are told more about the intentional will of God, for we see in those verses that his intentional will is that we will abide with him in eternity and receive what he promised; salvation and eternal life with God.
As I mentioned earlier there are several verses in Genesis which I did not list that show us the intentional will of God. God’s intentional will still exists, for he still wants the same thing for us and the universe that we live in. But, because of sin his will is hampered by our unwillingness to let him work through us. While his intentional has been hampered, it has not been, or will it be stopped.
This is what I mean. In Genesis 3 we read of the fall of man. In that one action, God’s intentional will of his human creation walking in fellowship with him and each other was stopped; not permanently, but at the very least it was hampered, never-the-less. You could say that God had to come up with a new plan, so that his intentional will would come to fulfillment.
Here are a few examples that will show you what I mean. They come from a book that Leslie Weatherhead wrote titled The Will of God. He writes, that we cannot say that when a person dies from some disease that it is the intentional will of God, for God never willed that any of his creation should die, or for that matter, get sick or hurt.
On the other hand, we can say when a person is healed of a disease, that the healing is the intentional will of God, for in that act of healing, the will of God is carried out; life is preserved.
We cannot say that when a hurricane causes unbelievable damage to property and human life, even though it gave people an opportunity to do good, that it was God’s intentional will just because good was done.
We can say though that the good that is done after the storm is the intentional will of God, for as the Bible tells us, his intentional will for his human creation is that we help each other.
Our natural inclination, especially when we like what has happened even if it bad thing is to say, “God’s will is being done.” when actually, it is more than likely the very opposite of God’s will being done.
Good examples of this type of thinking show up in the past oppression of women and slavery in America, where it was taught in way too many pulpits that it was the will of God that certain people should be slaves and women kept under the thumb of men. We have to discard that faulty thinking, for it goes against God’s intentional will that we are to live in harmony with God, each other, and the earth.
Today I have covered, as much as time permits the intentional will of God. In this short time you have learned that the intentional will of God is that all people are to walk in fellowship with him, and each other for eternity, as they live in harmony with his creation.
You also learned that just because good came out of an evil act whether it be a human act or an act of nature that the evil done was not the intentional will of God. God cannot cause evil, for it goes against not only who he is; perfectly good, but also his intentional will.
God’s intentional will was and still is that his human creation walk in a trusting relationship with him, each other, and his creation. After the fall, that intentional will was seriously hampered and in some cases stopped. This does not mean his intentional will, will not be done. It just means that God works in a different way considering the circumstances of the world to fulfill his intentional will.
Next week we will look at what is called the circumstantial will of God, the plan he has for us, and for all his creation under the circumstances of a sin corrupted world. Amen.
Mark 3:35 For whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother."
Romans 12:2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
Romans 8:27 And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
2 Corinthians 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the church of God that is at Corinth, with all the saints who are in the whole of Achaia:
2 Corinthians 8:1-5 We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, 2 for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. 3 For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, 4 begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints-- 5 and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us.
Ephesians 6:5-7 Slaves, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ, 6 not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man,
Colossians 4:12 Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, greets you, always struggling on your behalf in his prayers, that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God.
1 Thessalonians 4:3-5 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; 4 that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, 5 not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God;
1 Thessalonians 5:18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
1 Peter 2:15-17 For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. 16 Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. 17 Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.
1 John 2:17 And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.
Hebrews 10:36 For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised.
07/17/011
My dear fellow brothers and sisters in Christ last Sunday I started a five part sermon series on the “Will of God”. We found out that even though you might not have ever actually spent time studying or doing much thinking about the “Will of God” you have still have an idea about the “Will of God.” Those thoughts that you have; that we all have, have not only shaped your view of how God works in your life, but how you see the world around you and all those who live in it.
Knowing the will of God, at least as much as we can know it since, as Saint Paul writes, “We see in a mirror darkly”, is critical to living our lives, as God would desire them to be lived. A great example is found in the book of Job where we see Job trying to understand the will of God. Job was a righteous man. He did everything right, but when things went bad for him he could not understand why God was not blessing him, as Job thought he should, for after all Job had done everything right.
Job is not alone, for his struggles are our struggles, although I pray that they will never be as bad, as his were. We all at least from time to time try to figure out God’s will in our lives. Just like Job we too need to not just have a personal opinion about the “Will of God”, but have a solid biblically based knowledge of the “Will of God” so that we are not tossed back and forth like a little chip of wood in the storms of life.
While in my preparation for this series I have read many books written by others on the “Will of God” what I am saying to you in this series is based solely on the Word of God. In my scripture studies I was pleasantly surprised, although I should not have been; to see how many times the “Will of God” is directly mentioned in God’s Word.
So, let us jump right in. When God created the universe, everything he created was very good. It worked in perfect harmony. Humankind was put into the world to take care of it living in perfect harmony with it and God. God’s intentional will was and still is that all of creation, especially his human creation are to be in harmony with him, each other, and the earth.
As you can see by the handout in your service folder this morning God’s Word tells us quite a bit about his intentional will. Because of time constraints I will not have time to go over all of them. So they are there so you can take them home and study them, as you have time. (For those reading this sermon over the internet the Bible texts are at the end of the sermon.)
For example, in the first verse that I have given you, you will see that whoever does the will of God is his. In other words, you need to do what God wants to do, so you can be, as he says his brother, sister and mother. But that does not tell us what his intentional will is, does it?
The next verse tells us that our discernment of what is good, acceptable, and perfect is the intentional will of God. The rest of the verses are basically saying the same thing, except for 2 Corinthians 1:1, where we see the intentional will of God is to call apostles or today we would say call pastors to teach God’s Word.
In 1 John 2:17 and Hebrews 10:36, we are told more about the intentional will of God, for we see in those verses that his intentional will is that we will abide with him in eternity and receive what he promised; salvation and eternal life with God.
As I mentioned earlier there are several verses in Genesis which I did not list that show us the intentional will of God. God’s intentional will still exists, for he still wants the same thing for us and the universe that we live in. But, because of sin his will is hampered by our unwillingness to let him work through us. While his intentional has been hampered, it has not been, or will it be stopped.
This is what I mean. In Genesis 3 we read of the fall of man. In that one action, God’s intentional will of his human creation walking in fellowship with him and each other was stopped; not permanently, but at the very least it was hampered, never-the-less. You could say that God had to come up with a new plan, so that his intentional will would come to fulfillment.
Here are a few examples that will show you what I mean. They come from a book that Leslie Weatherhead wrote titled The Will of God. He writes, that we cannot say that when a person dies from some disease that it is the intentional will of God, for God never willed that any of his creation should die, or for that matter, get sick or hurt.
On the other hand, we can say when a person is healed of a disease, that the healing is the intentional will of God, for in that act of healing, the will of God is carried out; life is preserved.
We cannot say that when a hurricane causes unbelievable damage to property and human life, even though it gave people an opportunity to do good, that it was God’s intentional will just because good was done.
We can say though that the good that is done after the storm is the intentional will of God, for as the Bible tells us, his intentional will for his human creation is that we help each other.
Our natural inclination, especially when we like what has happened even if it bad thing is to say, “God’s will is being done.” when actually, it is more than likely the very opposite of God’s will being done.
Good examples of this type of thinking show up in the past oppression of women and slavery in America, where it was taught in way too many pulpits that it was the will of God that certain people should be slaves and women kept under the thumb of men. We have to discard that faulty thinking, for it goes against God’s intentional will that we are to live in harmony with God, each other, and the earth.
Today I have covered, as much as time permits the intentional will of God. In this short time you have learned that the intentional will of God is that all people are to walk in fellowship with him, and each other for eternity, as they live in harmony with his creation.
You also learned that just because good came out of an evil act whether it be a human act or an act of nature that the evil done was not the intentional will of God. God cannot cause evil, for it goes against not only who he is; perfectly good, but also his intentional will.
God’s intentional will was and still is that his human creation walk in a trusting relationship with him, each other, and his creation. After the fall, that intentional will was seriously hampered and in some cases stopped. This does not mean his intentional will, will not be done. It just means that God works in a different way considering the circumstances of the world to fulfill his intentional will.
Next week we will look at what is called the circumstantial will of God, the plan he has for us, and for all his creation under the circumstances of a sin corrupted world. Amen.
Mark 3:35 For whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother."
Romans 12:2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
Romans 8:27 And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
2 Corinthians 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the church of God that is at Corinth, with all the saints who are in the whole of Achaia:
2 Corinthians 8:1-5 We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, 2 for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. 3 For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, 4 begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints-- 5 and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us.
Ephesians 6:5-7 Slaves, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ, 6 not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man,
Colossians 4:12 Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, greets you, always struggling on your behalf in his prayers, that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God.
1 Thessalonians 4:3-5 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; 4 that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, 5 not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God;
1 Thessalonians 5:18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
1 Peter 2:15-17 For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. 16 Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. 17 Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.
1 John 2:17 And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.
Hebrews 10:36 For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised.
posted by Pastor Rhoads | 2:57 PM
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