|
John 7:16-18 ESV So Jesus answered them, "My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me. (17) If anyone's will is to do God's will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority. (18) The one who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory; but the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and in him there is no falsehood. The purpose of reading John 7:16-18 is to turn our thinking from the “old man” to the new man in Christ. It’s to cause us to hear the Holy Spirit when He is speaking. THE HEART THAT IS "WILLING TO DO" In John 7:17 there is a principal expressed. It is a principle which is expressed in many places in both the Old and New Testaments. Our Lord Jesus Christ is saying, “He that is willing to do God's will that person shall know of the teaching whether it is of man or of God.” The principal teaching of John 7:17 is, "BE WILLING TO DO." The one who is willing to do, is the same one who SHALL KNOW. With God, knowing only comes to those who are first willing to do. Luke 1:38 ESV And Mary said, "Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her. Mary, the mother of our Lord, stated this principle when she said “be it unto me according to thy word.” Typically with us, we want God to say what it is He wants us to do so we can judge whether or not we will do it. God will not speak to the heart of a man who is unwilling. God speaks to the man or the woman or the child who first presents to Him a heart that says, “I’ll do it!” The interesting thing about the mother of Jesus and her encounter with the angel is the angel did not approach Mary asking her permission concerning her role. The angel, by way of the knowledge of heaven, already knew the answer Mary would give. And that was why she was most favored. The angel knew that in Mary’s heart she was already available to God for whatever God spoke to her. What does God the Father already know about you? Are you willing to do? Is there a YES in your heart towards the will and way of the Father?
0 Comments
In Luke chapter 1 we find an intensive conversation between Mary and the messenger angel Gabriel.
Luke 1:26-30 ESV In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, (27) to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin's name was Mary. (28) And he came to her and said, "Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!" (29) But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. (30) And the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Have you ever wondered what type of life Mary lived that would cause the angel to say "you have found favor with God?" I firmly believe that it was not what she did or what she didn't do that determined favor. I believe that we can determine from the Word that it was it heart of faith that pleased the Father. When we speak about Mary's faith we have to discuss her question in Luke 1:34. Mary's question in Luke 1:34 has nothing to do with her judging whether or not she will do it. Luke 1:31-34 ESV And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. (32) He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, (33) and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end." (34) And Mary said to the angel, "How will this be, since I am a virgin?" Think about the questions she could have asked. She doesn’t look at the possible consequences of such an event as pregnancy outside of marriage and ask the question, for example, “What about the Pharisees and the Sadducees, won’t they stone me?” Mary and Joseph loved one another so a question that would be normal to ask would have been “What do I tell my soon to be husband Joseph?” Family life was very important therefore, Mary could have asked “What do I tell my family?” These questions never entered into the equation because of her heart of faith to do whatever God said. She has a single question and that is, "How will this be, since I am a virgin?" This is another way of saying “How is God going to do it?” Wow! We for sure need to be the type of believers who would have a heart to respond to God this way. The angel was directed by the Holy Spirit to say, “Favored one,” to Mary. Her response, when she was told how God was going to do this miracle, “Do whatever the Lord wants.” Luke 1:35 ESV And the angel answered her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. Luke 1:38 ESV And Mary said, "Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her. A simple explanation as “The Holy Spirit is going to come upon you and the power of the Highest shall overshadow you” was sufficient for Mary. All Mary needed to know was that it was going to be a supernatural work of God. What if we come to a place to say to the Father I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word. |
AuthorCharles Morris. Founder and Senior Pastor of RSI Ministry, RSI School of Ministry, and RSI Publishing L.L.C.. Archives
March 2021
Categories
All
|
RSS Feed