Red Wire, Blue Wire… no Red Wire…
Mission Possible – Series Review
1) God has called you, and the calling has never changed
2) He has equipped you with all of the tools you need
3) He has connected you to a team that will help you get the job done
4) Last week – we talked about keeping your cool (patience) when it seems bombs are about to go off
5) Today – I want to talk to you about making good decisions – the right decisions – with confidence.
We just saw a clip where Martin Riggs (Mel Gibson) and Roger Murtaugh (Danny Glover) are faced with a terribly important decision. To cut the red wire or the blue… Of course – Martin Riggs makes the wrong decision, and they barely escape with their lives.
Of course – disabling a bomb is not so simple as red wire / blue wire. That’s the kind of thing that only happens in movies. But once again – it happens so frequently in the movies because it is exactly the way we feel so often in life.
Have you ever been faced with a major decision, which you were certain would impact the rest of your life? Have you ever lain awake at night wondering if you are on the right track? Have you ever looked back at decisions you made in the past and said, “Boy, I missed God’s will on that one!”
How many here want to be in God’s will?
I want to help you today understand how to get in, and stay in, God’s will. We don’t want anyone to be incapacitated by fear and indecision. Nor is there a need for anyone to live a life of regret. I want to help you understand how, from today forward – you can make the right decisions, and walk with confidence in God’s will for your life. Our text:
1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Romans 12:1-2 (NKJV)
THE NATURE OF GOD’S WILL
To start with – I want to set your mind at ease… There is only one will of God – and it is perfect. Have you ever heard someone say, “I want to be in the perfect will of God?”. (As opposed to the imperfect will?)
Many look at the last part of verse 2 and describe three levels of God’s will. But that is not Paul’s intent. He is simply describing the will of God using three different adjectives. These three words tell us much about God’s will:
GOOD (for me) – In the Greek, this word means good… {smile}
Generally, when the Bible talks about something being good – it is towards creation. The will of God is good – for you. Write “for me” in your notes…
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. James 1:17 (NIV)
ACCEPTABLE (to him) – another word is pleasing. Every time this word is used in the New Testament, it is speaking of pleasing God. Write “to Him” in your notes…
The will of God is always a win-win situation… It’s the best for you, and the best for Him.
PERFECT (complete). You will finish… Write “complete” in your notes…
Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ; Phil 1:6 (NKJV)
We are instructed to PROVE or experience God’s will.
SO HOW DO I EXPERIENCE GOD’S WILL?
Let’s get to the basics of God’s will. Because if you discover the basics – you will discover it all.
I’m going to intentionally over-simplify this today. Matt 18:4 – …receive the kingdom as a little child…
There will be more to learn. But you need to start here, in the basics.
What does it mean to be IN His will?
39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. 40 For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day." John 6:39-40 (NIV)
What does it mean to be OUT of His will?
The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9 (NKJV)
The difference between IN and OUT is REPENTANCE
Greek metanoia – literally – to think again
• It’s not about you – present your bodies a living sacrifice (Rom 12:1)
• It’s not about popular opinion – do not be conformed to the world (Rom 12:2)
• It’s about thinking God thoughts – be transformed by the renewing of your mind (Rom 12:2)
It is a lifestyle – living sacrifice … I die daily. 1 Cor 15:31 (NKJV)
Paul tells us in our text that we live this repentant lifestyle so that we can experience God’s will.
Let me explain it this way… Did you know that everybody is doing God’s will? But not everyone is experiencing it. God is using everybody and everything to accomplish his will.
27 Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. 28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. 29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. 31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:27-31 (NKJV)
Did you catch that? The Spirit makes intercession for us according to the will of God. And all things are serving His purpose. And if we have repented, and decided to serve God – that means they are serving us. This is what it means to experience the will of God.
You can DO God’s will without EXPERIENCING God’s will. Take Judas for instance. He did God’s will. But he did not experience God’s will. He could have… All he needed to do was repent. Peter (who also betrayed his trust) repented. And all of the events of that day, including his own mistakes, turned to Peter’s benefit.
Many might wonder if Judas had a choice. I believe he did. It is difficult to discuss God’s sovereign will without discussing the idea of Calvinism… Predestination… As a matter of fact, these verses may have served as a strong basis for Calvin’s theology.
So – are you predestined to succeed or fail? There may be many things that you cannot choose – but I believe that you can choose one thing. You can choose to repent.
There is a difference between knowing and determining.
From The Living Bible:
29 For from the very beginning God decided that those who came to him—and all along he knew who would—should become like his Son, so that his Son would be the First, with many brothers. 30 And having chosen us, he called us to come to him; and when we came, he declared us "not guilty," filled us with Christ’s goodness, gave us right standing with himself, and promised us his glory. Romans 8:29-30 (TLB)
Here’s why I’m getting into this… I want you to understand that you can make decisions with great confidence, if you are repentant. As long as you get your position right – you get IN CHRIST – then you simply cannot fail. You repent, and keep repenting – then God will take you all the way to glory. And every decision you make in life will serve you well.
Let me share a personal story with you… I was thinking about leaving Cedar Rapids, IA, where I was worship leader and youth pastor in my dad’s church. Dad’s words… “If your motive is truly the mission, how can you miss the will of God?” My paraphrase… “If you are really repentant…” That statement helped me immensely then, and in every decision I have made since.
DON’T JUST STAND THERE - DO SOMETHING!
So – what should you do after repenting? Start walking. Don’t just stand there – do something!
Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; Eccl 9:10 (NKJV)
Illustration – A car without power steering is difficult to steer when it is not moving.
So you have repented. How do you decide what to do next? These basic decision-making questions will help you...
WHAT DOES JESUS WANT?
You may not know whether he wants you in Tanzania or in Argentina. But there are a lot of things that you do know about His desires, isn’t there?
Remember – your witness begins in Jerusalem. (Acts 1:8)
WHAT DO YOU WANT THAT IS IN LINE WITH WHAT JESUS WANTS?
Delight yourself also in the Lord, And He shall give you the desires of your heart. Psalms 37:4 (NKJV)
So many think that if they serve God, He will call them to be something completely different than what they want to be… Not likely. He made you that way for a reason.
Take a look at Peter… Fishing when Jesus called him – the nets break. Fishing after 3 years with Jesus – the nets did not break. He was a better fisherman. Did he give up on fishing? Well, we assume he did, but we really don’t know, do we? Paul continued his trade even as an apostle. But let’s say that Peter did quit fishing. I’m sure the transition was natural, it was right – and Peter never looked back.
WHAT CAN YOU DO NOW?
This brings us to the next question… What can you do now? What is in your hand?
So often we don’t realize how much we can do with what little we have. We focus so much on what we don’t have that we don’t move. But what do you have? What can you do.
DO IT TODAY.
That is why we talk about the value of the next step.
Repent - and take your next step with confidence. Experience God’s good will - His pleasing will - His perfect will.
I wonder if someone here wants to experience God’s will…
