Bent into Shape – His Purpose
5/5/18
Matthew 6:11
Sunday AM
Our Father in heaven – Our eternal, holy, sovereign daddy in whose presence I enter and on whose lap a crawl up on.…
Hallowed be Your name – may Your name be revered and set apart in me and thru me – and set apart as holy among the nations so that every knee might bow and every tongue confess your righteous, saving name...
Your Kingdom come – may the focus/priority of my life be to seek first your kingdom/righteous each/every min. I breath as I live out each day as a citizen of heaven in expectation of your imminent return as I live determined to express your love to the nations until your eternal kingdom comes…
We’re in a series on the Disciple’s Prayer (Lord’s Prayer) seeking to understand what Jesus was teaching His followers and us about prayer.
To appreciate Jesus’ instruction, we need to understand the context. When the disciples approached Jesus, prayer had been so corrupted by rabbinic tradition that prayers like the Shema/Shemoneh esrei had become prescribed and ritualized – and the people had no idea how to approach God So Jesus gave this prayer as an pattern to help us to know how to talk w/ God and keep us from using vain repetition.
Jesus was teaching us that prayer is to be a personal, face-to-face encounter w/ our heavenly daddy.
pray (proseuchomai) pro = facing toward – refers to one who seeks God’s face. euchomai = to utter aloud. Prayer is a personal, face-to-face encounter w/ God.
So when Jesus taught His disciple to pray – He was clear this prayer was be a pattern/model to connect w/ God but never to be a substitute. We’re to understand it and follow it to get face-to-face and bent into shape.
This, then, is how you should pray: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. Mt.6:10f
Today, as we continue our study of the meaning of each phrase of this example of prayer, we’re going to look at the phrase – Your will be done on earth and it is in heaven.
The will of God is an amazing reality to ponder and it is one of the top questions people are wanting an answer. The simple truth is God has a will – and it’s His will that we know/follow His will. So if we’re going to pray, seek, and participate in it, then we need to understand what it is.
There are (3) critical aspects to understand God’s Will. So as we pray for His will to be done, we’re asking for God to accomplish His plan in me, in the church, and in the world.
Surrendering to the PROVIDENTIAL Will of God
The Providential Will of God includes those things God has created in time/space and set into motion that are beyond man’s scope, understanding and ability to influence. These are decisions God has made according to His sovereign choice that certain things have happened and are going to happen and nothing is going to stop it.
When it comes to God’s providential will, no one has influence over these events and no committee was formed to offer to God our human insights/opinions. This includes things like creation and the plan of salvation – eternity past and future. As such, everything in the eternal order is subject to God’s sovereign, providential will. A person can rankle against it, deny it, and even try to defy it – but no one can escape it or live outside of His sovereign rule.
As we pray your will be done… we’re acknowledging God’s rule and our willingness to submit to His rule.
Second – praying your will be done means to…
Submitting to the PRESCRIPTIVE Will of God
The Prescriptive Will of God is the general will of God as outlined in Scripture. It’s where God reveals to us what’s right/what’s wrong, what’s good/what’s evil, what’s of God and what’s not of God. It’s where God reveals His progressive plan so we might know Him and find salvation.
God’s prescriptive will is truth to lead us to Him. It’s truth that applies to everyone equally. The will of God in Scripture is the same for me as it is for you. So when the Bible says, “Thou shall not kill, or steal or lie – it applies to every one in every culture in every age.
Don’t miss – we might not like it, believe it, or desire to follow it, but no one has authority over God’s prescriptive will. We only have a choice of whether or not we’re going to respond to it/abide by it. You can deny it/defy it, but you can’t change it or make it go away.
The grass withers, the flowers fade, but the Word of God will stand forever. Is. 40:8
So when we pray your will be done… we’re also telling God that we will honor/submit/obey His Word.
The final thing it means when we pray your will be done… we’re asking God to reveal His plan for our personal lives.
III Seeking the PERSONAL Will of God
God’s personal will is where we live, and it is the burning question w/in the soul of every person – what does God want and have for me?
Who does He have for me to marry? What’s His plan for my job? How do I respond to my kids, spouse, or boss? Should I make this move? Buy this house?
CATCH: The way we discover God’s personal will is to seek it as we submit to His providential will and obey His prescriptive will – and until we’re is willing to follow His prescriptive will we’ll never discover His personal will.
So we when we pray your will be done… we asking God to reveal His heavenly will to our earthly lives so our earthly wills are surrendered/conformed to His heavenly will b/c we understand/believe His heavenly will is the best will for us.
If God’s will is the best way – then every min. of every day we operate outside his will and independent of Him is a wasted day.
While we’re here, let me speak to the (5) steps God gives us in His Word to help us discover His personal will. These (5) steps are like the ingredients to a cake, they have to be added in a particular order. You move through them one at a time.
I plead w/ you to offer your bodies to God b/c of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice – the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you – which is good, pleasing, and perfect. Romans 12:1-2
A ACCEPT God’s Plan for Surrender
…offer your bodies to God…
offer – to lay down. It’s a volitional act. To discover God’s will require your formal surrender. You have to raise the white flag. You have to say, “I’m no longer going to do life my way on my terms, but according to God’s way on His terms. I’m going to accept His way is better than my way.
This is no easy task b/c it’s counter intuitive b/c we don’t naturally submit to anyone/anything – including God. At creation man was dependent on God, but thru sin we’ve sought to live independently of Him – we have sought to turn unto our own way.
Surrender doesn’t come naturally but supernaturally thru our accepting Christ as Savior and embracing His call for us to come under the influence of the H.S. to allow us to live our lives according to His prescriptive will.
But it doesn’t stop there. Not only are we required to surrender, we have to submit to His Word.
B ALLOW God’s Word to Guide
Don’t copy the behavior/customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think…
If we’re going to live submitted to God, we can’t be conformed to the world but transformed by His Word.
All Scripture is God-breathed and is profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction, and training in righteous so that the man of God will be thoroughly equip to follow God. 2 Tm. 3:16
Paul is telling the Roman believers that we’re not to be stuffed into the mold of this world but we are allow the H.S. to craft and shape us in looking and living like Jesus.
How does God do this? He does it thru His Word. God transforms our lives through Scripture.
Ps. 119:105 – Your word is a lamp to my feet…
Hb. 4:12 – The Word of God is quick…
If you’re trying to find God’s will w/out consulting His Word – you’re like a blind man trying to find a hidden door in a dark room.
C ASK Godly People to ADVICE
The way of a fool seems right to him, but a wise man listens to Godly advice. Pr. 12:15
This means don’t just seek advice from anyone; instead seek God’s will through consulting w/ people seeking after God.
TRUTH: We often seek advice from many sources – our parents, friends, kids, colleagues, pastors, etc. God calls us to seek the advice of Godly people. Seek the counsel of people who can pick Jesus out of a line up who will tell you what you need to hear and not just what you want to hear.
1 Are they GODLY
Do you know this person walks w/ God? Do you see the tangible evidence of the fruit of the Spirit?
2 Are they TRUSTWORTHY
Are they confidential? Are you sure they can keep a secret and not use your concern against you?
3 Are they OBJECTIVE
When you lay out the facts – can they refrain from being subjective and give you what you need?
4 Are they MISSIONAL
Are they concerned about your intimacy w/ God and God’s will be accomplished in/through your life?
5 Are they ENCOURAGING
Are they willing to point you in the right direction and then walk w/ you and hold you accountable?
Never turn to someone who doesn’t have the ability to help you b/c they only have the ability to hurt you.
D ANTICIPATE God’s Spirit to PROMPT
In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps. Pr. 16:9
One of the jobs of the H.S. is to guide us. As we seek God’s kingdom by trusting the Lord w/ all our hearts – God the H.S. walks w/ us to nudge/lead us to God’s heart/will – our responsibility is to hea, and obey.
E AWAIT God’s Peace to AFFIRM
This is one of God’s great blessings. The H.S. bears witness w/ our spirit to affirm His calling/will by giving us peace.
Col. 3 – Let the peace of Christ rules…
Gal. 5:22 – The fruit of the Spirit is…
If you’re seeking the Lord and desiring to do His will and you don’t have an overwhelming sense of peace w/in – its b/c God isn’t calling you to do what you are wanting to do.
The peace of God will never lead you away from the will of God or the Word of God.
But let’s be honest, it’s hard to pray His will be done:
1 It requires giving up CONTROL of Your plans
2 It requires setting aside your WANTS
3 It potentially requires SUFFERING/SACRIFICE
And yet, this is what Jesus tells us is necessary to effectively engage and communicate w/ God – a greater desire for His will to be accomplished over your wants being satisfied.
Story of pastor who was hosting (2) unbelieving exchange students from Brazil – had (2) daughters who wanted to sing in the choir at Master’s College. In route to an event where they were going to sing – they were in an accident where his daughters were killed. In his sorrow, the pastor said, my girls are now singing in the heavenly choir and we’d rather lose our daughters to heaven than lose these young men to hell.
