What God Wants - A Survey of the New-testament - Lynn Martin

Once, all of us belonged to a different kingdom, and a kingdom that was in rebellion against God. But God has brought us out of that nation and into the kingdom of His beloved Son. And He has acted toward us in faithfulness. He has made us His people, even when we weren't His people. And He has given us gifts that the rulers of darkness could not have imagined that we could possibly be given.

And it amazes me, the language that the New Testament uses for those that Jesus has ransomed. Here's an example. Paul says this to the Corinthians, "I am always thanking God for you. I thank Him for His grace given to you in Christ Jesus. I thank Him for all the enrichment that has come to you in Christ.

You possess full knowledge, and you can give full expression to it. Because what we testified about Christ has been confirmed in your experience, there is indeed no single gift you lack while you wait expectantly for our Lord Jesus Christ to reveal Himself.

He will keep you firm to the end, without reproach, on the day of our Lord Jesus. It is God Himself who called you to share in the life of His Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, and God keeps faith."

I had to wonder how often—well, here's a question for everyone. When is the last time that you thanked God that we have full knowledge and that there is no single gift that you lack, or that there's no single gift that the Church lacks?

I think that that scripture makes it sound like to be one of God's people is to be something that's incredibly special. And in fact, Revelation says that God has made us kings and priests to Him. And I wonder if we shouldn't take more time to think about these blessings, what is so special about being God's people, and thanking God for churches, for people, and so on, who have the knowledge of God, who have the Spirit of God. This isn't a Thanksgiving sermon, even though Thanksgiving happened very recently. But this is about rejoicing in the things that God wants and plans for us and all those who love Him.

Because Scripture is clear that God wants something for us, and just as much as He wants something from us. And as a church, one of our focuses is on being disciplined, being obedient to God, living according to the law of Christ.

And that's important, but it's important because of the effect that God wants. God demands obedience for our own sake as much as for His sake. And what God wants is the best thing that could be either for us or for anyone else. And this sermon, or I'm not sure if it's precisely a sermon, is about the reasons behind why God works with us.

So a few words about my methodology for this. I searched through the King James Version. It's good. Yeah. I searched through the King James Version because that's what I grew up on, for all the statements in the New Testament that say that somebody may something.

And so I searched for that may, and to look for examples like that ye may be something or other, or that it may be something, and to see what it would say. And here are some real-world examples of this word construction. So if I get into my car so that I go to church, the important thing to me is that I'm going to church, and I get into my car for that reason. And if I'm on a diet so that I can lose weight, if being on a diet is important, but it's important so that I can lose weight, the losing weight is what the important thing is. So the first thing is important because of the second thing.

So when God or His apostles say that this thing is so that something else, it means two things, I think. It means first that the second thing is possible. If something is so that something else, if God is saying this, then that means that second thing is possible. And it also means that that is what God wants and is the reason for the first thing. So what I have for today is close to 100 passages from the New Testament, and I'm mostly going to just read through them, categorize them, and offer them for your edification and blessing.

So the first one, the first verses are about that your sins may be blotted out. Oh, and I did not actually quote from the King James. I quoted from a few other versions here, but I searched through the King James because I thought it would be clearer; that construction would probably be clearer. I don't know if that was true or not.

So in Acts, "Repent, therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before."

Another passage, "I am sending you to the Gentiles to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.

And whenever you stand praying, forgive if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also, who is in heaven, may forgive you your trespasses."

Another thing that God wants, which is not surprising, is salvation, that they may be saved.

"Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the Church of God, just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved."

And Paul says to Timothy, "And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel, but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will."

He also says, "Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing, you will save both yourself and your hearers.

Therefore, I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Jesus Christ, in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory."

And he says about church discipline, "You are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord.

Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good."

Another thing that I find is that we may become like Jesus. "Indeed, I count everything as lost because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus, my Lord. For His sake, I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, becoming like Him in His death, that by any means possible, I may attain the resurrection from the dead." So dying like Christ, so that we can rise like Christ. "For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body, that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself."

And the next one is similar, not just to be like Jesus, but that Jesus would be in us. "I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known," Jesus says this, "that the love with which you have loved me may be in them and I in them."

And He says to His disciples, "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am, there you may be also." John says, "That which we have seen and heard, we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us. And indeed, our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ.

And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know Him who is true, and we are in Him who is true, in His Son, Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life."

And not only do we have Christ, we also have the Holy Spirit abiding in us.

"And I will pray the Father," Jesus tells His disciples, "and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever, the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him, but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you." Paul says, "I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in your prayers, in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him."

Also, one thing that I find is that they may live for God or be devoted to God. "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."

Paul gives this example, "No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please Him who enlisted him as a soldier.

I say this for your own benefit, not to lay any restraint upon you, but to promote good order and to secure your undivided devotion to the Lord."

God also wants His church to be unified. Jesus prays to the Father, "And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Father, Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one." So in some way, like the oneness between Jesus and the Father, we can be one as a church.

Related to that is sharing with each other. "For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened, but that as a matter of fairness, your abundance at the present time should supply their need, so that their abundance may supply your need, that there may be fairness.

Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need."

God also seeks the edification or building up of the church.

Paul tells the Corinthians, "Pursue love and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy."

That's something that Paul wants for the Corinthians. "The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be built up. Therefore, one who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret.

Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, so that it may give grace to those who hear." And here's another one about church discipline. "Therefore, rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith, not devoting themselves to Jewish myths and the commands of people who turn away from the truth."

One of the qualifications of a church leader is that he must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine, and also to rebuke those who contradict it.

Another thing is comfort. Paul says, "For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you, that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith, both yours and mine.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God."

And God wants Christians to be blameless. "Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.

And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ. For I have betrothed you to one husband," Paul tells the Corinthians, "that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.

Cleanse out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened."

This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering. So God wants us to be worthy of His kingdom.

Another thing is that you may have confidence. John tells the church, "And now, little children, abide in Him, so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not shrink from Him in shame at His coming. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in Him. By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as He is, so also are we in this world." If we're like God in love, we can have confidence for the day of judgment, because we're like Him.

Hebrews says, "Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for He has said, 'I will never leave you, nor forsake you.' So we can confidently say, 'The Lord is my Helper, I will not fear. What can man do to me?'" That you may stand firm. "Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, and not frightened in anything by your opponents.

Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. Therefore, take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm." Also, God wants us to be complete, and that's something that I don't think about very often, but it seems enough to, or it could seem enough to be a good person or to be doing good, but God wants us to be complete people. "All scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, greets you, always struggling on your behalf in his prayers, that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God.

Christ, we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ."

And besides being complete and mature, God wants us to bear fruit.

"And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work." And Jesus tells the parable of the vine, "Every branch in me that does not bear fruit, He takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit, He prunes, so that it may bear more fruit."

Paul talks about holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ, I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.

"God is faithful, and He will not let you to be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation, He will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

But I say to you," Jesus says, "love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For He makes His Son to rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust."

By loving our enemies and our brothers well, we can be sons of our Father to be like Him. John, or no, this is Jesus, who says, "Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going. While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light," again, becoming sons of God, sons of light.

Witnessing and being a good witness is also incredibly important. Paul says, "For just as you were at one time disobedient to God, but now have received mercy because of their disobedience," he's speaking of the Jews, "so they too have now been disobedient, in order that by the mercy shown to you, they also may receive mercy." So if I'm right, he's saying that when the Jews could see the mercy given to the Gentiles, they could also be stirred to turn toward God and receive His mercy as well, which is what God wanted for the Jews.

Jesus said, "I do not ask for these only," that's His disciples, "but also those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that they also may be one in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me." So the unity of the church shows the world that God sent Jesus and that we are one, that we're one in Christ, and that's a powerful message for the world.

"At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word and to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison, that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak, making clear the mystery of Christ.

To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly as I ought to speak.

Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives when they see your respectful and pure conduct."

Peter tells us to always be prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you. Yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.

If we're doing this respectfully and gently in good conscience, anyone who reviles our good behavior in Christ will be shown that we can't be put to shame.

He tells Titus, "Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching, show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us."

Wouldn't that be a great witness if nobody could say anything evil about us?

"Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.

We are not commending ourselves to you again, but giving your cause to boast about us," Paul tells the Corinthians, "so that you may be able to answer those who boast about outward appearance and not about what is in the heart.

Bond servants are to be submissive to their own masters in everything. They are to be well-pleasing, not argumentative, not pilfering, but showing all good faith, so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior." So the way we work in our daily lives adorns the doctrine of God our Savior.

"But we urge you, brothers, to do this more and more, to aspire to live quietly and to mind your own affairs and to work with your hands as we instructed you, so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one.

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way."

And here are a few gifts that God wants for us, specifically joy, rest, and grace. "Until now, you have asked nothing in my name," says Jesus. "Ask and you will receive, that your joy may be full." John says, "And we are writing these things, the letter of 1 John, so that our joy may be complete." He says, "I hope to come to you and talk face to face, so that our joy may be complete.

Already the one who reaps is receiving wages and gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together, rejoicing together with God.

And I heard a voice from heaven saying, 'Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on. Blessed in deeds is the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them.

Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.'" So we can confidently expect these gifts from the Father. One thing that stood out to me, probably, I don't know if this was the one that stood out to me the most, but one that stood out to me quite a bit was that was the many times, especially in Paul, where he spoke of that you may have knowledge or that you may know this, that you may know Christ, that you may know these mysteries. "If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool, that he may become wise.

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. I thank my God always when I remember you in my prayers, because I hear of your love and of the faith that you have toward the Lord Jesus and for all the saints. And I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective for the full knowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ.

I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life."

Another thing is the power of God. "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit, you may abound in hope."

One of the biggest things God wants for us is life. "I am the bread of life," Jesus tells us. "Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die.

As for the rich in this present age, they are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.

And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous wealth, so that when it fails, they may receive you into the eternal dwellings.

Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day."

The life of the resurrection.

Also, God wants that it may be clearly seen, a number of things that are to be clear or public or well-known. "But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God." Our works, good works, are clearly, it's clearly seen where they come from and what they're about. "But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, so that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed, so God's glory will be publicly revealed.

As for those who persist in sin, rebuke them in the presence of all, so that the rest may stand in fear.

Set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. Devote yourself to the public reading of scripture, to exhortation, to teaching. Do not neglect the gift you have. Practice these things. Immerse yourselves in them, so that all may see your progress."

And some passages about God's glory.

"As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another as good stewards of God's varied grace. Whoever speaks as one who speaks oracles of God, whoever serves as one who serves by the strength that God supplies, in order that everything God, that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all.

Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy in the faith, so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus because of my coming to you again.

Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.

In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven."

And we're also glorified as well. "The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God. And if children, then heirs, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him, in order that we may also be glorified with him.

If we suffer with him, we may also be glorified with him. To this end, we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling, so that the name, so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

And humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that at the proper time, he may exalt you."

So in closing, I want to read one of my, or a couple of my favorite passages here that I couldn't really categorize into any particular category because they fit so many of the categories, but I think it's beautiful. "I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, that according to the riches of his glory, he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God."

That's all I have. So I'd be glad to hear your thoughts and comments. Thank you for pulling the scripture verses together. There's something enriching about having scripture, using scripture in that way. I really enjoyed it. Thank you.

Yes, I really appreciate the compilation there. I like what you said about how these things are possible, and I kept that in mind as you went through all of them. And it is just amazing all of the promises that God has given us. And I would love if you would maybe send me your notes on that because I feel like it's good to know what our commands are, but to know immediately right behind the command, the purpose of it. And I feel like it would just be very beneficial for me to have a better memorization of a lot of what you put up today. I'm just very grateful the way that you outlined it. It was very helpful to me.

Yeah, I can definitely send that out. I think you proved without a shadow of a doubt that not only salvation, but I was going to say the quality of our Christian life, but just the Christian life in general is conditional. It's conditional on our responses, on what we choose to do in any given moment.

And I like how you put that together. You have that first response, which then leads to a result, which leads to something that we want. But we have to do that first thing first. Yeah, absolutely. I think it shows both of the sides of the picture.

Yeah, my thought was kind of what Justin said, that you hear a lot about people wanting, they want to experience the goodness of God and great things from God and experience great promises, but too often we're not willing to do upfront what he asks us. And then if you look at, if you look at all that stuff that he promises if we're willing to do, it's more than what we can do or handle or comprehend.

It's amazing to me. And we say it's difficult to do those things, yes and no. We find men that's willing to do that. And I guess the only thing I would say to all that, you said there's a hundred verses.

Daniel said in China, they like to read a lot of verses, so maybe we have a little bit of a China sermon today. But it did strike me that when you're willing to do one, that's a lot to comprehend. But you're willing to do one, you can build on it and do the second and the third and the fourth one. And then you can have a complete experience.

It's very, I don't know what the word to use. You can do it in a very systematic way. Maybe that's a wrong word, but in a way that you can comprehend it and actually do it. And it can become, you can earn all of that is what I'm trying to say.

But you have to start with one and add to it in a very, I'm going to say it in an intentional way.

Yeah, it really, each one of these things is a wonderful thing. Each one of these, so that Satan is a wonderful thing, but they're all over the Christian life. It's not just that God wants salvation for us, he also wants us to be witnesses. He also wants us to be complete and so on. It's amazing.

The breadth of what this brought out. I had no idea what to expect whenever I did the survey, but it was great.