The Greatest Will of My Father in Heaven

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An examination of The Commands of the Master

Matthew 7:21[c.f. Luke 6:46, Malachi 1:6]

Not everyone who says to Me, “Lord, Lord, will enter the Kingdom of Heaven; but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven.

Luke 6:46

And why do you call Me, Lord, Lord; and do not do what I say?

Today’s blog post is the initial teaching series of many of the commands of Jesus as recorded by the Gospel writers in the New Covenant. Just before we look at the Matthew passage, I wanted to track back into the Old Covenant to cross-reference an interesting verse from Malachi 1:6 and other supportive references, to illuminate the important rationale behind Jesus’ command to the multitudes and HIs disciples in Matthew 7:21.

The Last Prophet before Christ Speaks

The Book of Malachi and its prophet was the last voice that God used to speak to Israel before the advent of Jesus as the Son of Man came some 400 years later. During the time of this prophet, the mouth of Malachi communicated to the people and the priest who was corrupt and degenerated. The overview of this biblical record exposed the lack of ingratitude of the Nation to the Lord, their neglect and contempt of His worship, and the breach of His laws governing the Nation.

Nonetheless, the same voice of Malachi was prompted by God to raise in the minds of the truly godly an expectation of the coming Messiah and Priestly King and His forerunner, John the Baptist. This was truly the needed “Good news” that the entire world required and could partake in!

Malachi 1:6

A son will honor his father, and a servant his master. Then if I am a father, where is My honor? And if I am a master, where is My respect? says the Lord of Host to you, O priests who despise My name. But you say, How have we despised Thy Name?

This matter of honor runs throughout the Holy Scriptures with many supportive references that communicate this family, cultural and spiritual mandate. [see Exodus 20:12, Deut. 21:18-21, Eph. 6:1-4] The root of the Old Testament term for honor meant “heavy” or “weighty.”

Depending on the context, it could mean something negative or positive. In the figurative and positive sense, it conveyed something very impressive and noteworthy. Synonyms for honor in ancient Hebrew were glorious, to glorify, and to be honorable. Again, depending on the context, honor could also mean showing very high regard, reverence, or value. So, honor is defined as, “showing esteem for one deserving of respect, attention, or obedience.” 

The supreme level of honor is reserved for God alone (Deut. 32:51; Psa. 22:3; 33:8; 119:161). To honor God is to revere and fear Him. Only the Lord is deserving of such ultimate glory or reverent fear.

True honor for God was the basis and model for honoring others, especially parents. Israel assumed parents were faithful representatives of the Lord’s way of life. Since revering God took precedence over all others, not even parents merit this level of honor (Exodus 20:3; Deuteronomy 5; Lev. 26:13; Psa. Luke 9: 59-60; Matt. 10:35ff; Mk. 10:29f). [ this brief overview of this matter of honor was gleaned from an article: What does the Bible mean to honor your parents? By, Donald Owsley]

The prophet Malachi’s voice to the Nation of Israel and its priest was his rebuke for the lack of gratitude for all the proofs of God’s love that was extended to them as well as God’s disapproval to the priest as the chief offenders. They were guilty of offering defective sacrifices and profaning the temple worship.

Not only was Israel still in exile during this prophet warning to the Nation, but this warning of the lack of fear, respect, reverence would carry over into the first advent of the Son of Man, Jesus of Nazareth. Malachi’s rebuke and warning to the priest, who were representatives of the people in leading into obedience and holiness as a flock unto God was an atrocity before the eyes of God.

But you say, How have we despised Thy Name?

What a profound and very probing question that demands some honest consideration! The final analysis is the callousness of the heart of humanity untouched and spiritually transformed by the Holy Spirit of God. While our focus is on Malachi 1:6 verse, the Nation, priest’s heart have grown so callous and obscured from the true faith, they were guilty of external practicing legalistic religion so much so that they were unconscious how they have sown contempt to God.

How much of the hardening of our hearts of the people in America, its leaders, priests/ministers, citizens, and perhaps in name only, its Christians are sowing contempt to God and are guilty of woeful atrocities before His eyes? Exactly what “tree are we as a people, are consuming, the Tree of the knowledge of good and evil, or the Tree of Life?

Any heart that is untouched by the power of God cannot produce life-giving fruits in their personal life and within the lives of those whom God has assigned. The spiritual laws surrounding this principle will be made manifest in the very heart and culture by which we live and perish.

Those who claim authority over the lives of people, as is the case with those who claim that I know Him, will be tested by God’s standard in the long run. God’s standard for His people is the Fruit of His Spirit, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control, against such things there is no law.

“This is My Beloved Son“

The Gospel of Mark begins by calling Jesus the Son of God and reaffirms the title twice when a voice from Heaven calls Jesus: “my Son” in Mark 1:11 and Mark 9:7. There are many major spiritual truths that I could discuss concerning this reference, yet for this blog post, I wish to focus only on the Son of Man’s example in His willing surrender to God’s will and not His own.

Drawing on the powerful testimony of the apostle Paul in Pisidian Antioch, after reading of the Law and Prophets on Sabbath Day, he begins, Men of Israel, and you who fear God, listen…, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My heart, who will do all My will. From the offspring of this man, according to promise, God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus, after John had proclaimed before He came…,

God has fulfilled this promise to our children in that He raised Jesus, as it is also written in the second Psalm, Thou art My Son; today I have begotten Thee. And as for the fact that He raised Him from the dead, no more to return to decay, He has spoken in this way; I will give You the holy and sure blessings of David. Acts 13:15ff

The period of silence between the Old and New Testaments is nothing new. It follows a pattern God has repeated throughout the Old Testament. First, God generally designed or allowed a desperate situation to arise before presenting His deliverance.

Secondly, He always called upon a faithful servant to “stand in the gap,” making intercession to Him on behalf of the people (Ezek 22:30), and to be His agent through whom He performed His work.

The Essence of the Abundant Life is the Blessedness of God Kingdom

“Life” pathway is more than mere physical existence.

As is it true concerning”Destruction” is more than non-existence!

Waste, loss, damnation, alienation, all does not absolutely exclude;

the immediate and eternal benefits of our present need of soul deliverance and salvation! Matthew 7:13

The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand

Jesus’ proclamation of what is the requirement of entry into the Kingdom of Heaven called into question the now revolutionary means by which God now administers His will through His Son. The essence of the keys of knowledge and eventually practice the will of God was taught and demonstrated in Jesus’ example and His calling and selection of disciples.

What did Messiah say about doing His Father’s will? “Verily, verily I say unto you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do, for what things soever He does, these also do the Son likewise. John 5:19

The Master in His life of physical privation, lacking anywhere to lay His head, had come not to do His own will, but the Fathers. He refuses to use force for His deliverance. In His person God’s will, not His own, must be done; and to the Father, He, at last, surrendered His spirit. even unto death upon the cross. [Matt. 8:20; John 4:34; 5:30, 6:38. Matt. 26:53; Matt. 26:29, Phil. 2:7]

Even as a child, Jesus from Nazareth subjected Himself to His parents as indicated in Luke 2:51. His willful self-surrender is marked during His baptism and temptation at the start of His public ministry. Matthew 3:15; 4:1

The Commands of Jesus

Matt. 7:21, cf, Luke 6:46

Not everyone who says to Me, “Lord, Lord will enter the Kingdom of Heaven but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven.

Luke 6:46

And why do you call Me, Lord, Lord; and do not do what I say?

The Master’s calling of would-be disciples’ prime requisite was self-surrender. “And He summoned the multitude with His disciples if anyone wishes to come after Me, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” Mark 8:34

Another key to the knowledge of the Kingdom of God is the willing ability to forsake those things that hinder total dedication to follow the Master. This includes people, places, and things that can easily supplant God’s supremacy within one’s life and devotion. Luke 14:26

God is a jealous God, in that He is not to have any competition for your heart and soul. The greatest of which is “self-life’ or “self-worship.” Only within the Kingdom of Heaven will anyone find their true selfhood as clearly outlined in Mark 8:35. “For whoever wishes to save his life shall lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, and the Gospel’s shall save it.“

The Last Adam, Prophet, King, and Priest has Spoken before His Next Return

There is no more silence from God and there is nothing new. The setting is clear that Christ is and will always be designed by His Heavenly Father to be humanity’s deliverance based upon His example and practice. The now Gloried Lord and High Priest, Christ “stand in the gap,” making intercession in the presence of God on behalf of the people who willfully honor God through Christ, by doing the will of the Father, as an act of obedience and Love. John 14:15

In the Scriptures, God says, “When the time came, I listened to you, and when you needed help, I came to save you.” That time has come. This is the day for you to be saved. 2 Corinthians 6:2

The Greatest Will of My Father in Heaven

Thank you, Lord Jesus, and I honor You for faithfully standing in the gap during our generation! For You have done so by the advancement of Your Kingdom!

To those who fear God please let us collectively thank God in Heaven for Christ Jesus, the faithful witness, the first-born of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us, and released us from our sins by His blood.

He has made us be a Kingdom, priests to His God and Father; to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Revelation 1:5-6

The greatest will of God is the advancement of His Kingdom as proclaimed in Daniel 2:44. “God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed, and that kingdom will not be left for another people; it will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, but it will itself endure forever.

Thank you, Lord, and I honor You for You have empowered us Your servants to do things to glorify God in heaven. Matthew 5:16, Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Thank you, my Master, and I honor You for Your patience in bringing forth in our lifetime, the ministry of reconciliation and complete soul salvation for your people of all Nations. 2 Peter 3: The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. Amen

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