Doing the Will of God - a podcast by Lewis Marsh

The Messiah’s Mission

Part 1: To Do God’s Will

By Louie Marsh, 12-10-2023

 

 

To Do God’s Will

 

³⁸  For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. John 6:38 (ESV)

 

THE PRINCIPLE – Following Jesus is all about doing GOD’S WILL

 

“²so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God.” (1 Peter 4:2, ESV)

 

1) Which means my EGO must die!

 

²⁸ So Jesus proclaimed, as he taught in the temple, “You know me, and you know where I come from. But I have not come of my own accord. He who sent me is true, and him you do not know. ²⁹ I know him, for I come from him, and he sent me.” John 7:28-29 (ESV)

 

⁵  Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, ⁶  who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, ⁷  but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. ⁸  And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. ⁹  Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, ¹⁰  so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, ¹¹  and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:5-11 (ESV)

 

2) My PURPOSE must be to do God’s Will.

 

“⁷Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come to do your will, O God, as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.’ ”” (Hebrews 10:7, ESV)

 

“²⁰Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, ²¹equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.” (Hebrews 13:20–21, ESV)

 

 

THE APPLICATION – This means…

 

·       I cannot be a PEOPLE PLEASER

 

“³For our appeal does not spring from error or impurity or any attempt to deceive, ⁴but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts.” (1 Thessalonians 2:3–4, ESV)

 

“⁴²Nevertheless, many even of the authorities believed in him, but for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess it, so that they would not be put out of the synagogue; ⁴³for they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God.” (John 12:42–43, ESV)

 

“²⁹But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men.” (Acts 5:29, ESV)

 

·       Jesus comes before EVERYTHING including family.

 

⁴⁶ While he was still speaking to the people, behold, his mother and his brothers stood outside, asking to speak to him…⁴⁸ But he replied to the man who told him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” ⁴⁹ And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! ⁵⁰ For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.” Matthew 12:46, 48-50 (ESV)

 

·       Like Jesus I must serve God even to DEATH.

 

“¹⁰Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.” (Revelation 2:10, ESV)

 

Further episodes of River Church Sermons

Further podcasts by Lewis Marsh

Website of Lewis Marsh