The Third Petition: Thy Will Be Done
Sermon
What's That Supposed To Mean?
Using The Catechism In The 21st Century
Object:
The Lord's Prayer -- The Third Petition
Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. What does this mean? The good and gracious will of God is done indeed without our prayer; but we pray in this petition that it may be done among us also. How is this done? When God breaks and hinders every evil counsel and will which would not let us hallow God's name nor let His kingdom come, such as the will of the devil, the world, and our flesh; but strengthens and preserves us steadfast in His Word and faith unto our end. This is His gracious and good will.
Some people have strange ideas about God's will. A guy gets up in the morning and seeks what God's will is for the clothes he will wear that day --"Does God want me to wear the blue suit or the gray one?" When tragedy strikes, like when the crash of a small plane kills an entire family, an argument breaks out. Was it God's will that the plane crashed? Did the devil pull a fast one on God and keep God's will from being done? Or how about the argument that has split the church for the last 500 years: Some believe it is God's will that some people be saved and that it is God's will that the rest go to hell.
The Bible does tell us how God answers the prayer, "Thy will be done." The Apostle Paul wrote these words to a young pastor named Timothy: "God ... wills that all men be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth." God's will is that all people be saved. Jesus said it this way: "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 that 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 him up at the last day."
That clearly answers the question, "Does God want people to go to hell?" The answer is no. "God wants everyone to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth." "[Jesus] is the way, the truth and the life." "God wants everyone who looks to Jesus Christ to be saved." Clearly, God wants everyone to know and trust Jesus Christ. You are a Christian because God wanted you to know Jesus and be saved. You are not a Christian because you wanted to be Christian. We can't want to be Christian unless God gives us the ability to want that -- "faith comes by hearing what is preached about Christ." God's will is done, then, first when Christians take the message of Jesus to the world around them.
Of course, the devil doesn't want that to happen, so he will throw up all kinds of walls and traps to keep us from doing God's will. He will stir up governments to persecute Christians. It's already started in this country in many places. Government policies are created to make it hard for Christians to have free speech. The devil will stir up our neighbors to ridicule and oppose us. Consider how television and other entertainment forms portray Christians -- as kooks, nuts, or dangerous hypocrites. The devil will try to use our human nature to distract us from doing God's will by laying temptations before us that seem more pleasurable than God's work.
Many times those temptations are sinful, like being a thief, fornicator, or adulterer. It's hard to do God's will -- it's hard to tell others about Jesus and forgiveness of sins -- if one is living a clearly sinful life. However, temptations can also be things that are good, but that distract us from doing God's will, from telling others about Jesus. For example, spending time with our families is good and so is working hard at our jobs. But the devil will say, do fun things with the family -- and going to church is no fun, especially for the kids. Work hard, seven days a week, so you are too tired or busy to go to church. The devil will do anything to distract us from doing God's will of telling others about Christ.
Since the devil is working hard to undercut God's will, God must also deal with him, as well as the world and our sinful human nature, if God will get His will done. Jesus offers us Himself as bread from heaven. He feeds our souls so that they will live forever. The more of this supernatural food we eat -- which we do as we gather to hear about Jesus and use His sacraments -- the easier it will be for us to resist the devil's temptations. We will be able to give honor to God's name by what we say and do, and we will be able to help Jesus save more lost sinners by going out and telling them about salvation. In short, it is as Dr. Luther summarized, "God breaks and hinders every evil counsel and will which would not let us hallow God's name nor let his kingdom come, such as the will of the devil, the world, and our flesh; but strengthens and preserves us steadfast in his Word and faith unto our end. This is his gracious and good will."
We apply these thoughts in the way Paul challenges Timothy: "I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone -- for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness." Pray that God would work with the rulers so we can do God's will unhindered. Pray that God would give us free course to preach His Word. God allows us to do whatever we want to do as long as what we do allows us to tell others about Jesus. Obviously, bank robbers and other criminals would have a hard time doing God's will. Any sin is outside the will of God. Sin blocks people from hearing us.
However, work as a farmer, housewife, student, or any other honest labor can be done according to God's will. The farmer who raises his crops so he can use some of the profits to pay for the work of the kingdom is farming according to God's will. On the other hand, a farmer or the like who never has time or money for kingdom work isn't doing God's will. The same is true for a housewife, a student, or any other thing we do in life. If we seek opportunity to tell others about Christ, we are doing it according to God's will. If we do these things just to enjoy life, we are doing them outside God's will. We need to keep our priorities straight. We don't have to think about Jesus every hour of the day. It's how and why we do what we do that shows us doing God's will.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, help us keep our priorities straight. Forgive us when we let Your will become a low priority in our lives. Help us make choices each day that allow us freedom to tell the good news You have left us here to tell. Give us Your Spirit so we may resist the temptations of the devil, who wants us to do anything but live holy lives and give testimony about You. Bless Your Word as it goes out through preaching and the sacraments. Bless pastors and teachers with faith that they may teach us Your will. And bless the time we spend at our daily tasks so that we may have opportunity to tell others of Your grace and mercy. Amen.
Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. What does this mean? The good and gracious will of God is done indeed without our prayer; but we pray in this petition that it may be done among us also. How is this done? When God breaks and hinders every evil counsel and will which would not let us hallow God's name nor let His kingdom come, such as the will of the devil, the world, and our flesh; but strengthens and preserves us steadfast in His Word and faith unto our end. This is His gracious and good will.
Some people have strange ideas about God's will. A guy gets up in the morning and seeks what God's will is for the clothes he will wear that day --"Does God want me to wear the blue suit or the gray one?" When tragedy strikes, like when the crash of a small plane kills an entire family, an argument breaks out. Was it God's will that the plane crashed? Did the devil pull a fast one on God and keep God's will from being done? Or how about the argument that has split the church for the last 500 years: Some believe it is God's will that some people be saved and that it is God's will that the rest go to hell.
The Bible does tell us how God answers the prayer, "Thy will be done." The Apostle Paul wrote these words to a young pastor named Timothy: "God ... wills that all men be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth." God's will is that all people be saved. Jesus said it this way: "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 that 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 him up at the last day."
That clearly answers the question, "Does God want people to go to hell?" The answer is no. "God wants everyone to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth." "[Jesus] is the way, the truth and the life." "God wants everyone who looks to Jesus Christ to be saved." Clearly, God wants everyone to know and trust Jesus Christ. You are a Christian because God wanted you to know Jesus and be saved. You are not a Christian because you wanted to be Christian. We can't want to be Christian unless God gives us the ability to want that -- "faith comes by hearing what is preached about Christ." God's will is done, then, first when Christians take the message of Jesus to the world around them.
Of course, the devil doesn't want that to happen, so he will throw up all kinds of walls and traps to keep us from doing God's will. He will stir up governments to persecute Christians. It's already started in this country in many places. Government policies are created to make it hard for Christians to have free speech. The devil will stir up our neighbors to ridicule and oppose us. Consider how television and other entertainment forms portray Christians -- as kooks, nuts, or dangerous hypocrites. The devil will try to use our human nature to distract us from doing God's will by laying temptations before us that seem more pleasurable than God's work.
Many times those temptations are sinful, like being a thief, fornicator, or adulterer. It's hard to do God's will -- it's hard to tell others about Jesus and forgiveness of sins -- if one is living a clearly sinful life. However, temptations can also be things that are good, but that distract us from doing God's will, from telling others about Jesus. For example, spending time with our families is good and so is working hard at our jobs. But the devil will say, do fun things with the family -- and going to church is no fun, especially for the kids. Work hard, seven days a week, so you are too tired or busy to go to church. The devil will do anything to distract us from doing God's will of telling others about Christ.
Since the devil is working hard to undercut God's will, God must also deal with him, as well as the world and our sinful human nature, if God will get His will done. Jesus offers us Himself as bread from heaven. He feeds our souls so that they will live forever. The more of this supernatural food we eat -- which we do as we gather to hear about Jesus and use His sacraments -- the easier it will be for us to resist the devil's temptations. We will be able to give honor to God's name by what we say and do, and we will be able to help Jesus save more lost sinners by going out and telling them about salvation. In short, it is as Dr. Luther summarized, "God breaks and hinders every evil counsel and will which would not let us hallow God's name nor let his kingdom come, such as the will of the devil, the world, and our flesh; but strengthens and preserves us steadfast in his Word and faith unto our end. This is his gracious and good will."
We apply these thoughts in the way Paul challenges Timothy: "I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone -- for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness." Pray that God would work with the rulers so we can do God's will unhindered. Pray that God would give us free course to preach His Word. God allows us to do whatever we want to do as long as what we do allows us to tell others about Jesus. Obviously, bank robbers and other criminals would have a hard time doing God's will. Any sin is outside the will of God. Sin blocks people from hearing us.
However, work as a farmer, housewife, student, or any other honest labor can be done according to God's will. The farmer who raises his crops so he can use some of the profits to pay for the work of the kingdom is farming according to God's will. On the other hand, a farmer or the like who never has time or money for kingdom work isn't doing God's will. The same is true for a housewife, a student, or any other thing we do in life. If we seek opportunity to tell others about Christ, we are doing it according to God's will. If we do these things just to enjoy life, we are doing them outside God's will. We need to keep our priorities straight. We don't have to think about Jesus every hour of the day. It's how and why we do what we do that shows us doing God's will.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, help us keep our priorities straight. Forgive us when we let Your will become a low priority in our lives. Help us make choices each day that allow us freedom to tell the good news You have left us here to tell. Give us Your Spirit so we may resist the temptations of the devil, who wants us to do anything but live holy lives and give testimony about You. Bless Your Word as it goes out through preaching and the sacraments. Bless pastors and teachers with faith that they may teach us Your will. And bless the time we spend at our daily tasks so that we may have opportunity to tell others of Your grace and mercy. Amen.
