The Will of the Father, Part 2
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What is the will of the Father?
Most Christians want to know what the will of God is. We want to know because we want, or at least some part of us wants to know it. Often, we want to know it so that we will not suffer consequences of being out of God’s will.
How will we know what God’s will is?
In John 6:35-36, Jesus makes two statements in which He tells us exactly what the will of God is.
Let’s read it together.
Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.
But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe.
All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away.
For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me.
And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day.
For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.”
At this the Jews there began to grumble about him because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.”
They said, “Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, ‘I came down from heaven’?”
“Stop grumbling among yourselves,” Jesus answered.
“No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day.
It is written in the Prophets: ‘They will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard the Father and learned from him comes to me.
No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God; only he has seen the Father.
Last week we started looking at this passage, wanting to answer the question, what is the will of God?
We saw last week that God’s will has always been for people to have eternal life.
We saw specifically in verse 39,
And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day.
The Father so wants people to be saved, that He has given some to Jesus before the creation of the world.
And it is His will that Jesus should not lose any of those He has given Him. We are secure in the arms of Jesus. He will raise up us at the last day!
That is a great comfort and encouragement! To think that God thought enough of us to give us to Jesus, and that Jesus will never drive us away! And, no matter what the world may do to us, we will be raised up by Him on the last day!
Well today, we want to look at the next verse where Jesus tells us what God’s will is. We see this in verse 40.
For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.”
Prayer
My Father’s will is ...
My Father’s will is ...
In this verse, Jesus is once again plaining telling us what the will of the Father is.
It is pretty straight forward that it is the Father’s will that people be saved!
The Father, Son and Holy Spirit created man in their image so that we would be special among all creation. They created us in their image that we might be unique out of all creation; that we would have: a mind to know and understand Him, a heart and will to love Him, and soul to communicate and fellowship with Him. And yes, I did mix the pronouns; ‘They’ because the scriptures speak of them being unique persons, and ‘Him’ because those three are One God.
Though God created us to be righteous like Him, and in relationship with Him, we have all, since Adam and Eve’s first rebellion, chosen to be self-loving and unrighteous, doing what we will, instead of loving Him, and following Him.
That separates us from Him. That also brings condemnation upon us, condemnation to eternal separation from God.
However, God does not desire that any perish!
Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign Lord. Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live?
For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent and live!
That word for pleasure is the Hebrew word for ‘will’. It is not God’s will that people perish for their sins. It is not what He wants for them. No, He wants all to repent and live.
However, though He wants it, He does not force people to be saved. No, He draws people to salvation through His kindness, love and conviction.
It is the Father’s will that people are saved.
Last week, we saw in the previous verse some of the great doctrines, or teachings of scripture as we examined the details of verse 39. Today, let’s look at the details here in verse 40.
The first detail is the word...
Everyone
Everyone
Where verse 39 speaks of those that the Father has given to the Son, verse 40 makes is clear that salvation is available for everyone!
It really is God’s will—God’s desire, and what would give Him pleasure—that everyone would be saved.
This goes hand-in-hand with the verses we saw in Ezekiel where He does not desire that anyone perish, but that they would live.
We see this in numerous verses throughout the scriptures. We have seen it in John when we went through John 1, when God sent John to testify concerning Jesus that All might believe.
He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe.
We saw it again in John 3.
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.
We also see it in 1 Timothy and other verses throughout the New Testament.
who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.
For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people.
God’s will is that everyone would be saved. The problem with people not being saved is not that God does not want them. It is that they do not want Him, and / or they do not believe God!
I like 1 Timothy 4:10.
That is why we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, and especially of those who believe.
He is the Savior for all people, but it is effective only for those who will receive Him by faith!
That is what John goes on to say in verse 40.
It is the Father’s will that everyone who
Looks to the Son
Looks to the Son
The word here for looks, is not one that speaks of a singular glance at some point in the past. Rather, it speaks of an on-going, gaze. Looking to really examine and discern.
Kind of like when you see something that you really want to know about. You take time to examine it closely. You look at it from all angles.
Illustration: Kids at Super Summer Slam with the gems. They were looking at them closely, turning to see the gems from all angles, to see the beauty in them.
However, I am sure they are no longer looking at them.
It is the Father’s will that everyone who is looking to the Son, that is they are really wanting to see Him. They want to know all about Him. They want to see the beauty of the Son, and what He does for us. But not just “I looked once as I passed by.” Rather, truly looking to see. Then, not only looks to see Him truly, but the ones who looking, believe.
And believes in Him
And believes in Him
Jesus came at the One and only way for us to be saved from Sin, and restored to the Father. John has spoken about this time and time again.
Do we believe that He is the only way? Do we believe that His is our Righteousness?
Illustration of the speaker at the seminar who knew that the issue was righteousness.
Too many people claim to believe in Jesus, but what they are really trusting is that they live a good life, and that God will be pleased with them.
Yes, we should live good lives. Those who are believers in Jesus, are called to live Holy and Righteous as He is.
But, are we trusting God to be pleased with us for our righteous acts? Or, do we believe Jesus is our righteousness, and anything I do now is only out of faith in Him who loved me and gave Himself for me?
The Father’s will is that everyone who is looking to the Son, and believing in Him...
Shall have eternal life
Shall have eternal life
The Father’s will is that we will no longer be separated from Him. He wants us to have eternal life!
Eternal life is defined in John 17:3.
Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.
Eternal life does not mean He wants us with Him in Heaven in the future.
Eternal life is Knowing God!
Having a relationship with God which is possible because Jesus makes us righteous, and makes us at peace with Him is the goal!
Eternal life is that on-going, daily relationship with our Creator, and loving Father!
And, yes, He is with us each and everyday here through all we go through on Earth. Then, in the future,
And I will raise them up at the last day
And I will raise them up at the last day
At the end of life in this world, we will be with Him. And in the last day, He will resurrect and change our bodies for our souls to have a new, eternal body in which to dwell with Him for all eternity! A body that no longer is frail, and falling apart! That is what the Father’s will is.
The Father’s will is that everyone who is looking to the Son, and believing in Him would have a new, righteous relationship with Him, which will go on for all eternity in a new, unblemished body.
That is the Father’s will. And to make that happen, Jesus came. Jesus says in this context:
For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me.
Jesus’ will was to come and do, bring about the will of Him who sent me.
As I pondered that, I began to think...
Is the Father’s will my will?
Is the Father’s will my will?
Most often, when people are asking, what is the will of God, they are thinking about life choices. What job should I pursue? What school should I attend? Whom should I marry?
Each of these decisions is important, and we do not want to get them wrong. Actually, I think many times, we are fearful of the consequences of choosing wrong, and suffering consequences for being out of God’s will.
The word of God has a lot to say about each of these. And, specifically about marriage tells us that we should only marry a believer. That being the case, should we even entertain dating a non-believer? He or she may be a nice person, however, since dating is looking toward marriage, then we should think hard before allowing a dating relationship.
That is a side note. Above the specific of believers marrying believers, what is the Father’s will?
The Father’s will is that everyone be saved by seeing and believing in Christ!
Is my will that, everyone see and believe in Jesus?
Is my will that, everyone see and believe in Jesus?
Am I interested in others seeing Jesus in me, whatever the job I accept, or the school I attend? Am I interested in others seeing Jesus in me, and the true gospel that we are saved by grace through faith alone, and not by good works, including attending this or that church? If that is God’s will, then that needs to be my priority.
If it is God’s will for everyone to be saved, then that should be my priority over even dating someone who is a nice person. Do they know that niceness is not the grade for eternal life?
All too often, we look for some specifics that God has not laid out for us, and we ignore the specifics He has given us.
Jesus came to do the Father’s will. Is that my priority in life?
Not long ago a missionary had come home from Africa to bring three of her children that they might go to school in America. After she had found homes for them, through the help of our Woman’s Missionary Union, and all arrangements had been made for their care, she made her reservations to return to Africa. The evening before she left, a group of fine Christian people gave her a farewell reception. One of them said to her, “I am sure you are anxious to get back to your mission field.”
For a moment there was a frown on the missionary’s face and then very solemnly she answered, “No, I am not anxious to get back. The place of which I am going is dirty. There are no electric lights, there are no modern conveniences whatsoever. There is no pure water, and I will be cooking on my wood stove, and while I cook I will be weeping because my children are so far away. I will be desperately lonesome for them and wondering if any of them is sick. When I remember that it will be three years before I see them again, I will be tempted to tell the Lord that I can’t stand it and I am going home. No, I’m not anxious to get back, but I am more anxious to do the Lord’s will than to do anything else. I would be more miserable here than there.”
Is it my will to do the Father’s will, even when it costs me dearly?
I believe that it is all important.
For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”
If we want that relationship with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit that they want to have with us, then we should want to do the will of the Father.
Is it my will to have eternal life?
Is it my will to have eternal life?
This is the question we need to answer. But when we answer it, we need to realize that it is not asking if you want to live forever in Heaven. First, no one will live forever in Heaven. Yes, right now the souls of believers who pass away go to be with Him in Heaven. Yes, when Jesus comes to take believers out of this world, we will be with Him in Heaven. But the forever part is on the New Earth.
The real definition of eternal life is not living forever in Heaven. What is the real defnition of eternal life? A relationship with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit!
That relationship is right now and through eternity.
Jesus came to this earth in the flesh. He died to pay the penalty of our sins, our unrighteousness. He rose again to give us His righteousness, and that new relationship with the Father.
He wants, He desires, He wills for us to live in relationship with Him, the Holy God of the universe. He wants us to have eternal life.
What does that take? Living in His righteousness, and walking with Him each moment of each day.
Here’s another way God put it...
It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality;
He wants us to be holy as He is Holy, so our relationship with Him will be unbroken, unhindered.
Is that my will? Do I want to live a holy, unique life that is set apart to live as He wants me to live more than I want to engage in that for which my flesh cries out?
Is the Father’s will, my will?
Wanting all to see and believe in Jesus
Wanting to live in relationship with Him
My prayer is that we will desire what He desires. That we will fulfill His will.
How do I find this in my life?
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Let’s pray...
Homework
Read John 6:35-46. In your own words, write out what the will of the Father is based upon this passage. What does it mean that it is the Father’s will that those who see and believe have eternal life? What would it look like for the Father’s will for you to have eternal life be fulfilled in your life? As we go through life, how easy is it to be distracted from this, the Father’s will? Ask God to restore to you the vision of ‘His will be done.’
Read Psalm 40. Reread verse 8. What brings David delight? (Hebrews 10:5-10 shows us that this is actually prophetic of Jesus as well). When I read this verse, it makes me ask, “Do I delight to do your will, O my God; Your Law is within my heart?” What do you think? Is that your delight? In what do we often find our delight? Sometimes, we may delight in having a sunny day. Other times, we may delight in the return of health. The challenges of life can move our focus to delight, or wish for other things. What challenges of life shift your focus form delighting in His will, to delighting in your will?
Read Psalm 40:1-3. What may David have been thinking about when he started writing this Psalm? Think about David’s life and the trials he went through. What pits of destruction, what miry clay, made up the difficulties of his life? How did God work to set his feet upon a Rock? How did God make his footsteps firm? God did work through each of the trials David faced. Some of those trials went on for years (like when he was fleeing from Saul.) Yet, what was David’s thought from verse 3? What was the result of His trials? How does that encourage you? How might that perspective help us to delight in God’s will when trials come?
Read Psalm 40:4-6. What did David think of when he was in the pit of destruction, and the miry clay? How might counting the blessings, or God’s thoughts toward you help when in the pit, or the miry clay? Have you done that? Make a list now of God’s wonders, HIs blessings, His thoughts toward you. Finally, ask the Lord to open your ears to hear His thoughts toward you as you read His word.
Read Psalm 40:9-10. What did David do with this knowledge of God’s wonders, His blessings and His thoughts? How can you do the same? Would you like to testify, and proclaim these things in the congregation? Prepare to share next Sunday!
Read Psalm 40:11-17. David’s trials were not over when he wrote this Psalm. He was still in the pit, and the miry clay. He still had people against Him. He saw the wickedness of his own sin. And here is His plea to the Lord. We can count the blessings and thoughts of the Lord. We can proclaim Him to the congregation. And, we can still be going through it, and crying out for preservation! David cried out for both preservation and deliverance. Why not just deliverance? Could it be that we learn more about the Lord and His lovingkindness as we persevere? Write our your own cry for both perseverance and deliverance. Learn to see Him as your help and deliverer.