The will of God may be perfect, but it is not always pleasant.
“Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done” (Luke 22:42).
If there is a single sentence which captures the heart of Jesus, this is it. From the first words of creation to His promised return on the last day, Jesus has been and continues to be about the business of doing the will of His Father. He is the faithful Son, the obedient servant, the perfect deputy, the image of the invisible God. His job description is simple: Do the will of Him who sent Him. And He does; always, perfectly, and without fail.
“Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done."
This sentence also does a good job of capturing this final week of Jesus’ life. From below, this week for Jesus and the disciples appears to be one long series of increasingly unfortunate events. But viewed from above, His suffering and rejection were necessary (refer to Luke 24:26). This is not because some higher authority binds God and not because He is at the mercy of some cosmic set of rules and regulations. It was necessary because this was His will. Jesus knew this. Which is why, even in His agony, He submitted.
“Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done."
But notice how the sentence begins: “Nevertheless.” This little conjunctive adverb shows that, even in His submission to the will of His Father, Jesus had questions. Remember what preceded the sentence. “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from Me.” This part of Jesus’ prayer teaches us an important truth: Submission to the will of God does not rule out questions. It does not preclude hesitations. It does not prevent requests.
This Sunday is the beginning of Holy Week. It is a week of remembering so many details about Jesus’ suffering, death, and resurrection, so many prophecies fulfilled, so many meaningful encounters, and so many agonizing and emotional moments. It can be hard to tie everything together and preach a coherent sermon that addresses faithfully both those who will not return until next Sunday and those who will spend most of the week with you at church.
Which is perhaps why this sentence in verse 42 captured my attention. When everything else is said and done, the palms that paved His way into the city, the Passover celebration in the upper room, the palace of the high priest and spectacle at Pilate’s court, the place of the skull, and the tomb in which they put Him, it was all the perfect will of the Father. Not a sparrow, and not a Son, falls to the ground apart from the will of the Father.
Not a sparrow, and not a Son, falls to the ground apart from the will of the Father.
But this is not all there is to God’s will. It was also His will that Jesus would rise from the dead, that He would reign over sin and the grave, and that He would return to His disciples and restore them as His chosen people and repurpose them for faithful service in His mission. That, too, is the will of God. This part of God’s will is what makes this week worth celebrating. For the end result is you and your hearers have received what God wills for you: Forgiveness, life, and salvation.
The will of God is always done, even without our prayer. Luther’s explanation is really good here. The waves obey His command. The stars run the course He set. Every heart beats according to the intention of Him who is the author and sustainer of all life. But this can be a hard message when things are going south. Many Christians (rightly) struggle to make sense of God’s will when they experience suffering and trials. This is probably why we work so hard at times to get God off the hook, to make Him look better. The will of God may be perfect, but it is not always pleasant.
Nevertheless, there is good news when you go down the rabbit hole of examining God’s will as He has revealed it in Christ. This good news, which you get to proclaim at the beginning of Holy Week, is that the end, the completion, the final will of God for Jesus, for you, and for us, is resurrection. It is life after death, joy after sorrow, hope after despair, grace after judgment. Whatever else God has in store for us (good, bad, or ugly) the “telos” of His will for us is good. It is very good.
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Additional Resources:
Craft of Preaching-Check out out 1517’s resources on Luke 22:1-23:56.
Concordia Theology-Various helps from Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, MO to assist you in preaching Luke 22:1-23:56.
Lectionary Kick-Start-Check out this fantastic podcast from Craft of Preaching authors Peter Nafzger and David Schmitt as they dig into the texts for this Sunday!
The Pastor’s Workshop-Check out all the great preaeching resources from our friends at the Pastor’s Workshop!
