“The P Word” (Predestination)
Pastor David Moore
Old Testament reading: 2 Chronicles 6:1-11 (NIV)
Then Solomon said, “The Lord has said that He would dwell in a dark cloud; I have built a magnificent temple for you, a place for you to dwell forever.”
While the whole assembly of Israel was standing there, the king turned around and blessed them. Then he said:
“Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, who with His hands has fulfilled what He promised with His mouth to my father David. For He said, ‘Since the day I brought my people out of Egypt, I have not chosen a city in any tribe of Israel to have a temple built so that my Name might be there, nor have I chosen anyone to be ruler over my people Israel. But now I have chosen Jerusalem for my Name to be there, and I have chosen David to rule my people Israel.’
“My father David had it in his heart to build a temple for the Name of the Lord, the God of Israel. But the Lord said to my father David, ‘You did well to have it in your heart to build a temple for my Name. Nevertheless, you are not the one to build the temple, but your son, your own flesh and blood—he is the one who will build the temple for my Name.’
“The Lord has kept the promise He made. I have succeeded David, my father, and now I sit on the throne of Israel, just as the Lord promised, and I have built the temple for the Name of the Lord, the God of Israel. There I have placed the ark, in which is the covenant of the Lord that He made with the people of Israel.”
New Testament reading: Ephesians 1:1-14 (NIV)
Paul, as apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,
To the saints in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus:
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love He predestined us to be adopted as His sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will—to the praise of His glorious grace, which He has freely given us in the One He loves. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that He lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. And He made known to us the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure, which He purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times have reached their fulfillment—to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ.
In Him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of Him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of His will, in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of His glory. And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession-to the praise of His glory.
Theme today: We will begin a series of sermons from Ephesians. We will build on the theological basis of how beliefs and actions intersect in our lives.
The Greek idea that what someone believed didn’t necessarily impact their lives. This is because the Greeks had a dichotomy, a split between the spiritual world and the physical world. ~D. Moore
What someone believed didn’t necessarily impact how someone lived. ~D. Moore
This concept has been in America since Thomas Jefferson. He believed it didn’t matter what you believed, only what you do. ~D. Moore
If we believe that Jesus died in order to take away our sins. We should live our lives in gratitude and live the way Jesus asks us. ~D. Moore
What Paul is getting at is that there is no basis for morality outside of God. ~D. Moore
We see what God has done for us. God chooses us, redeems us by His blood, then we are forgiven and adopted. ~D. Moore
God chooses us all through the Scriptures. We cannot make ourselves into Christians. ~D. Moore
You are Christians because of God’s grace. There are no qualifications. The idea of God electing us to come and follow Him, it’s simply astounding to me. ~D. Moore
Remember how Jesus chose the apostles? He invited them and then they came. He chose, then they chose. God chose first and they responded with their own choice. God has to open our hearts. ~D. Moore
John 3 says, we must be born again (being born again is not something we do but is done to us). We must be born again to even see the Kingdom of God. ~D. Moore
Romans 8:28-30 We know that all things work together for good, for those who love God, who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, in order that He might be the firstborn of a large family. And those who He predestined He also called; and those whom He called He also justified; and those whom He justified, He also glorified.
‘To know’ in the Bible means to love, foreknew means foreloved. God loved you a long time ago, and that is why you are righteous and just, not because of your actions. ~D. Moore
Acts 13:48 When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and honored the word of the Lord; and all who were appointed for eternal life believed.
The Bible says unless God calls you, draws you to Himself, you won’t come. Not because you don’t have free will; we do, but we don’t want God, and can’t want Him unless He opens our eyes. ~D. Moore
People who really have eternal life get a sense that someone is prodding them, moving them in a direction toward God.
God wants to do great things through us. He wants to partner with us, use the skills and passion He has given each of us. God doesn’t want our relationships based on fear and He doesn’t want a couch potato. God gave you gifts and skills and passion and life experiences so that you can do very specific things to grow God’s Kingdom. ~D. Moore
God has chosen me. There is nothing more humbling, and wonderful at the same time, than this idea of God choosing us. God chooses us because of love and grace. The only proper response to this undeserved and unnarrated love, is to have a willingness to jump at whatever God asks us because of the great things He has done for us. ~D. Moore
God bless, have a great week.