Sermon # 45 - Thy Will Be Done Series

Mary submitted to the will of God

We read in Luke 1:38, Then Mary said, "Behold the maidservant of the Lord! May it be to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her. (EMTV)

The characteristic of Mary that makes her so unique and special, was the fact that though she could not fully comprehend the plan of God for her life, she had a heart that willingly submitted to God’s will. Mary was a young virgin who was engaged to be married to Joseph, and as she awaited her wedding day she must have been filled with so much of expectations. She must have therefore been bewildered when the angel of the Lord visited her, and conveyed the news to her, that the Holy Spirit would come upon her, and that she would be with child, even before she got to know her husband. Though this news must have shocked her initially, throwing her mind into much confusion, Mary willingly submitted to the will of God, and affirmed that everything be done in her life according to the word that was spoken by the angel of the Lord.

All of us go through varying circumstances in our lives, and we too like Mary have the choice to either do our own will, or to submit to the will of God. There may be those things that we desire to do, and find that what God wishes for us may be totally contradictory to our thinking and plans. There are many who prefer to do what seems best to them, only because being submissive to the will of God is not so agreeable to them.

Teach us to do your will

We read in Psalms 143:10, Teach me to do your will, because you are my God. May your good Spirit lead me on level ground. (GW)

Here’s a beautiful prayer by David where he desired that he be taught to do the will of God, because He has made God the Lord of his life. The Psalmist prayed this prayer because he understood that the Spirit of the Lord alone could lead him on the right path.

We often profess that God is the Lord of our lives, worship Him and magnify Him, but are hesitant to live in obedience to His will for our lives. There are many who want to be the lord of their own lives choosing to do what pleases them. The past and the present are known to us, but it is only the Lord who can help us take the right steps in to the unknown future. We must come to that place of total surrender, where the will of God, and not ours, will become top priority in our lives.

Joseph submitted to the will of God

We read in Matthew 1:18, This is how Jesus Christ was born. A young woman named Mary was engaged to Joseph from King David's family. But before they were married, she learned that she was going to have a baby by God's Holy Spirit. (CEV)

Also we read in Matthew 1:19, Joseph was a good man and did not want to embarrass Mary in front of everyone. So he decided to quietly call off the wedding. (CEV)

Here we find that Joseph was also in a dilemma regards his marriage to Mary. As he was preparing for his marriage, we realize that he too had great expectations for the same. Before the angel of the Lord could convey the message to Joseph, he was already informed that Mary, whom he was engaged to, was already with child. When Joseph heard it he was so perplexed that he decided to set her aside. Joseph of his own will, being a good man did not want to disgrace Mary, but rather resolved to quietly call off the wedding. However, when the angel of the Lord came to Joseph in a dream, and informed him that the child that was conceived in Mary was of the Holy Spirit, he immediately laid-off his will, and submitted to the will of God. For the Lord Jesus to be born into this world in human form, God needed to find that Mary and Joseph, who would willingly submit to the will of God no matter what.

If as men and women we could put ourselves in Mary or Joseph’s shoes for a moment, we would be able to comprehend the depth of the situation that they found themselves in. If the Lord Jesus has to be born as Lord and king into the hearts of people around us, the Lord is seeking for those of us who like Mary and Joseph, will completely surrender to the will of the Father in heaven.

We read in Matthew 1:24, After Joseph woke up, he and Mary were soon married, just as the Lord's angel had told him to do. (CEV)