God's Eternal Mission of Love.

Steve Gentry

[0:00] My name’s Steve. I’m one of the pastors here as well, and I just want to welcome you [0:05] If this is your first time here, I do a lot of the teaching and preaching here on Sunday mornings [0:11] If you have your Bibles though what I want you to do before we start on go ahead and open to Ephesians chapter 1 [0:17] Ephesians chapter 1 we’re starting a new series today [0:21] Maybe you got one of the mailers so you know what you’re getting yourself into we are gonna spend the next 18 [0:28] Minish weeks I say that because we’re already a week behind

[0:32] One sermon I got myself a week behind but just kidding no we’ll probably be about 18 weeks in this passage [0:38] Forgive me if we go 19. I think you’ll be okay with it [0:41] But today we’re gonna cover the first 10 verses in the book of Ephesians and the reason that we’re doing this is because [0:48] We truly believe that God’s Word is something that we need to consume as a people [0:53] This is the way that I love to preach and it’s because I think it’s the most useful for you in your life [0:58] If there’s one thing that I want us as a church to be it’s people of God’s Word people of

[1:05] Scripture but more than that people that know how to read and study God’s Word on their own [1:10] And I think so the most useful thing we can do as we come together is to [1:14] Maybe just consume chunks of it and one of the greatest things we can do is consume an entire book at a time [1:19] Together so that when you go to Ephesians in your life, you’ll know what’s in there [1:25] You’ll be able to just feed yourself [1:27] You’ll be able to feed off of it and get a vision for what God is doing in this world

[1:32] and in the book of Ephesians what we really have is God giving a vision and a [1:38] foundation for his gospel [1:41] The gospel of Jesus Christ is that he sent his son to die for our sins [1:46] He rose again winning victory over sin and death and the book of Ephesians what it does in the first few chapters [1:51] Is it builds a foundation for who you are? [1:55] Because of what Jesus has done and who you are in relation to who God is and in God if you’re a follower of Jesus and

[2:02] Then the last couple of chapters basically the second half of the book of Ephesians is spent [2:06] Unpacking how that impacts your life and what you are to do in light of what Jesus has done for you [2:14] And so what we’re gonna do is we’re gonna begin this morning and we’re gonna find in verses 1 & 2 [2:19] Something very simple we’re gonna go through that fast [2:21] Then we’re gonna spend the majority of the time on verses 3 through 10 [2:24] but that Paul wrote this great text and

[2:28] He wrote it to a church at Ephesus [2:30] Now the church at Ephesus is a significant church because Paul plants it on his third missionary journey [2:37] he went basically around the known world at that time three times and [2:42] He spent three of the five years of his third missionary journey in the city of Ephesus [2:49] And when he it’s kind of fun to say Ephesus, it just kind of keeps going [2:54] It happens I’m kind of one track minded. So when it comes in here it goes out there

[2:59] But in Ephesus what you’re gonna have is is this was a city [3:03] That was kind of a larger city at that time and it was consumed with idolatry [3:08] Consumed with sorcery and one of the main foundations of their economic system was actually people that would make false gods or [3:17] Would actually make graven images in the silversmiths the goldsmith the blacksmith [3:21] They would make these idols that people would worship and they would have huge scrolls [3:27] For sorcery and they would have stores that would sell these scrolls

[3:31] Now what happens when Paul comes in is he goes to the synagogue and then he goes to the city and he begins preaching [3:37] The gospel of Jesus Christ when people begin to repent of their sins and come to faith in Jesus [3:42] Well, it begins to change the economic system in Ephesus [3:46] and so what happens is is people begin to actually burn their false gods and they burn their books and they [3:52] Stop going to the silversmith. They stop going to these scroll stores and stop buying all this stuff [3:57] And so people are the excuse me the business leaders in that city are very upset about this

[4:03] so they go to the city leaders and [4:05] Eventually a riot breaks out [4:08] And so there’s violence taking place in the city and Paul is in the midst of this planting a church [4:16] Well after three years of going back and forth and fighting a church [4:20] That’s actually very large and good and sending missionaries out Paul raises up leaders [4:26] Well, then Paul goes and he leaves Ephesus to plant more churches

[4:30] Eventually, if you know the book of Acts if you know the story of Paul’s life [4:34] He ends up in Rome in prison and he’s awaiting [4:39] Execution for being a preacher of the gospel [4:42] As he’s awaiting his execution. He begins to write a series of letters to different churches some that he planted [4:50] One that someone else planted but through his ministry and while he’s in prison [4:54] He writes the book of Ephesians to the church at Ephesus now unlike some other books

[5:00] He doesn’t necessarily have a problem inside of the church that he’s addressing. It’s not that they’re doing anything wrong [5:06] But what Paul does is is he writes this book so that they will have a vision for what God? [5:14] Wants them to be as a church and [5:18] He sort of uses this book to train them so that they can have a continued and further vision [5:25] Outside of themselves and for the greater work of the gospel around the world [5:30] And so when he begins in chapter 1 what he’s going to address is simply the very

[5:37] Centrality of the gospel and God’s work of the gospel not just in their lives [5:43] But in history as a whole in his introduction [5:48] He kind of makes them step outside of themselves and see what God has been doing [5:54] Since before the foundations of the earth were ever spoken into existence by him [6:00] So go ahead and join me in [6:03] Verse I’ll go ahead and read verses 1 through 4

[6:07] Paul an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God [6:10] To the saints who are in Ephesus and are faithful in Christ Jesus [6:15] Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ [6:20] This is just a just a regular greeting in that day, this is how they wrote letters [6:25] They didn’t say love my name like we do at the end of emails now [6:29] But rather they started the letter out so that they would know exactly who it’s from

[6:33] Then in verse 3 says blessed be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ [6:38] Who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places? [6:43] Even as he chose us in him [6:46] Before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and blameless before him [6:53] In love verse 5 he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ [7:00] According to the purpose of his will

[7:03] Now I want to let you know that already there’s so much packed into this [7:08] But what I want you to realize though is that we’re gonna we’re kind of stopping and you’re seeing punctuation [7:12] But in the original language verses 3 through 9 was one really long sentence with zero punctuation [7:20] Paul just continues to write them as terrible grammar [7:23] But Paul just continues to write on and on and on about what God has done in the gospel [7:31] It’s this great pay on of praise and it says if Paul can just not stop putting words in there to explain

[7:38] How great and how large the work that God has done for them through the gospel of Jesus [7:47] and he writes and he just continues to go on and on and here we see in this very first part what I want you to [7:54] Understand is that Paul is writing and just going ahead and he’s unveiling the immensity of God’s eternal love [8:02] That is revealed in [8:05] Redemption that’s the first thing that Paul kind of brings our attention to and that’s point number one today [8:11] And when you kind of look at this passage what you see is that he says blessed be the God and father of our Lord

[8:17] Jesus Christ who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places [8:24] He says blessed be God who has blessed us [8:29] So he’s using these two exact words to explain how the blessings of God work in our lives [8:36] That God is the one to be considered blessed above everyone else that he’s the creator of life [8:43] He’s the Holy One of Israel. He’s the righteous God [8:46] Everything is done by him for him and through him according to Romans chapter 11

[8:52] That if anyone is to be considered blessed it is God [8:56] But then he kind of turns it and says that in what he has done in Jesus [9:02] He has turned and blessed us [9:05] with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places [9:10] He writes that Christians are blessed with every aspect of life in God [9:17] Now what’s very easy for us to do is read this passage and say, okay

[9:21] So we’re blessed with all these spiritual blessings and kind of look over them and kind of have this [9:26] Difference in opinion between what does it mean to be blessed with spiritual blessings when in all actuality? [9:31] I’d kind of rather have physical blessings [9:35] Now Paul is not speaking of some mystical reality [9:39] That’s kind of a higher level of consciousness of the spiritual realm that you can’t know anything about [9:44] But rather in the original language when he says spiritual blessings what he actually means by that is

[9:50] From the spirit that’s what it means by spiritual blessings in the heavenly places [9:55] What he’s saying is is that God is blessed and that in blessing us [10:01] The greatest blessing that he could give is the very gift of himself [10:07] So in Jesus what he does is he makes possible for us to have his life in ours [10:16] That God has turned from his wrath for us and given us [10:22] His very favor and the greatest thing that God could give is the gift of a relationship with himself

[10:29] And that’s what he gives us in [10:32] The book of John chapter 14 when we consider the fact that God gives us these blessings that are from the Spirit [10:39] Here’s how Jesus explained it [10:41] Jesus said if you love me you’ll keep my commandments [10:44] And I will ask the Father and he will give you another [10:47] Helper to be with you forever even the Spirit of truth whom the world cannot receive because it neither sees him nor knows him

[10:55] You know him for he dwells with you and will be in you [11:01] What Jesus is talking about is the fact that in Matthew 28 if you’ve read through the Gospels [11:06] You know that Jesus ascends up into heaven in a cloud [11:08] But in the book of John between verses four excuse me between chapters 14 and chapter 17 [11:13] What Jesus explains to his disciples is is that he is going to leave after he finishes the work of the gospel [11:20] But it’s for their benefit that he leaves because what’s going to happen once he leaves and we see in Acts 2 that he sends

[11:27] The Holy Spirit to empower Christians [11:30] He actually puts the very life of God into believers [11:34] And this is what transforms our very lives so that we can be with God we can talk to God we can pray with God [11:40] We can understand his word we can understand his revelation we can have strength to go through suffering [11:46] We can have strength to live his mission we can have strength to deny sin [11:49] We can have strength to avoid it and not disobey God

[11:53] But rather live lives in which obedience to him is actually possible [11:58] To our rather we do not do it under our own strength [12:01] But God says if you’ll just trust in me if you’ll just trust in what I’ve done through Jesus [12:05] I will actually give you my own strength [12:08] To obey me. I’ll actually give you my own strength to follow me so that you’re not having to depend on yourself

[12:16] And that’s what Paul means by every [12:20] spiritual blessing in the heavenly places [12:23] That there is nothing greater that God could possibly give us [12:29] Than him and if he did give us something greater than that that would be God

[12:38] John MacArthur [12:39] Great pastor he writes that the believers need is not to receive something more from God [12:46] But to do something more with what God has given [12:52] So that’s the reality that Paul is writing about is that in the gospel of Jesus Christ [12:58] God has given everything and so what we often do in our Christian lives is we we kind of look at ourselves [13:05] We look at our own abilities

[13:06] We look at the life that we have by our own hands and we say if God would only do this [13:11] If God would only give me this if God would only remove this reality from my life [13:17] Then I could have the life that he wants and the gospel denies that the gospel says that’s absolutely untrue [13:24] God has given you everything that you need to live a life that is pleasing to him [13:31] But also live the very life that you were designed to live for him [13:37] There’s nothing more that you need

[13:39] You have it all you have every aspect of life in God that you will ever need [13:46] It’s just that you need to spend your life uncovering more and more of what God has already done [13:52] Rather than seeking something new that he can do

[13:58] In this love that God has given us we see that God loves and redeems through his grace [14:04] If you look back in the text in [14:07] Verse 3 says that he’s blessed us in Christ and then in verse 4 [14:11] Says even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and blameless [14:18] before him [14:21] God has a plan and in this plan what he’s doing is that he’s turning our shame and

[14:28] Making it our glory [14:30] God’s plan is for us to be holy and blameless before him, but we’re not [14:37] That’s problematic [14:38] What do we do with the fact that we’ve been disobedient with God [14:41] What do we do with the fact that we’ve done some very shameful things? [14:46] When Romans chapter 3 another text that Paul wrote he kind of unpacks it like this

[14:51] He says for all of sin and fall short of the glory of God and are justified by his grace as a gift [14:57] Through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood [15:04] To be received by faith this was to show God’s righteousness because in his divine forbearance he has passed over

[15:13] former sins [15:15] What Paul is unpacking in Romans chapter 3 as well as in Ephesians chapter 1 [15:20] Is that when man sinned when man rebelled against him it did not catch him off guard [15:25] God did not slip up in that moment and then say I better come up with a plan or else. I’m in trouble [15:33] Because I had this vision of what I wanted human beings to be like but they ate the fruit and now what am I gonna do? [15:39] Jesus you got to get down there and you got to die

[15:42] Right, that’s not the way it works. It was not this cosmic fumble by God when man sinned

[15:50] Rather when man sinned God did not say what am I gonna do? [15:55] The text there actually says that before God ever spoke anything into existence [16:03] He planned redemption completely [16:06] That before the fall of man God in his infinite wisdom in his infinite glory [16:12] He had planned the way in which he would receive ultimate glory and we would receive ultimate satisfaction [16:20] And that is the death burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ

[16:24] Now the first part of that I want to deal with is Jesus death and what that does for us [16:28] The second part I want to deal with that is this cosmic reality that before God created anything he planned everything [16:34] Alright, because I know that’s probably making your head blow up right now, but let’s wait [16:38] All right in Romans chapter 3 what happens is is that Paul says we’ve sinned [16:45] All of us if you’re in here this morning and you think you have no sin, you’re you’re completely glib [16:49] You have a lot of sin. I have a lot of sin

[16:52] I probably have more than you if you only knew me [16:55] You’d know that I have no business being up here and you probably have more [17:00] Okay, we have sinned against God and that makes God

[17:08] Deservedly need justice over sin if he is holy [17:13] So how is God going to a [17:16] Preserve his holiness and his will and B find justice for sin in a way [17:22] That doesn’t condemn me because that’s what I’m looking for is a way in which I’m not gonna be condemned by God because I deserve it [17:30] So what he does is before the foundations of the world [17:32] He has this plan for Jesus to actually come and take my sin and give me his righteousness

[17:38] When he uses that term in Romans chapter 3 right there propitiation [17:43] What that term actually means is in the simplest form. It is a way through [17:50] Something it is away from God’s wrath, which I deserve for my sin [17:57] to [17:58] God’s favor, which is what I want but in light of my sin [18:03] It’s what I don’t deserve and on my own I can’t have

[18:07] So the plan was it’s hurt [18:08] This eternal plan is that God the Son Jesus would come become a human being live an absolutely sinless life [18:15] And then die on a cross for the sins of the world and what makes Jesus be able to do that is the fact that number [18:21] One he’s the judge and he’s God and can do it every one but number two is [18:26] The fact that he had no sin to pay for [18:30] If Jesus had had even the smallest drop the smallest taint of sin on himself

[18:36] Then he would now have no ability to die for my sin and your sin [18:40] But because he was sinless he gave himself over and in his death [18:46] He takes all of our sin onto himself and caught what’s called the great exchange and he’s a propitiation [18:53] He’s a way he takes God’s wrath and makes a way for us to have God’s favor [18:58] So when I trust in the work of Jesus Christ what I’m trusting is that Jesus has given me a path [19:06] To God’s favor, but not just a path to where I can earn it. No, I can’t

[19:10] If I get a second chance, I’m gonna sin again. I mean you’re probably like me in that [19:16] But rather what Jesus does is he completes it [19:19] He makes it whole I need to nothing [19:23] To get God’s eternal favor. He just gives it through Jesus completely the moment [19:29] That I trust that in Jesus Christ as my Savior [19:32] I had all of the favor of God that I would ever need and all the favor of God that I will ever have

[19:37] I have it all [19:39] That’s what Ephesians 1 is saying when it says I’ve been blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places [19:47] There’s a second thing to deal with in that and the fact that God loves and redeems through his grace is that it’s completely [19:54] his work I [19:56] Have no part of it in it not even down to the point where I’m smarter than everyone else [20:03] Have you ever thought about that?

[20:05] That when you choose to follow Jesus [20:08] Does that make you smarter than everybody else because they can’t figure it out [20:11] No, it’s completely his work [20:14] It’s not even based on my inept ability to make a better choice than everybody else [20:19] It’s completely based on him and what I want to do is I want to deal with this this week and next week [20:25] All right, so I’m gonna ask you even if you hate today

[20:28] All right, I want you to come back and of course [20:31] I do want you to come back [20:33] But mostly because you need part two to coincide with part one because there’s so much in this that I’m not gonna be able to [20:38] Unpack it all today [20:39] So just want to deal a little bit with the fact that before the foundations of the world the scripture says God chose us [20:48] All right, in other words

[20:51] When I chose to follow Jesus when I chose to accept him as my Savior

[20:59] God had chosen me

[21:03] Sometime before he made the world into existence and that’s why I chose him [21:09] And you say okay that’s determinism Oh Lord, what kind of church have I gotten myself into [21:13] No, it’s not I [21:15] I [21:16] Really chose him. I [21:19] Really did no one made me I did it

[21:23] Yeah, I saw the blessings [21:25] I saw you know the fact that I’m heading towards his [21:29] Condemnation and the fact that I didn’t have to have that and that Jesus had paid this great sacrifice [21:33] And I said and maybe you were like me you’re like that sounds pretty good [21:36] I’d rather have that than the alternative which is an eternal [21:39] place of his wrath in hell

[21:41] So I chose him [21:45] It was sometime in college that I’m reading through scripture and I’m dealing with this passage and I say he chose us in [21:52] Him before the Sunday. Wait a second

[21:56] Wait a second as I it months I wrestled with this [22:02] But what I want us to understand [22:04] This is not a point to where we need to pontificate [22:09] Opinions and and presuppositions and and all these different arguments that we could have [22:14] It’s free will no it’s predestination. You know, it’s like, you know, that’s not we’re talking about here [22:19] What this is is a moment for us to look in God’s Word and find the glory of the world

[22:24] of what he has done on our behalf above [22:28] Trying to find glory in my ability to do anything [22:33] Because the scripture paints a pretty bad picture of what I’m able to do and a pretty great picture of what God’s able to [22:40] Do the scripture never? [22:42] Exists just solely to make you feel better about yourself [22:47] The scripture exists to make you feel really good about who God is and what he has done

[22:54] Because if you go and you look for something good about you in here, you’re just gonna see a lot of sin [23:00] That’s what’s gonna happen and you’re gonna see somebody that’s [23:02] Undeserving of any of God’s favor and someone that God gives it to anyway and here Paul is gonna unpack in this praise the how [23:10] That God did it [23:12] And so here’s what he says [23:14] Once again, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and blameless

[23:20] Before him and look at this next phrase is very important in love

[23:27] There’s that immensity of God’s love that before you were even a figment of anyone’s [23:36] imagination [23:37] You know like a to that your mother was like 12 years old and she’s on the playground and she was like [23:42] I want to have this many kids. He’s like, I want my wedding to be like this and it goes before that even [23:47] Entered into a picture. This is not just right before you were conceived [23:52] This is before your great-great-great-great-great-great grandparents even considered having your great-great-great-great

[23:59] great-grandparents [24:01] This is before God had ever created Adam and Eve. He looks forward in time [24:07] That he created and he stands outside of [24:11] He looks forward and he says I [24:15] Love you [24:19] Apart from anything that I would ever do apart from anything that I would ever be

[24:27] God said he loved me. Why?

[24:34] The only answer I have ever been able to find is simply because he’s God [24:43] In the book of first John says God is love

[24:48] That’s it [24:50] That’s it [24:51] He’s love [24:53] He loves me. He loves you and he made the decision to love me before I ever existed in [25:01] Jeremiah chapter 1 verse 5 the prophet Jeremiah God is actually speaking to the prophet Jeremiah and here’s what he says [25:08] He says before I formed you in the womb. I knew you

[25:12] And before you were born I consecrated you I appointed you a prophet to the nations [25:21] God looks to Jeremiah and he says Jeremiah [25:24] Before you existed before you were ever created before you were even a thought [25:29] I had mapped out the life that you would have as my prophet [25:34] I took your life and I set it apart and I said this one is mine [25:40] He will live for me and not just that he said here’s the life that he will live for me

[25:48] That is how great our God is [25:51] and he can step into history and say

[25:56] that one I [25:58] Want him and here’s what I want him to do

[26:03] God made the plan of redemption [26:06] sure before the foundations of the earth [26:10] God’s sovereign plan of redemption [26:12] It does not serve as this kind of discouragement because when we begin to say things like what God made it sure before the [26:19] Foundations of the world that can be a little discouraging because then you kind of get to this place like God’s playing this cosmic chess [26:25] match and I’m just a pawn in it. So what’s the purpose of my life? What’s the purpose of me even?

[26:32] Doing anything. Why does he need me to live for him if he’s already mapped everything out? I’m just gonna watch dr. Phil [26:41] That’s what I’m gonna do. I’m just gonna stay home. That’s it. No [26:46] When God reveals the sovereign plan of redemption that he had in Christ before the world ever existed [26:52] What he is doing is is he is actually giving us the realization that our life is full of hope [27:01] That the future is headed towards him because here’s what he does in Israel you look at the Old Testament [27:07] What does he do he chooses the nation Israel to be himself? He didn’t choose the Amalekites

[27:13] He didn’t choose the Midianites. He chose Israel and he said out of the entire world. I [27:20] Choose Israel. They will follow me [27:24] They are mine and then he makes it even more specific when we look at that text in Jeremiah [27:29] He says and inside of Israel there are certain people that I’m going to use as my prophets [27:36] Not based on anything that they’ve done [27:39] But because of what I want to do

[27:42] Romans chapter 9 everyone’s favorite chapter [27:47] Romans chapter 9 here’s what it says [27:50] in verses 10 through 12 [27:52] He says and not only so but also when Rebecca had conceived children by one man our forefather Isaac [27:59] He’s talking about the lineage of Israel [28:02] Starts with Abraham goes through Isaac then goes through his children

[28:06] It says though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad in order that [28:12] It’s a very important passage in understanding what God has done in redemption in his plan [28:19] So the reason that he did this is an order that God’s purpose of election [28:24] We’re gonna get to that in a second might continue not because of works [28:29] But because of him who calls she was told the older will serve the younger [28:36] Alright, so here we have Isaac and we have his wife Rebecca and he’s gonna have two children

[28:41] He’s gonna have Jacob and he’s gonna have Esau

[28:44] Before they are born God says I’m going to use Jacob [28:52] For my purposes and I’m not gonna use Esau [28:56] And if you read the story of Jacob and Esau Esau is technically the first to be born

[29:02] But that through a series of events God actually works through the life of Jacob and what? [29:08] Happens out of the lineage of Jacob if you look in Matthew chapter 1 [29:11] You know those long lists of this guy began this guy began this guy began this guy and you kind of pass over them [29:16] To the next chapter because it’s the most boring part of Scripture. I’m with you. It’s it’s not exciting [29:21] It’s like going who goes down to the courthouse and just looks through birth certificates [29:25] Look John’s dad was out

[29:27] That’s interesting who was Al’s dad. Well [29:32] All right, no one does that but the reason that they are [29:36] significant is because what they do is that they reveal that the way in which Jesus Christ was born and [29:44] The household to which he was born to was not an accident [29:50] Before the foundations of the world God said [29:54] Mary and Joseph will have Jesus

[29:58] Joseph will be his earthly father, but he won’t be his biological father [30:01] He won’t have one Mary’s virgin when had Jesus so that Jesus could be the Son of God [30:07] It’s kind of hard to be the Son of God when you can say hey, here’s my dad [30:10] All right, it’s kind of difficult [30:13] So that’s the why it had to be like that [30:15] But what we have in Romans chapter 9 is this great proclamation

[30:21] God says in my [30:24] Sovereignty I made it happen this way so that Jesus would be born to who he was born to [30:33] When God chose Israel it was not because there was anything good in Israel. He says that in Deuteronomy I [30:40] Think we have this vision in the Old Testament because we haven’t read it [30:43] But I think we have this vision that all they were just really good [30:47] No, they never got it right

[30:50] They were constantly in sin God says literally he chose them based on his preference

[31:02] Back in Ephesians chapter 1 when we see that word chose us in him [31:07] That word chose is very important in the original language, right? [31:11] I’m gonna get nerdy here in the original language. What we have is that this is an heiress tense word [31:16] What it is is kind of a middle passive voice but what he’s saying when he says he chose he didn’t choose based on [31:24] Anything that we had done [31:28] This is so that it could be the work of grace

[31:31] It’s a choice that is independent of any factor outside of himself [31:37] it’s because [31:38] That’s the way he did he does it because he’s God [31:42] And that’s how Jesus Christ comes [31:45] Because God chose it to be

[31:49] Jesus didn’t come by accident. It wasn’t just because Mary won a lottery [31:53] It wasn’t because there was anything special about her apart from what many people may think [31:58] It was based completely on God. That’s the point of Romans chapter 9 the alternative [32:07] Is a complete denial of grace [32:10] The alternative would be that we could muster up something good enough [32:17] Inside of us or something smart enough inside of us to where someone at some time could earn enough favor from God in

[32:25] Order to please him enough so that he would give them his life

[32:32] That would mean that you are on your own [32:36] That would mean that salvation is your work [32:40] But if you are in sin your only hope is that God would intervene in your life [32:48] for his purposes

[32:52] When we read things like he chose us in him before the foundations of the world that in love he [32:58] predestined us for adoption do not read some [33:04] Fatalistic reality in which you are going to be dragged kicking and screaming to God [33:10] Instead what you need to realize is that God in his great love sees sinners

[33:19] Who are hopeless [33:22] Who cannot come to him

[33:27] You can’t [33:29] What you have to understand about your free will and I can’t say it any other way than this is [33:36] Romans chapter 5 explains this isn’t in my notes. So good luck [33:41] Romans chapter 5 explains that in Adam when he disobeyed God with his wife Eve [33:48] Everyone born after them was born a sinner [33:53] You do not sin and then become a sinner you sin because you are a sinner you were born that way

[34:03] Have a child it’s obvious there’s something wrong with them from birth I [34:11] Could say that as a father I [34:14] Mean I didn’t teach him some of this stuff. I [34:17] Didn’t teach him to disobey. He just doesn’t happen to like my opinion sometimes

[34:23] Don’t go to that electrical socket, but it’s fun landing there. I’m sure dad

[34:31] If you’re a parent you get that if you’re not you’re like, huh, what do you mean socket? [34:34] It’s like every parent’s worst nightmare my wife now. You’re really in trouble. My wife bought these new socket covers [34:42] They’re so childproof that I can’t get them off. I [34:47] Was trying to iron a shirt the other day and it took me 15 minutes and then I had to ask her to help [34:54] I said honey, this is adult proof. She said no, honey. You’re just special and it’s true [35:01] It’s true

[35:04] If anyone needs grace, it’s me cuz I’m kind of clueless

[35:10] But we are born sinners and here’s the problem [35:15] Because of this radical corruption that has taken place in our just [35:21] Makeup just the way we are [35:25] Scripture says that our righteousness is as filthy rags and everything that we could do to earn earn God’s favor is nothing compared to [35:32] his righteousness, but our

[35:35] Choices are also corrupt

[35:39] That if we are given the choice between God and hell because of our sin we will choose hell [35:46] Do you understand why it’s so hard for you to avoid sin? [35:50] Ever thought about that? Why can’t I just stop some of these sins? Why can’t I stop being prideful? [35:55] Why can’t I stop being argumentative? Why can’t I stop like why can’t I stop?

[36:01] Because you’re a sinner

[36:04] And if God had not in eternity past

[36:09] Loved you [36:11] You would go headlong into hell like a child will go headlong to an electrical socket with a fork [36:18] It’s the greatest analogy I can come up with on the spot [36:22] But you will every time [36:26] But in eternity past God said

[36:30] No, I love you I [36:34] Will send my son I’ll die for you and you will follow him because of my great love for you. I’ll draw you [36:43] The supremacy of Jesus Christ is revealed in redemption [36:48] The work of Jesus is the means through which God fulfills his eternal plan look down in verse 5 again where it says [36:56] And love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ [37:01] According to the purpose of his will to the praise of his glorious grace

[37:05] With which he has blessed us in the beloved in him [37:09] We have redemption through his blood the forgiveness of our trespasses according to the riches of his grace

[37:16] Between verses 3 and verse 9 we’re going to have nine [37:21] different references to the fact that salvation is in [37:26] through [37:27] from and for [37:30] Jesus Christ [37:31] When we read in him when we read in the beloved when we read through his blood when we read from him

[37:38] What we are reading is the very supremacy of God the Son [37:44] Who came to die for us because we would not follow God

[37:51] God loves you far more than you could ever comprehend. He looked out in history and had so much love [37:59] That he said I will kill my own son for you, but more than that [38:03] God the Son in eternity past look forward in so much [38:09] Love for you and I that he said I will gladly [38:15] die for them

[38:21] When we look at the cross it is very easy for us to look and see weakness [38:27] We just look at it and we say but he died [38:30] Now what we are seeing is the most supreme power [38:37] That could ever possibly exist through the most supreme love and the greatest act of [38:44] sacrificial love that anyone would ever know [38:48] Because what we see is God

[38:52] Using the very tool through which death came to bring life [38:59] You ever considered that [39:01] How much power must it take to through death bring life? [39:06] How much power must it take to say okay?

[39:10] If death is what’s coming to them. I will take it, but [39:14] I’m more powerful than it so I will rise again and in my resurrection. I will give them new life [39:22] Where they can love me they can know me they can follow me

[39:27] Jesus Christ came because God the Father had planned for him to come [39:33] God the Father had planned the work that he would do and God directs his power to give forgiveness and grace [39:41] through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ [39:46] Romans chapter 5 8 actually puts it this way it says that while we were still sinners Christ died for us [39:56] You see that the significance that while we were still sinners it wasn’t that we deserved it [40:00] It was just that God gave it and it wasn’t that we would come apart from God because in John chapter 6 verse 44

[40:06] It says no one can come to me Jesus is actually speaking [40:10] And he says he’s the words he says no one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him [40:17] And I will raise him up on the last day

[40:23] If you’ve come to God it’s not because you were smart it’s not because you were shrewd [40:29] It’s not because you had more intelligence than anyone else [40:33] It was because of God’s love [40:36] It was because God said come [40:39] God said come [40:42] God said come

[40:45] Said come [40:47] Okay, so this is in my book I don’t write it, but I’m glad it exists

[40:53] And so what we often will do is we will say all right

[40:58] All right, whatever I guess that’s kind of true

[41:02] And we’ll just have this reluctant acceptance of God and reluctant acceptance that he has a plan [41:08] That’s greater than our plan that he has a love that is greater than any love that we could ever know

[41:16] But [41:16] Finish the passage out and that’s not the attitude that we need to have

[41:22] Verse 7 it’s hard. It’s hard to go from verse to verse because it’s a very long sentence in him in verse 7 [41:28] We have redemption through his blood the forgiveness of our trespasses according to the riches of his grace

[41:33] Read verse 8 which he lavished [41:37] Upon us in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will [41:42] According to his purpose which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time [41:48] To unite all things in him things in heaven and things on earth [41:53] Here’s what I want you to realize by those last few verses the certainty of God’s purpose of glory is [42:01] revealed in

[42:02] redemption [42:04] If in eternity past God had not had a plan for [42:09] Everything that would ever possibly happen and ordain it himself [42:13] Then how in the world could we be certain that the future will turn out the way that he said it will [42:21] How?

[42:25] Because here’s what we want we want an absolutely certain future, but not really God’s way my way

[42:34] If not for God’s sovereignty, how could we possibly trust him?

[42:41] How could we possibly trust that sin won’t screw it up all over again [42:46] And see this is what happens. This is why all branches of theology begin to go towards [42:51] Man-centeredness and say well, that’s because you can lose your salvation

[42:56] If it’s something I could lose then why would it be worth having [43:01] Trust me if it’s based on me being obedient enough I will lose it and so will you

[43:13] The gospel makes known the mystery of God’s will you see that in there

[43:20] The God has revealed his mystery of his will have you ever wondered what his will for your life is

[43:27] It’s not a dot that you’re looking for it’s not a spouse that you’re hoping to find [43:33] That’s ridiculous. By the way, it’s like man [43:36] Good luck millions of them out there. Good luck finding the right one. Oh, he’s the one [43:43] One of many [43:46] I [43:46] Mean, you know, it’s like we look at God’s will and we’re like if I don’t find it

[43:51] I’m in serious trouble and that’s true. You will be [43:54] But God has made it abundantly clear to us his will is not these petty [43:59] insignificant things that are all about us

[44:03] In the cross in Christ God makes the mystery of his will completely clear [44:09] It’s to love and worship him because he loves and has given us the ability to worship him [44:17] It’s to live for his mission [44:20] Proclaiming to all people that he loves us enough to love us through Christ [44:29] You are redeemed for the purpose of God [44:32] You are not redeemed so that you can continue to live the same meaningless life that you have always been living

[44:41] That would be determinism [44:44] Because that would be boring and insignificant [44:47] But rather you are redeemed into a relationship with an all-powerful God who? [44:54] The book of psalm says our God is in the heavens. He does whatever he wants

[45:02] And you are redeemed to a [45:05] relationship with him in which you can know his purposes and live in light of them and [45:13] This is not fatalism. This is hopefulness [45:16] This is the realization that every day that I wake up [45:21] I have the opportunity to walk into the life that God has designed for me and [45:29] Not question whether or not I’m doing it, right? I don’t have to live in dread

[45:35] I don’t have to live in fear [45:38] I don’t have to live saying oh my goodness if I don’t figure out what he wants me to do [45:43] I am in trouble [45:44] Because he’s gonna kill me [45:47] No [45:49] Texas right there

[45:51] He’s made it known [45:53] The mystery of his will is that everything led up to Jesus Christ and everything flows from his open tomb

[46:04] Everything is about the [46:07] Sovereign grace of God in the gospel of Jesus Christ in which he loves us and gives himself freely to us [46:15] So that we can walk in lives of hope following him redemption unveils God’s plan for his glory [46:23] The greatest glory that God can possibly receive is to redeem sinners through the sacrifice of his own son [46:31] Do you know that? [46:32] It’s the greatest glory he could ever receive and you say how in the world do you know that because that’s what he did

[46:38] I mean, it’s pretty simple [46:42] If he did it, it’s the greatest because he’s God [46:46] There is no greater glory for God than the redemption of sinners [46:50] So if you want to live for his glory live a life that is saturated with the gospel of Jesus Christ [46:58] Live a life that is seeking to take that gospel to other people so that they may know him [47:03] Live a life for the gospel because the gospel is God’s plan to change the world

[47:11] It’s his plan. It’s how he’s gonna do it and it’s how he’s doing it right now. It’s always been his plan

[47:19] You may ask this morning

[47:23] But if he chose us and it happened back then then what’s the point I don’t understand we’re gonna really answer that next week [47:30] That’s why you need to come back because we’re gonna take a long hard look at man’s responsibility in light of God’s sovereignty [47:38] We’re gonna take a look at that next week [47:40] But here’s what I want you to do in John chapter 4 and we’re done and you’re like, okay

[47:47] Jesus is with his disciples [47:49] Here’s what he says [47:51] Jesus said to them my food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work [47:59] Do you not say there are yet four months then comes the harvest look I tell you [48:05] Lift up your eyes and see that the fields are white for harvest [48:10] Already the one who reaps is receiving wages and gathering fruit for eternal life

[48:15] So the sower and the reaper may rejoice together

[48:21] You see God knows who he has and will redeemed redeemed

[48:28] But I don’t [48:32] And Jesus says when you walk out to live my mission [48:35] Understand that you are not walking out depending on your ability to convince [48:42] You are not walking out depending on your ability to serve [48:46] You are not walking out depending on your ability to be good enough to be pretty enough to be smart enough to be [48:54] talented enough

[48:56] The gospel says you are walking out into fields that I have already [49:02] Prepared for you to reap a great harvest that I am bringing to myself [49:08] Through you God says it is completely dependent on me [49:12] So you can walk out there and not be afraid of making a fool of yourself [49:16] Not be afraid of failing not be afraid of just looking dumb [49:21] You can walk out with full confidence that the God who spoke the world into existence is not against you

[49:29] Rather he’s for you. You can walk out into this world that needs him with the confidence that he has already [49:36] Sowed all of the seeds and you are simply his tool to reap his harvest under his strength for his glory [49:44] Through his gospel which he prepared before the world was ever even spoken into existence [49:48] Because he’s God and he loves you and he wants to use you and the way in which you can worship him is simply by [49:56] Saying yes, I believe yes. I will serve yes [50:00] I will go God you have given the harvest you have given the significance

[50:04] I will live for it because you love me therefore. I have the ability now to love you in return [50:13] God will change the world and he wants to begin with yours

[50:21] Let’s pray father

[50:25] Or there is so much in there that we couldn’t even tap this morning I [50:32] Pray [50:34] Holy Spirit that you will open our eyes to your word [50:39] So we would not just simply be reluctant acceptance [50:43] Acceptors of your glorious grace, but rather we would be joyful partakers of the work that you’re doing in their midst