What's the Deal With Predestination?.

Steve Gentry

[0:00] If you have your Bibles, open them up to Romans chapter 8. [0:03] Romans chapter 8. [0:05] Now if you weren’t here with us last week, we are spending seven weeks in a series called [0:10] Cow Tipping. [0:11] What this is, is over the past few months we had an anonymous section on our website [0:16] where we told our members and anyone who knew about it to go and send us questions in order

[0:23] for us to be able to address issues that the people of the church had. [0:27] Questions that you had about the Bible, about life, about sin, about God, about whatever [0:32] it was, we opened it up and what we did is we took the most popular questions and for [0:37] six weeks we are going to cover one topic a week. [0:40] And on the seventh week we are going to have what we are calling rapid fire week where [0:43] I am just going to with Pastor Nate try to answer a bunch of questions in one week that

[0:47] really don’t take the full sermon to answer. [0:50] But this week we are going to deal with the issue of predestination. [0:55] We got a lot of questions about what is predestination, is there such a thing as predestination, [1:00] is it even in the Bible. [1:02] And so what I am hoping to do today is help answer that question for you through the [1:06] scriptures.

[1:07] Now also, if during the sermon you have more questions of something that I say piques your [1:13] interest there is a phone number that is going to be up on the screens during the service. [1:17] Please text your question into that number and do not wait until the end. [1:22] Even if I am going to cover it later in the sermon, still send the question in. [1:26] But if you wait until the end it is going to be really hard for us to get to it because [1:30] through the service he is kind of mapping out where we are going to be going.

[1:34] So as we are going send those text messages in. [1:36] You won’t offend me if you have your phone out. [1:39] I am telling you to do that. [1:40] Which means you can also have cover for looking at Facebook during the sermon if you want [1:43] to. [1:44] You can just say I was texting a question.

[1:46] But seriously don’t do that.

[1:49] Last week we started this series. [1:51] What I want you to know first and foremost is that this is not an issue that I am going [1:55] to be able to answer every question about during this sermon. [1:59] Nor is my goal for you to walk away saying oh I completely get it. [2:06] I don’t completely get it folks. [2:08] And I am preaching the sermon.

[2:10] The reality is this morning is that I am going to attempt to answer this clearly, concisely [2:16] and biblically how the scriptures want us to view the topic of predestination. [2:21] But this has been an issue that has been kind of controversial and that people have been [2:25] asking questions for about 2000 years. [2:28] There are tons of books written on this topic. [2:31] Probably hundreds or maybe even thousands throughout the history of the church.

[2:34] Papers and books and sermons have been preached on this very topic. [2:39] So I in no way think that in the next 30 minutes I am going to cover it all. [2:42] I actually hope that when you leave today you leave with questions. [2:48] And my prayer is that this sermon would drive you to invest in God’s word. [2:54] And to search his word for answers to this question and all other questions. [2:58] This is really my goal every single week.

[3:00] I in no way want to be the answer man up here for you. [3:04] But rather I want to urge you to trust the Bible. [3:07] I want to urge you to search the Bible and read the Bible and find answers from God. [3:13] Because he is sufficient for you. [3:15] I am not. [3:16] But really the issue of predestination is not an issue that is unbiblical.

[3:22] So with the question of what is the deal with predestination, really the first thing I have [3:25] got to point out is that this is a biblical topic. [3:29] This is a term that if you go to a concordance is found in scripture. [3:33] Therefore we know that predestination is true. [3:38] The question though is at what level has God predetermined things that have happened throughout [3:44] history and at what level is God working in my life from plans that he had before the

[3:50] foundation of the earth. [3:52] And also what does that have to say about me? [3:56] What does that have to say about my choices? [3:58] What does that have to say about the decision that I made for Christ? [4:02] So the decision that I make in every single day to follow Jesus. [4:06] Well the reality this morning is that if this is a biblical term then we have to go to

[4:11] the Bible to understand it. [4:12] Before we get to Romans 8 I want to spend just a few moments helping you understand [4:17] that predestination is not a topic that is limited to your salvation. [4:23] Instead predestination is something that we see throughout the entire Bible. [4:27] So first this morning I want you to understand that predestination what it means is that [4:31] predestination is God’s choosing in advance that certain things take place.

[4:39] The first thing we see in scripture that is predestined is ultimately the very first thing [4:43] that happens creation. [4:46] God did not just simply create without a plan. [4:49] Scripture tells us that before he spoke the world into existence over the days of creation [4:54] what we see is a God who predestined creation. [4:59] He planned it.

[5:00] He purposed it. [5:02] He determined what it would look like. [5:04] How we would function even as human beings. [5:06] God predestined creation. [5:09] But then we move through scripture and we see God intervening in creation on certain [5:15] issues.

[5:16] We do not see humans just simply fleeing towards God. [5:20] We see people going away from God and we see God choosing and predestining really people [5:26] to himself to be his followers. [5:28] First example I would like to see is Abraham. [5:32] Abraham was not seeking God. [5:34] Abraham was a pagan.

[5:36] Abraham is someone who was not looking for God did not know who God was and suddenly [5:42] God shows up in his life. [5:45] God drew Abraham to himself and just simply began speaking to Abraham and making promises [5:51] to him. [5:52] And then secondly we see the descendants of Abraham. [5:54] We see the nation of Israel.

[5:57] They were chosen by God. [6:00] They have the phrase for themselves the chosen people. [6:04] Well the reality is in Deuteronomy chapter 7 verse 7 the scripture says that God does [6:08] not choose them based on anything about them. [6:11] He does not choose them because they were seeking him. [6:13] He chose them because it fit his purpose to choose them.

[6:18] He did not choose the Egyptians. [6:20] He did not choose the Amalekites or the Ammonites or the Canaanites. [6:23] He chose Israel. [6:26] This is a biblical fact and then if we move forward we see God choosing King David. [6:31] Out of all people that were in the nation of Israel God purposed that David would be [6:37] their leader.

[6:38] We see scripture specifically from his childhood say that this is the man that is chosen to [6:44] lead Israel. [6:45] In Isaiah chapter 46 shows us that these choices were not choices by God just off [6:53] hand while the events were taking place. [6:56] Scriptures actually say remember the former things of old for I am God and there is no [7:00] other.

[7:01] I am God and there is none like me declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient [7:05] times things not yet done saying my counsel shall stand and I will accomplish my purpose. [7:11] We see in that text God says that I declared from the beginning what would happen and [7:15] I have declared all the way to the end what will happen and then he actually gets more [7:19] specific where he says from ancient times I have declared things that have not yet even [7:25] happened.

[7:27] Why does he do it? [7:28] Well the scripture says so that his purpose will be accomplished. [7:34] So we do not see a God who is just moving in history just as things unfold and reacting [7:41] to things that we do. [7:44] Instead what we see is a God who before the world was even created he determined that [7:53] his purposes would stand and he determined how it would happen and ultimately what we

[7:59] see as his eternal purpose is the gospel of Jesus Christ. [8:05] Acts chapter 2 verse 23 the apostle Peter is preaching the first sermon. [8:11] He says that this Jesus delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of [8:17] God you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. [8:22] What he is saying to Israel is that you may think that you were attempting to undo God’s [8:28] plan but you actually played directly into God’s definite purpose.

[8:34] That God planned the cross way before it ever happened and it was not just a plan but it [8:43] was his definite plan. [8:45] There is a very good translation of the terms here to the foreknowledge of God. [8:50] So all of God’s purposes all of God’s plans were moving towards the ultimate revelation [8:57] of what God desired to do in history which was redemption in Jesus the gospel of Jesus [9:04] Christ on the cross and through the resurrection.

[9:08] So what we see in scripture is that God actually has a plan that will come out and what he [9:16] uses to show what his plan is is Jesus. [9:20] But how does that affect us? [9:23] Well secondly this morning God’s act of predestination is used in scripture as evidence of the trustworthiness [9:30] of the gospel. [9:32] So we see that Jesus excuse me that God predestined the cross of Christ.

[9:39] Ephesians chapter 411 says that this was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized [9:45] in Christ Jesus our Lord. [9:48] Now what I want to do today in my hope is to take this from kind of an academic understanding [9:56] of what God is doing in scripture to something that is actually applicable in our lives. [10:03] Because I do not believe the scripture presents things to us for us simply to know more. [10:08] I think it actually presents things like predestination and the sovereignty of God to us as a great

[10:13] comfort to actually be used in our lives in order to trust God. [10:18] And I believe that in Romans chapter 8 verse 28 the apostle Paul shows us why predestination [10:25] is presented to us in scripture. [10:26] In Romans 828 the scriptures say that and we know that for those who love God all things [10:32] work together for good for those who are called according to what? [10:36] According to his purpose.

[10:38] Now this is one of those coffee cup verses that anytime anything has gone wrong in your [10:43] life this is like the go to for your friend. [10:45] I know things are bad. [10:46] Romans 828 and you probably didn’t even want that advice and you probably like resented [10:51] them for it but they gave it to you anyway. [10:53] But here’s the reality.

[10:55] This is a very hard promise of God to trust in many circumstances. [11:03] I mean I’ve been through sickness I’ve been through you know I think suffering is subjective [11:07] so for me suffering that was not easy to go through and I’ve honestly walked with other [11:13] as they’ve gone through hard times as they’ve gone through suffering and I’ll just be completely [11:17] honest with you. [11:19] When you’re going through some of those moments and maybe you’re in some of those moments

[11:23] right now it is very difficult to believe God here. [11:30] Say how in the world could you possibly work this for good? [11:37] Because God I love you. [11:38] God I know I’m called to you. [11:41] But how are you going to work this out? [11:44] What the apostle Paul does is for the next two verses he acts as really someone that’s

[11:50] giving evidence for why we can believe this promise and what he turns to is predestination. [11:59] Not as something for us to be confused about not as something for us to have arguments [12:04] and debates about but rather he turns to it as something to comfort us. [12:11] He says in verse 29 he says for those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed [12:18] to the image of his son in order that he might be the first born among many brothers and [12:24] those whom he predestined he also called and those whom he called he also justified and

[12:28] those whom he justified he also glorified. [12:32] So what the apostle Paul is doing in this text is he is appealing to predestination [12:39] and saying do you know how you can trust that God is going to work your suffering to his [12:47] good because that is what he has been doing since before the foundations of the earth. [12:55] Because if you are one who is called according to what? [12:58] According to his purpose.

[13:00] What purpose? [13:02] The eternal purpose that he has had. [13:04] What is the eternal purpose? [13:05] Jesus. [13:07] If you trust in that if you have been called to that you need to understand that he is [13:12] not just acting arbitrarily.

[13:15] He is not just randomly responding to how we respond to him. [13:21] Instead everything that he has done in this world has been specifically according to his [13:28] plan.

[13:31] As he says to Job in his suffering when Job turns to God and says God how can this work [13:37] out in my life? [13:39] In chapters 37 through chapters 42 of the book of Job God looks to Job and says Job [13:44] were you there when I created the world? [13:47] Can you send lightning? [13:50] Can you make it snow?

[13:52] Can you determine events far in advance? [13:55] Job’s ultimate response is no. [13:59] God’s response is I can and I do and I will. [14:06] The ultimate reality of predestination is it is what our trust in God depends on. [14:13] How can we trust a God who has no control? [14:18] How can we trust a God who is left to respond to my actions?

[14:24] I put forward that scripture offers us these examples of predestination in order that [14:29] we will have valid reasons for trusting a God who has been seen to be able to work through [14:35] history as you see in Matthew chapter 1 in the lineage of Jesus Christ and that family [14:40] tree that stretches from David all the way to Jesus to fulfill prophecies of the Old [14:44] Testament and you kind of got to ask when you are going through Isaiah and he is actually [14:47] spelling out the crucifixion of Jesus how in the world does God know this is going to

[14:51] happen? [14:53] Because he planned it before the foundations of the earth and he moved throughout history [14:56] to make it happen even in the things that we don’t understand even in the hard times [15:01] and the sad times that we find ourselves scratching our heads about we can trust that this God [15:06] has a plan because his plan for all time in Jesus actually came to fruition.

[15:16] We ultimately see that God works because if you love him and if you are called by [15:22] him he had predestined that before creation as well. [15:28] But how do I know that it was before creation? [15:32] That is the reality that even in this text when he says those whom he foreknew he predestined [15:37] it doesn’t really give me a timeline of when these things happened. [15:41] The reality is when we look at other scriptures we understand that God’s acts of predestination

[15:47] are not simply about Jesus. [15:51] They are not simply about getting to Christ. [15:53] It wasn’t simply only limited to that and then everything else is kind of out of God’s [15:59] hands and in our hands rather we understand through scripture that predestination is actually [16:03] something that is very personal. [16:07] Predestination is about you.

[16:09] Predestination is about me. [16:12] Look in Ephesians chapter 1 verses 4 and 5 it says even as he chose us in him speaking [16:18] of Christ before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and blameless before [16:25] him in Christ he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ according to [16:31] the purpose of what? [16:32] His will.

[16:34] Now scripture uses all sorts of terms for us to understand God’s sovereign acts throughout [16:41] the ages. [16:42] We see terms such as predestination. [16:44] We see terms such as election. [16:46] We see terms such as ordained or chosen, choose or God’s will or foreordination. [16:52] We see all of these terms but the ultimate reality that they are all pointing us to is

[16:57] that this is a great God who is more powerful than we could ever imagine and is working [17:03] and is active in all situations even you coming to faith in Jesus Christ. [17:10] What I want you to do right now because this is kind of the moment where it’s like we get [17:13] a little uncomfortable. [17:15] I’m like oh boy the sovereignty stuff doesn’t feel right. [17:19] But here’s what I want you to do especially with Ephesians chapter 1.

[17:22] I want you to take away all the presuppositions. [17:26] I want you to take away everything you’ve been told about the Bible. [17:30] Everything you’ve been told about God. [17:32] I want you to take away all of our societal preconditioning about ourselves and our self [17:38] authority. [17:39] I want you to take that all away and I just want you to look at this text and ask yourself

[17:44] if this is what you have to deal with what understanding would you walk away with?

[17:55] You’d have to come away with the understanding that God chose me for salvation before [18:02] He created the world.

[18:07] What He chose me for.

[18:11] Chose me to be in Christ. [18:13] He chose me to be His child. [18:15] He chose me for adoption to a great inheritance that He has for me. [18:22] And then when we look at this text what we’re looking at is something that is very personal [18:27] for ourselves to where I have to submit to God more than I submit to what feels natural. [18:36] Because often times the reason some things feel natural is because of our own pride.

[18:41] Sometimes the reason things feel natural is because I’m sinful and because I want to be [18:47] equal to God in understanding. [18:49] But I must understand that I’m limited and He’s not. [18:52] The reality is that we have to deal then with that little word of foreknowledge. [19:00] Because in Romans 8.29 it says those whom He foreknew He also predestined. [19:05] Now for a very long time the understanding that I had of this knowledge was that this

[19:10] is the type of knowledge where God just simply knows that Steve Gentry is going to exist [19:15] and He knows that I’m going to choose Him. [19:18] So in light of His understanding that I’m going to choose Him, He predestines me. [19:25] He predestines according to His foreknowledge of what I am going to do. [19:29] That was how I understood it for a long time. [19:32] The issue though that I began to have as I was studying the Bible was that that is not

[19:37] really biblically a good definition for what foreknowledge in the text actually means. [19:43] If I actually deal with the text and then ultimately compare it to texts such as if [19:48] I understand that this is a relational knowing of someone whom God will adopt into His family. [19:56] This term foreknowledge is a term that means to choose or select beforehand. [20:03] It is familial knowledge. [20:06] God’s redemption is certain and can be trusted because He is working all things to our good

[20:11] and we can trust that He is working all things to our good because He has chosen us for adoption [20:17] before He even created the world. [20:20] That’s how we can trust Him. [20:22] That’s how we can come to an understanding of Him because this is a God that foreknew me. [20:28] And what you got to understand about the term new in Scripture is that this is equal to the [20:32] Old Testament use of the term new when it says Adam knew Eve.

[20:39] That is an intimate knowledge. [20:41] That is a marital knowledge. [20:43] That is someone that knows someone inside and out. [20:46] That is someone that knows someone more than you could ever know anyone else. [20:51] And so what the text is actually putting us towards is that those whom God loved, [20:56] those whom He put Himself into, those whom He adopted, those whom He selected beforehand

[21:04] for Himself, He predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son. [21:14] But what about choice? [21:16] Does this mean that we are just puppets or robots? [21:19] Not according to Scripture. [21:20] According to Scripture we gladly choose God as He gladly chose us.

[21:29] So that ultimately gets us to an issue that seems contradictory to us, but it’s not. [21:34] And that is the next point that the Bible teaches that man is absolutely responsible [21:41] for his actions and that God is absolutely sovereign. [21:46] You say, how can that be? [21:49] Well, there’s a tension between predestination and responsibility. [21:54] This is not a contradiction, though.

[21:56] Charles Spurgeon, the great preacher in theologian wrote that if I find taught in one Scripture [22:02] that everything is foreordained, that is true. [22:06] And if I find another place that man is responsible for all of his actions, that is true. [22:12] And it is my folly that leads me to imagine that two truths can ever contradict each other. [22:21] See, the problem is not with God. [22:23] The problem is with our understanding of God, that we presume to say that God can only do

[22:31] that which we approve of or we understand. [22:35] Well, that wouldn’t be much of a God. [22:37] That would put him as equal to me, not me dependent upon him. [22:43] And to help me understand this, John 6 was pivotal. [22:48] And in John 6, we see Jesus himself kind of explaining God’s role in our salvation and our [22:54] role in salvation as well.

[22:56] In John chapter 6 verse 37, and then I want to skip down to verse 44, Jesus says,

[23:03] And then down in verse 44, Jesus says,

[23:19] So here’s what Jesus is putting forward here. [23:22] Jesus is putting forward, he says, [23:24] You chose me. [23:28] But he said,

[23:40] Why would God have to do such a thing? [23:42] Well, the reality is that there’s two reasons. [23:45] First, God predestines me to salvation before creation. [23:51] That’s just what we see here. [23:52] That before I came to Christ, the reason is God predestined me. [23:56] That’s what Jesus is saying.

[23:58] He’s saying no one would come. [23:59] But why would no one come? [24:01] It’s the second reason. [24:02] Is that I willfully choose him because he’s wonderful and his grace is what I want. [24:07] And it is his work of grace then that makes it possible for me to come to Jesus. [24:12] Because the reality is that Jesus is pointing out is that if the Father does not intervene,

[24:18] you will not come to Jesus because of your sin.

[24:22] For each and every person in here, there is a reality that you are a sinner.

[24:29] And if God does not intervene, if God does not draw you to himself, [24:35] you won’t come because given the choice between Jesus and sin, [24:41] if God does not intervene, we are so sinful, we would choose sin every single time. [24:50] The book of Jeremiah actually puts it that we cannot trust our own hearts [24:55] because they are so sinful and deceitful. [24:58] We are so sinful that we will deceive ourselves unless God intervenes and gives us the grace

[25:07] to come to faith in Jesus Christ. [25:11] We may say that doesn’t sound very fair. [25:15] Say, is this fair? [25:16] Well, we may object that is unfair. [25:21] There’s not an equal opportunity for all. [25:23] But most of our objections to God’s fairness take our sinfulness and God’s holiness too lightly.

[25:31] We presume when we say that, that we deserve salvation. [25:37] Friends, we do not deserve salvation. [25:41] Fair would be to condemn us all. [25:43] Fair assumes that there is this right to be redeemed in all of us [25:48] and that we have some goodness and merit inside of us that deserves salvation. [25:54] Grace is not fair.

[25:57] Grace is God making sacrifice for sinners who deserve death. [26:02] If God doesn’t draw, no one will come. [26:06] The moment that God chooses to let us into heaven is when fairness goes out the window [26:13] and it becomes all of grace and completely about the mercy of God. [26:20] Well, then why does God need to predestine? [26:24] Well, scripture proclaims the truth that God elects people to salvation.

[26:28] It does. [26:30] Number one reason is that it is to assure that his plan and purpose will come to fruition. [26:34] God does not leave anything to chance. [26:38] Here’s the reality. [26:39] Maybe you’ve read this somewhere that God is a God of risk. [26:43] No, he’s not.

[26:44] The moment he risked, he would stop being God.

[26:48] The very connotation of being God means that risk is impossible [26:52] because he’s in complete control. [26:54] He’s absolutely sovereign. [26:56] Therefore, God knows every movement that he makes in this world, what the outcome will be. [27:00] So there’s no risk. [27:02] So God predestines the outcome in order to assure that his plan will come to fruition.

[27:09] And number two, it is also because we would not come otherwise because of sin. [27:15] In Ephesians chapter two, it says that we are all dead in our trespasses and sins. [27:21] The term dead means incapable of doing anything. [27:26] It means that we have no life inside of us. [27:30] A dead person cannot give him or herself life. [27:35] Therefore, Ephesians chapter two verse four says that God lovingly intervenes and gives us

[27:42] the gift of life. [27:45] It is God who gives life. [27:47] Therefore, salvation is completely a work of grace. [27:52] Salvation is completely the act of a loving God redeeming undeserving sinners to himself [28:00] through justice that he earns through his action. [28:03] Not something that we earn through our actions.

[28:07] We must remember that it is for our good and not our demise that God does this. [28:12] We must submit that his wisdom is above our own. [28:16] He is God and I am not. [28:18] Romans 311 reminds us that no one seeks after God because we are satisfied in sin. [28:24] God initiates out of love in order to rescue us. [28:30] No one ever looks to the rescuer.

[28:33] When they are being saved from a burning fire and says how dare you choose to rescue me. [28:40] No, you realize that you are incapable of saving yourself and in need of rescue. [28:45] Therefore, God rescues. [28:47] He is the good rescuer. [28:49] He is the good savior.

[28:53] We must understand the level of our sin and the greatness of God’s holiness. [28:59] So much so that we submit and trust rather than demean and elevate our own worthiness [29:09] and our own goodness in his work of salvation. [29:13] Because the reality is that you will never save yourself. [29:19] You are in need of a savior and that savior is Jesus Christ. [29:23] You say, well if God predestines the salvation he is dragging people to himself kicking and

[29:29] screaming. [29:30] God never drags anyone kicking and screaming to heaven. [29:35] Here is the reality. [29:37] If you begrudgingly come to Jesus you didn’t come to Jesus. [29:42] Nobody does that. [29:44] The reality is that when God shows himself to us and shows the beauty that there is a

[29:50] savior who died for us and took the penalty for our sin and that same savior has the power [29:57] to bring himself back to life three days later and he does so in order that he would [30:04] give us life. [30:06] The response to that of someone who has been predestined is yes.

[30:12] That’s beautiful. [30:13] That’s grace. [30:14] That’s life saving. [30:16] That’s life changing. [30:17] I want that.

[30:20] You don’t look at that and say, well I don’t want to get saved but since you are making [30:24] me I guess I will.

[30:27] Doesn’t even make sense.

[30:31] He is the God who saves. [30:34] The God who rescues with a love that endures with a purpose that is so sure that I can [30:41] trust it. [30:42] You may ask, well why in the world do you trust it?

[30:47] Why in the world would you want to believe such a thing? [30:49] Well the reason is that Jesus rose from the dead. [30:52] The scriptures say that when Jesus rose from the dead he had been dead for three days and [30:55] he comes back to life, physical life. [30:58] This dead man who died on the cross, an excruciating type of death and professional people said, [31:05] hey this guy is dead.

[31:06] So they take him off the cross, they bury him, he is there, no life in him and then [31:09] he himself under his own power comes back to life. [31:14] Anything that he says must be true. [31:18] It has to be. [31:20] Because this is a guy that is God. [31:22] He can do whatever he wants and he proves it by completely defying every law of nature

[31:29] by resurrecting from the dead. [31:32] Therefore, anything that he says I must submit to. [31:38] Because if I were to die right now, I would not come back. [31:44] It is over for me.

[31:46] Alright? [31:47] Have the funeral. [31:48] I am gone. [31:49] Have the funeral. [31:51] They had his funeral and he returned.

[31:56] You say how could you believe a God could possibly plan all that is and plan the outcome [32:04] and then plan how the outcome comes to being because I also believe that there is a God [32:09] who can raise himself from the dead. [32:13] That is why there is no limit on this God. [32:16] If there was, he would cease to be God. [32:19] And he has lovingly revealed himself to me.

[32:22] So you may ask, you may ask, you say, well how do I know I am predestined? [32:30] Well, fifthly this morning all who believe the gospel of Jesus are predestined. [32:35] You are saying how do I know? [32:36] Well, my question to you is have you trusted Jesus Christ? [32:42] Do you believe that you are a sinner and that Jesus took the penalty for your sin, [32:47] the wrath of God onto himself, that which you deserve?

[32:54] Jesus took. [32:55] And he rose from the dead in order to give you life. [32:59] Do you believe that? [33:00] Do you trust that? [33:01] Will you do whatever he asks because he is God and God can make those types of demands? [33:07] Well, if that is true of you, then you are predestined.

[33:14] In the scriptures, Jesus, when he is preaching, a man cries out that has trusted him and he says, [33:20] Lord, I believe, help my unbelief.

[33:26] Well, if the sovereignty and absolute control of God was untrue, [33:29] then that would be a silly request, wouldn’t it? [33:33] But this man understands that even his faith is a gift of a loving God. [33:38] And he says, have you ever had those moments of doubt?

[33:42] When this moment, this man is in his doubt and he says, I know what strength I need to believe [33:49] from the God who chose me. [33:52] Help me believe God, help me have faith. [33:55] Even faith itself is a gift of God and salvation is God’s gift to you. [34:00] God’s sovereign work of election is the hope of salvation. [34:04] It is the basis for why we can trust that he’s defeated sin and death.

[34:07] That is why this does not make God unjust. [34:10] Hell is just, but instead God brought justice by being the sacrifice for us on the cross.

[34:18] First Corinthians chapter two, verse seven says, but if we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, [34:26] which God decreed before the ages for what? [34:30] For our glory.

[34:34] So we see that God’s eternal decrees are not to our detriment, [34:39] but what God is saying in the gospel is actually for our glory. [34:43] It is to aid us. [34:44] It is to gift us. [34:45] It is to redeem us. [34:47] This is not a God that acts in ways that are demeaning and unloving,

[34:50] but rather this is a God who pursues us passionately with his love. [34:54] The old hymn says, I pursued God only to find the reason I pursued God is because he was lovingly pursuing me.

[35:02] It also means that this is a God who doesn’t depend on me for my own salvation.

[35:13] You’re not smarter than others. [35:16] You’re not superior to others. [35:19] You haven’t figured something out and you weren’t more witty than others, [35:24] and that’s not why you trusted the gospel. [35:27] Romans chapter 9 verses 14 through 16 say, what shall we say then? [35:32] Is there injustice on God’s part?

[35:34] By no means. [35:36] For he says to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, [35:39] and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion. [35:41] So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God who has mercy. [35:46] Your salvation is not dependent on you. [35:50] Your salvation is not dependent on your will.

[35:53] Your salvation is dependent on the King of Kings. [35:57] God, Jesus Christ.

[36:00] It’s the question may then come, why should we evangelize?

[36:05] Why should we do anything? [36:06] God’s got it all worked out, right?

[36:11] Predestination finally this morning is the hope of living the mission of Jesus.

[36:16] Predestination is the hope of evangelism. [36:20] Because of sin, no one will choose God if left to themselves. [36:23] Because of predestination, I know that people will come to Jesus. [36:27] God has commanded we go and live the mission that Jesus gave us to bring sinners to redemption, [36:33] and we obey God by doing it.

[36:38] When I preach, when I live the mission of Jesus during the week, the pressure’s off. [36:45] I don’t have to worry about the results. [36:47] I simply obey. [36:49] I simply trust, and God brings the increase. [36:52] God does the work week after week, day after day. [36:55] We must preach and pray for people to come to Christ.

[36:58] We pray because we know God will draw. [37:00] We preach because that is how God has destined for people to come. [37:05] I do not, though, worry about the results. [37:07] It is not in my hands. [37:09] God has called me to faithfully pursue people with the gospel, but leave the results to Him. [37:14] Driscoll puts it this way.

[37:15] By believing that God elects people, we are relieved of the burden to manipulate [37:20] and guilt people into becoming Christians, and can more honestly, lovingly, patiently, [37:27] truthfully, and compassionately and sincerely. [37:30] Thus, belief and predestination should not quench evangelistic zeal, but rather fuel it. [37:37] You say, help me get that. [37:39] Help me grasp that.

[37:41] The apostle Paul in Acts chapter 18 has just preached in a Jewish synagogue, given the gospel, [37:48] and he has been completely rejected by them. [37:51] He was run out of it. [37:54] We find the apostle Paul in a huge moment of discouragement that night, [37:59] where he is heading into Corinth to continue to preach, [38:02] and he is scared, and he is discouraged, and he is experiencing rejection.

[38:06] If you read the account of 2 Corinthians chapter 11, [38:09] you understand that he has been through a great deal of suffering in his journeys. [38:14] I really believe that the emotion of the text gives me the idea that Paul is in a moment [38:19] where he is thinking about hanging it up.

[38:22] He is like, I can’t do this anymore. [38:23] Have you ever been there? [38:25] It’s like, I can’t do it anymore. [38:26] It’s too hard, God.

[38:29] The scripture says the Holy Spirit actually came to Paul in the middle of the night, [38:32] woke him up to tell him this.

[38:36] Verse 9, it says, [38:37] The Lord said to Paul one night in a vision, [38:40] Do not be afraid, but go on speaking, and do not be silent, for I am with you. [38:47] No one will attack you to harm you, for I have many in this city who are my people. [38:57] God has the apostle Paul looking over the city of Corinth. [39:01] Paul has not yet gone in and preached.

[39:07] How does God know that there are people in that city who are his?

[39:15] I’ll tell you how.

[39:17] Because before the foundations of the earth, he knew their names. [39:21] Before the foundations of the earth, he knew when Paul would get to Corinth. [39:27] He knew when Paul would preach the gospel. [39:29] And he knew in that crowd the names of the ones who would come to faith in him [39:35] because he gave them the gift of that faith. [39:40] God does not operate in uncertainty.

[39:45] God operates with the love of the true gospel, and the results are his.

[39:53] He says, don’t fear, because there’s people in that city who are my people. [39:59] God knew this.

[40:02] I do not know who they are, though. [40:06] So God calls me and you to preach to everyone, and then he elects some. [40:13] Here’s the reality. [40:15] When you focus on the some part, you miss the fact that God will elect.

[40:24] The more I preach, the more I live for the gospel. [40:29] The more I see God has elected. [40:33] What a great mission he’s given us. [40:36] What a great privilege he’s given us to believe that he is the God who saves.

[40:46] And he will save. [40:49] We simply must trust.

[40:54] As the guys come up to close us out before I get to your questions,

[41:03] every week we respond to Village Church with the Lord’s Supper. [41:08] And what this is, is this is a time where God has actually called us [41:12] to reflect on this when we gather. [41:15] It’s the representative or a metaphor for the gospel of Jesus coming into our lives, [41:21] of him actually taking death and making life out of it. [41:26] The bread represents his broken body and the cup represents his shed blood.

[41:31] What we see in this is a metaphor for the life that Jesus lost on the cross, [41:37] entering into us and raising us to new life in him. [41:42] If you’re a follower of Jesus, God says that when you gather as his people, [41:46] this is how you are to proclaim your continued trust in the gospel to one another. [41:53] If you’re in here this morning, I want us to reflect on the greatness of God this morning, [41:58] on the greatness of salvation, that God loved us to the extent that when we were in rebellion against him,

[42:05] he drew us to himself anyway. [42:08] He grabbed us out of creation and he says, I’m adopting you into my family. [42:12] I’m making you my children. [42:14] And the only response to that type of grace is thank you.

[42:24] This morning when you reflect, don’t bring your righteousness.

[42:30] Don’t bring your goodness because you don’t have any.

[42:38] Come to say thank you to the God who had all the goodness, all the righteousness, all the holiness,

[42:46] and he gave it to us through Jesus. [42:50] If you’re in here and you don’t know that God, I believe he brought you here today for a purpose. [42:57] That purpose is because he wants to make you his own.

[43:02] I’ll be over here, I’d love to talk to you. [43:04] But if you’re in here and you know him, he’s giving you that life. [43:10] When you’re ready, come.

[43:13] Thanks everybody. [43:14] We’re going to go ahead and go into a quick time of question and answer here. [43:17] It won’t be too long. [43:18] I’ll have you out in plenty of time for lunch here. [43:20] But we do want to get a chance to respond to some of your great questions that came in. [43:24] I do want to ask the ushers to go ahead and come forward.

[43:27] We’re also going to take our offering real quick right here. [43:30] We usually do songs towards the end, but we’re not going to do that today so that we can do some question answers. [43:35] But the offering is another way that those of us that call Village Home, give back and worship God with our resources. [43:40] But if you’re our guest, please feel free to let those plates pass you by. [43:44] We’d love to get a connect card from you though. [43:46] Thank you for all your questions.

[43:48] I do want to say at the start, we apologize if we can’t answer all your questions. [43:53] We definitely got more than we’re going to be able to get to. [43:55] But if you do email your questions in, our email addresses are all over the handout on the website. [44:00] You can email Steve or myself, nate at villagemidlothian.org or the info at villagemidlothian.org email address. [44:07] We’d love to connect with you that way and answer more questions. [44:11] But all right, let’s get going here.

[44:13] This question came in several different ways. [44:16] But kind of to sum those up, why if God desires all people to be saved, [44:22] why doesn’t he just predestine everyone to be saved? [44:26] Or another way to say that was, you know, why me and not others? [44:29] Yeah, to be totally honest, I can ultimately say I don’t know. [44:36] And I also think I’m not supposed to know because I’m not God.

[44:40] Ephesians chapter 1 verse 11 says that we are predestined according to his purpose and his plan. [44:48] So the emphasis there is not on me. [44:50] The emphasis is on his purpose and his plan.

[44:54] John MacArthur, years ago, I listened to a sermon that he said, [44:58] he addressed the question of why me and not others? [45:01] And he said, I’m a bigger sinner than most. [45:05] I’m a greater doubter than most. [45:08] And I know that I’m not as good as some. [45:12] He says the only thing I can say is I’m thankful he did save me.

[45:16] So I don’t know why God would save me and not someone else. [45:20] I’m thankful, number one, that he did save me. [45:23] And number two, I also pray that he will save others. [45:26] But the reality is I know that he will.

[45:30] Kind of continuing along those lines of thought, [45:33] if God has predestined, who will come to know him? [45:37] Why should we pray?

[45:40] Number one, and this is ultimately the same reason we should also evangelize. [45:45] It’s number one because he said to. [45:47] He’s God. [45:49] And God can make those type of commands. [45:51] And our response is obedience if he’s our good father. [45:56] But secondly, we pray because and Dr. John Piper described it this way.

[46:01] It’s just the best analogy that I personally know of. [46:06] Is that prayer is the hammer that drives home the nail of God’s will. [46:12] That is that that in his wisdom and in his sovereignty, [46:17] God designed prayer to be the means by which he brings his will. [46:25] So if you tell me you are sick, I pray for your healing. [46:30] Because I believe that God has designed my prayer

[46:33] to be effective in him healing you. [46:37] If he wills to do that. [46:39] So it’s the same reason actually more so that I may go to the doctor. [46:42] I believe that God has designed medicine to cure me. [46:46] And I believe that that’s a grace that God let someone discover that. [46:50] I also believe that his work of grace is also that he does the miraculous through my prayers.

[46:55] So I pray that God redeems my children. [46:59] I believe that he will use those prayers because God is not arbitrary in that he commands something that’s worthless.

[47:08] And he’s I mean, you just the prayers all over the Bible so much so that Jesus even gives us a model and an instruction as to how we should pray. [47:18] So prayer should be seen not as something that demeans his sovereignty, [47:23] but something that’s used through his sovereignty that he not only plan the ends, [47:28] but the means as to how he’s going to get to those ends and prayer is one of those means.

[47:33] So along those lines, can we change God’s mind? [47:37] There are two places in scripture that I can just think of right now, [47:41] where it says that God relented in the Hebrew or that sometimes it’s translated repented. [47:47] I think relented is a little more accurate as to what happens. [47:49] Exodus 33, the children of Israel, if you’ve seen Charlton Heston’s movie, [47:56] they build the golden calf and so they totally sin against God.

[48:00] And God tells Moses that it’s going down and God says, I’m going to kill them all. [48:06] And Moses prays and he says, Lord, don’t do that. [48:10] And it’s basically is pretty good. [48:12] It’s just 33 read the whole story. [48:13] It’s good story. [48:14] But his basic point is, is that people will say that you’re a giant jerk

[48:18] because you just took us out of Egypt to die. [48:22] And it says, and God relented of killing the nation of Israel. [48:26] And then in the book of Jonah, it says that he relented of killing the Ninevites because [48:30] of their repentance. [48:32] But here’s what I believe. [48:33] I do believe prayer changes God’s mind.

[48:35] So I try to change his mind all the time. [48:37] But I also believe that here’s where the paradox comes in. [48:41] It’s not a contradiction. [48:42] It’s a paradox. [48:42] It’s a big difference. [48:43] I believe that God planned before the foundations of the earth to have his mind changed by prayer.

[48:49] Because I believe scripture says both. [48:53] So I accept both problems, not with God, problems of my understanding.

[49:00] I will says that all names are there of who’s going to be saved or written in the [49:04] Lamb’s Book of Life. [49:06] I was a question came in twice. [49:08] Are names in the book of life to start with, like all the names and then taken out [49:12] when people reject God? [49:14] OK.

[49:15] I.

[49:17] When I was a kid, maybe you were taught this, that if you have talked about the Lamb’s [49:22] Book of Life, it’s in the stories that is the book in which God writes the name of the [49:26] redeemed in. [49:27] And I was always told in Sunday school that his pencil doesn’t have an eraser. [49:32] And so that was my understanding. [49:33] And I would say that’s a good understanding, but it goes further than that.

[49:36] All right. [49:36] And Revelation 13, 8 and Revelation 17, 8 are two texts from the end where we’re getting [49:42] these strange pictures of the very end when redemption comes to fruition. [49:48] And it says in Revelation 13, 8 that the people that worship the Antichrist are those whose [49:53] names were not found in the Book of Life from before the foundations of the earth of the [49:57] lamb who was slain.

[49:58] Then Revelation 17, 8 says basically the exact same thing. [50:01] But here’s the reality of what scripture teaches there. [50:03] Scripture teaches that the Lamb’s Book of Life was written and closed before the [50:07] foundations of the earth.

[50:12] Got just a few time for just a few more questions here. [50:16] As a more general topic, why is this important? [50:19] Why should we care about studying this? [50:24] First, it’s like any love story. [50:27] My wife’s in the front row, so that’s why this came in my mind. [50:29] I love my wife.

[50:30] That’s her right there. [50:32] Good looking lady.

[50:34] But I want to know her because I love her. [50:38] So I’ve spent almost a decade now getting to know her and I learn more all the time. [50:44] But that love affair doesn’t end. [50:46] It’s like me constantly knowing her and as time changes her, I get to know her more. [50:52] And as I learn more, my love grows more. [50:55] And it’s the same way with God.

[50:57] We should love anything that he reveals to us about himself. [51:01] And so our worship is more fully formed the more that we know about him. [51:07] When I look at predestination, I say that’s something about God. [51:12] Something that God’s done. [51:13] Something that’s telling me something about God. [51:15] And so if I were to ignore that, I would actually limit my worship.

[51:20] And I don’t want to do that because I love God. [51:22] And then also because it brings humility into my life. [51:29] He is God and I am not. [51:31] And I need reminders of that. [51:32] I don’t know about you, but I need to be reminded of that a lot. [51:35] And so it brings a great humility that it lets me know how limited I am and how unlimited he is.

[51:40] And then also, thirdly, I think holiness and obedience. [51:44] Romans 8.29 says that we’re predestined to be conformed to the image of Christ. [51:48] And so number one, that gives me great hope that I’m going to become more like Christ. [51:54] Says it’s not on me. [51:55] God’s planned it. [51:57] So I just need to keep trusting and keep growing.

[52:00] So I grow in holiness and I choose to obey God because he’s chosen to conform into the [52:06] image of Christ. [52:06] It’s a beautiful partnership.

[52:10] Last question here, and this came in a few different ways. [52:13] And I know this was part of your message, but I want to give you a chance to talk about it [52:16] some more. [52:18] If God’s predestined, who’s going to come to know him? [52:21] Why should we care about the mission of Jesus, evangelism, things that we talk about [52:25] weekend and week out here at the Village?

[52:28] Um, number one, everything I already said. [52:32] Yeah, go catch the podcast. [52:34] You’ll catch the last point.

[52:37] But it’s this great reality to me. [52:40] And as I’ve learned the Scriptures and wrestled with this over many years, [52:46] it just takes so much pressure off of me where evangelism is concerned because it can be [52:52] nerve wracking. [52:53] Because when you’re actually in the practice of telling people about Christ, it’s very easy [52:58] for me to think it’s all on me.

[53:01] It depends on how witty I am, it depends on how smart I am. [53:06] And so sometimes I actually commit myself to uselessness. [53:13] Because I say, well, because I can’t talk like this guy, I’m just not going to evangelize [53:17] or I’m not good enough or I’m not worthy enough. [53:19] And that’s all true, but that’s what’s great about grace. [53:23] Is that it’s the great equalizer for all of us.

[53:28] So when the pressure’s taken off of me, it means that I’m just simply called to be obedient [53:34] where I am with what I know, with how equipped I currently am to obey God at that point [53:42] and leave the outcome to Him. [53:46] And as I grow, hopefully I will be better equipped. [53:51] But I’m not called to be as equipped at 33 as I will be at 40. [53:57] I’m equipped at 33 where I am right now.

[54:00] And same thing with you, you’re equipped at where you are right now. [54:04] But the hope is that God says that He’s going to take our, He uses the foolish things of [54:09] the world to confound the wise.

[54:11] So if you obey God, you will see people get saved. [54:16] It could be years, but it’s going to happen. [54:18] I believe God’s made that promise. [54:19] But also, it means that I’m not, evangelism, and here’s what I think happens a lot of times [54:24] evangelism, and I don’t want to keep it too long. [54:27] But you’re staying, so we’re cool.

[54:30] Sometimes I think evangelism gets reduced to being a used car salesman. [54:34] We’re trying to shuck and jive people to Jesus. [54:37] It’s like, you know, look over here while I’m really giving you the gospel down here. [54:40] All right, I don’t have to do that, all right? [54:44] It’s like I don’t have to put up smoke and mirrors. [54:46] I just have to be faithful.

[54:47] And I’m strategic in my faithfulness, and I do it in cultural ways as a missionary. [54:54] But I don’t have to pressure myself.

[54:58] His grace is so good, you know, and I’m going to mess, here’s the thing I want to tell you [55:04] about evangelism. [55:05] You’re going to screw it up at some point. [55:10] And the fact that God ordained that we would be the ones that He uses means that He’s okay [55:16] with you messing it up because He’s going to take our foolishness, [55:20] and somehow the Holy Spirit’s going to catch it midair, and it’s going to be the truth.

[55:25] So all you need to worry about is faithfulness and trust, and He’s got the rest. [55:33] And that’s evangelism.

[55:35] [55:36] Go ahead and pray for us, and we’ll be done. [55:37] Father, I am so weak, and in that you show your strength.

[55:49] Thank you for being our God. [55:53] Thank you for being my Father.

[55:57] Thank you for grace and salvation. [55:59] Lord, I pray that in each life in here today that you would remind us that we are a dependent [56:07] people, dependent on you and you alone, that we would trust you to guide our steps, [56:15] and that we would grow and be conformed to the image of Christ through our lives.

[56:22] Lord, may we take the good news of redemption in Jesus to a world that needs it, and may we [56:33] trust you as we do it. In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.