Scripture referenced 14 passages
The passage this message was preached from, in full, with every other passage it reached for.
-
Luke 2:14 the angels' song, glory to God in the highest and peace on earth goodwill toward men, examined in detail for textual variants
14 “Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace, good will toward men.”
World English Bible · Read it in another translation
Keep this verse
John 3:16-17
read by the McMullins lighting the Advent candle, and later used by Pastor Ray to illustrate the hina clause and subjunctive mood
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
17 For God didn’t send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through him.
World English Bible · Read it in another translation
Matthew 11:25
Jesus praising the Father for revealing things to children, used as one of the nine New Testament occurrences of eudokia
25 At that time, Jesus answered, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you hid these things from the wise and understanding, and revealed them to infants.
World English Bible · Read it in another translation
Romans 10:1
Paul's desire and prayer for the salvation of the Jewish people, cited as an example of eudokia meaning goodwill or benevolent desire
1 Brothers, my heart’s desire and my prayer to God is for Israel, that they may be saved.
World English Bible · Read it in another translation
Ephesians 1:5
according to the good pleasure of God's will, cited as a use of eudokia
5 having predestined us for adoption as children through Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his desire,
World English Bible · Read it in another translation
Ephesians 1:9
according to the good pleasure of God's will, cited alongside Ephesians 1:5 as a use of eudokia
9 making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he purposed in him
World English Bible · Read it in another translation
Philippians 1:15-17
some preach Christ from envy and strife, others from eudokia, goodwill and love
15 Some indeed preach Christ even out of envy and strife, and some also out of good will.
16 The former insincerely preach Christ from selfish ambition, thinking that they add affliction to my chains;
17 but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the Good News.
World English Bible · Read it in another translation
Philippians 2:12-13
work out your own salvation, for it is God who works in you both to desire and to work for his good pleasure
12 So then, my beloved, even as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
13 For it is God who works in you both to will and to work, for his good pleasure.
World English Bible · Read it in another translation
2 Thessalonians 1:11
prayer that God would fulfill every eudokia desire for goodness and work of faith, applied to sanctification and usefulness to the kingdom
11 To this end we also pray always for you, that our God may count you worthy of your calling, and fulfill every desire of goodness and work of faith, with power;
World English Bible · Read it in another translation
Galatians 4:4-5
when the fullness of time had come God sent his son so that we might receive adoption as sons, used to illustrate the hina clause structure
4 But when the fullness of the time came, God sent out his Son, born to a woman, born under the law,
5 that he might redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of children.
World English Bible · Read it in another translation
2 Corinthians 8:9
though he was rich yet for your sake he became poor so that you through his poverty might become rich, used to illustrate the hina clause structure
9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that you through his poverty might become rich.
World English Bible · Read it in another translation
John 1:11-12
he came to his own, his own received him not, but to those who believed he gave the right to become children of God
11 He came to his own, and those who were his own didn’t receive him.
12 But as many as received him, to them he gave the right to become God’s children, to those who believe in his name:
World English Bible · Read it in another translation
2 Peter 3:9
the Lord is not slack concerning his promise, he is long suffering, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance
9 The Lord is not slow concerning his promise, as some count slowness; but is patient with us, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
World English Bible · Read it in another translation
1 Thessalonians 5:9-10
God has not destined us for wrath but to obtain salvation through Christ who died for us so that we might live with him, used as the closing benedictory passage
9 For God didn’t appoint us to wrath, but to the obtaining of salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,
10 who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.
World English Bible · Read it in another translation
Recap
The message in order, in a few minutes of reading.
Pastor Ray opened the Sunday before Christmas with a close look at the angels' announcement in Luke 2:14, specifically the word "eudokia," goodwill, and what it tells us about God's intent toward humanity. The sermon sat with a genuine textual question in that verse and let it open into a bigger question: is God's peace offered to everyone, or only to those already in his favor? The answer, he argued, is that both things are true at the same time.
What was said
The word "eudokia" in Luke 2:14 carries a range of meaning: goodwill, kindly intent, benevolence, delight, pleasure, desire. Pastor Ray walked through each shade of it, showing that the word shows up nine times in the New Testament and consistently describes God as favorably disposed toward people, not willing that any should perish, long-suffering, patient, full of grace and mercy. That is simply who God says he is.
The textual question in Luke 2:14 is whether a single Greek letter, a sigma, appears at the end of "eudokia" or not. With it, the phrase reads something like "peace to those on whom his favor rests," which limits the crowd. Without it, it reads "goodwill toward men," which is open. Ancient manuscripts go both ways, and some show a sigma that was later erased. Pastor Ray was straightforward that this is a real question with a long history, and also that both readings are true.
That tension, God's sovereignty on one side and human responsibility on the other, is not a problem to be solved but a biblical reality to be held. He quoted Robertson McQuilkin, a former president of his seminary, to the effect that it is easier to run to a consistent logical extreme than to stay in the center of biblical tension. Open theism on one end and hard determinism on the other are both easier than living with both things being true, and the sermon did not try to collapse the tension.
The "hina" clause, a Greek construction that expresses purpose or result, gave Pastor Ray a way to show how God's sovereign action and human reception fit together in Scripture. Galatians 4:4-5 says God sent his Son "so that we might receive adoption as sons." Second Corinthians 8:9 says Christ became poor "so that you might be enriched." In each case the structure is the same: God acted, definitively and in the indicative mood, and then "so that" introduces what he intended that action to accomplish.
John 3:16 follows the same pattern. God loved and gave, both indicative, so that whoever places faith in his Son might not perish but might have eternal life. The "might" is not uncertainty about God's intent. It is the subjunctive mood, which typically involves two wills, and it is contingent on what the second will does with the goodwill being extended. Pastor Ray put it plainly: God has done everything necessary, and he has put it out there toward you.
Second Peter 3:9 was the last piece: God is not slow concerning his promise, but is long-suffering, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. That is his eudokia. He will not force it. Pastor Ray said his own job, every week, is to proclaim the message as close as possible to what it actually says, and then let people respond to it.
The sermon closed where it started, with the angels' song and the word broadcast toward us. The altar was open.
Doing a Bible study?
Here is a guide we have prepared for you: the passages in order, questions for the group, and room to write.
- Pastor Ray talked about the Angel Tree ministry and said that around Christmas, 'things click differently for people' when it comes to the idea of giving. What is it about the season of Christ's birth that brings the concept of giving into sharper focus for you personally?
- The sermon walked through several translations of Luke 2:14, ranging from 'goodwill toward men' to 'peace to those on whom his favor rests.' How does each of those translations land differently for you, and does one feel more true to your experience of God?
and 3 more questions in the guide
Read the full transcript 8,478 words
Good morning, everybody. Anybody opposed to starting nine seconds early? I'm just kidding. Would you all stand up? Welcome and Merry Christmas.
I'm glad you're here. We're gonna sing a few. Hopefully, we know pretty well. If you want, hymnals, they're always available up here upfront, but a hymn number two forty nine is, oh come all ye faithful. The words will come up on the wall.
Sing choirs of angels. Sing in exaltation. Oh, sing all ye bright host of come let us adore him. Oh, come let us adore him. Oh, come let us adore him, of glory again.
Word of the father now in the flesh appearing. Oh, come let us adore him. Oh, come let us adore him. Oh, come let us adore him. Hear him cries the Lord.
Amen. Amen. How about, oh come, oh come Emmanuel. God with us. Amen.
Oh come, oh, call me man you well and ransom captive Israel that mourns in lonely Rejoice. Emmanuel shall come to thee, oh, Israel. Disverse the gloomy clouds of night and death's dark shadows put to flight. Rejoice rejoice ye manuel shall come to thee oh Israel. Of knowledge show and cause us in her ways to go.
Rejoice. Rejoice. Ye man you well shall come to thee, oh Israel on the last. Oh come desire of nations bind all peoples in one heart and mind. Bid envy, strife, and quarrel cease.
Fill the whole world with heaven's peace. Rejoice. Rejoice. Emmanuel shall come to thee, oh, Israel.
Amen. Y'all can have a seat. Now I think I have announcements next right here. Do you have one? Okay.
Tanya McDaniel right there. Angel Tree, that's her phone number. My goodness.
So I I I do wanna say I missed this part in her service, but I do wanna say that as we're talking and as we're as the season comes around all year long, I know that we're supposed to be thinking of the giving and the the gift that Jesus is to us and the gift of our testimony to other people. It's all about giving. He gave to us continuously. God gave to us. Jesus gave to the people that he was around, and we have the Holy Spirit.
It's funny how even though we know that all year around, around about this time, I think things click differently for people. And that giving the idea comes a little more solidly with the birth of Christ, the gift that that was. And his people do amazing things every single year. If you ever are wondering about the hope that is in humanity in the lost or in the church, I have awesome testimonies every year. I can give those to you every day, and I'm very thankful that y'all have given to these families.
The stories are moving. They're incredible. They're real. They're intense, And it is a precious, amazing thing. And I thank every single one of y'all and whoever you know, because I didn't get the first service that has given.
It's been a huge blessing. It always is, but sometimes it's met that gift in the most surprising, amazing ways that you I cannot imagine. And so you just were like, okay. Lord, I don't have an idea for this one. And then there it is.
So I'm thankful for y'all. I'm thankful for the gift that we're receiving that we have, and I'm thankful that y'all are sharing that with everybody else. Thank you.
Thank you. Alright. Amen. Thank you. It's good.
There's no Awana this week where we kind of tend to follow the school schedule. School's out. Awana is out this week. Middle school class did not meet this morning either. Teton Valley, Idaho Teton Valley, Idaho Fellowship, I was corrected, not reprimanded or rebuked, just corrected this morning.
Teton Valley, Idaho fellowship on the second Friday of the month starting in January. So they're trying to do this. Emily Anderson is kinda in charge, so (808) 639-4739. Take a picture of the slide if you want to to get Emily's number and it's just gonna be a get together. It's not specifically a Bible study or singing or anything like that.
It's just a get together on the second Friday of the month starting in January for those folks who come to first me, but live on the other side of the hill. Christmas Eve services. So Christmas Eve is Tuesday and we are gonna have services here at 04:30 and six. We've been doing them the same time each year for a long time. Typically, the 04:30 is the full service and the six is not as full.
So 04:30 and six, if you want to make your plans based on one of them is going be standing room only for sure, the other one might be. If you think, I'd rather be there with less people, 06:00 is probably your service. If you do come in at 04:30 and you think, want to make space for visitors because a lot of visitors come, this is the one service of the year where folks come in from outside. If you want to make some space available, we will have overflow down the hall in the fellowship hall. It'll be a no delay simulcast at the same time on the screen down there, sing singing and everything else, you'll be closer to the food.
But also, if you want to do that at 04:30, you could make some space in here if you want to. And I think that's it. Is that the last of the announcements? There was one more that was not on the list and that's the men's study that has been happening every Thursday for about a year now is not happening this Thursday. We're not doing the men's lunch study.
The men's lunch where we don't actually eat lunch and we study is not happening this week. So there you go. I'm gonna invite the McMullins up forward. Rick and Nicole and Coop, come forward if you would. And here's your mic.
It's the fourth well, I'll let y'all I'll let y'all tell it. How about that?
Good morning. We're the McMullins and we're lighting the fourth candle. Today, we light the fourth candle on Advent wreath, the candle of love. God's inexpressible love was demonstrated in sending of his son. His love has led to our salvation.
We respond by loving and living for him.
And John three sixteen seventeen says, for God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world, but to save it, save the world through him.
Amen. Thank you. Thank you, McMullen. Appreciate it. And so if you would stand with us, we're gonna sing a couple more.
How about I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day? I told Judy this morning, she picks the music ahead of time like a, you know, a full month at a time, but we could not have picked better songs for the text for the morning. It's just I mean, obviously, it's Christmas, but these dovetails so well with the actual scripture this morning. So let's sing of it.
I heard the bells on Christmas day, their old familiar carols play, and wild and sweet, the words repeat of peace on earth, goodwill to men. I thought how as the day had come, the bell freeze of all Christendom had rolled along the unbroken song of peace on earth, goodwill to men. And in despair, I bowed my head. There is no peace on earth. I said, for hate is strong and mocks the song of peace on earth.
Good will to men. Then peel the bells more loud and deep. God is not dead nor doth. He sleeps. Shall fail the right prevail with peace on earth.
Good will to men. Then ringing, singing on its way. The world revolve from night to day, a voice, a chime, a chant, sublime of peace on earth, good will to men.
That story's story's got quite an arc. Come thou long expected Jesus.
Come thou long expect that Jesus born to set by people free from our fears and sins release Let us find our rest indeed. Israel's strength and consolation, hope of all the earth thou art. Born high people to deliver born a child and yet a king born to reign in us forever. Now thy gracious kingdom bring by thine own eternal spirit rule in all our hearts
Amen. Y'all can have a seat. I am gonna invite the ushers to come forward. And if you would, pray with me. God, thank you for the privilege of coming this morning.
Thank you for your word now in flesh appearing. Thank you for Jesus. Thank you Jesus for coming, for submitting to the will of the father and the power of the spirit and doing so perfectly throughout your life. To have a perfect record and to offer that is just an amazing thing, So I pray that we would be about your business here this morning, that we would be listening intently with an open and humble heart, ready to receive. Lord, but I also pray that for those of us who have who have accepted, who believe it, who are living our lives after this conviction that Christ is central.
In all history, in all history. He is the character, the main character. In Jesus name, I pray that we would be, Lord, about doing your will and your way. Show us the next right step. In Jesus name, amen.
Thank you, Judy. Sorry to cough right over your ending there. Trying to clear the throat. We have with us today, Joel Hill and his wife Lacey and their kids, but I'm gonna invite Joel up. We've got a quick report.
I have been hearing about Joel for several years from his mama. Y'all might have too. Deb Hill is his mom. And I'll let him introduce himself and tell who he is and what what they do just for a couple minutes, five minutes or so. Yeah.
Yeah. Sounds Sounds good. Alright. Yeah. We pay her a lot for the publicity actually.
No. Yeah. I'm Joel Hill. My mom's Deb. Some of you might know her.
I was actually born here early in my life. So but eleven years ago, we started a ministry called Glad World. And so, we're based in Thailand. Been in Asia for eleven years now. We got three little boys.
They're all born in Thailand. And we're we're based there, but we're working all over Asia. And so, our heart is we wanna see the indigenous body of Christ raised up to represent Jesus with fruitfulness, and joy, and health, and you know, we wanna see his his kingdom expand in these places. So unreached people groups, these are these are people groups that are less than 2% Christian. Did you guys know there's over 3,000,000,000 people in the world who have never met a Christian?
Isn't that wild? Over 3,000,000,000 people. There's over 7,000 people groups that have very limited access or no access to the gospel. And so most of those are in East Asia, Southeast Asia, and South Asia, which is where we are. We are.
We're we're working in Southeast Asia, in in in war zones, in Pakistan, we're working in the Himalayas, and again, equipping and resourcing the native believers. And so just to share some of the things that God's doing as we're doing this, know, we've got monthly ministry going on in a slave community in Pakistan. And earlier this year, the team prayed for a man who was mute because of a stroke. And as they prayed for him, he was suddenly able to speak again for the first time in years. Yeah.
And at the same time that this is happening, our team back in Thailand of Thai believers who we've been mentoring for years, discipling for years. Two of them were out going for a walk in the park, and they came across a woman who was crippled and couldn't walk. And they laid hands on her in the name of Jesus and prayed for her. And she was suddenly able to walk again and actually started dancing, and she was born again, gave her life to the Lord. And these are these are people from an unreached people group reaching the unreached people group.
I was thinking about the incarnation. When God wanted to reach the lost sheep of Israel, he did so by sending his son to be born among them, reaching Israel by one from Israel. Right? And I think that that is so the heart of God, and that's what we want to do is come alongside the local church and see a move of God birth from within their own community. And we're working in in war zones providing humanitarian relief through the local church.
So each month, we're feeding 1,500 to 2,000 people in the war zone in Myanmar. This is not a refugee camp. This is actually where the bombs are falling, where the firefights are happening. And the church is stepping up and being the solution and bringing hope in times of crisis. And so the local church is actually expanding as a result of this.
People are coming to the Lord because they're seeing they're seeing the hope in Jesus. And so this is this is a little little glimpse of our world and what we're involved in, and we're really loving being here. And thank you so much, pastor Ray. Yeah. God bless you guys.
About the Tell jail. Oh, the I forgot it. Yeah. So this year, we've been praying for access to the prison where we live in Thailand for a few years. And this year, the door finally opened.
So we've been able to go in there and share the gospel and also provide some practical things. But a lot a lot of people, it's hard to say the exact number. A lot of people have come to the Lord in the last few months and the inmates all on their own just started a church inside the prison. And these are all these are all people from unreached people groups again. Okay?
So they started their own church and they're worshiping together, they're studying the word together, they're praying for one another, and they're sharing the gospel within the prison. There is even one inmate who led her family to the Lord, who's outside of prison. She's still in prison. She led her family to the Lord after she met Jesus. You know, they're all testifying.
Like, used to be so angry or depressed or had these addictions, and then I met Jesus, and you can see the light in their eyes. They have hope, they have joy, it's it's lives being transformed by the presence of Jesus inside the prison. Praise God. Yeah.
Thank you. I wanna pray for you too. We're we've been in acts, and doesn't it sound just great? When you hear an act, you go, yeah, I don't see that so much these days. But God, you are at work and you say, Lord Jesus, you say that if I be lifted up, and I think you meant physically, but I think you had a double meaning there.
If I be lifted up, I will draw all men. And so, God, I pray a blessing on Joel and Lacey and the boys in their context to be salt and light and to share faithfully the message from the scriptures, Lord. I thank you for the miracles. I thank you that they authenticate the message And Lord, I pray that you would keep on doing what it is you do. You said you would build your church, Lord, and you're doing it.
In Jesus name, amen. Thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you. Amen.
So I I said this morning, it was one thing to hear from somebody's mama and there's one thing to read a newsletter and see a video on the internet maybe every once in a while, but to sit down and have a meal with him the other day, I just thought I wanna share this with you all so you could know who they are and be able to pray for him. So, here we are at Christmas time and this might seem like an unusual place to start. To Sigma and not to Sigma. Last week, I mentioned what the angels sang out to the shepherds, right? And they were singing glory to God in the highest.
We've sung it a couple times already And on earth, peace goodwill to men was their message. To sigma or not to sigma, sigma these days is something you might hear. Now, you've heard of an alpha and a beta. An alpha person is somewhat strong to the point of being cocky and obnoxious, maybe pompous, but a leader, hardcore dude, usually. And you've heard of a beta who is a weakling that kind of just falls behind.
Well, alpha and beta are these kind of stereotypical things that sigma sigma is well, let's skip this. Sigma is the eighteenth letter of the Greek alphabet, by the way. If you're looking in lowercase, there are two forms of it. One of them looks like an o with a line off the top. The other one looks like a squiggly little s.
One of them comes in the middle of the sentence, and then if it looks like a squiggly little s, that's at the end of a sentence. That's normal, eighteenth letter of the Greek alphabet. And there's one form in the uppercase that you probably have seen on fraternity or a sorority house somewhere near you, and probably nowhere else, unless you're an accountant or you use Excel, and that means to sum up, like sigma is a summary. Right? So sigma in middle school slang though, is it refers to a person who's independent, self reliant as far as they don't care so much about what the crowd does, and it's someone who prefers to operate outside of a traditional social hierarchy or peer pressure.
They're able to stand against peer pressure and just kind of be who they are individually. Right? It's a good thing. In fact, it's definitely a good thing. If you ever hear it and you think, alpha's kind of obnoxious and beta, nobody wants to be that.
And it's it's 16 more letters down alphabet, it must be awful. No, it's a good thing. But I just wanted to mention that. I started to do the whole sermon today in middle school slang, but I just don't want to be that cheugy. Lost on this service entirely.
This is the a sentence. This is Luke two fourteen, and I just highlighted the sigmas in the sentence. Doxa, glory, In the highest. To God. And upon earth.
Is peace. Irene. The name Irene comes from peace. So it means. Ereni.
Erenic is something that's peaceful. Ereni in Anthropois Udokia. That's one textual tradition. And then in another textual tradition, there is a sigma at the end of that word. I don't say this to undermine your confidence in the scriptures.
This little squiggly, if it's there, it means one thing. If it's not there, it means another thing, but they're both true. They're both absolutely true. There wouldn't be a dispute over it after two thousand years if one of them was not true. They're both true.
I want to go through this. Oh, there's one other possibility. These are capital letters in Greek, eudokia. And there's one other possibility, and it's called a lunar sigma. That is where the common form that is normally in the middle of the word would be used at the end, but it's tiny little bitty, looks like a jot or a tittle right there, and it sticks.
That is a lunar sigma, and that's a possibility. Now, in some ancient manuscripts, we see that it has the sigma. In some ancient manuscripts, we see that it doesn't. And in some of them, we see that it did and somebody erased it, which is kind of crazy, but it happens, you know. God protects his word.
He also protects his truth and since both of them are true, I'm almost I'm gonna go back to what does the word mean because the end of the word, the declension what it is changes its purpose in the sentence but it doesn't change what the word actually means. Does that make sense to you? Okay. So, Udokia the word is made up of two words, you meaning good like a eulogy. Eulogy is the good word about somebody.
Right? Udokia is good and then, to be liked, to seem, to appear the likeness. So it means will or choice. In particular, it means goodwill. It is a kindly intent or benevolence.
It's prompted by goodwill. When God describes who he is, he says that he is favorably disposed towards people. He says he's long suffering and patient. He's not willing that anyone should be should perish. He when he describes himself, he says he's full of grace, full of mercy, and he has goodwill towards us.
Now, the next one is delight and pleasure. That is or satisfaction. If it is God's will to be good and someone accepts I'm sorry. If God's will is to be good towards us and someone accepts the goodness offered, then that is a delight. It is for God's good pleasure.
It's for our pleasure and goodness and satisfaction. Grammar nerds with the genitive of the thing that it pleases. That's what it means and that's the form that it would take if that's the case. And then, desire. And this sentence is a little funny, but I'm gonna read it anyway.
For delight in any absent thing easily begets a longing for it. If you desire good things for someone, and they have not yet accepted them, you can still desire it. Does that make sense? I desire that you would pick this up and understand it, but until you do, it's just a desire that's there. So will, choice, goodwill, kindly intent, benevolence, goodness, udokia, delight, pleasure, satisfaction, desire, all of those things.
Primarily, this word conveys the sense of goodwill, favor, or pleasure. It's often used to describe how God has a benevolent intention or delight towards humanity and really all of his creation. So in the New Testament, it reflects divine favor and the gracious will of God that is open for those to receive it. As well as the pleasure desire of individuals when they align themselves with God's purposes. Now, Utopia is used nine times in the New Testament and so, since we're kind of looking at this one where it's angels singing out, the God's messengers are singing it out specifically to shepherds and we sing it every year and we talk about it all the time.
That's one instance where it says goodwill towards men. I want you to see that in Matthew eleven twenty five, Jesus says, I praise you father, lord of heaven and earth for you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and you have revealed them to the infants or the babes, the children. You have made it simple enough that a child can understand. Yes, father for this way was Utopia, well pleasing. It was your desire that even children can understand it.
Luke's parallel passage, same way, for doing so was Eudokia, well pleasing in your sight. Romans 10, Paul's writing to the Romans he had never met before, but he says, brothers and sisters, they've already accepted Christ, brothers and sisters, my heart's Eudokia, intent, desire, goodwill, benevolence, and my prayer to God for my people. He's talking about the Jewish people is for them to be saved, their salvation. That's what Paul is wanting for them. His good intent.
Whether they will or not, is not in view right here. The desire is there. On in one five and one nine, it says, according to the good pleasure of God's will. In Philippians, this is a great passage. In Philippians, there are people who are preaching the gospel for good reasons, and there are people who are preaching it maybe for profit or actually, he says right here from envy or strife.
He had gained quite a fame for this and there were people. Sure, he says, there are people who are preaching Christ, proclaiming Christ even from envy and from strife, but some also are doing it from Eudokia, goodwill with a purpose, with a desire, with benevolence. Well, the latter do it out of love and God is love. So that's a good thing, no doubt. Knowing that I'm appointed for the defense of the gospel, he goes on to say, either way the gospel is being preached.
I love that about Paul. He's like, if the content is there, God can use it. Philippians two, for it is God who works. He's at work in you both to desire and to work for his good pleasure. That seems maybe, oh, that's super Calvinistic.
Don't really like that. Super Calvinistic and I don't really like it. No. No. No.
Go back up to the top of this. So then beloved, just as you've always obeyed not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, y'all be working out your own salvation with fear and trembling. Take what it is that God has offered and put it into use. For it is God behind all of that, it is God who is at work in you both to desire and to work for his good pleasure. And then here we go.
Last one and we'll get on down the road. To this end also, we pray for you always that our God will consider you worthy of your calling and fulfill every Udokia desire and for goodness and for the work of faith with powers, not just about salvation, but it's about your sanctification and your usefulness to the kingdom of God. So, is it Udokia nominative for the grammar nerds or is it Eudokia's genitive? Well, let's look at them. This is, if it is nominative, it is this and I love this.
This is my favorite. King James version says, glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, goodwill toward men. And if you have an old hymn, it almost always says this, peace on earth, goodwill to men. Right? We just sang it twice, two different songs.
New King James, goodwill towards men follows a textus receptus tradition. If you want to go back, I did earlier services earlier in the year about this biblical textual tradition. I love this version of it. I think that this is true and it resonates with me, but the other is also true. Goodwill towards men.
The King James purple edition has all the names of God in purple. Why? I don't know. But it's the same, goodwill towards men. Glory to God in the highest or glory in the highest to God and upon earth peace among men, goodwill.
This is the Young's literal translation. If you're ever wondering, what does that literally say rather than trying to kind of make it make sense in English or having to add a word here or there to make it make sense in English, which is perfectly good and reasonable. Young's Literal sticks to it. Instead of saying heart, it might say, is gut, the viscera. Okay.
I love you for my very viscera. That's the way Young's Literal reads. So, among men, goodwill. Goodwill among men, that's another translation in the Texas receptionist tradition. So, the parallelism here from the angel's song, if you examined it, it's great Hebrew parallelism say, glory to God in the highest and on earth peace towards men.
Right? It's parallel. The genitive. Now, this is an if you hear newer songs, oftentimes it feels like, man, they're trying to get a lot of words in there when they could have just said goodwill towards men because this is a good translation of the genitive with the sigma. Glory to God in the highest heaven and on earth.
Peace to those on whom his favor rests. Okay. That limits the crowd, doesn't it? But but look what it says, it's peace is to those on whom his favor rests. That's true.
It is true because if you have accepted the peace that God has offered, then his favor rests upon you and it's good. And you can do that whether you're in a good time of life or you're a martyr, you can have the peace of God. Glory to God in the highest heaven and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased. Oh, that makes me a little uncomfortable. Towards men, yes.
But some people are gonna accept it. And is that pleasing to God? That is Udokia. That is pleasing to God when someone accepts the gift that is offered. Glory to God in the highest and on earth.
Peace among those with whom he is pleased. Glory to God in the highest on earth. Peace among those on whom his favor rests. This is the one that we we sing it in the first service. We sing it songs.
Those upon his favor rest and it's such a weird construction to me but it it is an accurate reflection of of that sentence with the sigma. Among men with whom he is pleased to people he favors, that one kinda catches me too. But it's a question of time. It's a question of time and we live in a state of being bound by time. And so, God has made an offer towards us and it's from multiple places in scripture, we see that.
But for those who have accepted it, his favor rests on them. It's not just a continual pleading, it's something where it's a settled question. God glory to God in the highest and on earth, peace among men in whom he is well pleased. Esteem to Elohim. This is for the Institute for Scripture Research.
So names of God are all very specific in this particular Institute of Scripture Research study. Esteem to Elohim in the highest and on earth peace among men with whom he is pleased, among those whom he favors. And this one sticks with me too. Glory to God in the highest and peace on earth to whom? To people who enjoy his favor.
It's not just that the blessing of God is rested upon you, but you actually recognize it and enjoy it. That one I think is a bit of a stretch grammatically, but it I like it still because it is possible to hear of the gift offered, receive it, and then begin to enjoy it. Somebody they didn't wake me up, but I woke up to a text yesterday and it said, can you explain Luke nine thirty seven to me? And it said, there are some of you here who will not even taste death before you experience the kingdom of God. And I was like, oh, yeah.
Give me a while on this. And then I immediately answered it. The kingdom of God, Jesus said over and over, is among you. This is what these angels were announcing. Now, he lived his whole life and died a sacrificial death and was resurrected to say that this is available to you.
The kingdom of God is when we are willing to be humble subjects of king Jesus and we can be a part of that before we die. And that's what he was saying to them. There were some there who would experience the kingdom before they tasted death. Anyway, that was a sideline. Didn't mean to bring that up.
Parallelism. Glory to God in the highest and peace on earth to whom? To those upon whom God's favor rest or to men whom God favors. That one's a little sticky for me and I prefer the first one. I prefer the tradition of the first one.
Just peace towards men on earth being directional that God is putting it out there. So, part of the reason that I think it is that it makes me uncomfortable is because it seems to limit the field, right? I believe that God has made a universal call for us to accept it or to reject it And so, it puts in conflict the sovereignty of God, those upon whom his favor rests or peace on earth goodwill towards men, but it's up to you to what you're going to do with it. Do you see this tension here? There is biblical tension here.
In fact, this is the seminary I went to one of the former presidents, Robertson McQuilkin, and he said, it's easier to go to a consistent logical extreme than to remain in the center of biblical tension. The reason I think that this particular translation issue still exist or the question still exist is because both of these things are true and they seem to be at odds with each other. Are you with me still? Okay. Good.
Because we're going to take a turn right here. I just want to make sure we're all still in the same van. There is a special clause that I think helps us get this concept. How can it be? Because it'll lock your mind up if you think God has decreed this to be, it is going to be the way that he says and that's it.
I don't have a choice in the matter. And it will mess you up to no end to think that God is not sovereign and it's all dependent on us. Open theism is over here and that's not a good thing. That's saying God doesn't even know the future. Okay?
So on this continuum, the responsibility of man or the sovereignty of God, I think that there are a lot of different places where God gives us this. Now, I'm gonna use some kind of non traditional Christmas verses in Galatians four, four, and five, second Corinthians eight and nine, and then one more familiar verse everybody in the room will know. We we already read it here once today. So, a henna clause. Typically, a henna clause is one that expresses purpose for an action or the result of an action.
I did this so that you would do that. I filled up your car last night so that you would be able to go and not run out of gas before you got to the gas station. Right? I did this so that whatever. It shows the purpose.
This is why I did what I did or the result of an action. And in many cases in the Bible, especially where it has to do with the will of God, he tells us what his purpose is, what his eudokia, his goodwill is, what he wants, what his desire, what his pleasure is. He tells us why he did what he did and in the Bible, it's often his purpose and the result. Okay? So here we are, the henna plus the subjunctive mood, Galatians second Corinthians, and then one more.
So here we are. Galatians four four and five says this, it's a great Christmas verse. Boil it down for me. When the fullness of time had come at just the right time, and we could go into exploration of the fullness of time during the Pax Romana when roads were open all the way to the Far East, when there was a lot of stuff that was going on that previously had not been possible. The mystery for all ages, Paul says, was revealed in Christ.
When the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his son, born of a woman, born under the law to redeem those who are under the law so that we might receive adoption as sons. And it's actually adoption as sons is is relevant there because adoption as daughters at the time did not carry the same kind of full family heritage. And if that locks you up and makes you mad, it's just this is not the time we're living in right now. But it just was an even greater amplification to say, you had full right as the way in John one it says, to those who believed, he came to his own, his own believed him not, but to those who believed, he gave them the right to become children of God, to become known as children of God, adopted into the family, full family privileges. So the henna clause, let's get back to that.
Here it is, henna is the so that in this sentence and there's a form to this. It says what God did, it says why he did it and then it's followed by a second person plural subjunctive. In this case, it's so that we, Paul's in I mean, yeah, Paul is including himself and anyone who would believe in this, so that we might receive adoption as sons. So that's Galatians four four and five and here we are at second Corinthians eight nine. For you know the grace, the unmerited favor of our Lord Jesus Christ that though he was rich, he left the glories of heaven and he came into this humble condition of being seen and known and being informed as a man a 100%.
He humbled himself, he emptied himself and he became like we are. That though he was rich, yet for your sake, he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich. So, there's the henna in this one. And then, there's the second person or in this case, second person singular, so that you might become rich or so that you might be enriched. For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ that though he was rich yet for your sake, he became poor so that you might be enriched.
He was willing to take the hit so that you would be able to have a relationship with God. So note the similar structure here. The structure is that God acted and that's in the indicative mood and there's no way to argue that. He did this. Right?
So it's an absolute certainty in the front part of the sentence and then after that is the henna, which is introducing purpose or result. The purpose clause tells us why God did what he did. So, God acted so that, and then it's followed by a verb in this prejudiced mood. In the Galatians four, four and five, it is so that you might receive, right, adoption as sons. In the second Corinthians eight nine, it's so that you would be enriched.
He left the glories of heaven so that you would be through his poverty made rich. God did something. He acted in sort of way with an intent, with a purpose, but then that similar structure so that you might receive a specific gift. It's great to talk about gifts at Christmas time and here they are. If I have a gift and I say, or you all have a gift for me actually.
Thank you. The staff love gift was amazing. Very, very encouraging but if somebody gives and they pull it all together and they count it all up and they write a check and I never cashed that check. It doesn't it doesn't actually mean anything to me. Right?
So your intent was to show your love for the pastor and the staff of the church but if I don't ever put that in the bank or if I don't ever use it, then that's that's that's that's a shame. That's a horrible thing. I would suffer for not having received it. God acted so that you might receive a special gift. So, the henes clause tells God's purpose in acting in indicative mood.
Does the mic bother you? I I think it probably does. In English, oh, in Jackson, let's just go in Jackson. In Jackson, if I say, hey man, you want to go skiing tomorrow? Yeah.
Yeah. I might do that. Is that guy going skiing with me? No. He's got nine other things he's considering and there's not any anyway, he just didn't want to be he just want to be polite.
I might. No. Does the might so this is we are losing the subjunctive mood in English. Now in Spanish, if you study in Spanish and and oh, I got a Spanish teacher here. How many rules are there for when to use a subjunctive mood in in Spanish?
Muchos. There are a lot. So generally around 30. But if I were to narrow the field, actually, does the mic bother anyone? I think I got two more slides.
A quick note on the subjunctive mood. So the subjunctive mood so indicative says, this happened or this is happening or this will happen. The subjunctive mood says, there are two wills involved, basically. If I'm trying to be if I'm ordering something at a restaurant, I'd say, Podria? Podria?
Like, would use subjunctive to say, could you, would you, might you bring me this dish that I'm ordering right now? That's their job to bring it to me. My intent is that you would do this. Have you ever been through the drive through at Wendy's? That's not always their will that you get what you ordered at this little thing.
At Chick fil A, it's always God's will that you get what I'm just kidding. No, I'm kidding. The subjunctive mood The the easiest way for me to describe it and explain it is usually it's two wills involved. Like, I want Would that you understood this concept? It would be great for you if you got this, but I can't control whether you get it or not.
Right? So would that it were so, that's contrary to reality. That's one of the rules of the subjunctive. If you are trying to say, oh, I I did so much teaching, and I did so much instruction and we did so much discipline hoping that our kids would. That would is subjective.
My will is that they would do the right thing for the rest of their lives, you know. Are they going to do it? Maybe. Might. But, I've done my part in that.
Right? So, the subjunctive mood typically involves two wills and there's a contingent it's contingent on what the second will does with the message. So this familiar verse, my own translation just to just to obfuscate things just a little bit. Indeed, indeed, God loved the world in such a way as this. That sounds like God has acted.
Right? He did. He he acted right there. God loved in the indicative mood. And, he loved the world in such a way as this that he gave, he did that, his one and only son.
So the similar structure there, God acted so that so that whoever or whosoever is putting their trust in him, whoever places their faith in him might not perish, but might be having eternal life. Now, there are mights in there, but the might is a contingency. It's contingent on what you do with the judokia, the goodwill of God that is coming at you. It's towards you. It's towards you.
So this is of course John three sixteen. Why is it that God did what he did? Why is it that he did what he did? He loved and he gave so that whoever puts their trust in him, whoever believes in him might not perish but maybe having eternal life. So CS Lewis, I love this quote.
He said it this way, that the son of God, Jesus, became a son of man, left the glories of heaven, left the richness of heaven to come to earth, be spat upon, to be born in a stable and laid in a manger, to be a refugee to Egypt, to work, to walk it out, then to minister. The son of God became a son of man in order that or so that the sons of men might become the sons of God. Same format there for CS Lewis even. God is absolutely sovereign. He is.
The the scriptures confirm it. There's no doubt about it and we are absolutely responsible. We are. Now, once you've tasted and seen that God is good, you might go, I can't see it any other way now. I wanna share something with you from second Peter.
Second Peter three nine, if you if you question the intent of almighty God or if the surroundings around us all the time and people complaining against God that he's not doing things right, well, he has to answer me. No, he does not. He does not. And this is God's heart. The Lord is not slack.
There's there's no slowness, no slackness in God concerning his promise. He knows why he did what he did and he put that towards you. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise as some count slackness but he is long suffering towards us. When he describes who he is, he says, I'm full of love and mercy and I'm patient with you. He's long suffering towards us.
He's not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. He wants for us to know and his will is that we would be saved and he has done everything necessary for us to be saved. But he's not gonna force us to do it. So my job, not just this week, but every week, my job is to proclaim the message, whatever it is. I try my best to stick as close as I can to exactly what it says and not stray beyond it, And to be honest about things, even if it's a textual variant sort of situation that I feel like, oh, that's a little uncomfortable, they can handle it.
Proclaim the message as close as we can. So I'm gonna do this. God's sovereign goodness and his grace are available in Jesus Christ to whoever, whosoever will receive him. That's absolute and it's true. God's sovereign goodness and his grace are available in Jesus Christ to whosoever will believe him.
That's what it says. So he has done absolutely everything that is necessary and he has put it out there so that you may, so that you might. I can go so far as to say so that you would, so that you should. All of those are subjective. So what will your response be?
I've been wrestling with this all week. God is sovereign, and you're responsible for what you do with his message. So I'm gonna let that sit with you. In the first service, I said the altar is open and I'm here, but the song is peppy and we don't have a whole lot of people walk the aisle this side of the country. The altar is open and I'll be up here and y'all all know this song whether I lead it or not, you're gonna know it came upon a midnight clear.
I'll turn off my mic and talk to you if you come forward. I had a guy come forward after the first service today, afterwards. Yep. So you're responsible for what you do with the message. You're responsible for what you do with his goodwill.
And I'll tell you what, once you accept his goodwill, you wanna spread it to everybody you know. Would you stand with me? And we'll skip those last two middle school slides. I went back to middle school slang, but I don't think this crowd needs it.
It came upon the midnight clear that glorious song of all from angels bending near the earth to touch their harps of gold. Peace on the earth, goodwill to men from hams of gracious king. The world in solemn stillness lay to hear the angels sing. Still through the cloven skies, they come with peaceful wings unfurled, and still their heavenly music floats o'er all the weary world. Above its sad and lowly plates, they bend on a hovering wing.
And ever o'er its Bible sounds, the blessed angels sing. And he beneath life's crushing load whose forms are bending low, who toil along the climbing way with painful steps and slow. Look now for glad and golden hours come swiftly on the wing. Or rest beside the weary road and hear the angels sing on the last. For low the days are hastening on by prophets seen of old.
When with the ever circling years shall come the time foretold when peace shall over all the earth, its ancient splendors fling. And the whole world send back the song which now the angels sing.
I'll pray for you just a second and then we'll share one more verse that fits the same pattern. God almighty, I pray that you that have broadcast your Udokia, your goodwill, your pleasure, your desire onto us, towards us, I pray that each one here, each soul here present in the room will allow for your favor to rest and allow for your peace to sink in and will indeed, Lord, from this point forward, enjoy the favor and the peace of God. In Jesus name, amen. So the last benedictory slide is this from first Thessalonians five. For God has not destined us for wrath, but he has destined us to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ who died for us.
He acted. Okay? He did it. He died for us so that whether so that whether we are awake or asleep, we might live with him. For our eternity, I pray that you take his message seriously and let it rest on you.
In Jesus name, amen. Amen. Hey, buddy. Thank you. What you want to talk about?
Thank you.
I like the linguistic aspects.
Share this message
Every word on these came out of the message. Download one and post it anywhere.
