Bear with me, if you would, to
Ephesians 5 again. Ephesians 5. I have, I believe, a very straightforward
message that is full of reality and truth and good news. We are going to look at what
the will of the Lord is. What the will of the Lord is.
Verse 17, Ephesians 5, verse 17 says, Wherefore be ye not
unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. Everything that happens happens according to His will. If we could ever just get a hold
of that, it would change everything. It'd change everything. If we
could ever get a hold of that. Everything that happens happens
according to His will. Everything. If you turn with
me to Ephesians chapter 1, it says in chapter 1 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." Everything that the Lord does,
He does according to the counsel of His own will. Everything. Everything that happens. There are a lot of things that
happen that we don't want them to happen. There are a lot of
things that happen. Most of the things that happen
to us in this life are things that we don't want to happen.
Everything that happens. is according to the counsel of
His own will. Only His will will be done. That's wonderful, isn't it? Nothing operates outside of His
will. Nothing. Nothing. Turn with me
over to Daniel chapter 4, just after Ezekiel. Daniel chapter
4. Daniel 4 verse 34 says, 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, 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? What that man 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. Nebuchadnezzar said, This is
God Almighty. This is God Almighty. And His
will is going to be done. It's going to be done. Now that's
the truth. That is the truth. That is the
truth concerning His will. Now here's our reality. All right, here's our reality
concerning His will. Go with me, if you would, to
Matthew 7. Matthew 7 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. It's only going to be those that
do the will of the father concerning them. It's only going to be those
that do the will of the father concerning them. Verse 24 says,
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?
What did he tell us to do? Well, in verse one, he said,
judge not that you be not judged. We'll just start with the first
one. He said, don't make a judgment on another person. Don't make a judgment in your
mind or in your heart concerning another person. Verse two, he said, 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 be honest. Let's be
honest. How have we held up on that one?
Have we done on that one? When God said don't do whatever
it is He said don't do, whenever He says don't do something, He
means ever. Not one time. That's what He means. Not one
time. There was no verbal warning in
the garden. It was not strike one, three
strikes and you're out. Not one time. He said, don't do it one time. He said, this is my will concerning
you. Leave all judgment in the hands
of God, the son. All judgment has been committed
under the sun. Do not try to step into the place
of God by passing judgment on another man. How have we done on that, honestly? How have we done? Have we perfectly
obeyed His will? You know, people read this book
and they scratch their heads because they say, well, it says
Whoever does the will of the Father will get to go to heaven.
That's what it says. Yes, it does. Have we done it? That's what it says. If we could
absolutely do the will of the Father, yes, we'd get to walk
right on in. That's what it says. But have
we done? Have we done it? Have we perfectly
obeyed his will? Have we done what is acceptable
and worthy for him to say, welcome in, come right on in. The commandment of the law only
ever brings us bad news. When we look at the flesh. Turn
with me over to first Thessalonians chapter four. First Thessalonians 4. Verse 3. For this is the will of God. This is the will of God, even
your sanctification. that you should abstain from
fornication. Have we done on that one? Honestly, knowing that that does
not only apply to the deeds of the body. That applies to the
thoughts of the mind and the desires of the heart. To think
it in the mind or desire it in the heart, in God's eyes, it's
the same thing as committing it in the body. People are so
proud of themselves for not physically committing fornication. I have people contact me, well
don't you, what do you think about that? It says don't commit
fornication. To think it in the mind. or desired
in the heart is the same thing in God's eyes as committing it
in the body. Now, committing it in the body brings some physical
consequences along with the spiritual consequences that come from the
others. But in God's eyes, it's the same sin. All right. Knowing
that, honestly, what's our reality? What's our reality? Have we held
up on that one? Look right here 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. How have we done on that? Do we only give thanks for everything
that comes our way? When something comes our way,
as soon as something in this life smites us on the cheek,
do we thank God? Thank you for that. Is that what
we do? Sometimes I honestly wonder if
this old sinful heart ever truly gives thanks. I know I give lip
service every now and then. Look with me at 1 John chapter
2. 1 John chapter 2 verse 15. Love not the world, neither the
things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the
love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world,
the lust of the flesh, 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 the love of the things of this world? Can any of us say that we have
accomplished the will of God concerning anything? Anything? The answer is No. Not even in one thing. 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 one of us. We have all
fallen into sin against his will. Well, wait a minute. I thought you just said everything
happens according to His will. I thought you just said only
His will would be done. When man fell into sin, did man
overthrow his will? Was the fall of man outside of
the will of God? This is where the gospel comes
in. Let me show you something in
John 11. This has been a real blessing to my heart. John 11. John 11 verse 1 says, now 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 sister 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. He loved them. Therefore, he
waited two more days. All right, verse 14 says, Then
said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead. Well, I thought
he said this sickness was not unto death. It wasn't. 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. In his good will and pleasure,
Lazarus died according to his will. Why? Why was that his will? The middle
of verse 4 says, For the glory of God, that the Son of God might
be glorified thereby. Man fell into sin. He fell into
disobedience against the will of God, according to the will
of God. He was not the author. God was
not the author. He was not the creator. He was
not the performer of man's sin, but he allowed it to happen.
According to his will. Now, how do we know that? How
do we know that for certain? Before God ever allowed there
to be a center, God provided a savior. That's how we know.
Before there was ever a sinner on the earth who needed a sacrifice
for his sin, there was a sacrifice made. Before God ever told man, this
is my will concerning you, do not sin against it. He provided
a lamb slain for sin, Jesus Christ. God's lamb slain from the foundation
of the world. This is the glorious news concerning
the will of God. I entered into this. I entered into John 11. He said,
because he loved him, therefore he waited two more days. I entered
into this. I believe this will be a blessing
to you. This is the glorious news of the gospel concerning
the Lord's will. Look with me at Matthew 18. See if the Lord will let you
enter into what this is saying, what this is really saying. Matthew
18, 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 goeth 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." If one goes astray and he goes and finds
it, he rejoices more over the one that went astray. than the
ninety and nine that didn't go astray. Now what is the will of the Lord? I can tell you what it's not.
He is not willing that one of His little ones should perish.
The Apostle Peter said His will is to be longsuffering to usward
not willing that any of his usward should perish, but that all of
his usward, all of his sheep should in repentance come to
him. Well, how's it possible? How can a sinful, rebellious,
fallen sinner who cannot do the will of the Lord, cannot do anything
that's acceptable in his sight, Everything that he naturally
does only goes against the will of the Lord. How can he be made
acceptable to God? How can he be made worthy to
enter into his kingdom according to his will? How is that possible?
Look with me at John 6. John 6 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 everyone 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 couldn't do the will
of the Lord. They couldn't. My people were
lost, they were dying, and according to their own will, they were
running straight into the destruction of hell. Then said I, Lo, I come in the
volume of the book, it is written of me to do thy will. in the volume of the book. It
is written of me doing thy will. Blessed is the man who does the
will of God, and he most certainly is. One man. One man. They can't do your will, so I'll
do it for them. They can't please you, so I will
please you for them. Look with me at Romans chapter
8. Romans 8 verse 3. 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. You see what the margin 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 to 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 couldn't do for themselves. They could
not obey the will of their Lord and they could not put away the
sin of their own disobedience. So Christ came and did it for
him. Turn with me over to Galatians 1. Galatians chapter 1 and look
with me at verse 3. Grace be to you. That's the glorious announcement.
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
our Father. That was the will of God and
our Father. Why did Christ give Himself for
our sins? Why did He give His life and
His body and His blood for our sins? He did it for the glory
of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby. Verse 5
says, To whom be glory. To whom be glory. Look with me
one more time at Ephesians chapter 1. Ephesians 1 verse 7, 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 together in Christ?
and with him freely give him an eternal heritance in the heavens. Why was it his goodwill and pleasure
to choose us and adopt us, accept us? Verse 12, that we should be to
the praise of his glory. who first trusted in Christ.
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's a believer's response
to His will. Go with me where our brother
read a moment ago, Matthew 6. The middle of verse 9, it says,
Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom
come, thy will be done, in earth as it is in heaven. He said,
My people shall be willing in the day of my power. He said,
no man can come to me except the Father which hath sent me
draw him. But he said, all that the Father
giveth to me shall come to me. David said, Lord, when you said,
seek my face, my heart said, thy face will I seek. I most
certainly will. In Christ, we bow to his will. We bow to it knowing that we
could not in our own ability obey the will of God. Knowing
that Christ came and obeyed it for us and applied it to us in
him, we bow to his will and in him we strive to do his will.
Strive to do the commandments He's given to us with whatever
ability He'll give us. We love His will. We love His
commandments. And even though we know we can't
keep them perfectly, for love's sake, we strive to. Go last time
to our text. Go back to Ephesians 5. Our text
says in verse 17, 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's the will of his people to bow to his will. They're willing. They all cry, Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done. Is that not the cry of our heart?
Lord, Thy will be done. Whatever it is, whatever it is,
Thy will be done. Thank God for His will. Thank
God His will overruled our will. Thank God. The gospel is in His
will. That's where the good news is.
It's in His will. All right, let's all stand together.