What does the Bible say about pleasing God?

The Bible teaches that pleasing God is essential for believers, as seen in John 8:29 where Jesus states, 'I do always those things that please Him.' Pleasing God is a pivotal theme in Scripture and is exemplified in the life of Christ. In John 8:29, Jesus affirms His commitment to doing what pleases the Father, stating, 'I do always those things that please Him.' This principle is not just a characteristic of Christ but is also to be a guiding force in the lives of believers. As Christians, we are called to imitate this desire by aligning our thoughts, actions, and intentions with God’s will. The importance of pleasing God can also be seen in other passages such as Hebrews 11:6, where it states that without faith it is impossible to please Him. Thus, our faith in Christ and our new nature as believers enable us to please God.

How do we know that pleasing God is important for Christians?

Pleasing God is vital for Christians, as it stems from our faith and is indicative of our relationship with Him, as seen in Hebrews 11:6. The significance of pleasing God for Christians is evident in the foundational relationship established through faith in Christ. Hebrews 11:6 clearly states, 'But without faith it is impossible to please Him.' This underscores that our ability to please God is a direct result of being in a right relationship with Him by faith. Furthermore, throughout Scripture, we see that pleasing God results in spiritual fulfillment and aligns us with His desires and purposes. Moreover, as believers who have experienced regeneration, our new nature actively seeks to honor and glorify God, aligning our will with His. This transformation enables believers to live in a manner that reflects Christ's own commitment to please the Father.

Why is having the mind of Christ important for pleasing God?

Having the mind of Christ is essential for pleasing God, as it enables believers to align their thoughts and actions with His will. The concept of having the mind of Christ is crucial for believers striving to please God. As emphasized throughout the sermon, true obedience and desire to please God flow from having a renewed mind, one that reflects the character and priorities of Christ. The Scriptures encourage us to take on this mindset (Philippians 2:5), which transforms our understanding of our purpose and actions in life. Having the mind of Christ not only leads us to do what is right but also instills a genuine desire to glorify God in all we do. It is this conformity to Christ that empowers us to put aside our selfish inclinations and seek to fulfill the divine will, as He exemplified perfectly during His earthly ministry.

Can anyone please God without knowing Christ?

No, according to the sermon, one cannot please God without the new birth in Christ. The sermon emphasizes that pleasing God is inherently linked to knowing Christ. Without the transformative experience of the new birth, an individual remains unable to please God. The text acknowledges the limitations of external good deeds performed by those who do not have a relationship with Christ, stating that even the Pharisees, despite their religious outward appearances, could not genuinely please God. For believers, the new birth grants them a new heart and desires that align with God's will. Therefore, one's ability to please God is rooted in being united with Christ through faith, which allows them to act in accordance with His purposes and glory.

Let this Mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus: #13 Pleasing God - Drew Dietz

John chapter 8. John chapter 8. Now let's look at verse 28. John 8, and let's start in verse 28. And we'll go to verse 30. Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of Man, then shall ye know that I am He. and that I do nothing of myself, but as my father hath taught me, I speak these things. And he that sent me is with me. The father hath not left me alone, for I do always those things that please him. And as he spoke these words, many believed on him. Many believed on Him.

What we're going to look at tonight in the 13th lesson of having the mind of Christ is pleasing God. Pleasing God. Now it can only be said of Him. Our text is the latter part of verse 29. He could say unequivocally, He could say without error, He could say without stammering, He could say with His conscience not bothering Him.

I do always. I was going to look that word up, but I think we know what it means. I do always those things, the things in past, the things present, and the things to come. I do always those things, whatever they are that I've done, that please Him. The Father was always pleased with the Son. To have for us to have this principle near us, guiding us, living within us, as it was our precious and obedient Lord Jesus Christ. To have that, just a sampling of that, a smidgen of that, that's our desire, is to please Him, to please Him.

Look at Psalms 103. The heavenly hosts said the same thing. There's no redemption. There's no salvation. There's no substitution for the angels, the heavenly hosts. But look at what they said in Psalms 103. Psalms 103. Psalms 103 and verse 20 and 21. You can see who He's talking about. Verse 20, bless the Lord, ye his angels, this is talking about the heavenly hosts, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearken unto the voice of his word. Bless ye the Lord, all ye his hosts, ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure. So the angels were created to do the pleasure of God. to serve Him, to honor Him, and to glorify Him, and that's what we are to have the same mind as Christ, the same mind of Christ.

So let's look at the Lord Jesus Christ. Even as our adoring Lord, now you think about this, as He was being hung on the tree for sins He didn't commit, As He was to bore our sins on the tree, He suffered the tremendous wrath of His Father for us as our substitute. Satan entered into men for them to do what they would to the Lord Jesus Christ.

Even the centurion, surely this man was a righteous man. The Lord was crucified. The sun went dark, the scripture says, and the earth shook. Yet in all this, he could say in Luke 22, you don't have to turn there, Luke 22 and verse 42, Luke 22, 42, saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me, nevertheless, nevertheless, not my will, not my pleasure, but yours be done. The Lord Jesus Christ, He didn't think about himself. He thought about pleasing the Father. That's amazing. And I think by thinking this and doing this, I think, again, he said, I do always those things that please my Father.

I believe this undoubtedly sustained our Lord under this awful load, these false accusations, the sin of which he became, which he knew not. He knew no sin, but he became sin. but in the back of his mind. He had a baptism to be baptized with. I must go through Samaria.

All these different things. Why? Because he wanted to please the Father. Oh, if we could get a hold of this. I can't remember, I was reading somebody. It wasn't even related to this, but he brought this thought in it. He just said how freeing that would be to the believer. What liberty? Freedom.

When our boss says something, we try to do it. We try to please them. When our friend says something, we try to please them. Why give God an untuned harp? Let us tune our harp to pleasing our Father. To pleasing our Father. He could honestly, purely, and unashamedly proclaim, I desire to please my Father with whom I have to do.

This is the Lord Jesus Christ. And I say, I know we can't do this. What an example. What a person to imitate, exalt, and honor. But what about us? What about us here tonight? We are to have the mind of Christ. And that new nature, we do have the mind of Christ.

But I will say this, this can only be done, pleasing the Father, can only be done by the new man, the new birth. If you don't know Christ, you can't please Him. And I know people, oh, you can do this, and you can be a good neighbor, and you can do this, and religious people do that. The Pharisees did that. A lot of people do that. But if you don't know the gospel, if Christ does not know you, if He hasn't made you one of His, you cannot please the Father.

You cannot, matter of fact, where's Matt? Is he in 1st or 2nd Samuel? 20, 22. You remember where Matt's at? Come on, Matt's wife. Put you on the spot. There's a passage I got underlined. I don't think he's gonna get to it, but it tells quite a bit of story. It's the same thing, I think, in Isaiah, I think it's 52, where he doesn't hear even the prayer. But let me...

I think it's right before David's last words, but I believe it's 2 Samuel. Yeah, 2 Samuel and chapter 22. Look at verse 42. Just look at it instantly. If you think I'm making this up. I'm sorry, 2 Samuel 22 and verse 42. Well, look at verse 41. We'll see who he's talking about. Thank you. Thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies that I might destroy them that hate me. Look at verse 42.

They looked the enemies of David and David's God but there was none to save even unto the Lord but he answered them not. He does not answer If you don't know him, now I'm not going to say then don't talk, but if you don't, you cry for mercy. That's the plea. That's what we need to do all the time. If we're found wanting in the weight of the balance, go to him. Go to him. There's no excuse. We have no excuse. He's the Redeemer. He's the Savior. And we need to be saved.

But this through us, by us, pleasing the Father can only be done through the new man given a new heart that beats after him and his accomplishments. It's the same thing with the Old Testament saints. They were men like you and I. Look, turn to Hebrews 11, Hebrews chapter 11. These were men of like passions, the scripture says, just like you and I. Hebrews chapter 11, that great chapter on faith, without which it's impossible to what? Please God, right? But how do you get faith? It's a gift of God. Lord, give me faith. Give me faith, what? Who's the object of the faith? Give me the faith to trust and to worship and to please the Father. And that can only be done if you help me, if you cause me to do that.

It's not a cooperation. It's not you're going to grab his hand, he's going to grab yours, and you're going to walk together. He's going to carry you like he did that lamb, that sheep, that lost sheep. He's going to throw it over his shoulders and he's going to bear all the weight of the sins of his people upon him present us to the Father, perfect, accepted, and pleasing to the Father's side. Look at Hebrews 11 in verse five.

By faith Enoch, we know he's a believer, was translated that he should not see death, but was not found because God had translated him. For before he translated, Enoch had this testimony, that he pleased God. How did he please God? The same way you and I do, by trusting solely, completely, and only in the blood and righteousness and the workings and accomplishments of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord Jesus Christ. So to please God is to be found in Christ. to be covered by the pure blood, is to be cleansed from all of our filthiness and corruptions. It's to be redeemed, saved, kept, and eventually endure to the end. Why are we going to endure to the end? Because that which he started, he's going to complete.

So if this can be said of us here tonight, can be said, do I know him? Is he my redeemer? Is he my God? If this can be said of us here tonight, and I can't answer that for you, I tell you to keep walking in His grace. Keep loving by His grace and show forth this God-pleasing attitude in our everyday walk. Everyday walk. Let this mind that was in Christ be also in us. He pleased God and may we desire to do the same and walk the same.

Let us have no rivals, and I have to stress this, let us have no rivals. In this world, in this country, there are so, and it's in every country, but this is the only country I know we have more freedoms than most. Freedoms to do this, do that, and take our mind off Christ. I'll miss, it's not gonna bother me if I miss service, that's not gonna, I can just pick it up. Careful, careful, first step of apostasy, forsake not the assembling of ourselves together. Let us have no rival in this world. Nothing, we sing that song, nothing between my soul and the Savior. Work can get in between. Play can get in between. Friendships can get in between. All these things, and there's nothing wrong in and of themselves.

However, if it's rivals in your heart, to pleasing the Lord, as one old writer said, it's an idol, and get rid of it. And we all have differing idols, I'm sure. So turn in closing to Galatians chapter 1. Galatians chapter 1. I don't want this said of me. I don't want this said of any minister of the grace of God. But it goes beyond that. I don't want to hear this said about you, about this church. about any believer who says they're a believer in Christ. Galatians 1. Verse 10. I'm closing here. May this not be said of us. Verse 10. Paul says, for do I now persuade men or God? God or mammon. Or do I seek to please men? There's the issue. For if I yet please men, I should not be the servant of Christ. It's pretty clear. It's pretty clear. I should not be the servant of Christ.

What does a servant do? He watches what his master is calling, is bidding. Kind of like Samuel and Eli. You know, he thought Eli was calling him, but it was the Lord. He got up, ran over. I'm here. I didn't call you. Went back. Second time, I'm here. It's like that. Third time, it's the Lord calling. But he was obedient to the heavenly calling.

And it is easy to be persuaded. It is easy to try to please men, to be seen of men, all these different things, to be seen with men. To the believer, it shouldn't matter. Doesn't matter whether you're the governor of this state, or you're the mayor of this town, or you have a lot of money, it doesn't make any difference. If they don't know Christ, be wary. Let us seek to please the Lord, and in so doing, we'll please one another, and honor and glorify Him. That's my prayer for myself, and it's my prayer for everyone here. Bruce, would you close us, please? Okay, we'll close it on the table.

Let this Mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus: #13 Pleasing God

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about pleasing God?

How do we know that pleasing God is important for Christians?

Why is having the mind of Christ important for pleasing God?

Can anyone please God without knowing Christ?

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Let this Mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus: #13 Pleasing God

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about pleasing God?

How do we know that pleasing God is important for Christians?

Why is having the mind of Christ important for pleasing God?

Can anyone please God without knowing Christ?

Sermon Transcript

About Drew Dietz

Comments

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