Text: St. Luke 22:41-44 "And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, (vs42) Saying, Father, if thou be willing , remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but let thine be done.(vs43) And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.(vs44) And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground".
Premise
The Pulpit Commentary, Vol.16, pages224-225, a comment on St. Luke 22:42(latter clause) "Self-Surrender. "Not my will, but thine ,be done." These words are suggestive as well as expressive. They suggest to us---- THE ESSENTIAL NATURE OF SIN. Where shall we find the root of sin? Its manifold fruits we see around us in all forms of irreligion, of vice, of violence. But in what shall we find its root? In the preference of our own will to the will of God. If we trace human wrong-doing and wrong-being to its ultimate point, we arrive at that conclusion. It is because men are not willing to be what God created them to be, not willing to do what he desires them to do; it is because they want to pursue those lines of thought and of action which he has forbidden, and to find their pleasure and their portion in things which he has disallowed,--- that they err from the strait path and begin the course which ends in condemnation and in death. The essence of all sin is the assertion of our will against the will of God. We fail to recognize the foundation truth that we are his; that by every sacred tie that can bind one being to another we are bound, and we belong to him from whom we came and in whom we live, and move, and have our being. We assume to be the masters of our own lives and fortunes, the directors of our own selves, of our own will; we say, "My will, not thine, be done." Thus we are radically wrong; and being radically wrong, the issues of our hearts are evil. From this fountain of error and of evil the streams of sin are flowing; to that we trace our origin.
Premise
The Pulpit Commentary, Vol.16, pages224-225, a comment on St. Luke 22:42(latter clause) "Self-Surrender. "Not my will, but thine ,be done." These words are suggestive as well as expressive. They suggest to us---- THE ESSENTIAL NATURE OF SIN. Where shall we find the root of sin? Its manifold fruits we see around us in all forms of irreligion, of vice, of violence. But in what shall we find its root? In the preference of our own will to the will of God. If we trace human wrong-doing and wrong-being to its ultimate point, we arrive at that conclusion. It is because men are not willing to be what God created them to be, not willing to do what he desires them to do; it is because they want to pursue those lines of thought and of action which he has forbidden, and to find their pleasure and their portion in things which he has disallowed,--- that they err from the strait path and begin the course which ends in condemnation and in death. The essence of all sin is the assertion of our will against the will of God. We fail to recognize the foundation truth that we are his; that by every sacred tie that can bind one being to another we are bound, and we belong to him from whom we came and in whom we live, and move, and have our being. We assume to be the masters of our own lives and fortunes, the directors of our own selves, of our own will; we say, "My will, not thine, be done." Thus we are radically wrong; and being radically wrong, the issues of our hearts are evil. From this fountain of error and of evil the streams of sin are flowing; to that we trace our origin.
Standing In The Will of God Means That We Will Allow God To Create A New All Consuming Ambition Within Us
THE HOUR AND ACT OF SPIRITUAL SURRENDER. When does the human spirit return to God, and by what act? That hour and that act, we reply, are not found at the time of any "intellectual apprehension of truth." A man may understand but little of Christian doctrine, and yet may be within the kingdom of heaven; or, on the other hand, he may know much, and yet remain outside that kingdom. Nor at the time of keen sensibility; for it is possible to be moved to deep and to fervent feeling, and yet to withhold the heart and life from the Supreme. Nor at the time of association with the visible Church of Christ. It is the hour at which and the act by which the soul cordially surrenders itself to God. When, in recognition of the paramount claims of God the Divine Father, the gracious Saviour of mankind, we yield ourselves to God, that for all the future he may lead and guide us, may employ us in his holy service; when we have it in our heart to say, "Henceforth thy will, not ours, be done;"--- then do we return unto the Lord our God, and then does he count us among the number of his own.
THE HIGHEST ATTAINMENT OF CHRISTIAN ENDEAVOUR. when do we reach our highest point? Not when we have fought our fiercest battle, or have done our most fruitful work, or have gained our clearest and brightest vision of Divine truth; but when we have reached the point in which we can most cheerfully and most habitually say, after Christ our Lord, "Not my will, but thine be done;" when under serious discouragement or even sad defeat, when after exhausting pain or before terrible suffering, when under heavy loss or in long-continued loneliness, or in prospect of early death, we are perfectly willing that God should do with us as his own wisdom and love direct."
Definition
The Will: an order, command or decree. What is chosen to be done by another, to be accomplished by the one it is directed to. "The Will Of God" is the strongest desire, purpose or that which would be pleasing to God in relation to his preordained plan for his people.
Exposition
1. Standing In The Will of God Means Acknowledging and Accepting The Predestinate Nature of God's Will--- Romans 8:28-31"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose.(vs29)For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.(vs30) Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified; and whom he justified, them he also glorified.(vs31)What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?" Eph. 1:3-6 "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: (vs4) 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: (vs5) Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, (vs6) To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved."
2. Standing In The Will of God Means We Must Acknowledge and Accept That God's Will Has An Unchanging Purpose--- 2 Tim. 1:9-10 "Who hath saved us, and called us with an 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, (vs10) But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:"
3. Standing In The Will of God Means We Must Yield Ourselves To The Daily Administration And Direction of Our Lives Through Acknowledging Him--- Prov.3:5-7 "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. (vs6) In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.(vs7) Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil.
4. Standing In The Will of God Means That We Will Always Seek After God's Approval and Sanction of All Our Plans--- James 4:13-16 "Go to now, ye that say, Today or tomorrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: (vs14) Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. (vs15) For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that." (vs16) But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil."
5. Standing In The Will of God Means That We Are Willing To Be Lead and Directed Step By Step---Psa.119:133"Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me." Psa. 37:23-24 "The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way. (vs24) Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand."
6.Standing In The Will of God Means That We Will Allow God To Create A New All Consuming Ambition Within Us---Phi.3:10-14 "That I might know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; (vs11) If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. (vs12) Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. (vs13) Brethren I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, (vs14) I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. (vs15) Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you."
7. Therefore We Must Conclude That Standing In The Will Of God Requires Me To Continually Forsake Sin and Unrighteousness and Seek Him In Total Faith and Confidence Beyond My Understanding---Isa.55:6-9 "Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: (vs7) Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. (vs8) For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. (vs9) For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts."
THE HIGHEST ATTAINMENT OF CHRISTIAN ENDEAVOUR. when do we reach our highest point? Not when we have fought our fiercest battle, or have done our most fruitful work, or have gained our clearest and brightest vision of Divine truth; but when we have reached the point in which we can most cheerfully and most habitually say, after Christ our Lord, "Not my will, but thine be done;" when under serious discouragement or even sad defeat, when after exhausting pain or before terrible suffering, when under heavy loss or in long-continued loneliness, or in prospect of early death, we are perfectly willing that God should do with us as his own wisdom and love direct."
Definition
The Will: an order, command or decree. What is chosen to be done by another, to be accomplished by the one it is directed to. "The Will Of God" is the strongest desire, purpose or that which would be pleasing to God in relation to his preordained plan for his people.
Exposition
1. Standing In The Will of God Means Acknowledging and Accepting The Predestinate Nature of God's Will--- Romans 8:28-31"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose.(vs29)For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.(vs30) Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified; and whom he justified, them he also glorified.(vs31)What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?" Eph. 1:3-6 "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: (vs4) 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: (vs5) Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, (vs6) To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved."
2. Standing In The Will of God Means We Must Acknowledge and Accept That God's Will Has An Unchanging Purpose--- 2 Tim. 1:9-10 "Who hath saved us, and called us with an 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, (vs10) But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:"
3. Standing In The Will of God Means We Must Yield Ourselves To The Daily Administration And Direction of Our Lives Through Acknowledging Him--- Prov.3:5-7 "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. (vs6) In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.(vs7) Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil.
4. Standing In The Will of God Means That We Will Always Seek After God's Approval and Sanction of All Our Plans--- James 4:13-16 "Go to now, ye that say, Today or tomorrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: (vs14) Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. (vs15) For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that." (vs16) But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil."
5. Standing In The Will of God Means That We Are Willing To Be Lead and Directed Step By Step---Psa.119:133"Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me." Psa. 37:23-24 "The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way. (vs24) Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand."
6.Standing In The Will of God Means That We Will Allow God To Create A New All Consuming Ambition Within Us---Phi.3:10-14 "That I might know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; (vs11) If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. (vs12) Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. (vs13) Brethren I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, (vs14) I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. (vs15) Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you."
7. Therefore We Must Conclude That Standing In The Will Of God Requires Me To Continually Forsake Sin and Unrighteousness and Seek Him In Total Faith and Confidence Beyond My Understanding---Isa.55:6-9 "Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: (vs7) Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. (vs8) For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. (vs9) For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts."
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