Who’s Really in Charge? – Focusing on God’s Will in Prayer

Purpose: To prompt us to pray and live within the will of God.

Today, let's dive into Matthew 25:31-46, where Jesus gives us a vivid picture of the final judgment. He isn't just telling us what will happen in the future; he's asking us a critical question: Are we living in a way that truly reflects God's will?

In this passage, often called the Parable of the Sheep and the Goats, Jesus outlines clear expectations for His followers. It’s a call to action—to live out our faith through concrete acts of love and kindness.

Now, if we're honest, sometimes our prayers can sound more like a wish list for our own desires rather than seeking God’s plan. It's easy to pray with a lot of "I want" or "please give me." But Jesus challenges us to shift that focus. He asks us to pray with the kingdom in mind: "Your kingdom come, Your will be done."

Introduction

In Matthew 25:31-46, Jesus teaches about the final judgment, emphasizing the importance of actions that align with God’s will. This passage challenges us to examine who is truly in control when we pray—are we seeking our own desires, or are we genuinely seeking to align with God’s sovereign plan?

Context and Background

Matthew 25 is part of Jesus' teaching on readiness and faithful service. The chapter presents parables emphasizing preparedness for the kingdom of God. The section from verses 31 to 46, known as the Parable of the Sheep and the Goats, specifically addresses the criteria Jesus will use at the final judgment, focusing on acts of compassion as evidence of a life transformed by faith in Him.

1. Prayers for Material Prosperity

‌Common Prayer: “God, please let me win the lottery or gain this promotion so I can be rich.”

‌Biblical Reference: Luke 12:15 - Jesus said, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions."

‌Reflection: This scripture reminds us that our life’s value doesn’t hinge on material wealth. Prayers should not be merely for financial gain but should focus on meeting needs and serving God’s kingdom.

‌2. Prayers for Success at the Expense of Others

‌Common Prayer: “Lord, let me get this job, even if it means someone else loses out.”

‌Biblical Reference: Philippians 2:4 - "Let each of you look not only to his own interests but also to the interests of others."

‌Reflection: The call to consider others’ interests teaches us to pray in ways that seek the well-being of all involved, not just our own success.

‌3. Prayers for Personal Glory in Achievements

‌Common Prayer: “Make me the best, most recognized [position/profession], so everyone knows my name.”

‌Biblical Reference: Matthew 6:1 - "Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven."

‌Reflection: Jesus warns against doing things for the sake of public recognition. Our achievements should reflect God’s glory, not feed our ego.

‌4. Prayers Ignoring Personal Effort or Responsibility

‌Common Prayer: “God, give me a great result in this project, even though I haven’t put in much effort.”

‌Biblical Reference: Proverbs 13:4 - "The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied."

‌Reflection: This proverb emphasizes the importance of diligence and effort. Praying does not absolve us from doing our part diligently.

‌Applying These Insights

‌When praying, especially for personal desires like promotions or specific outcomes, it’s vital to align our prayers with the principles of Scripture:

‌Seek God’s Will: 1 John 5:14 - "And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us."

‌Pray with Right Motives: James 4:3 - "You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions."

‌Concluding Thought: In any prayer for personal desires like promotions, we should examine our motives—are they purely selfish, or are they aligned with God’s purposes? The heart of our prayers should be about serving God more effectively, not just advancing our own status.

‌Biblical Examples

‌James 4:3 - "You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions."

‌Context: James is addressing conflicts within the community. He points out that their prayers are ineffective because they are driven by selfish desires rather than God’s will.

‌Real-World Application: In politics, prayers might be offered for the success of a personal or party agenda that conflicts with ethical standards or justice, which can be contrary to God’s call for fairness and love for neighbors.

‌Matthew 6:5-8 - Jesus criticizes those who pray publicly merely to gain attention and admiration from others.

‌Context: Part of the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus teaches about the righteousness that surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law.

‌Real-World Application: It’s crucial to evaluate whether our public prayers in gatherings, including political settings, are genuinely seeking God’s guidance or are primarily for show, which can lead to hypocrisy.

Matthew 25:31–46

We sometimes think that New Testament Christians were super-saints who never wavered in their faith—until we read the New Testament. As Acts 12 opens, for example, the apostle Peter is in prison and scheduled to be executed the next day. The other Christians are together in a home, praying for Peter’s release. When an angel sets Peter free, he immediately goes to the house where the Christians are praying to tell them the good news. He is greeted at the locked door by a servant girl who, in her excitement, runs to tell everyone that the prayer meeting is over. Peter is free! But the Christians say, “Don’t interrupt our prayer meeting. It can’t be Peter.” She persists, however, and Peter keeps knocking until they open the door—and they are astonished. Sounds like our prayers, doesn’t it? We pray, but our expectation that God will answer isn’t there.

Do our prayers (both in public and in private) usually reflect our will or God’s will?

How can you tell the difference?

Personal Reflection. Think about some of the things you have asked from God lately. Have you ever thanked him for the times he has said “no” to the things you thought were best at the time?

We think of earthly kingdoms in terms of territory—an empire. In the New Testament the kingdom of God is not territory. The term is used to describe the reign of God. God’s kingdom today extends over the hearts of all who will acknowledge him as king and who will submit to his rule. They are the same people who desire God’s will in every area of life. To pray “your kingdom come” is to ask God the Father to expand his rule over the territory of our hearts and lives; to pray “Your will be done” (Matthew 6:10) is to express our willingness to submit to his rule whatever the cost.

Pray David’s prayer in Psalm 40:8—“I desire to do your will, O my God.”

Biblical prayer is not a means of letting God in on our plans, but asking God to fulfill his own plans in and through us. Jesus emphasizes that our own plans are valid only to the extent that they are in accord with the eternal kingdom plans of God.

Some students of the Lord’s Prayer paraphrase this request as: “God, do what you want.” This is not passive resignation but the active embrace of God’s will. We know that God is gracious and good and wise, so to ask for his will is to ask for the best option.

Some Christians believe that because God is sovereign and fully in control of his creation, everything that happens is God’s will. They will say to a parent whose child has been killed in an accident, “This is God’s will.” That view is, in fact, a misunderstanding of God’s will. God allows certain events to happen, but evil and tragedy and disaster are never his desire. God is allowing evil to run its course in our world and so tragic things happen, but do not confuse what happens in a fallen world with God’s will. We are to pray that God’s will would be done on earth precisely because it is not being done yet on earth.

Entrance into God’s kingdom comes by faith alone (Jn 3:3, 5). Works of compassion, however, emerge from a heart of faith. Those in the parable who fail to act in a compassionate way give evidence by that failure that they are not born again by faith in Jesus. A changed life is one of the assurances of a changed heart.

Some interpreters believe that this judgment will be based on how a person treats the Jewish people (“these brothers of mine”). Most interpreters believe that the phrase refers to God’s people in a broader sense. Ultimately how a person treats one of God’s people reveals whether he is truly a believer or not. See 1 John 3:14–15.

The parable demonstrates that our prayer for God’s kingdom to come has to be translated into action. This question gives the people in your group the chance to plan specific action. You may want to suggest that they carry out their “kingdom expansion plan” as a group. See the “Now or Later” section for some ideas.

In our prayers, we often focus on our own desires, using personal pronouns like "I," "me," and "my," which can sometimes reveal a deeper struggle: aligning our will with God’s will. This Bible study explores how we can shift our focus from our plans to God's eternal kingdom plans, examining the implications of truly praying, "Your will be done."

Context and Background

Matthew 25:31-46 provides a vivid depiction of the final judgment, illustrating the importance of actions that reflect God’s kingdom values. This passage challenges us to consider whether our lives—and by extension, our prayers—mirror God’s priorities and will.

God’s Sovereignty in Prayer

Reflect on recent prayers, both public and private. Are they more aligned with personal desires or with seeking God's will? How can you differentiate between the two?

Scriptural Insight: Matthew 6:10 encourages us to pray for God’s kingdom and will to be done on earth as it is in heaven, indicating a submission to God’s authority over our personal agendas.

The Kingdom of God: Now and Future

Biblical Example: Acts 12 describes the early Christians praying for Peter's release from prison. Their reaction to his miraculous release reveals a gap between their prayers and their expectations. This story invites us to pray with faith, genuinely expecting God to act.

Application: What personal experiences where God’s response to prayer was different from expectations. How did these experiences influence your understanding of God’s will?

Matthew 25:31-46: The Criteria for Judgment

Examination of Scripture: Jesus lists six actions that will be used to judge:

feeding the hungry,

welcoming strangers,

clothing the naked,

caring for the sick,

visiting prisoners,

and providing drink to the thirsty.

Personal Reflection: Which of these actions do you find most challenging, and which come naturally? Why?

Faith and Works in the Kingdom

Theological Clarification: Entrance into God’s kingdom is by faith alone (John 3:3, 5), but true faith manifests in compassionate actions toward "the least of these" (Matt 25:40).

Practical Kingdom Living

Action Plan: Identify specific ways you can demonstrate God’s will through service this week. Consider volunteering at a local charity, helping a neighbor in need, or engaging in other acts of kindness.

Prayer: Use Psalm 40:8 as a model for your prayers this week: “I desire to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.”

When praying, especially for personal desires like promotions or specific outcomes, it’s vital to align our prayers with the principles of Scripture:

Seek God’s Will: 1 John 5:14 - "And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us."

Pray with Right Motives: James 4:3 - "You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions."

Concluding Thought: In any prayer for personal desires like promotions, we should examine our motives—are they purely selfish, or are they aligned with God’s purposes? The heart of our prayers should be about serving God more effectively, not just advancing our own status.

Biblical Examples

James 4:3 - "You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions."

Context: James is addressing conflicts within the community. He points out that their prayers are ineffective because they are driven by selfish desires rather than God’s will.

Real-World Application: In politics, prayers might be offered for the success of a personal or party agenda that conflicts with ethical standards or justice, which can be contrary to God’s call for fairness and love for neighbors.

Matthew 6:5-8 - Jesus criticizes those who pray publicly merely to gain attention and admiration from others.

Context: Part of the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus teaches about the righteousness that surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law.

Real-World Application: It’s crucial to evaluate whether our public prayers in gatherings, including political settings, are genuinely seeking God’s guidance or are primarily for show, which can lead to hypocrisy.

Church History Insight

The Pharisees’ Prayers: Historically, the Pharisees were known for their rigorous adherence to the law and their public displays of piety. Jesus criticized their prayers because they were often about self-righteousness rather than true communion with God. This teaches us the importance of sincerity in our prayers.

Praying According to God’s Will

To ensure our prayers align with God’s will, we can use the Lord's Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13) as a model. It emphasizes:

Reverence for God (“Hallowed be your name”)

Seeking God’s kingdom and will (“Your kingdom come, your will be done”)

Dependence on God for daily needs (“Give us today our daily bread”)

Forgiveness and guidance (“Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors”)

Modern Political Context

In today’s political climate, prayers can sometimes be crafted to serve agendas that may not align with biblical ethics, such as promoting nationalism, exclusion of immigrants, or neglect of the poor, which contradicts the comprehensive biblical call to love and justice.

Reflection: It is vital to reflect on the purpose and content of our prayers, especially in public and political contexts. Are we seeking God’s guidance and aligning ourselves with His justice, mercy, and love, or are we pursuing our own desires and political gains? True spiritual maturity in prayer involves seeking what is right and just in God’s eyes, not just what benefits us or our groups politically or personally.

Conclusion

As we conclude this study on aligning our prayers with God’s will, let us commit to living out the kingdom values Jesus preached. Let our prayers reflect not only a desire for God to intervene in our circumstances but also a commitment to being instruments of His will on earth. By focusing on God’s priorities, we allow His reign over our hearts and actions, transforming our personal kingdoms into territories where His love and justice prevail.

Now or Later

Involve your family or group in practical kingdom activities. This could include volunteering at a food bank, donating clothes, or simply performing acts of kindness in your community. These actions not only extend the reign of God in our lives but also make tangible the love of God to others.

This Bible study encourages a deeper introspection and realignment of our prayers and actions with God's will, fostering a more authentic and impactful Christian walk.