I did choose thee. Todd's Road Grace Church would
like to invite you to listen to a sermon by our pastor, Todd
Neidert. We are located at 4137 Todd's
Road, two miles outside of Manowar Boulevard. Sunday services are
at 1030 a.m. and 6 p.m. Bible study is at
945 a.m. Wednesday services are at 7 p.m. Nursery is provided for all services.
For more information, visit our website at toddsroadgracechurch.com. Now here's our pastor, Todd Nibert. I want to speak this morning
upon this subject, the will of God. Our text is found in Ephesians
chapter 5, verse 18. Paul says, excuse me, verse 17,
Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of
the Lord is. the will of God. People use this phrase quite
a bit. I'm trying to find God's will
for my life. Well, I hope you'll listen very
carefully as we consider what the Bible has to say about the
will of God. First, what is meant by will? When we speak of the will of
God, The will is the intent. The will is the desire. The will
is the purpose. The will is what directs us in
doing what we want to do. We only do what we want to do,
and it's the will that directs us in doing what we want to do. Now, no one has a free will. Listen real carefully. No one
has a free will. God doesn't even have a free
will. He cannot lie. He cannot be evil. His will is
controlled by His nature. He has a holy nature. That is the will of God. Now,
God does what He wants to do. He always does what He wants
to do, but this is not speaking of free will. People use the
term free will so often, but it's foreign to the scriptures.
The will is controlled by the nature. You and I do what we
want to do, and our will is controlled by our nature. If we're born
into this world with sinful natures, which we are, that means our
will is controlled by a sinful nature. Yes, it's true. Everybody
does exactly what they want to do, and God does what he wants
to do. That is his will. Now, you and
I will all kinds of things, want all kinds of things, desire all
kinds of things, but we don't have the power to make sure our
design and our desire and our will comes to pass. But here's
the difference between our will and God's will. God is all-powerful. He's omnipotent. and he has the
power and the ability to make sure his will always comes to
pass. God's will, God's intent, God's
desire. Now when we speak of the will
of God, we can divide it into two things. First, there's the
will of God's decree. That is His purpose, what He
purposes to do. And then there is His will of
command, like the Ten Commandments. It's not God's will for you to
lie. It's not God's will for you to kill. His will of command
and His will of decree, that's what He has purposed before time
began. He said, I have spoken it, I
also will do it. I have purposed it, I also will
bring it to pass. That is the sovereign will of
God. Now his will of command has only
been done by one, the Lord Jesus Christ. He said, my meat and
my drink is to do the will of him that sent me. He is the only
one to do all of God's will of command, and he did it. He kept
God's law perfectly, and he did it for his people. So if he kept
God's law perfectly, they did too. Remember when the Lord said
to John the Baptist, thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness. When the Lord Jesus Christ fulfilled
all righteousness, so did every other believer. Christ performed
His Father's will perfectly. We haven't. We've disobeyed God.
In Christ, I've got obedience. In Christ, I have righteousness.
But in and of ourselves, we have no obedience before God. So His
will by the natural man is not done, is it? Aren't we taught
to pray, thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is
in heaven, where His will is performed perfectly? Now, God's
will of decree always comes to pass. Everything he purposed
in eternity has and will come to pass. Now let me give you
some things that the scripture teaches regarding the will of
God. We read in Ephesians chapter
1 beginning in verse 9, having made known unto us the mystery
of his will. according to his good pleasure
which he 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 that worketh all things after
the counsel of His own will. Now, the will of God is absolutely
essential. What that means is, is nothing
happens outside of His will. Whatever happens, He's in absolute
sovereign control of. The lot is cast into the lap,
but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. His will is eternal. In Ephesians chapter 3, verse
11, we read, according to the eternal purpose which he purposed
in Christ Jesus our Lord. Whatever his will is, is what
it always was and what it always will be. His will is eternal
and his will is immutable. The scripture says God is not
a man that he should lie nor the son of man that he should
repent. He never changes his mind. He
has no need to. He's God. He said in Malachi
chapter 3 verse 6, I am the Lord, I change not. Therefore ye sons
of Jacob are not consumed. And his will is efficacious.
And what do I mean by that? His will cannot be thwarted. Whatever he wills must come to
pass because he's omnipotent. He has the power to make sure
his will always comes to pass. We read in Daniel chapter 4 verse
35 that he doeth according to his will. in the armies of heaven
and among the inhabitants of the earth, and none can stay
his hand or say unto him, What doest thou? He gives no account
of any of his matters. His will is efficacious. It cannot
be thwarted. I've heard people saying, God's
trying to teach me something. God doesn't try to do anything.
Whatever he wills to do takes place. And God's will is causeless. What do I mean by that? God's
will is causeless. That means there's no cause for
him to do what he does outside of himself. Here's the scripture
that sheds some light on that. The Lord said, I thank thee,
O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hid these
things from the wise and prudent and revealed them unto babes,
even so, father, for so it seemed good in thy sight." His will
is causeless and His will is sovereign. He said, I will have
mercy on whom I will have mercy, and whom He will, He hardens. Now, this is God's will, oh,
the supremacy of God's will. I think People bring it down
when they start saying, I'm just trying to find God's will for
my life. You're up to your neck in God's will, because he controls
everything. Now, the supremacy of God's will
is seen in these three different dimensions, creation, providence,
and salvation. Now remember, God's will is his
intent. His desire, His purpose, whatever
He wills comes to pass. And that's demonstrated first
of all in creation when God spake the world into existence. There
was a time when there was nothing. All there was was God, but He
willed the creation into existence. All things, the scripture says,
were made by him and for him. And he is before all things,
and by him all things consist. Thou hast created all things
for thy pleasure, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.
Proverbs 16, 4 says, the Lord hath made all things for himself,
yea, even the wicked for the day of evil. There was nothing,
He willed it, and there it is. Now we can see the supremacy
of God's will in creation when He spake the world into existence. Secondly, the supremacy of His
will is seen in providence. Now you've heard the word providence. What is it? Providence is everything
that happens in time. Now, it was determined to take
place in eternity, and it happens in time. That is God's providence. Now, everything that happens
in time happens as a result of His will. He said that He declares
the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things
that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I
will do all my pleasure. Proverbs 16, 33, the lot is cast
into the lap. That's what we'd think of as
luck. The lot is cast into the lap, but the whole disposing
thereof is of the Lord. Ecclesiastes chapter 3, verse
1 says, to everything there is a season and a time to every
purpose under heaven. Verse Samuel 2, 6 and 7 says,
the Lord killeth and the Lord maketh alive. He bringeth down
to the grave and he bringeth up. The Lord maketh poor and
maketh rich. He bringeth low and he lifteth
up. Listen to this scripture from
Isaiah chapter 45. God says, I am the Lord and there's none
else. I am the Lord and there's none
like me. I form the light and create darkness. I make peace
and create evil. I, the Lord, do all these things. He is the cause. I don't care what you're talking
about. Doesn't matter what. Ultimately, He is the first cause
behind everything. Now, I don't understand everything
He does, obviously, nor does anyone else. But I trust Him,
and I know that whatever He does is right. Like Abraham said,
Shall not the judge of the earth do right? And this is the believer's
comfort in Providence. Romans 8, 28 says, And we know
that all things work together for good to them that love God
to them who are called according to His purpose. He controls everything
in providence. Now we see the supremacy of His
will in creation. We see the supremacy of His will
in providence. He controls everything. And the
supremacy of His will is most especially seen in salvation. Now listen real carefully. Here's
what most people believe. God wills the salvation of all
men. He wants everybody to be saved. God wills all men salvation. He loves all men the same. Christ
died for all men the same. God the Holy Spirit is calling
all men the same. This is what God wants. This is His desire.
This is His will. But you won't be saved unless
you will it to happen. He may will your salvation. Christ
may die for your sins, but you won't be saved if you don't use
your will to accept what He did for you. Now, my friend, the
scripture will not support anything like that. Let me ask you four
questions. I want you to think about this. If God wills the
salvation of all men the same, what's the will of God got to
do with salvation? If God loves all men the same, what's the
love of God got to do with salvation if somebody he loved can wind
up in hell? If Christ died for all men the same, what's the
blood of Christ have to do with salvation if He could die for
somebody and they wind up in hell? If God the Holy Spirit
calls all men the same, what's the Holy Spirit have to do with
salvation? You see, this is a confusing of the issues. God's will must
be done and the supremacy of His will is most especially seen
salvation. Now listen to this scripture,
Hebrews chapter 10 verse 11 says, By the witch will. Witch will? God's will. By the witch will
we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus
Christ once for all. When God willed my salvation,
when God willed the salvation of all of His people, they were
sanctified, declared by God to be holy once for all. The Lord
Jesus said in John chapter 6 verse 38, For I came down from heaven,
not to do my own will, but the will of Him that sent me. And
this is the Father's will which has sent me, that of all which
He hath given me, I should lose nothing. but raise it up again
at the last day. And this is the will of him that
sent me that everyone that seeth the Son and believeth on him
may have everlasting life. Now, the Lord clearly identifies
what the Father's will, saving all of his people, all of the
elect. 2 Timothy 1.9 says he saved us. And He called us with
a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to
His own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus
before the world began. In John 5, verse 21, the Lord
says, For as the Father raises the dead, and quickens them,
even so the Son quickens, gives life to whom He will. Now understand this, salvation
is in His hands. It's up to the Lord as to whether
or not you'll be saved. You're in His hands. Somebody
says, I don't see any safety there. I tell you what, that's
the only place I find it. Safety is a salvation in his
hands. Because if you leave it up to
me, I'm in trouble. And if it's left up to you, you're
in trouble. But thank God, he delights in saving sinners. Now,
his will is supreme in salvation. Listen to this, of his own will,
James 118, of his own will begat he us. through the word of truth. Romans 9, 16 says, for it's not
of him that willeth, talking about man, nor of him that runneth,
not man's will or works, but of God that showeth mercy. The Lord said, it's not the will
of your father in heaven that one of these little ones should
perish. Now, we are saved. If we're saved,
we are saved that we might know his will. Paul said, Be not unwise,
but understanding what the will of the Lord is. It's absolutely
supreme. His will must be done. It cannot
be thwarted. I love the will of God. It's
so glorious. His will is so powerful that
whatever He wills comes to pass. And we are saved that we might
know His will. When Ananias came to Paul the
apostle, He came saying, The God of our fathers hath chosen
thee, that thou mightest know his will. Now when he said that,
he's not talking about his will of command. Paul already knew
his will of command. He's not talking about so you
can know his will for your life. His will is his redemptive will
in Christ Jesus. Him willing the salvation of
all that he gave to Christ. Now, the will of God. Here is
the essence of holiness. The Lord Jesus said in Gethsemane's
garden, not my will, but thine be done. And this is the essence
of holiness, negating my will, not my will, but thine be done. And this is our desire. We're
taught to pray. Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done. And this is the desire of our
heart. We're called upon to do the will
of God from the heart. In Ephesians chapter 6 verse
6, doing the will of God from the heart, not by compulsion,
not because I'm afraid of what somebody will think about me
if I do not do it, but that I, from my heart, my desire, my
understanding, my affections, I want to do the will of God
from the heart. And His will is to be acknowledged. You remember
in James chapter 4 when James rebuked those people who say,
tomorrow we're going to go do this and do that. He said, what
is your life? It's even a vapor that appears
for a little while and passes away. We have absolutely no control
as to what's going to happen tomorrow. Here's what we ought
to say, if the Lord will. If the Lord will, we'll do this,
do that. Everything is subservient to His will. And His will is
to be willingly submitted to. the will of the Lord be done. Now, the Lord said, Not every
one 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. Now what is this thing of doing
His will? If you and I learn that, we've
learned something very special. Our Lord went on to say, not
everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom
of heaven, but he that doeth the will of my Father, which
is in heaven. Many will say unto me in that day, Lord, Lord, have
we not preached in your name? In your name, have we not cast
out devils? And in your name, have we not done many wonderful
works? The Lord then says, Then shall
I say unto them, Depart from me, ye that work iniquity, I
never knew you. Now what is this thing of doing
His will? It's this simple. It's believing
the gospel. If you believe the gospel, you're
doing His will. Some disciples once asked the
Lord, what must we do to work the works of God? He said, this
is the work of God, that you believe on him whom he hath sent. Now the will of God is our plea. Talking about the will of God
is not some kind of abstract theological subject or theory. The will of God is where the
believer lives and moves and has his being. Now I would like
to look in closing at a passage of scripture from Matthew chapter
8 that teaches us something about the will of God. Now we read
in verse 1 of Matthew chapter 8. When he was come down from the
mountain. Great multitudes followed him. And behold. There came a leper. and worshipped him, saying, Lord,
if you will, you can make me clean. Now, this leper, according to
Luke's account, was a man who was full of leprosy. He was covered by leprosy. Every square inch of his body
had leprous ulcers. But do you know in the scripture,
in the Old Testament, it was only when the leper presented
himself to the priest as totally covered with leprosy that the
priest would pronounce him clean. If he came with some healthy
flesh, the priest would say, go back to the leper colony.
But it was only when he was completely covered with leprosy was he pronounced
clean. Now, there's typical significance
to this. This man came to Christ full of sin. He was conscious
of the fact that he had no righteousness, no merits. That's what leprosy
represents in the scripture, sin. He came full of sin and
he came saying, Lord. He acknowledged the absolute
lordship of Jesus Christ. He knew who Christ was. He came and said, Lord, If you
will, you can make me clean. And he worshipped him. Notice
it says, And behold, there came a leper and worshipped him. Now, his leprosy had not yet
been cleansed, and he didn't know if his leprosy would be
cleansed. Yet he worshipped the Lord anyway. Now what this tells me is that
Jesus Christ the Lord is to be worshipped. whatever he does. If he saves me, oh, I worship
his holy name. If he passes me by, he's still
worthy of worship because of who he is. He's the Lord Jesus
Christ. He came and worshiped him saying,
Lord, you're the Lord. If you will, you can make me
clean. He knew the ability of the Lord. He knew the Lord could make him
clean, but he knew it was in the Lord's sovereign hands. If
you will, you can make me clean. And this is what I need. I need
to be made clean. What I am in and of myself is
nothing but filthiness. I can't make myself clean. I
can't will myself to be clean. I'm totally dependent upon you.
I'm in your sovereign hands if you will. You can make me clean. Have you ever come to the Lord
like that? Coming full of sin, full of leprosy, with no ability
to make yourself clean, with no ability to wash yourself,
totally helpless. And you come into his presence
and you say, Lord, if you will, it's up to you. I can't will
this. If you will, He didn't come saying, Lord, I will that
you make me clean. He said, Lord, if you will, you
can make me clean. Now, in verse three, we read
in Jesus put forth his hand and touched him. He touched that
leper saying, I will. There's the will of God. I will. be thou clean and immediately
his leprosy was cleansed. Now, if you come the way this
man did, you're going to hear the same thing he did. If you come to the sovereign
Lord, knowing you're in his hands and that you can't manipulate
him, you can't control him, you're in his hands and you say, Lord, If you will, you can make me
clean. If you come like this leper did,
you're gonna hear the same words this leper heard, I will be thou
clean. Do you know there's never been
a sinner come to Christ for mercy that Christ turned away. Now
mercy's in his hands. He can save or He can pass by.
That's very true. He's absolutely sovereign in
mercy. He's a sovereign God, the sovereign
Lord Jesus Christ. But it's equally true that there's
never been anybody who came for mercy that He turned away because
He delights in mercy. Now, there's the will of God.
Have you known, have you understood that it's up to Him? as to whether
or not you'll be saved. It's all in His sovereign will. Thank God for the will of God. Now we have this message on DVD,
CD, or cassette. Call the church, email or write,
and we'll send you a copy. This is Todd Kniper praying God
will be pleased to make Himself known to you. Amen. To request a copy of the sermon
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