Kingsport Sovereign Grace Church,
located at 905 Yadkin Street in Kingsport, Tennessee, would
like to invite you to listen to a message of sovereign grace
by their pastor, Gabe Stoniker. And now, Pastor Gabe Stoniker. If you would like to begin turning
with me in your Bible to Ephesians chapter 5, I have, I believe,
a very straightforward message for us today, a message that
is full of reality, a message that is full of truth, and a
message that is full of good news. I believe I have some very
good news. We are going to look at what
the will of the Lord is. what the will of the Lord is. Ephesians 5 verse 17 says, wherefore
be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.
Don't be unwise, but understanding of what the will of the Lord
is. Now, everything that happens, happens according to his will. Every single thing that happens,
happens according to His will. If you turn with me to Ephesians
chapter 1, it says in verse 11, 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."
If we could ever truly get a hold of that. If we could ever get
a hold of that. He works all things after the
counsel of His own will. Everything that the Lord does,
He does according to the counsel of His own will. Everything that
happens, everything that happens is according to the counsel of
His own will. What that means is only His will
will ever be done. That's what it means. No one
else's. Only His will will ever be done. Nothing operates outside of His
will. You will hear men stand up and
say, well, God didn't want that to happen. God doesn't want this
to happen. This is a sovereign God we're talking about. This
is the God. Nothing happens outside of His
will. Turn with me if you would to
Daniel chapter 4. In Daniel 4 it says, and I love
these verses right here. At the end of the days, I, Nebuchadnezzar,
lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned
unto me, and I blessed the Most High, and I praised and honored
him that liveth forever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion,
and his kingdom is from generation to generation. Nebuchadnezzar
was lifted up with pride and he said, I did this and I did
that. And God said, I'll show you who's in charge. And he ran
him out of his kingdom and made him live in a field like a beast
for years. His hair grew, his nails grew
and just just a wild animal. And God brought his mind back
to him. And as soon as he did, he said,
I see who God is now. And he said, everything he does
is from dominion to dominion, generation to generation. Verse
35, he said, and all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing. And he doeth according to his
will in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the
earth, and none can stay his hand or say unto him, what doest
thou? Don't you love that? None. What Nebuchadnezzar said was,
only his will will be done. Only his will. He is not trying
to be God. He is not hoping to be God. He is not trying to persuade
anybody to let Him be God. Nebuchadnezzar said, this is
God Almighty, and His will is going to be done. And that's
the truth. That's just the truth. That is
the truth concerning His will. Number one, it's going to be
done. Whatever He purposes in His heart
to do, it is going to be done. Now here is our reality. Okay, that's his reality. That's
the reality of his will. Here's the reality of ours. Over
in Matthew chapter seven, it says in Matthew seven, verse
21, not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord shall enter into
the kingdom of heaven. But he that doeth the will of
my father, which is in heaven. Not every person is going to
get to enter into heaven. They will say, Lord, Lord, we
want to come in. This is our will. But he said
not every person is going to get to not every person is going
to be granted the will of their heart. He said, it's only going
to be those who do the will of the father concerning them. Verse 24, therefore, whosoever
here at these sayings of mine and do with them, I will liken
him unto a wise man which built his house upon a rock. What sayings
is he talking about? Whoever hears these sayings and
does them, what did he tell us to do? Well, in verse one, chapter
seven, verse one, he said, judge not that you be not judged. Don't make a judgment on another
person. That's what he said. Verse two, for with what judgment
you judge, you shall be judged. And with what measure you meet,
it shall be measured to you again. Now let's you and I both be honest.
How have we held up on that one? He said, do not judge another
man. Don't look at another man and say, well, he shouldn't have
done that. He ought to be doing that differently. How have we held up on that?
When God says, don't do something, he means ever, not one time. In the garden, he didn't say,
now, Adam, that strike one, three strikes and you're out. One offense. That's it, one offense. Don't
do it one time. He said, this is my will concerning
you. Leave all judgment into the hands
of the Son. God the Son. All judgment has
been committed to the Son. Do not try to step in to the
place of God by passing judgment on another man, any other man.
How have we done with that? Have we perfectly obeyed His
will? Have we done honestly what is
acceptable and worthy in His sight to enter into His kingdom?
1 Thessalonians 4 verse 3 says,
For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that
you should abstain from fornication. This is the will of God. that
all men and women should abstain from fornication. I believe we
know what fornication is, a man and a woman coming together outside
of marriage. Have we done with that? Knowing that that does not only
apply to the deeds of the flesh. Our Lord said in Matthew five,
it applies to the mind. Even if you think it. How have
we done with that? Look at chapter 5, verse 18. 1 Thessalonians 5, verse 18,
it says, in everything give thanks. For this is the will of God in
Christ Jesus concerning you. He said, every single thing that
comes to you, everything that is dealt to you on your plate,
Give thanks. Rejoice and give thanks. Now
let me ask you a question. Have we done on that? Have we ever murmured and complained
about anything or do we only give thanks for everything that
he sends our way? Have we done? Sometimes I truly
wonder if this sinful heart right here ever honestly gives thanks. I'm talking about this sinful
heart right here. Never could I say that I give
thanks in everything, never. I'd be lying. I'd be lying. Look at 1 John 2. It says in
1 John 2, verse 15, love not the world, neither the things
that are in the world. If any man loved the world, the
love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world,
the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the pride
of life is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the
world passeth away and the lust thereof, but he that doeth the
will of God abideth forever. Can any of us say that we are
over our love for the things of this world? Can any of us
say that? Can any of us say that we have
accomplished the will of God concerning us in anything, in
anything, even in just one thing? We just named a few things. Oh,
there's so many things that He has commanded of us. Can we say
that we've obeyed His will in just one thing? Here's the answer. No, not one. Not even one. The first man on this earth fell
from the will of God concerning him. And every man and woman
after him has fallen too. Every single one. We have all
fallen into sin against his will. Sin against his will. I thought,
though, we started this message by saying everything happens
according to His will. Isn't that what we said? Only
His will will be done. When man fell into sin, did man
overthrow his will? Did man overthrow God's will? Was the fall of man outside of
the will of God? This is where the gospel comes
in. This is where the gospel comes in. I want to show you
something in John 11. John 11, verse 1, it says, Now
a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town
of Mary, and her sister Martha. It was that Mary which anointed
the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose
brother Lazarus was sick. Therefore his sisters sent unto
him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick. When Jesus heard that, he said,
This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that
the Son of God might be glorified thereby. Now Jesus loved Martha
and her sister and Lazarus. When he had heard, therefore,
that he was sick, He abode two days still in the same place
where he was. He loved Martha and he loved
Mary and he loved Lazarus. Therefore, he waited two more
days before he came so Lazarus could die. Because he loved him,
he stayed right where he was. Verse 14, then said Jesus unto
them plainly, Lazarus is dead. He told them Lazarus is dead.
Well, I thought he said this sickness was not unto death.
It wasn't. Verse 43, and when he thus had
spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. And he that was dead came forth
bound hand and foot with grave clothes, and his face was bound
about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, loose
him and let him go. In his good will and pleasure,
he allowed Lazarus to die. He allowed him to, he stayed
where he was. And allowed him to die. Lazarus
died according to his will. Why was that his will? The middle of verse four said,
for the glory of God, that the son of God might be glorified
thereby. That's why, that's why. Man fell
into sin and disobedience against the will of God, according to
the will of God. Man fell against his will, according
to his will. Now he was not the author of
it, He was not the creator of it. He was not the performer
of any of the sin, but He allowed it to happen according to His
own will. Now, how do we know that? How
can I make that statement and know that that's so? Here's how,
and I pray this will sink in. Here's how, here's how we can
know that's so. Before God ever allowed there
to be a sinner, God provided a Savior. Before God ever allowed there
to be a sinner standing on this earth, God provided a Savior. Before a sinner ever even needed
a Savior, there was a sacrifice made. Before there was ever a
sinner that needed to appease a holy God, an appeasement was
made. Before God ever told man, this
is my will concerning you, do not sin against it. Before he
ever said that, he provided a lamb slain for sin. Jesus Christ,
God's lamb slain, the scripture says, from the foundation of
the world. God had a lamb slain before the
foundations were ever laid in this world. This is the glorious
news concerning the will of the Lord. Over in Matthew chapter
18, it says in verse 12, How think ye if a man have an hundred
sheep, and one of them be gone astray? doth he not leave the
ninety and nine, and go into the mountains, and seek that
which is gone astray? And if so be that he find it,
verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep than of the
ninety and nine which went not astray. Even so, it is not the
will of your father, which is in heaven, that one of these
little ones should perish. What is the will of the Lord?
I'll tell you what it's not. He is not willing that one of
his little ones should perish. He is not willing and only his
will is going to be done. The apostle Peter said his will
is to be long-suffering to us-ward. Us-ward. God's elected us, the
ones Peter said he was writing to in chapter 1, verse 1 of that
same book. He is long-suffering to us-ward,
not willing that any of the us-ward should perish. but that all of
the usward, all of his sheep should in repentance come to
him. Well, how is that possible? How
can sinful, rebellious, fallen sinners who cannot do the will
of the Lord, cannot do anything that is acceptable in his sight,
everything that they naturally do, only goes against the will
of the Lord. How can they be made acceptable
to Him? Worthy to enter into His kingdom?
According to His will, how? How is that possible? Over in
John chapter six, it says in John six, verse 37, all that
the Father giveth to me shall come to me. and him that cometh
to me, I will in no wise cast out. For I came down from heaven,
not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. And this is the Father's will
which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me, I should
lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of him that
sent me, that every one which seeth the Son and believeth on
him may have everlasting life, and I will raise him up at the
last day." The Lord Jesus Christ said, they could not do the will
of the Lord. My people could not do the will
of the Lord. They were lost, they were dying,
and according to their own will, they were running into eternal
destruction, eternal damnation, head first. Then said I, lo,
I come. In the volume of the book, it
is written of me, to do thy will." Oh God, he said, I'm coming.
In the volume of the book, it is written of me to do thy will. They can't do your will. They
cannot do your will. So I will do it for them. They cannot please you, Father. So I will please you for them. I'll do it for them. In Romans
8, it says in verse 3, what the law could not do in that it was
weak through the flesh. And what that means is, the law
told us, if you do this, you'll earn heaven. You'll please the
Father. But the law could not be done
because of the weakness and sinfulness of this flesh. For what the law
could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending
his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh. And for sin, I
have a margin in my Bible that says, by a sacrifice for sin,
condemned sin in the flesh. that the righteousness of the
law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh,
but after the spirit. Why did Christ come into this
world? Why did he come in the likeness of sinful flesh? Why
did he condemn sin in the flesh? He did it for the glory of God,
that the Son of God might be glorified thereby. He did something
for His people that they could not do for themselves. He obeyed
the will of their Lord, and He put away the sin of their disobedience. Look at Galatians chapter one.
It says in Galatians 1 verse three, grace be to you and peace
from God the Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ who gave
Himself for our sins that he might deliver us from this present
evil world according to the will of God and our Father. Why did Christ give himself for
our sins? Why did he give his life and
give his body and give his blood for our sins? He did it for the
glory of God. that the Son of God might be
glorified thereby. Verse five says, to whom be glory
forever and ever, amen. Look one more time at Ephesians
chapter one. It says in Ephesians one, verse
seven, in whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness
of sins, according to the riches of his grace, wherein he hath
abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known
unto us the mystery of his will. According to his good pleasure,
which he hath purposed in himself, 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. Why is it his will
to redeem and forgive and gather all of his people in Christ and
with Him freely give them an eternal inheritance in the heavens. Why was it His good will and
His good pleasure to choose us, adopt us, accept us, give us
all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ? Why? Verse
12 says that we should be to the praise of His glory. That's why. He did it for the
glory of God. that the Son of God might be
glorified thereby. Now, with all that being said,
here is our response to His will. Here is the response of every
child of God to His will. Matthew 6, the middle of verse
9 says, Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be
done. Thy will be done in earth as
it is in heaven. In earth just like it is in heaven. He said, my people shall be willing
in the day of my power. His will is going to be done
and his people will crave his will and say amen to his will. In Christ, We love His will. We strive for His will, even
though we know we cannot perfectly keep it. We have never kept one
commandment perfectly, but we desire to. And the reason is
because we love Him and we love His will. We love it. Our text
back in Ephesians 5, verse 17 says, wherefore be ye not unwise,
but understanding what the will of the Lord is. It was the will
of the Lord that none of his people should perish. It was
the will of the Lord that Christ should fulfill all of his will
for his people. and it is the will of His people
to bow to His will. They all say, Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done. Thank God for His will. Till
next week, may the Lord bless His Word to our hearts. You have
been listening to a message by Gabe Stoniker, pastor of Kingsport
Sovereign Grace Church in Kingsport, Tennessee. If you would like
a copy of this message or to hear other messages of Sovereign
Grace, log on to our website at ksgctn.org. If you would like to come and
worship with us, our service times are Sunday morning Bible
study at 10 o'clock AM, worship at 10.45 AM and 6 o'clock PM,
Wednesday evening at 7.30 PM. Please tune in next week for
another message of God's free and sovereign grace.