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[0:00] 1 Corinthians chapter 1, from verse 26. For you see a calling, brethren, how that not many wise men are to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called.

[0:11] ! But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise, and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty. And base things of the world, and things which are despised hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to naught things that are.

[0:29] That no flesh of glory in his presence, but of him I hear in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption.

[0:42] That according as it is written, he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. Heavenly Father, we thank you for this word. Help us, Lord, to take it in and to learn something we can apply. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

[0:56] Please be seated. I'd like us to look at who God chooses. Who God chooses. See here a picture of a seven week old baby in the mother's womb.

[1:08] Seven weeks in the sense of seven weeks from conception. And this little baby can move and have feelings. And God chooses us, even from our mother's womb.

[1:20] It talks of how God has got a choosing of those people that will follow him. And one of the people that God chose is the nation of Israel.

[1:33] And there's a saying that goes, how odd of God to choose the Jews. Deuteronomy 7 verse 6, it says, Of the nation of Israel, for thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God.

[1:45] The Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself above all people that are upon the face of the earth. Israel was a chosen people.

[1:56] A people of God's own choosing. We're going to look at a few people through the history of the scriptures, through the pages of God's word, that God chose who God chooses.

[2:08] Another person that God chose was Abraham. God called Abraham. His family had worshipped idols. He lived in an idolatrous city. Yet God chose childless Abraham and Sarah to father the nation of Israel.

[2:22] It seemed impossible. Yet God brought a wonderful blessing through Abraham to the world. And the people that God chooses are very human.

[2:33] Abraham himself experienced many failures. He lied, pretending that Sarah was his sister at one time, because he was weak and cowardly. Yet God called Abraham a friend of God.

[2:48] He's just one example as we go through. God used Abraham. He made him the father of the Jewish race, through whom all the families of the earth would be blessed. And in our text that we just read, it says that God selects people.

[3:02] Not many wise, not many noble, not many mighty. God has chosen the foolish things, it says, or those that are without rank, without status. God has chosen the weak things.

[3:13] If you're feeling weak today, God has chosen the weak things. The feeble, the base things, or the insignificant people. The despised things, those that are least esteemed.

[3:24] Those people that the world would disregard and count as lowly or insignificant, unworthy. Those that would be looked down upon. God has a place for you. He chooses you.

[3:35] God did not choose you and me because of our own strength, our own gifts or abilities. God chose us in a way because of our weakness. Because of our weakness.

[3:46] He has chosen the weak things of the world, it says, to confound the things which are mighty. And God delights in using weak people. Isn't that a wonderful encouragement for you, for me?

[3:57] To think that even though I feel weak and inadequate, unworthy, unsuited. Because God can showcase his power and his glory through your life.

[4:08] Despite you, God can use you. And Oswald Chambers wrote, God comes in where my helplessness begins. We see who God chooses. And we see that, as we've talked about Abraham there, it says of him, I will make thee a great nation.

[4:28] A great nation. Esther is another example. An adopted Jewish girl. Yet she became the queen of Persia. God used her mightily to save the lives of the Jewish people.

[4:42] Who does God choose? People just like you and me. Mr. or Mrs. Average. Ordinary people. Of different colours and races.

[4:54] The regular people. The everyday kinds of people. Let's walk down the hall of faith today. And see just a glimpse. Just some little snapshots.

[5:04] Through the history of the pages of God's word. To see some of these people. These heroes of the faith. Just ordinary people. That God uses. One of them was Deborah. Deborah was a woman.

[5:15] That God showed his strength through. To lead the nation of Israel. On the battlefield. As he leads God's people to victory. God can use you too.

[5:27] If you have a willing heart. If you have that availability. He will lead you. He will enable you. He will equip you. And train you. God can use you.

[5:37] And he will never leave you. It's just a matter of trust. Peter. Is another one. Peter and Andrew. Were just fishermen. Simple fishermen.

[5:48] Just there. Minding their boats. By the side of the sea. And the Lord Jesus. Enters in. Into their lives. And gets their attention. Peter. Was a simple man. He was unschooled.

[5:59] Untrained. In an ordinary way. He was just an average. Everyday. Fisherman. And his critics thought. Of him. As being. An ignorant person. As we read here.

[6:10] In Acts 4. Verse 13. They saw the boldness. Of Peter and John. And they perceived. That they were unlearned. And ignorant. Men. They marveled. And they took.

[6:21] Knowledge of him. That they had been. With Jesus. Peter became a great leader. An apostle of the church. Even though he was just a simple. Fisherman. He became a great.

[6:32] Vessel. For God to pour himself into. What about you? What about you today? Maybe we could all. Take stock and think. Hey. If God can use. Just ordinary people.

[6:43] And you read about. The warts and all. In here. Don't you? All their faults. And failings. You know. God's word. Doesn't paint. A pretty picture. Of some of them. Quite. Inadequate.

[6:55] What about you today? The devil would have you believe. The lie. That you can't be used of God. The devil would have you think.

[7:05] That God cannot use you. We might think. We can't be used. Because perhaps. We have a lack of education. Perhaps we. Have a lack of. Of the language.

[7:17] We feel we're too old. Too young. Too poor. Too unworthy. We think. We're not trained enough. Yet God shows us. That even. Through a humble fisherman.

[7:28] Who just spent time. With the Lord Jesus. That was what mattered. That's what. Made the difference. It wasn't. So much. His. Abilities. But his availability.

[7:39] As he stepped out. Of that fishing boat. And followed the master. And the person. Who God uses the most. Is not the most. Educated. Or the most talented. The most gifted.

[7:49] The most beautiful. The most worthy. God uses average. Ordinary people. Just like you and me. And he is the giver of the gifts. We can rely.

[8:01] Upon his Holy Spirit. As ordinary people. Can do extraordinary things. And God will equip. And he'll empower you. He'll fill you with himself. With who he is.

[8:12] With his great power. As we say. Here am I. Use me. He will equip. And empower you. In Matthew 16. Shortly after the Lord.

[8:23] Told Peter. That he was a rock. He told Peter. Get thee behind me Satan. You know. Peter had. His great failings too. And made many mistakes.

[8:34] It shows how God. Really can use anybody. If God can use Peter. He can use anybody. And God's grace. Is extended to those. Who are willing. To repent. Of their failures.

[8:46] And sins. And to let him. Use them. Look at a few more. Ordinary people. That God uses. In his word. They were faulty. And weak. Here's another example.

[8:56] Jonah. Look at Jonah. And his life. What a mess. He made of it. A prophet of God. God gave him a job today. To go and preach. To the nation. Of Nineveh. And he goes.

[9:07] In the exact opposite direction. He ran away. From the Lord. Yet God. Used Jonah. Later. To bring spiritual revival. To that nation. Another one.

[9:18] Is David. David. He was just an ordinary teenager. The youngest son. And his family. This little shepherd boy. With five. Stones.

[9:29] He only used one of them. To slay a giant. And save his nation. And he became the king. Of Israel. Yet David himself. He was very imperfect.

[9:39] Wasn't he? David. David. Committed adultery. He had a man killed. And he held his sin. For over a year. Before God made him confess.

[9:51] Despite his great mistakes. Scriptures tell us. That David had. A heart. After God. God used him. As his servant. Another one.

[10:01] Samson. He was a man. Who conquered. Whole armies. By himself. He was a. A great. Fighter. Yet he couldn't conquer. His own lusts.

[10:13] And in the end. When God brought him. And humbled him low. As we see in this picture. That. As a blinded man.

[10:25] Blinded. By the. Captives. He. Pushed the. The temple down. That they were in. The house. He brought the house down.

[10:38] He was used of God. Because God. Gave him that. Strength again. Moses. Is another one. In the. In the word of God. He was another lowly shepherd.

[10:50] Just an average everyday shepherd. Finding those. Little sheep. Out in the paddocks. And he had a speech impediment. He felt very inadequate. But God.

[11:00] Used him mightily. Didn't he? To free the. Nation of. Israel. From the Egyptians. God. Spoke through him. Yet Moses. Messed up to him.

[11:10] God was so angry. With Moses. At one point. That he wanted to kill him. In Exodus 4. Verse 24. Moses. Failed to give God. The glory. Once.

[11:20] And when he struck a rock. And God. Didn't let him. Into the promised land. Yet Moses. Is one. Of the great leaders. Of the old testament. Having written most of it. Mary.

[11:34] Think of Mary. The chosen vessel. For God almighty. To. Carry. His. His son. Into the world.

[11:45] Through an ordinary girl. Mary was just. An ordinary girl. She became. Mary. The mother. Of Jesus. Lots of girls. Were growing up.

[11:56] In Nazareth. When God. Sent his son. We can't always understand. Why God chooses someone. As against another. Friends. Now the big question.

[12:08] The big question. Bringing it right down. To you. To me today. The very big question. For you. And for me. Is. What.

[12:18] Is stopping God. From using you. What. Is stopping God. From using you. Likelihood. Is.

[12:30] It is you. Likelihood. Is. It's that face. That looks you in the mirror. Every morning. Is the one. Who's stopping God. From using you. Maybe you are fearful.

[12:44] Maybe you fear. Men. Or failure. You'll only know. By stepping out. In faith. Failure. Thomas Edison.

[12:56] Was one of the world's. Greatest geniuses. The creator. Of the light bulb. He failed. Over several hundred times. As he made that light bulb. That we. Take for granted today.

[13:07] Before he got it right. Someone asked him. How does it feel. To fail. That many times. And he responded. By saying. They weren't failures.

[13:18] They. Were education. It's how we learn. Isn't it. As you take that step forward. In faith. And you might make. Some. Slip ups. Now and again.

[13:29] God. Will teach you. And you can learn. I know. I'm still. Very much learning. As I go. And even if you failed. Miserably. Like Peter himself. God.

[13:41] Has not given up on you. God will use you again. For his purposes. You know. Just dust yourself off. After you've fallen. It says. You know. The righteous man will fall.

[13:52] Seven times. But the Lord. Will lift him up. God's got a purpose for you. A plan for you. He saw you. Way back. In your mother's womb. He knew. You would be his.

[14:05] By his grace. And calling. Be like Peter. And humble yourself. Before him. And friends. I urge you today. Each one. Whatever it is.

[14:15] That God's putting on your heart. Whoever you be today. I know there's different ones. Talking to me about. Their. Their desire to serve the Lord. And that's a wonderful thing. It's a wonderful thing.

[14:26] That we should nurture. And nourish. And we want to do that. As a church. And yet it can be. In simple ways. To serve. To be available. To be used of God.

[14:37] God can take our. Inabilities. And turn them. Into God abilities. You can do all things. Through Christ. Who strengthens you. What is stopping.

[14:49] God. From using you. Another example. We could say. Is Gideon. Here is one. A man hiding from his enemy. And an angel. Comes on the scene. And tells this. Trembling.

[15:00] Quaking. Mess of a man. He calls him. A mighty man. Of valor. God sees. What you can become. Through him. What stands out.

[15:12] With people like. Mary. Amos. David. And Gideon. Is willingness. They had a willingness. If God. Would just. Help you to be willing.

[15:25] He will use you. I know. There is different ones. That have. Felt the Lord. Moving them. To step out. And do things. They have never done before. Things that. Might be scary.

[15:37] But God will enable. God will equip. God will empower. God will lead. And make the doors open. In his way. As he calls them. Moves you. And God uses the little people.

[15:48] To do a big work. Because his power. Is greatest. In those that are weak. Little people. Are often considered weak. By the world standards. And extremely importantly.

[16:01] They consider themselves weak. They know. They are nothing. Without God. Friends. If you're feeling weak. That's good. If you're feeling like.

[16:12] You can't do it. That's good. Because. It's he. Who does the work. Isn't it? He is the one. Who works in us. Both to will. And to do. Of his good pleasure. Just let him have his way.

[16:23] With you. Let him have his way. With you. Friends. And just to close. God takes the nobodies. And he fills them with power. And just lastly. You think about the universe.

[16:35] Think about the extent. The extremity. Of who God is. In the wonder of creation. As the heavens declare. The glory of God. As you see. There's many beautiful pictures.

[16:45] From such telescopes. As the Hubble Space Telescope. Where you can see. These beautiful pictures. That God has painted. In the heavens. Of his glory. And it says. In our text.

[16:56] That no flesh. Should glory. In his presence. In 1 Corinthians 1. Verse 29. That no flesh. Should glory. In his presence. When you're feeling weak.

[17:07] And inadequate. That's when God. Can use you. To the fall. As you depend upon him. As it says. In that earlier one. We have this treasure. In earthen vessels.

[17:17] Here's a load of clay pots. God puts his glory. Into clay pots. Isn't that wonderful? They don't have to be. Particularly. Snazzy. Or. Ornate.

[17:29] Or. Particularly. Outstanding. In their value. Or their shape. They're just a vessel. You're just a vessel. In the potter's hand. You're just a.

[17:40] An instrument. A container. For God. And he wants to fill you. To fill you. To fill you. With himself. And friends. It can happen. And as he does that.

[17:51] We'll find that no flesh. Will glory in his presence. We want to give God all the glory. For what he has done. For how he's led us as a church. For our future. As he leans the way forward.

[18:03] That God will have the glory. We have this treasure. This treasure. This earthen. In these earthen vessels. That the excellency. Of the power. May be of God. And not of us.

[18:14] As it says too. In that text that we read. Christ Jesus. Who of God is made unto us. Wisdom. Righteousness. Sanctification.

[18:25] Redemption. He is all in all. He is our righteousness. It's not of our own. Endeavor. It's letting him have his way with you. He is our righteousness.

[18:36] He is our justification. He is our sanctification. Our holiness. He is our redemption. Our salvation. It's based solely on him. And what he has done.

[18:48] And yet of course. We must. As it says. Work out. Our own salvation. With fear and trembling. There's a twofold sense. Where God works in you. And we are to work.

[18:59] In response to that. But always. That we give God the glory. For whatever he does. For however he uses us. However insignificant. It may seem.

[19:10] Be that vessel. Be his hand extended. To be a fellow. Thank you.