✨ Summary

• Key Scripture: Romans 12:1-2
  • Verse 1: Present your bodies as a living sacrifice.
  • Verse 2: Be transformed by renewing your mind to discern God's will.
• Alice in Wonderland:
  • Alice asks the Cheshire Cat for directions.
  • Cat responds that without a destination, any path will do.
  • Unlike Alice, Christians know their ultimate destination-eternity with God.
  • The challenge is discerning the path for "tomorrow."

The Problem of Discerning God's Will

• Common Approaches:
  1. Ignoring feelings of confusion.
  2. Over-spiritualising simple decisions.
• Main Point: Understanding God's will is complex and often feels elusive.
• Misconceptions:
  • Treating God's will as a cosmic hide-and-seek game.
  • Expecting simple answers to complex questions.

Two Aspects of God's Will

1. Decretive (Sovereign) Will - Boulē (βουλή)

• Definition: God's sovereign decisions that cannot be thwarted.
• Scripture References:
  • Isaiah 46:4: God carries and saves.
  • Isaiah 46:10: God's purposes will stand.
• Characteristics:
  • God's plans prevail regardless of human actions.
  • Examples: Creation, Exodus, Crucifixion.
• Application:
  • Trust over anxiety.
  • We plant seeds; God makes them grow.
  • God's sovereign will is unchangeable.

2. Preceptive (Moral) Will - Thelēma (θέλημα)

• Definition: God's commands and statutes that guide human behavior.
• Scripture References:
  • Micah 6:8: Act justly, love mercy, walk humbly.
  • Romans 12:2: Be transformed to discern God's will.
• Characteristics:
  • Can be obeyed or disobeyed.
  • Includes all of God's commands in Scripture.
• Application:
  • Our responsibility is to obey God's revealed will.
  • Avoid overemphasising God's sovereign will to excuse disobedience.
  • God's moral will calls for active participation in righteousness.

3. The Personal Will of God

• Definition: God's individual plan and purpose for each person.
• Scripture References:
  • Romans 12:4-5: Many members with different functions.
  • James 1:5: Ask God for wisdom.
  • Philippians 4:6: Present your requests to God.
  • Acts 8:26: God directs Philip.
• Characteristics:
  • God's Personal Will ALWAYS aligns with God's moral will, which serves His sovereign will.
  • Requires a relationship with God.
• Application:
  • Seek communion with God over specific instructions.
  • God's ultimate will is for us to know Him.
  • Avoid obsessing over personal plans at the expense of knowing God.

Discerning God's Personal Will

Steps to Take:

1. Prioritise Relationship Over Roadmap
   • Focus on knowing God rather than seeking specific directions.
   • John 17:3: Eternal life is knowing God.
   • God's ultimate will is that you would know Him
2. Seek Wisdom from Community
   • Consult wise and godly counsel. (Acts 14)
   • Romans 12:3: Think with sober judgment.
   • Proverbs 11:14: Safety in many counselors.
   • Others may notice God's will for us before we do.
3. Take Steps in Faith
   • Don't let fear paralyse decision-making.
   • Exodus 14:15: "Move forward."
   • Stepping out in faith leads to growth and guidance.

Practical Decision-Making Model

1. Prayer: Bring your choices before God.
2. Scripture: Ensure alignment with biblical principles.
3. Counsel: Seek advice from trusted believers.
4. Circumstances: Observe open and closed doors.

• Key Takeaways:
  • Sovereign Will: Trust that God's perfect plans will prevail.
  • Moral Will: Actively obey God's revealed commands.
  • Personal Will: Build a relationship with God to understand His specific guidance.
• Final Thoughts:
  • God desires a relationship with us more than mere compliance.
  • His will is not hidden but revealed through Scripture, community, and faith.
  • By offering ourselves as living sacrifices, we align with His good, acceptable, and perfect will.

📝 Final Sermon Script

OFFERING FOR COMBINED CHRISTMAS CAROLS NEXT WEEK

Romans 12

Let's play a game, yell out the story once you guess it:

• It begins with a young girl in an unusual garden.
• She falls into a world that doesn't make sense.
• There's a white rabbit, tea parties hosted by madmen
• There's a grinning cat that fades in and out
• She discovers the only way home is via clicking her red shoes.

Alice in Wonderland… There's a scene where Alice comes to a crossroad and she has no idea what way to go. She sees a cat and says:

"Which way should I go?" Alice blurted. "That depends," said the cat. "On what?" "It depends on your destination. Where are you going?" the cat asked. "I don't know," "Then," said the cat, his grin spreading wider, "it doesn't matter which way you go."

• For Christians, the destination matters. Our ultimate destination is clear; eternity with God.
• The problem is "what about tomorrow?"
• Unlike Alice, we know our destination yet JUST LIKE Alice, we struggle knowing which way to go along the journey.

Often, we approach it one of two ways; 1. we just brush the feelings of confusion under the rug, or 2. we turn even the simplest decisions into some sort of divine quest.

• I had a work Christmas party at a fancy restaurant int he Hunter Valley last Friday.
• We're all sitting down and one by one look at the menu. You know how it is; there's all these options and half of them seem to be written in French.
• "Lord, reveal unto me Thy perfect dish!" and the waiter is just standing there like "why is this guy talking to himself"
• And then your dish comes out and you have to pretend like the scallops with smoked caviar entree is actually good because it cost $320.
• Spoiler alert: God's will probably isn't concerned with your entree choice.

And that's what we are talking about this morning - The Will of God.

• We have been exploring the attributes of God, and one attribute of God is that He has a will.
• As in; God has the capacity to desire, plan, and initiate action to achieve that plan.
• Which is pretty basic to acknowledge - of cause God has a Will.
• Yet, we often treat finding God's will like a cosmic game of hide-and-seek.
• And we hear people say "Just pray about it and God will show you His will," but how often is it that easy. More often it feels like trying to solve a Rubik's cube blindfolded.

What is the Will of God? We want clarity, we want SIMPLE answers.

• But not all simple answers are created equal. Some are solid, others feel right in the moment but when questioned they don't hold up.
• Take the question of Adam & Eve in Genesis - "Why did Adam fall?"
• A simplistic answer is "well, he fell by his own free will" - It sounds reasonable, but it leads to way more questions.
• The truth is, there IS NO SIMPLE ANSWER to this question other than "I have ideas, but I truly don't know"
• But then we ask "Was Adam's fall part of the will of God?" Did God force Adam to sin?
  • Of course not. Yet, we know God is sovereign, and nothing happens outside His will.

This brings us to the problem of the Will of God; it's complex… And trying to simplify it can lead us into error.

• But the solution is not to avoid it because:

Romans 12

• The New Testament uses two words for "will" - boule (Bull-ay) and thelema (thel-e-mah), which form the understanding of the Will of God.

Decretive Will

Boule refers to what scholars call the Decretive Will of God - His Sovereign Will

Isaiah 46

Isaiah 46

• Here's what we have to understand; when God sovereignly decides something is going to happen, nothing can prevent it from happening.
• Here's God saying to Israel - I chose you, I keep you, and my purposes will stand.
• In Exodus, Pharoah tried to resist God's plan, yet God still freed the Israelites from slavery.
• The schemes and plans of the Jewish leaders couldn't derail God's plan for salvation. The cross was not some cosmic accident exploited by God, it was decreed absolutely.
• When God commanded light to shine in the beginning, the darkness had no power to resist the command. The lights came on. God did not persuade the light to shine.
• I was snowboarding in Sweden in 2012 and every single time I got to the bottom of the mountain I ended up on the ski-lift with the same person. Coincidence? Maybe. But this 'coincidence' resulted in me being able to share the gospel. Maybe it was simple coincidence, maybe it was so random after all.

Yet, what we have to understand is that God's Will is not restricted ONLY to His sovereign will.

• The problem in doing this is that we embrace a sort of fatalistic view - "well, God has willed everything to happen in the way it happens, so I have no part to play"
• But all throughout Scripture we see people acting, choosing, and responding. We see God working THROUGH the means of real choices by willing people.
• We have a will, we can choose. God works His plan both through our free-will choices and despite our free-will choices.
• Yet His will is greater than ours. His will restricts my will. My will cannot restrict His will.
• Those preachers who emphasise that your prayer can change God, that your will can somehow bend His will? Stupidity
• When God decrees something to come to pass - whether I like it or not, whether I choose it or not - it WILL come to pass.
• He is sovereign and we are subordinate.

It would be easy if the Will of God was simply that… so when Romans 12 says "discern the will of God" it simply meant "sit back, relax, cause God's got it"

• and in the sense of God's Sovereign Boule will, that's all we can do…. But remember Scripture also uses the word thelema (thel-e-mah).
• Have you ever heard the pretty little statement "Let Go and Let God"… It sounds like one of those statements some 20 year old Christian Instagram "Influencer" would have in their profile bio.
  • I can already imagine it - Some chick who only takes selfies of herself driving from her Frank Green bottle with the caption being some out-of context bible verse… Let Go and Let God.
• I really don't like that saying. Show me a farmer who produced a crop by letting go and letting God. Show me a muscled man who got jacked by sitting on his couch. Show me a Christian who didn't make the conscience decision to repent of their sins and follow Christ.
• Perhaps about God's sovereign Will for redeeming humanity accomplishing His purposes this MIGHT be useful.
• What we DO see in Scripture is more like "We plant seeds, but God grows"

God's Sovereign Will means one incredible thing for you and I - it means trust over anxiety

• I don't have to be anxious about every little decision in my life, terrified about whether my decisions will start a chain reaction that will ruin the entire world.
• "I plant seeds, but God is the one who grows it"
• We can't control God's sovereign will, but we can trust it.
• When life feels chaotic, God's plan is still unfolding. When life feels stagnant, God is still active.
• Isn't that freeing?
• This is partly what it means for Romans 12:1 - to present your bodies as a living sacrifice
• We die to our own pride of trying to control God but, as a living sacrifice, we offer ourselves into the hands of God, knowing HIS plans will prevail.
• He grows, we only plant seeds.

Preceptive Will

This idea is found in the word thelema (thel-e-mah) - or the Preceptive Will of God.

Micah 6

• On one hand, the Sovereign Will of God cannot be broken or disobeyed. It WILL come to pass.
• On the other hand, there is a will that can be broken.
• Just think about all of God's commands in Scripture
  • "Love your neighbour as yourself"
  • "The righteous walk in integrity"
  • "do justice, show love and kindness, be humble"
• It is the will of God that we have no other gods before Him; that we love our neighbour as we love ourselves; that we refrain from stealing, coveting, and committing adultery.
  • Yet the world is filled with idolatry, hatred, thievery, covetousness, and adultery.

When Scripture refers to the will of God it includes every precept, statute, and commandment that He delivers to His people.

• These commands express and reveal to us what is right and proper for us to do.
• The will of God includes the rule of righteousness for our lives. By this rule we are governed.
• What's the rule of righteousness? That we not sin. And so, whenever God's law is broken, His will is violated.

So when Romans 12:2 says

Romans 12

• this idea of a 'renewed mind' is integrally linked with Micah 6:8

Micah 6

• The 'renewed mind' comes by knowing and obeying God's will, which is already revealed in Scripture.

One of the great tragedies of Christianity today is that many Christians are so preoccupied trying to understand the secret decretive, sovereign will of God that they exclude the preceptive, moral will of God.

• We want to peek behind the veil, to catch a glimpse of our personal future. God, what's your will for my life?
• We seem more concerned with our horoscope that with our obedience, more concerned with our dreams that what we are doing.
• Could it be that we're so busy looking for a dramatic sign-a burning bush or writing on the wall-that we're missing God's everyday guidance?
• We pray things like "Lord, should I forgive my annoying co-worker?" Meanwhile, God's like "did you read the part where I said to forgive seventy times seven?"

Here's how we understand God's Will

• With respect to His Sovereign Will, we assume that we are passive and have no control over it.
• With respect to His Moral Will, we are active in choosing to obey, and so we are responsible and accountable.

Here's the thing; as one scholar puts it:

"it's EASIER to engage in ungodly prying into the secret counsel of God than to apply ourselves to the practice of godliness"

• We can flee to the safety of the sovereign will and try to pass off our sin to God - "well, God's in control… not me"
• We often seek refuge in our precious doctrine of justification by faith alone, forgetting that the very doctrine is to be a catalyst for the pursuit of righteousness and obedience to the will of God.
• Instead of saying "I'm saved, I'm good" then continued to sin our brains out… We must understand the Will of God for us to be righteous, to live by faith.

So, unlike Alice in Wonderland… We know our destination AND our path - our daily decisions are already addressed in the Bible.

• Our challenge isn't KNOWING God's will, it's DOING it. SLIDES
  • The question is: Are we willing to follow God's moral will even when it's inconvenient, or are we only interested when it aligns with our own plans?

So, in a sense, God's Will can be summarised in that sentiment: "I plant, God grows"

• We walk in obedience to God's REVEALED Will found in Scripture
• And trust in God's SECRET Will that He sovereignly achieves.

But there's one final aspect to the will of God…

Personal Will

That is… He has a Personal Will for you that is individual to you.

• This is why Romans, after encouraging us to "discern the will of God" goes on saying:

Romans 12

• James 1:5 says "If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God"
• Philippians 4:6 says "in every situation, by prayer… present your requests to God"
• In Acts 8:26, God directs Philip to go to a specific person at a specific time.
• God directed Paul all the time, with Acts 16 saying that God closed some doors and opened others to redirect Paul

And so you must understand that God has a specific, special will for your life.

• But to clarify; God's personal will for your life always proceeds FROM His Moral Will, which works for His Sovereign Will.
• As in, you can obsess all you want about "what's God's will for my life"… but if you miss living in obedience to God's word and in relationship with God, you've missed the whole point.
• I wonder how often we prioritise our "calling" over God's "will"? For many, we make them synonymous, "what's God's will for my life" is really "Scripture isn't enough, I need specific checklists for my life"
  • I wonder, do we desire a checklist from God more than we desire communion with God?

John 17

• God's ultimate will is that you know Him. SLIDES That's why He created Adam & Eve, that's why He sent Christ to reconcile us with God.
• Yes, His will is for us to obey His Word and to be righteous, but that is for the sake of relationship.
• "What is God's Will for my life?" Would you be content if God answered "To have a relationship with me"?
• For many we would say "yes!" Followed by "soo God… what's my calling? What's my next step? What am I to do"
• Are we seeking God's hand more than His face? Do we want guidance more than we want God Himself?

How to Discern God's Personal Will

If the question is "how do I discern God's personal will?" the answer has to begin with that.

• Seek relationship with Him, trusting in His Sovereign Will, and living in obedience to His Moral Will.

Romans 12

• Romans isn't saying "Chase a perfect roadmap." It says to offer yourself to God and be transformed.
• This is why Thessalonians says

1 Thessalonians 5

• It's primarily about being transformed by God. Rejoice because of God, Pray TO God, Give thanks TO God.
• offer yourself to God and be transformed.
• Do you know what this means?
  1. Because God's ultimate will is that you know Him. Every step you take toward Him is a step in the right direction.
  2. You don't have to fear missing out on God's will. If your heart is set on Him, He's big enough to guide you back on track.
  3. You are not an afterthought in God's plan. You're a loved part of His story, and He wants to walk with you through every chapter.

Now, I wish I could end it here but if you anything like me, it's not enough.

• I know, we're ungrateful and never satisfied.
• Josh, what about those things in life that Scripture doesn't address, I'm still confused about, and I still feel stuck on?
• "How do I know the Will of God then"?
• Okay, you've got me… Can I BRIEFLY suggest some practical steps for discerning the Personal Will of God?

Of course, as we've already spoken about:

1. Prioritise Relationship Over Roadmap

2. Look to Community for Wisdom & Accountability

Acts 15

• Have you ever accidentally worn mismatching socks and you didn't even notice? God's will is sometimes like that… everyone else notices except you.
• You want to know whether something is the Will of God? Don't rely on feelings… "oh I have a peace"… well, Paul didn't have peace when shipwrecked in Acts… Elijah didn't have a peace hiding in a cave… Jesus didn't have a peace when sweating blood in the Garden before His crucifixion.
• God's Will does not always mean "easy & comfortable"… Don't rely on a simple feeling of "right"
• Surround yourself with wise, godly people who can provide insight.
• Consider this… Perhaps someone knows something you don't… SHOCK HORROR
• Perhaps this is why, after telling us to discern the will of God, Romans says:

Romans 12

Proverbs 11

3. Take Steps in Faith

Here's a question:

• Is our fear of making the wrong decision paralysing us from making any decision. And, in doing so, are we missing the opportunities God places before us?
• Do we think stepping out in Faith will have bad consequences? If we truly believe God is good, why do we fear His will might be bad for us?

Too often, we get stuck in "searching for God's will" that we don't even take a step.

• To everyone here who is stuck praying for guidance, lets read Exodus 14:15

Exodus 14

• Stepping out in faith isn't about perfection; it's about progression. God celebrates each step you take toward Him.
• Take a step in faith, and pay attention to God's leading… Is He closing doors of opportunity, or opening them?

Let's read Romans 12 one last time before finishing up:

Romans 12

Conclude

God isn't hiding His Will from you like a cosmic prankster. He's a loving Father inviting you into a daily walk with Him.

• His Sovereign Will is discerned by a trust in Him, knowing that His good, acceptable and perfect plans will prevail.
• His Moral Will is discerned by our free-will obedience to His revealed commands.
• His Personal Will for us is discerned through relationship with Him, wise counsel in community, and living by faith.

Decision-Making Model

Pulling this all together, we can form a sort of Framework for Decision-Making:

1. Prayer: Bring your choices before God.
2. Scripture: Does it align with biblical principles?
3. Counsel: Get advice from trusted believers.
4. Circumstances: Pay attention to open and closed opportunities.

Pray

🧠 Brain Dump

POTENTIAL OUTLINE 1

Core Idea:
God's will is unbreakable and will ultimately be fulfilled, though it might not always appear so in the moment.

Two Aspects of God's Will:

1. God's General Will (Missio Dei)

   • Encompasses the gospel, which is broader than individual justification.
   • The gospel speaks to the redemption and restoration of all creation.
   • God's mission is to renew the world he created, surpassing its original state by purging sin and perfecting creation.

2. God's Will for Our Lives

   • Involves individual roles within the broader mission.
   • Scriptures highlight practical aspects of God's will, such as:
     • Loving God and following him.
     • Living quietly, loving others, praying, and being grateful.
     • These actions align us with the missio Dei.

The Role of Human Effort in God's Will

• We are invited to partner with God in his mission, but not through striving or struggle.
• We serve as ambassadors, contributing through simple, faithful actions.
• Partnership with God's will involves a relational approach rather than a performance-based one.

POTENTIAL OUTLINE 2

Core Idea:
Understanding God's will involves aligning our lives with His character and purposes through a transformed mind, rather than treating it as a hidden plan we must uncover.

Text: Romans 12:1-2 - "…be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."

Three Types of God's Will in Scripture:

1. God's Sovereign Will (What God is Doing)

   • Represents God's overarching, unchangeable plan that governs everything.
   • Examples:
     • The Exodus: God's plan to free Israel prevailed despite Pharaoh's resistance.
     • The Cross and Resurrection: God's plan of salvation was fulfilled despite human opposition.
   • Application:
     • Trust in God's sovereign plan over anxiety.
     • Recognise that life's events, even unexpected ones, may be part of God's greater purpose.

2. God's Moral Will (What God Has Revealed)

   • Encompasses God's revealed instructions in Scripture about how we should live.
   • Scriptures highlight practical aspects of God's moral will, such as:
     • Love: "Love your neighbour as yourself" (Mark 12:31).
     • Integrity: "The righteous walk in integrity" (Proverbs 20:7).
     • Justice and Mercy: "Act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God" (Micah 6:8).
   • Application:
     • Focus on obedience to God's moral commands.
     • Understand that many daily decisions are already addressed in the Bible.

3. God's Personal Will (God's Guidance in Our Lives)

   • Involves God's unique direction for individual choices and callings.
   • Examples:
     • Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch (Acts 8:26-40): Specific guidance to a particular person at a specific time.
     • Paul's Missionary Journeys (Acts 16:6-10): The Holy Spirit redirected Paul's plans, closing some doors and opening others.
   • Application:
     • Discernment through a relationship with God, using wisdom and seeking guidance.
     • Align with God's moral will first; then seek His personal guidance.

How to Discern God's Personal Will:

1. Prioritise Relationship Over Roadmap

   • Deepen your relationship with God through prayer, worship, and reading Scripture.
   • As we renew our minds (Romans 12:2), we naturally align with God's will.
   • Example:
     • Jesus and the Father: "The Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing" (John 5:19).

2. Seek Community for Wisdom and Accountability

   • Involve wise, godly people who can provide insight and hold you accountable.
   • Example:
     • Early Church's Collective Discernment: In Acts 15, the apostles and elders met to discern God's will together.

3. Take Steps in Faith, Trusting God's Guidance

   • Use a decision-making model involving prayer, Scripture, counsel, and awareness of circumstances.
   • Trust that God can guide and redirect your steps as you move forward.
   • Example:
     • Moses at the Red Sea: Taking action in faith led to God's miraculous intervention (Exodus 14:15).

Conclusion:

• Summary of Key Points:
  • Trust God's sovereign will.
  • Obey God's moral will.
  • Discern God's personal will through a transformed mind, a deep relationship with Him, and community support.
• Application:
  • Commit to deepening your relationship with God.
  • Engage with a faith community for support and guidance.
  • Take practical steps in faith toward what you believe God is calling you to do.
• Final Encouragement:
  • Remember, God's will is rooted in His immense love for us.
  • Trust in His guidance brings peace and confidence in our journey.