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Text:
Matthew 26:17-30, Hebrews 9:11-22 God’s Will In the name of him who gave his body
and blood on the cross as the atoning sacrifice for our sins, dear friends in
Christ: I expect that from time to time
every Christian asks the question, “What is God’s will for me?” It only makes sense: as children of the
heavenly Father we want always to be doing his good and perfect will, and so
it’s right that we seek it out in all that we do. And certainly he has given us plenty of
guidance in his holy Word. He didn’t
leave us guessing. We have lots of instructions
regarding what kinds of behaviors he approves of and what kind he
condemns. Still, sometimes we’re looking
for a little more specific guidance.
When faced with a difficult decision or when pondering the kinds of
questions that shape the major trajectory of one’s life, like where to live,
whom to marry, what kind of career to pursue or to change to, whether or not to
retire, and so on, Christians are right to want to know what the Lord has to
say about it. And as a pastor, it
happens on occasion that someone will ask me, “What is the Lord’s will for me
in this particular situation? What would he have me do?” When someone makes an inquiry like
that I’m more than happy to direct them to the pertinent Scriptures that
address their issue. And very often after
looking at a few texts the answer emerges right away. But other times people are disappointed that
I can only provide general guidelines.
They’re looking for something more.
They want to know, “Does the Lord want me to do this or this?” But the simple fact is that I can’t open my
Bible and find a passage that says whether someone should take a certain job
offer, or marry a particular person, or buy a piece of property. The Scripture doesn’t say. And I can only say what it does say. And it’s not like the Lord is an overbearing tyrant
who wants to dictate every tiny little aspect of our lives. Yes, the very hairs of your head are
numbered, and yes, he ensures that all things work together for the good of
those who love him, and yes, he has a precise plan for your life; but at the
same time he’s also made each one of us unique, with different likes and
dislikes, and a variety of talents and abilities. And within the broad boundaries of the guidelines
that he’s given there’s a lot of freedom for us to make any number of different
choices that can all fall within his will.
So with a lot of things I can’t be very specific about what God’s will
is. Ah, but there are other things on
which I can be very precise. In our Lenten
evening devotions this year we’ve been meditating upon the seven last
statements of Jesus spoken from the cross.
Thus far we’ve examined the first six statements, and tomorrow evening
on Good Friday we’ll do the seventh and final one. And hopefully we’ve come to understand that
these last utterances of our Lord spoken even while he was in the process of giving
himself for our sakes are heavy with meaning.
Like the last words spoken by a loved one from a death bed, they are
words meant to be remembered, retained, and reflected upon—and how much more so
in this case because of whom it is that’s speaking and the momentous circumstances
in which he says them. But, you know, there is a different kind of a
person’s last words that are meant to be given serious attention—no, more than
that, that are meant to be enforced and acted upon. In fact, they are invested with real legal
power and authority to ensure that they are carried out. I’m speaking of a person’s last will and
testament. These are the words that
carry the real weight. As significant
and tender as words spoken from a deathbed are, if you really want to know
what’s important to someone and what’s on their mind concerning their loved ones
who are left behind, you have read their will.
That’s where you’ll find the specific and legally binding
instructions. That’s where you’ll find: “Here’s
what you are to do with what belongs to me when I’m gone.” And in this Jesus is no exception. Yes, his last words from the cross are loaded
with deep feeling and significance; but if we really want to know what’s most
important to him we need to back up some twelve to fifteen hours from his
crucifixion when, in the presence of at least twelve witnesses, he dictated his
last will and testament. That’s when he
said in a legally binding way, “Here’s what you are to do with what belongs to
me when I’m gone.” “Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the night
that he was betrayed, took bread. And
after he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples and said,
‘Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’ In the same way also he took the cup after
supper. And when he had given thanks, he
gave it to them saying, ‘Drink of it, all of you. This is my blood of the New Testament, which
is shed for you for the forgiveness of sin.
This do as often as you drink it, in
remembrance of me.’” Do you want to know what God’s will
is for you? What you just heard pretty
much says it all. He wants you to
receive what belongs to Jesus. He wants
you to take into yourself and be nourished with his body that was broken and
blood that was shed upon the cross. And
so doing he wants you to receive his concrete assurance that your sins, in a
legally binding way, have been forgiven.
And at the same time you are receiving this assurance, he wants you to
receive everything else that belongs to Jesus: namely his glorious inheritance,
which from his point of view is not so much your happy eternal home (though
that’s part of it), but rather your brothers and sisters in Christ – all those
who have also received him and his forgiveness, and who are therefore united
with him in the same way you are. He
wants you to receive them in forgiveness and love just as he has. And by sharing his sacrifice, by feeding upon
him, he gives you his own Spirit to enable you to do it. This is God’s will. And we know that it is now in force because
the One who made it died. He signed and
sealed it with his own life blood. And
now, whenever and as often as we execute his will, he touches us again with the
perfect sacrifice that forgives our sins and makes us holy. And that is the best part: by performing his lasting will that was meant
to be carried out after he was gone, he himself becomes truly present among us
– not in a dead sacrifice; but in a living and powerful way, to live in us and
through us, and so, even as Jesus did, to carry out God’s will in every aspect
of our lives. God give us the grace to
do his will. In Jesus’
name. Amen. Soli Deo Gloria! |
Maundy
Thursday