The Third and Fourth Petitions (Q110-111)
The Baptist Catechism • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Connection:
Image for a moment a duck praying for a stock investment—absurd! Praying for something that he doesn’t need. How often are we like that duck? Praying for things that don’t matter, that don’t have weight, that aren’t good for us, and that don’t actually pierce the depths of our true needs.
Theme:
Spiritual and Physical Needs (Q110-111)
Need:
We need to know our needs rightly, and to seek God’s provision of such needs earnestly.
Purpose:
To instruct the church in the order of importance regarding our needs, soul then body—to comfort the saints in the promises of God’s provision of such needs in the Gospel—and to exhort the saints to walk in God’s blessings.
PRAY - PRAY - PRAY - PRAY
Q110. What do we pray for in the third petition? A110. In the third petition, which is, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven (Mt. 6:10), we pray that God by his grace would make us able and willing to know, obey, and submit to his will in all things (Ps. 67; Ps. 119:36; 2 Sam. 15:25; Job 1:21), as the angels do in heaven (Ps. 103:20, 21).
Q110. What do we pray for in the third petition? A110. In the third petition, which is, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven (Mt. 6:10), we pray that God by his grace would make us able and willing to know, obey, and submit to his will in all things (Ps. 67; Ps. 119:36; 2 Sam. 15:25; Job 1:21), as the angels do in heaven (Ps. 103:20, 21).
In the third petition we pray that God by his grace would make us able and willing to know, obey, and submit to his will in all things.
“The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
Knowing God’s will may make a man admired, but it is doing God’s will makes him blessed; knowing God’s will without doing it, will not crown us with happiness … [holiness is just another name for happiness].
To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments. A Psalm. A Song.
May God be gracious to us and bless us
and make his face to shine upon us, Selah
that your way may be known on earth,
your saving power among all nations.
Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you!
Let the nations be glad and sing for joy,
for you judge the peoples with equity
and guide the nations upon earth. Selah
Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you!
The earth has yielded its increase;
God, our God, shall bless us.
God shall bless us;
let all the ends of the earth fear him!
Incline my heart to your testimonies,
and not to selfish gain!
Let us examine all our actions whether they are according to God’s will. The will of God is the rule and standard,—it is the sun-dial by which we must set all our actions; he is no good workman, that doth not work by rule; he can be no good Christian who goes not according to the rule of God’s will. Let us examine our actions whether they do quadrare, agree to the will of God. Are your speeches according to God’s will? Are our words savoury, being seasoned with grace? Is our apparel according to God’s will? 1 Tim. 2:9., “In like manner, also that women adorn themselves with modest apparel;” not wanton and garish to invite comers. Our diet, is it according to God’s will? Do we hold the golden bridal of temperance, and only take so much as may rather satisfy nature than surfeit it? Too much oil chokes the lamp: is our whole carriage and behaviour according to God’s will? Are we patterns of prudence and piety? Do we keep up the credit of religion, and shine as lights in the world? We pray “Thy will be done as it is in heaven;” are we like our pattern; would the angels do this if they were on earth? would Jesus Christ do this? This is to christianize, this is to be saints of degrees, when we live our prayer and our actions are the counter-part of God’s will.
You have dealt well with your servant,
O Lord, according to your word.
Teach me good judgment and knowledge,
for I believe in your commandments.
Before I was afflicted I went astray,
but now I keep your word.
You are good and do good;
teach me your statutes.
The insolent smear me with lies,
but with my whole heart I keep your precepts;
their heart is unfeeling like fat,
but I delight in your law.
It is good for me that I was afflicted,
that I might learn your statutes.
The law of your mouth is better to me
than thousands of gold and silver pieces.
A. 2. There is profit in affliction as it quickens a spirit of prayer,—premuntur justi ut pressi clament. Jonah was asleep in the ship, but at prayer in the whale’s belly. Perhaps, in a time of health and prosperity, we prayed in a cold and formal manner,—we put no coals to the incense,—we did scarce mind our own prayers,—and how should God mind them? Now, God sends some cross or other to make us stir up ourselves to take hold of God. When Jacob was in fear of his life by his brother, then he wrestles with God, and weeps in prayer, and would not leave God till he blessed him, Hos. 12:4. It is with many of God’s children, as with those who formerly had the sweating sickness in this land, it was a sleepy disease, if they slept they died; therefore to keep them waking, they were smitten with rosemary branches; so, the Lord, useth affliction as a rosemary branch to keep us from sleeping, and to awaken a spirit of prayer, Isa. 26:16., “They poured out a prayer, when thy chastening hand was upon them;” now their prayer pierced the heavens. In times of trouble we pray feelingly; and we never pray so fervently as when we pray feelingly; and, is not this for our profit?
And he said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”
7th Means for submission to God’s will, get some good persuasion your sin is pardoned. Feri, Domine, feri, quia peccata mea condonata sunt,—‘smite, Lord, smite where thou wilt,’ said Luther, ‘because my sins are pardoned.’ Pardon of sin is a crowning blessing; hath God forgiven my sin, I will bear any thing, I will not murmur but admire; I will not complain of the burden of affliction, but bless God for removing the burden of sin; the pardoned soul saith this prayer heartily, “Thy will be done.” Lord, use thy pruning-knife, so long as thou wilt not come with thy bloody axe to hew me down.
In the third petition we pray that we would do the will of God on earth as the angels do in heaven.
Bless the Lord, O you his angels,
you mighty ones who do his word,
obeying the voice of his word!
Bless the Lord, all his hosts,
his ministers, who do his will!
5. We do God’s will as the angels in heaven, when we do God’s will fervently,—sine remissione. Rom. 12:11., “Fervent in spirit, serving the Lord:” a metaphor from water when it seethes and boils over; so our affections should boil over in zeal and fervency. The angels serve God with fervour and intenseness. The angels are called seraphims, from an Hebrew word which signifies to burn, to show how the angels are all on fire, Ps. 104:4., they burn in love and zeal in doing God’s will; grace turns a saint into a seraphim; Aaron must put burning coals to the incense, Exod. 16:12.: incense was a type of prayer, burning coals of zeal, to show that the fire of zeal must be put to the incense of prayer. Formality starves duty; when we serve God dully and coldly, is this like the angels? Duty without fervency is as a sacrifice without fire; we should ascend to heaven in a fiery chariot of devotion.
Q111. What do we pray for in the fourth petition? A111. In the fourth petition, which is, Give us this day our daily bread (Mt. 6:11), we pray that of God’s free gift we may receive a competent portion of the good things of this life, and enjoy his blessing with them (Pr. 30:8; Gn 28:20; 1 Tim. 4:4, 5).
Q111. What do we pray for in the fourth petition? A111. In the fourth petition, which is, Give us this day our daily bread (Mt. 6:11), we pray that of God’s free gift we may receive a competent portion of the good things of this life, and enjoy his blessing with them (Pr. 30:8; Gn 28:20; 1 Tim. 4:4, 5).
First we pray, “Hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done,” before we pray “give us this day our daily bread.” God’s glory ought to weigh down all before it; it must be preferred before our dearest concerns. Christ preferred his Father’s glory before his own glory as he was man, John 8:49, 50., “I honour my Father, I seek not my own glory.” God’s glory is that which is most dear to him,—it is the apple of his eye,—all his riches lie here. As Micah said, Judges 18:24., “What have I more?” so I may say of God’s glory, what hath he more? God’s glory is the most orient pearl of his crown, which he will not part with, Isa. 42:8., “My glory will I not give to another”
In the fourth petition we pray that of God’s free gift we may receive a competent portion of the good things of this life.
Remove far from me falsehood and lying;
give me neither poverty nor riches;
feed me with the food that is needful for me,
lest I be full and deny you
and say, “Who is the Lord?”
or lest I be poor and steal
and profane the name of my God.
Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat and clothing to wear, so that I come again to my father’s house in peace, then the Lord shall be my God, and this stone, which I have set up for a pillar, shall be God’s house. And of all that you give me I will give a full tenth to you.”
“Give us:” not only faith, but food is the gift of God; not only daily grace is from God, but “daily bread;” every good thing comes from God, James 1:17., “every good gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights.” Wisdom is the gift of God, Is. 28:26., “His God doth instruct him to discretion.” Riches are the gift of God, 2 Chron. 1:12., “I will give thee riches.” Peace is the gift of God, Ps. 147:14., “He maketh peace in thy borders.” Health, which is the cream of life, is the gift of God, Jer. 30:17., “I will restore health to thee.” Rain is the gift of God, Job 5:10., “Who giveth rain on the earth.” All comes from God; he makes the corn to grow, and the herbs to flourish.1
In the fourth petition we pray that of God’s free gift we may enjoy the good things of this life, with his blessings upon them.
For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer.
(1.) He is not weary of giving; the springs of mercy are ever running. God did not only dispense blessings in former ages, but he still gives gifts to us; as the sun not only enriches the world with its morning light, but keeps light for the meridian. The honey-comb of God’s bounty is still dropping.
As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.
2d. Is all a gift? Then we are to seek every mercy from God by prayer, “Give us this day.” The tree of mercy will not drop its fruit, unless shaken by the hand of prayer. Whatever we have, if it do not come in the way of prayer, it doth not come in the way of love; it is given, as Israel’s quails, in anger
Conclusion + Big Idea
Conclusion + Big Idea
Read the Q+A’s Again:
Amen, let’s pray.