Let us turn to the word of God
and we shall turn to Matthew 6 this morning
and verses well just read first of all verses 9 to 13 Matthew chapter
6 verses 9 to 13 after this manner therefore pray ye Our Father,
which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come,
thy will be done, in earth as it is in heaven. Give us this
day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our
debtors. And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and
the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. The scripture that
I'll bring to your attention this morning is found in that
10th verse, Matthew 6, verse 10, the last clause of the verse,
Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven. Thy will be
done in earth as it is in heaven. We've considered on previous
occasions during this past year, as I've preached from this pulpit,
the preface and the first two petitions of what is commonly
called the Lord's Prayer. We have the preface there in
the words, Our Father which art in heaven. These words teach
us to whom real prayer is to be addressed. I will cry unto
God most high, says the psalmist. We are not to pray to Mary, we're
not to pray to images, paintings, pictures, crosses, crucifixes. Our Father which art in heaven. And these words also teach us
the infinite distance that there is between us and our God. Be not rash with thy mouth and
let not thine heart be hasty to utter anything before God. for God is in heaven and thou
upon earth, therefore let thy words be few. And the child of
God fills the distance between him and his God. I like Martin
Luther's comment on this preface to the Lord's Prayer. He says
that it is as if he said, O Father, thou art in heaven but I, thy
wretched child, am far from thee on the earth, in exile, in dangers,
in calamities, in straits, among devils and mighty enemies, and
various perils. Oh, how we need one who is infinitely
powerful as God, and infinitely good as a father, to hear and
answer our prayers. The first petition we have in
the words, Hallowed be thy name. Hallowed be thy name. And this
is the first petition because all other petitions to the throne
of grace are to be subservient to this first and great petition. Hallowed be thy name. We are
to seek first and foremost. We are to seek above all other
things. the glory of God. The fourth
petition, which we have in verse 11, give us this day our daily
bread, has at its heart the hallowing of God's name. And so in Proverbs
30, verses 8 and 9, Solomon says, Give me neither poverty nor riches,
feed me with food convenient for me. In other words, give
us this day our daily bread, lest I be full and deny thee,
and say, Who is the Lord? or lest I be poor and steel,
and take the name of my God in vain. Likewise, the fifth petition,
which we have in verse 12, and forgive us our debts as we forgive
our debtors, and the seventh petition, but deliver us from
evil, the psalmist says, help us, O God of our salvation, for
the glory of thy name, and deliver us, and purge away our sins,
for thy name's sake. Every prayer and every petition
is to be subservient to this first and great petition. Hallowed be thy name. The second petition we have in
the words, thy kingdom come. We considered last time, it was
back in April now, but we considered on that occasion the dual aspect
of the kingdom of God. It is a kingdom of grace and
it is a kingdom of glory. and these two things, grace and
glory, can never be separated. The Lord will give grace and
glory, says the psalmist. Where there is grace, glory is
sure to follow, and there can be no glory hereafter without
grace here below, except a man be born again or born from above,
he cannot see the Kingdom of God. Except a man be born of
water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God. And in that second petition, we are taught
to pray against the devil and all his works. We are taught
to pray against the devil's dominion in all its manifestations. We
are to pray against the tyrannical hold that he has over the minds
of men who are taken captive by him at his will. We are to
pray for the in-gathering of God's elect by the preaching
of the Gospel. And we are to pray for the establishment
of the Gospel Church. Because, you know, the Gospel
Church is the visible expression of the Kingdom of God in this
world. And we are to pray for the establishment
of the Kingdom of God in our own hearts. Do you pray for that? That God's Kingdom might be established
in your heart? For behold, the Kingdom of God
is within you, said Jesus. And we are to pray for the second
appearing of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen. Even so,
come Lord Jesus. It's the last prayer of the Bible. As we come to the third petition,
Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven, we see that
there is a connection with the previous two petitions. John
Brown puts it like this. These three petitions are most
intimately connected. The great object of desire is
the glory of God, the hallowing His name. The grand means of
securing this is the coming of His Kingdom and the manifestation
that His Kingdom is come and His name therefore hallowed is
the doing of His will on earth as it is in heaven. As we come
to our text this morning we shall consider and trust with the Lord's
gracious help and enabling three headings. First of all,
God's will of purpose. Secondly, God's will of providence. And then thirdly, God's will
of precept. Thy will be done in earth as
it is in heaven. So firstly, let's consider God's
will of purpose. What is God's will of purpose?
Well, it is the everlasting salvation of all the elect. That's God's
will of purpose. Paul in Ephesians, we read it
earlier, speaks of the spiritual blessings of election and predestination. and of adoption too. Ephesians
chapter 1 from verse 3, Blessed be the God and Father of our
Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings
in heavenly places in Christ, according as he hath chosen us
in him before the foundation of the world, that we should
be holy and without blame before him in love. having predestinated
us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself according
to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of the glory of
his grace wherein he hath made us accepted in the Beloved. It is according to the good pleasure
of his will. In verse 9 he says, having made
known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good
pleasure which he hath purposed in himself. And then he goes
on to tell us what that mystery of his will which he hath purposed
in himself is. That in the dispensation of the
fullness of times he might gather together in one all things in
Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth, even
in him. in whom also we have obtained
an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him
who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will,
that we should be to the praise of his glory who first trusted
in Christ, in whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word
of truth, the gospel of your salvation. This then is God's
will of purpose, the everlasting salvation of an elect people. All those who are predestinated,
according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after
the counsel of his own will, are to be gathered together with
elect angels under the headship of Christ, that he might gather
together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven
and which are on earth and so this prayer runs thy will be
done in earth as it is in heaven the elect angels in heaven are
at this moment under the headship of Christ and God has purposed
after the counsel of his own will to gather the elect from
amongst men under that same headship This is the eternal purpose which
he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord. Thy will be done in earth
as it is in heaven. And again, do we not see the
connection here with the previous petition? Thy kingdom come thy
will be done in earth as it is in heaven." We are to pray for
the outworking of the eternal purpose, the in-gathering of
God's elect through the preaching of the Gospel. If any sinner
is to be saved, it must be according to the will of God, and according
to the outworking of his eternal purpose, of his own will, begat
he us with the word of truth. It is not according to the will
of man, but as many as received him To them gave He power to
become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name,
which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh,
nor of the will of man, but of God." It cannot be according
to the will of man. because the will of man is by
nature in bondage to sin and to Satan. Now there are those
who carpass and object against and complain about these high
doctrines of election and predestination. The Apostle Paul had to deal
with such complainers and critics in his day. After saying in Romans
9 18 Therefore hath he mercy on whom
he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth. He goes
on to say, Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find
fault for who hath resisted his will? Nay, but, O man, who art
thou that replyest against God, shall the thing formed say to
him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? hath not the
potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel
unto honour, and another unto dishonour? What if God, willing
to show his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with
much long-suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction,
and that he might make known the riches of his glory on the
vessels of mercy which he had aforeprepared unto glory even
us whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the
Gentiles. The doctrine of God's sovereignty
is not to be disputed or debated. Nay, but, O man, who art thou
that replyest against God? The margin renders it, Nay, but,
O man, who art thou that answerest again against God? Or who art
thou that disputeth with God? Shall the thing formed say to
him that formed it, Why hast thou made me this? You know, the Lord Jesus Christ
rejoiced in this doctrine of the absolute sovereignty of God
in the salvation of sinners. Matthew 11 and verse 25 at that
time Jesus answered and said I thank Thee O Father Lord of
heaven and earth because Thou hast hid these things from the
wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto babes even so Father
for so it seemed good in Thy sight this doctrine is not to be disputed or argued
with it is to be rejoiced in even so father for so it seemed
good in thy sight And surely in this prayer and in this petition
there is a humble acquiescence to all the perfect will of God. Thy will be done in earth as
it is in heaven. No Arminian, no free willer can
really pray this prayer. Thy will be done in earth as
it is in heaven. But the will of God extends not
only to his eternal purpose of salvation, but also to his sovereign
and overruling providence. So let us consider in the second
place God's will of providence. Again, in Ephesians we read,
of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own
will. I like the way the First London
Baptist Confession of Faith expresses the doctrine of God's providence. God hath decreed in himself,
before the world was, concerning all things, whether necessary,
accidental, or voluntary, with all the circumstances of them,
to work, dispose, and bring about all things according to the counsel
of his own will, to his glory. Then in another article dealing
specifically with God's providence, it says, God, in his infinite
power and wisdom, doth dispose all things to the end for which
they were created, that neither good nor evil befalls any by
chance, or without his providence, and that whatsoever befalls the
elect is by his appointment for his glory and for their good. Now what a comfort this is! to
the poor child of God who is passing through various storms
and difficulties and trials. To know that our Father is above
all and over all and disposing all things for our good and for
his glory. To know that all things work
together for good as the scripture says and we know that all things
work together for good to them that love God to them who are
the called according to his purpose the living child of God is to
trust in God as his or her father trust in him at all times ye
people Pour out your hearts before Him. God is a refuge for us. Selah. For he or she is to trust in
Him at all times. At all times. Even when everything
seems to go against them. Now this is something which is
impossible to the natural man. By nature. Do we not kick against
God's providence? Of course we do. We often feel
ourselves to be hard done by. We imagine that what we will
is far superior to what God wills. Our will be done is the natural
desire of our sinful hearts. Our will be done. We have to
be taught and brought by divine grace to know and to see that
what the Lord will is perfect and good. And as the renewed will of the
living child of God is brought to submit to and to trust in
the will of his Father in heaven, then he will be enabled to pray
from the heart, thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven. Sometimes the Lord crosses our
own natural wills, that we might be humbled before Him, that we
might know that He is indeed our Father and that we are His
children. Humble yourselves therefore under
the mighty hand of God, that He may exhort you in due time,
casting all your cares upon Him, for He careth for you. In the words of this third petition
of the Lord's Prayer, Thy will be done in earth as it is in
heaven. A humble confession and acknowledgement
is put into the mouth of the child of God that the will of
the Lord is best. The Lord's will is best. Joseph
was brought to see it, wasn't he? He was brought to see that
all the evil that befell him was for good. how he was sold
into slavery by his brothers, was falsely accused of rape or
attempted rape, spent over two years in prison. All these evils befell him, but
he knew that it was for good. Remember what he said to his
brethren? Later on he said, but as for you, ye thought evil against
me, but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this
day, to save much people alive. There was a purpose in it. It
was the same with Paul. He had been forewarned by the
Holy Ghost that he was to be bound by the Jews and handed
over to the Gentiles. There were those of his friends
who tried to dissuade him from going to Jerusalem. We read in
the book of Acts, then Paul answered, What mean ye to weep and to break
mine heart? For I am ready not to be bound
only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.
And when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, The will of
the Lord be done. Paul was able to see the wisdom
of God in ordering all these events. He later wrote to the
Philippians, But I would you should understand, brethren,
that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather
unto the furtherance of the gospel so that my bonds in Christ are
manifest in all the palace and in all other places there was
a purpose in it those that suffer in any way
for the truth's sake should know that it is in accordance with
the will of God Peter says, For it is better, if the will of
God be so, that ye suffer for well-doing than for evil doing.
And again, Wherefore let them that suffer according to the
will of God commit the keeping of their souls to Him in well-doing,
as unto a faithful Creator. And is there not in this petition
a prayer to the Father to make us willing to suffer all things
for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ and for his kingdom. Thy
kingdom come, thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven. God's will of providence is at
work on behalf of and for the good of his people. But you know,
God's will of providence also extends to the reprobate Only
for them it is not working for good. Think of Pharaoh. Following the plague of frogs
we read, but when Pharaoh saw that there was respite, he hardened
his heart. And several times in those chapters
in Exodus we read that Pharaoh hardened his heart. Now no doubt
he felt that he was exercising his own free will. But then in
chapter 10 we read, And the Lord said unto Moses, Go in unto Pharaoh,
for I have hardened his heart, and the heart of his servants.
Previously in chapter 9, Pharaoh had been told by the Lord, And
in very deed for this cause have I raised thee up, for to show
in thee my power, and that my name may be declared throughout
all the earth. There was a purpose even in this,
the hardening of Pharaoh's heart. The providence of God extends
even to the reprobate. We see it in the book of the
Revelation. We read of the ten horns of the beast in Revelation
17. These have one mind and shall
give their power and strength unto the beast. And then further
down the page we read, And the ten horns which thou sawest upon
the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate
and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.
For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil His will, and to agree,
and to give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of
God shall be fulfilled. You see, they have one mind. They have determined, it seems,
according to their own free will. to give their power and strength
unto the beast. Ah, but it is God who has put
into their hearts to fulfil His will. The providence of God extends
to the reprobate and it ultimately works for their destruction.
And the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and
he pursued after the children of Israel. And you know what
the outcome was. And the Lord overthrew the Egyptians
in the midst of the sea, and the waters returned and covered
the chariots, and the horsemen, and all the host of Pharaoh that
came into the sea after them, there remains not so much as
one of them. And so it will be with the beast
and the false prophet. These both were cast alive into
a lake of fire burning with brimstone. and so it will be with all the
enemies of Christ and his gospel and whosoever was not found written
in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire For a perfect example of how
providence works for the good of the Lord's people and for
the ill of the enemies of the people of God, just read the
book of Esther and see what happened to Haman, the Jew's enemy. Why
the providence of God extends also to the devil himself. He could do nothing against Job,
but by God's leave and permission, that every evil atrocity committed
by man under satanic delusion and inspiration is subject to
the sovereign overruling providence of God. Do you know the greatest
atrocity ever committed? What was the greatest atrocity
ever committed in this world? It was the crucifying of Emmanuel,
the Son of God. It was the crucify of incarnate
deity. That was the greatest atrocity
ever committed in this world. We read that it was Satan who
led Judas Iscariot to betray his master. In John 13 verse 2, and supper
being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas
Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him. You see, the devil would
put it into his heart to do this thing. Oh, but then we also read in
the book of Acts, in Peter's preaching to the Jews, Him, is
the Lord Jesus Christ, Him, being delivered by the determinate
counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken and by wicked
hands have crucified and slain. Yes, the worst atrocity ever
committed in this world was according to the determinate counsel and
foreknowledge of God. And there was a purpose in it,
of course, which was the salvation, the redemption of the elect of
God. For it was for his dear elect
that the Savior laid down his life. I lay down my life for
the sheep, he said. And for the people of God, those
who are redeemed by that precious blood of the Lamb, there is a
gracious purpose even in all the assaults of the enemy. You
will be assaulted. If you are a child of God, you
will be assaulted. Did He not tempt our dear Saviour? Did He not tempt the head of
the church? If thou be the Son of God, you will be subject to
his assaults if you are a child of God are you really a child
of God? what a temptation that is but there is a gracious purpose
in all these assaults of the enemy for fear none of those
things says John in the Revelation fear none of those things which
thou shalt suffer behold the devil shall cast some of you
into prison that ye may be tried there's a purpose in it the third petition of the Lord's
Prayer thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven is a prayer
that we might be submissive in all the dispensations of providence,
that we might be submissive to God's will of providence, we
might say that it is a prayer for passive obedience. Thy will
be done in earth as it is in heaven. Well, thirdly, let us
consider God's will of precept. This petition is a prayer, as
we have said, for passive obedience to God's will, to His will of
providence. But it's not just that. It is
also a prayer for active obedience to God's will, His will of precept.
The Gospel is the believer's rule of life and the true child
of God will have a desire to walk according to Gospel rule
and precept. And that desire is expressed
in these words. Thy will be done in earth as
it is in heaven. Oh, we are to walk in wisdom. Ephesians chapter 5 verse 15. See then that ye walk circumspectly,
not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are
evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will
of the Lord is. We are not to walk as others,
or as we ourselves once walked in the days of our unregeneracy
1 Peter chapter 4 For as much then as Christ hath suffered
for us in the flesh arm yourselves likewise with the same mind for
he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin that
he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh
to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. For the time past
of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the
Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revelings,
banquetings, and abominable idolatries. The Lord Jesus said, For whosoever
shall do the will of God, The same is my brother and my sister
and mother. The New Testament gives us much
instruction regarding the will of God and we are left in no
doubt as to how we are to walk and to conduct ourselves in the
world, in the church, in the family, in case of personal offences. Now just to give a couple of
examples from Paul's epistle to the Thessalonians. His first
epistle to the Thessalonians. 1 Thessalonians chapter 4. Furthermore
then we beseech you brethren and exhort you by the Lord Jesus
that as you have received of us how you ought to walk and
to please God so you would abound more and more for you know what
commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus For this is the will
of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication,
that every one of you should know how to possess his vessel
in sanctification and honour, not in the lust of concupiscence,
even as the Gentiles which know not God, that no man go beyond
and defraud his brother in any matter, because that the Lord
is the avenger of all such as we also have forewarned you and
testified for God hath not called us unto uncleanness but unto
holiness and again in the next chapter
1 Thessalonians chapter 5 and verse 14 now we exhort you brethren
warn them that are unruly comfort the feeble-minded support the
weak Be patient toward all men. See that none render evil for
evil unto any man, but ever follow that which is good, both among
yourselves and to all men. Rejoice evermore. Pray without
ceasing. In everything give thanks. For
this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. Peter says, for so is the will
of God that with well-doing ye may put to silence the ignorance
of foolish men. And you note that in this petition
we are bidden to pray thy will be done in earth as it is in
heaven. As it is in heaven. Now how is
God's will done in heaven? Well it is done by the Holy Angel. They are the heavenly hosts that
constantly wait upon Him and do His bidding. Bless the Lord, ye His angels
that excel in strength, that do His commandments, hearkening
unto the voice of His word. Bless the Lord, all ye His hosts,
ye ministers of His, that do His pleasure. The will of God
is to be done by men upon earth as it is done by the angels in
heaven. That is, as Dr. Gill says, voluntarily
and cheerfully, speedily and without delay, constantly and
without any interruption, and perfectly and completely. But anyone who knows the plague
of his own heart will know that this is impossible to the natural
man. As I said before, the natural
language of our sinful hearts is, our will be done. We cannot
do and we will not do the will of God without the grace of God. For it is God which worketh in
you, both to will and to do of his good pleasure. And that's
why we must beseech God. our heavenly father and pray
thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven remember those
words in Hebrews which are sometimes used as a benediction Hebrews
13 verse 20 now the God of peace that brought again from the dead
our Lord Jesus that great shepherd of the sheep through the blood
of the everlasting covenant make you perfect in every good work
to do his will working in you that which is well-pleasing in
his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and
ever. Amen. Jesus said, for without me ye
can do nothing. The doing of the will of God
is the fruit of the gracious working of the Spirit of God
in the heart. But the fruit of the Spirit is
love joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
meekness, temperance. Against such there is no law. Oh, how we need to pray continually
then. Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven. You know,
men are addressed as earth by the prophet Jeremiah. Oh, earth,
earth, earth, hear the word of the Lord. Men are addressed as
Earth because the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground
in the very beginning. As you read in the book of Genesis,
Thy will be done in earth, Thy will be done in me, which am
but dust and ashes, as it is in heaven. Oh, that the Lord
would fulfil His gracious will in us. that we might be enabled
by His grace to walk according to all His revealed will. Thy will be done in earth as
it is in heaven. This prayer belongs to none but
those who are the children of God, our Father which art in
heaven. Thy will be done in earth as
it is in heaven. Those who have no concern as
to what the will of the Lord is, those who have no concern
whether they walk according to God's will or not, those who
have no concern to be doers of God's will, to walk according
to His Word, it is evident that they are not real children of
God. The child of God prays like this,
Our Father, we chant in heaven, in earth as it is in heaven. In conclusion, let us go to the Garden of Gethsemane. For there we see one who has
perfectly done and fulfilled all the will of God here upon
earth. We hear his voice in the Psalms,
I delight to do thy will, O my God. Thy law is within my heart."
When he came to suffer, when he came to offer up his own spotless,
pure and holy life on behalf of transgressors, he prayed to
his Father in heaven, there in the garden. And he was withdrawn
from them, that is from his disciples about a stone's cast, and kneeled
down and prayed, saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this
cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but
thine be done. Not my will, but thine be done.
Not my will as a man, as flesh and blood, I recoil from this. Nevertheless, not my will, but
thine be done." And here is the Christians supreme motivation
for praying this petition, Thy will be done in earth as it is
in heaven. The Lord himself prayed this
prayer. The Lord himself prayed this.
And we see that he obtained strength from heaven that he might accomplish
that great work of redemption. And there appeared an angel unto
him from heaven strengthening him. And so it will be with us
when we call upon our Father in heaven. We shall obtain strengthening
grace in our time of need that we might be able to do and to
suffer all that is appointed us. The Lord bless his word to
each of our souls today. Thy will be done, in earth as
it is in heaven. Amen.