October 4, 2015

The Disciple's Will

Pastor: Jeff Bedwell Series: Follow Me Scripture: Galatians 2:20

Follow Me
The Disciple’s Will
Galatians 2:20

(To download and print blank sermon notes to complete while you listen, click HERE.)

Common Question: What is God’s will for my life? How do I find God’s will for my life?

Challenging Thought: God is more Passionate about you knowing His will than you are about knowing His will.

Compelling Truth: God desires me to follow His will so much, that He Lives in me to accomplish it!

The Transformation of Our Will

1. Christ gives us a New Identity

The Great Exchange at the Cross:

  • I give him my slavery; He gives me His Freedom
  • I give him my defeat; He gives me His Victory
  • I give him my judgment; He gives me His Mercy
  • I give him my death; He gives me His Life

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)

2. Christ gives us a New Direction

“for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:13)

Some unreliable methods for discovering the will of God:

  • The Random Finger Method
  • The Miraculous Event Method
  • The Striking Coincidence Method
  • The Cast the Fleece Method
  • The Open Door Method
  • The Closed Door Method

A Biblical method for discovering the will of God:

  • The Faith Method

Knowing God’s will is secondary to simply Knowing God

The will of God is not a Road Map; it is a Relationship

“Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” (Psalm 37:4)

Out of this relationship, Christ gradually overtakes our will to become one with His as we:

  • Trust in His Word
  • Pray for His desires
  • Walk in His ways

God’s will is not so much to be Found as it is to be Followed

“And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” (Matthew 4:19)

3. Christ gives us a New Purpose

“For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.” (2 Corinthians 5:14–15)

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.” (2 Corinthians 5:17–20)

The primary question is no longer, “God, what is Your will for My Life?”

The question is now, “God, what is Your will in the world and how can I Align my life with it?”

  • Christ Gave His life for us
  • Christ Lives His life in us
  • Christ Multiplies His life through us

“To be so much in contact with God that you never need to ask Him to show you His will, is to be nearing the final stage of your discipline in the life of faith. When you are rightly related to God, it is a life of freedom and liberty and delight, you are God’s will, and all your common-sense decisions are His will for you unless He checks. You decide things in perfect delightful friendship with God, knowing that if your decisions are wrong He will always check; when He checks, stop at once.” Oswald Chambers

Questions for Reflection:

  • Have I truly experienced a “New Life” in Jesus Christ? Have I personally responded to His grace toward me with repentance and faith?
  • How am I focusing on my relationship with Christ on a daily basis?
  • How is my life aligned with His purpose to impact the world by making disciples who make disciples?

other sermons in this series

Oct 18

2015

The Disciple's Mission

Pastor: Jeff Bedwell Scripture: Matthew 9:35–38 Series: Follow Me

Oct 11

2015

The Disciple's Relationships

Pastor: Jeff Bedwell Scripture: Colossians 3:1–17 Series: Follow Me

Sep 27

2015

The Disciple's Emotions

Pastor: Jeff Bedwell Scripture: Matthew 22:37 Series: Follow Me