WEBVTT

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 I think that's right.

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 So, I'm going to read verses 28 to 30, but this morning we are particularly looking at

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 verses 29 and 30 as we continue in our series through this chapter.

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 The Apostle Paul says this, and we know that for those who love God, all things work together

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 for good, for those who are called according to His purpose.

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 For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, in

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 order that He might be the firstborn among many brothers.

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 And those whom He predestined, He also called, and those whom He called, He also justified,

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 and those whom He justified, He also glorified.

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 Who is in control?

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 Who am I, and where is my life going?

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 Those are perhaps three of the most basic and profound human questions that we all ask ourselves

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 at one time or another.

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 But I think if we're honest with ourselves, many of us aren't quite sure how to answer

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 those questions.

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 And so, we live with an underlying sense of anxiety.

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 Some of us live with anxiety about our past, maybe because of trauma or rejection that we've

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 experienced, maybe because of failures that we fear will come back to haunt us, or we might

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 even look back on our past successes, but we feel like they're never quite enough.

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 There's always something more that we need to be working on, striving towards in order to

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 prove to the world that we're still worthy of recognition.

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 Some of us live with anxiety in the present.

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 We live in a world that's rapidly changing.

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 If you can remember, 10 years ago, no one owned a smartphone.

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 Now we feel like we can't live a moment without them.

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 And we live today with the fear of missing out.

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 We try to stay constantly connected, but ironically, we're becoming lonelier than ever.

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 Since the 1980s, the percentage of American adults who say they're lonely has doubled from

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 20 to 40 percent.

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 And perhaps it's not a coincidence that the percentage of Americans diagnosed with anxiety

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 disorders has steadily increased as well in the same time period.

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 We have anxiety about the past, about the present, and even as we look toward the future, whether

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 it's anxiety about our career, about our health, about our children, about aging parents and

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 relatives, about what kind of legacy we'll leave behind, about death, and what comes after.

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 Is there anything we can say with confidence about the future?

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 You know, in this morning's passage, the Apostle Paul sounds a ringing note of assurance in the

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 midst of our anxieties.

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 Paul acknowledges in this chapter that we face afflictions, present sufferings, that we have

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 weaknesses internally and emotionally, physically, spiritually, that we live in the midst of a world

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 that groans under bondage to corruption and decay.

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 But Paul says there's one thing of which we can be confident, that God is steadily carrying out His

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 eternal purpose in the lives of everyone who loves Him.

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 Last week, we looked at verse 28, a wonderful verse where Paul says that all things work together

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 for good, under God's providence for the good of those who love Him.

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 And the second half of that verse reminds us that everyone who loves God has also been called

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 according to God's purpose.

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 In verses 29 and 30, open a window, give us a glimpse behind the curtain into God's unchanging

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 purpose from eternity past through the present age and to eternity future.

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 There are five verbs in verses 29 and 30 that form an unbroken chain.

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 Two of them refer to God's purpose from eternity past, foreknown and predestined.

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 Two of them refer to God's purpose as it's carried out in the present age, called and justified,

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 and one of them refers to God's purpose that stretches into eternity future, glorified.

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 Now, before we look at each of these verbs in turn, I want you to notice that the subject

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 of all five verbs is the same, God.

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 And the object of all five verbs is also the same, those.

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 It doesn't say that God foreknew one group of people and then decided to predestine a different

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 group of people and then called half of those and justified a few of those and glorified somebody

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 else.

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 No.

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 It says, those whom God foreknew, He also predestined and called and justified and glorified.

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 God's purpose is carried out consistently, steadily, unswervingly from eternity past through

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 the present age into eternity future.

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 And in the end, we'll see that that's why we can find rest from our anxieties.

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 That's why we can be assured, we can be confident in God's unchanging love.

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 That's why we can persevere to the end with steadfastness, because God is steadfast in carrying

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 out His purpose.

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 One commentator put it this way.

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 He wrote, in order to show the branches, that's us, that they are indeed to blossom and bear fruit,

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 Paul demonstrates in these verses, that the tree is securely planted and well-rooted.

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 So, that's what we're going to consider this morning, the tree on which we depend,

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 of God's steady and unchanging purpose from eternity past through the present age and into

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 eternity to come.

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 Now, the last two weeks, we focused on God's work in the present age, the Holy Spirit helping

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 us in our weakness through prayer, and God working all the things that we experience in

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 our life together for our good.

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 The two weeks before that, we looked at the future, about the hope that we have for the

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 redemption of our bodies and the renewal of all creation.

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 So, I'm going to spend the bulk of our time today on the first point, God's purpose from

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 eternity past, and then more briefly address how that carries out in the present age.

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 And the future, simply because we've addressed those aspects in some other sermons recently.

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 But they're all connected from God's purpose from eternity past to eternity future.

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 So, first, first point, God's purpose from eternity past.

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 Those He foreknew, He also predestined.

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 Oh boy, here we go.

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 Right?

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 These two words, foreknowledge and predestination, have been the subject of much controversy and

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 some confusion in the history of the church.

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 Now, to give you a bit of a sense of my background, I was brought up in a church that for the most

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 part ignored or ridiculed the idea of predestination.

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 Not that ugly idea.

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 Then I came to college and started attending another church that strongly affirmed predestination,

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 and one of the pastors even basically told me that if I couldn't agree with their view

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 on predestination, I shouldn't become a member of their church.

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 So, for about nine months during my sophomore year of college, I was inwardly obsessed with

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 predestination.

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 I couldn't figure out what to make of it.

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 It kept me up at night, turning the concepts over and over in my mind with no satisfying resolution.

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 It bothered me even at church.

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 I found it hard to concentrate in worship and during sermons because my mind would go there

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 and the wheels would start spinning and never really gain traction.

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 But I told hardly anyone because I thought surely no one else can relate to such an esoteric

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 struggle.

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 Now, as a side note, if you are wrestling with some kind of doubt or question or temptation

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 or besetting sin, and if you think that no other Christian can ever relate to what you're

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 going through, that is always a lie from the devil.

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 Don't believe it.

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 Don't isolate yourself from the body of believers and fight your battles all alone.

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 God's given us each other, and He sustains us by His grace through our fellowship with one

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 another, imperfect as we are.

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 Now, one of the things that was actually helpful, one of the ways that God did work through the

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 body of Christ in my life at that time, was a few of us had started going to the homeless

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 shelter and talking with people there about Jesus.

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 You might think, what in the world does that have to do with predestination?

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 Well, it didn't help me figure out predestination, but it got me out of my own head.

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 And that's a blessing to any Yale undergraduate.

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 Amen?

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 Every once in a while at least.

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 Talking with the people in the homeless shelter reminded me of the gospel that I'd always known,

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 that Jesus Christ died for sinners, and that His blood was sufficient to save and powerful

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 to transform anyone who would come to Him in faith.

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 So, let me say this.

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 The doctrines of foreknowledge and predestination are not the forefront of the gospel message.

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 Okay?

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 They're not the key above all else to understanding the message of the Bible.

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 There's no book of the Bible whose main theme above everything else is God's foreknowledge

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 and predestination.

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 In the drama of Scripture, they're more like backstage realities, things that are well known

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 to the director but aren't in clear and full view of the audience.

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 And yet, we occasionally get a glimpse into them in Scriptures like these.

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 And this Scripture, like every other one, is given for our good.

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 So, let's dig in.

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 Verse 29.

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 Foreknowledge.

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 Sometimes this word can mean simply knowing about something ahead of time.

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 And so, some people have said God's foreknowledge refers to God knowing in advance who will choose

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 to believe in and obey Him of their own accord.

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 So, in other words, the verse would mean those whose faith and obedience God knew about beforehand,

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 those ones He predestined to glory.

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 So, in that view, God's predestination depends completely on our free choice.

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 It's all up to us.

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 But there are problems with that view.

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 For one thing, it's just not what the verse says.

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 The verse doesn't say those whose faith God foreknew or those whose obedience God foreknew.

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 It says those whom God foreknew.

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 God foreknew people, not choices or actions.

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 When this verse says God foreknew us, it doesn't just mean God knew something about us.

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 It means that long before we were born, He knew us in an intimate and personal way.

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 He committed Himself to us and set us apart for Himself.

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 And this is how the word is used in many other places in Scripture.

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 Romans 11 verse 2 says,

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 God has not rejected His people whom He foreknew.

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 In the Old Testament, God said to the prophet Jeremiah,

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 Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you.

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 It doesn't just mean I knew about you.

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 It doesn't just mean I knew you would exist one day.

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 It means I've chosen you and called you.

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 I set you apart to be a prophet to the nations.

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 Jesus Himself actually uses the same language of being known by God

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 in a rather scary warning at the end of the Sermon on the Mount.

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 Jesus says that some people who call Him Lord but never obey Him

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 will one day hear Him say to them,

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 I never knew you.

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 Depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.

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 He's saying, I never knew you.

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 In other words, I never enjoyed a genuine, personal, intimate relationship with you

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 and you with me.

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 In many places in the Bible, to know someone means to be intimately related to them,

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 to know them inside and out.

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 The Hebrew word to know is sometimes used to describe the exclusive intimacy

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 shared by a husband and wife who have promised themselves to each other in love.

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 So, when it says God foreknew His people from eternity past,

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 it's as if a parent is talking to their child and saying,

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 son or daughter, long before you were conscious,

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 long before you were born into the world or adopted into our family,

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 even before you were conceived in the womb,

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 you were wanted.

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 We wanted you.

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 We sought you out.

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 You were foreknown and foreloved.

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 When you became part of our family,

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 we gave you our name,

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 our family name.

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 Not as a crown for your achievements,

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 not as a response to your performance,

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 not for a probationary period of time to see how you turn out,

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 but to say that you belong

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 because you were foreknown and foreloved.

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 That's what God says to every one of us.

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 I knew you before the beginning of time,

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 before you were aware of me,

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 before you,

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 certainly before you chose me.

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 You were foreknown,

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 pre-loved,

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 from eternity past.

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 And that's what God says to every one of His children

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 who's been adopted into His family

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 through faith in His Son.

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 Paul goes on to say,

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 those whom God foreknew,

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 He also predestined.

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 Now, for some of us,

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 when we hear the word predestined,

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 we think of the idea of fate.

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 But these are not the same thing.

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 Fatalism means living in a world

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 where your destiny is determined by the stars

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 or by something else that's impersonal

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 and ultimately random.

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 Biblical faith is living in a universe

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 that is ruled by an ever-present

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 and living and purposeful

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 and personal God.

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 Fatalism says,

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 whatever will be, will be.

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 So, it doesn't really matter what I do.

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 And in the end,

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 I'm not really responsible for what happens.

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 But that's not what the Bible says.

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 The Bible affirms both

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 God's complete sovereignty

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 and human responsibility.

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 It's not an either-or,

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 it's both-and.

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 So, let me give you a few examples.

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 Look in this chapter,

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 look at verse 23.

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 In this verse,

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 in the middle of the verse,

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 it says,

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 we ourselves,

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 we groan inwardly

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 as we wait eagerly

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 for the redemption of our bodies.

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 But then look down at verse 26.

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 The end of verse 26,

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 it says,

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 the Spirit,

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 the Holy Spirit of God Himself

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 intercedes for us

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 with groanings too deep for words.

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 Now, when you put these two verses together,

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 what is it saying?

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 It's saying,

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 the groanings that come

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 from the very depth of our own heart

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 are simultaneously the groans

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 produced by the Holy Spirit of God

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 who dwells within us.

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 Or you can look ahead

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 to Romans 9 and 10.

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 Now, Romans chapter 9

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 emphasizes God's sovereignty.

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 If you look at Romans 9, verse 18,

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 it's about as strong a statement

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 as you can get.

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 God has mercy on whomever He wills,

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 and He hardens whomever He wills.

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 But then if you go on to chapter 10,

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 chapter 10 emphasizes human responsibility.

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 If you look at chapter 10, verse 13,

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 it says,

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 everyone who calls on the name of the Lord

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 will be saved.

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 The end of the chapter, verse 21,

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 He says,

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 God's speaking to His people,

00:16:37.379 --> 00:16:37.559
 saying,

00:16:37.559 --> 00:16:38.259
 all day long,

00:16:38.360 --> 00:16:39.459
 I've held out My hands

00:16:39.459 --> 00:16:41.360
 to a disobedient and contrary people.

00:16:41.360 --> 00:16:46.240
 God's sovereignty over everything

00:16:46.240 --> 00:16:47.379
 and human responsibility.

00:16:48.980 --> 00:16:50.279
 They're two hands,

00:16:50.740 --> 00:16:53.379
 and they're not chopped off from each other.

00:16:54.620 --> 00:16:56.200
 Two hands part of the same body.

00:16:57.240 --> 00:16:58.480
 Or consider another example,

00:16:58.600 --> 00:17:00.480
 2 Corinthians 8, 16 and 17.

00:17:00.600 --> 00:17:01.240
 Paul says this.

00:17:01.300 --> 00:17:01.639
 He says,

00:17:01.639 --> 00:17:02.800
 Thanks be to God

00:17:02.800 --> 00:17:05.259
 who put into the heart of Titus

00:17:05.259 --> 00:17:08.660
 the same earnest care I have for you.

00:17:08.660 --> 00:17:12.200
 And then he goes on and says,

00:17:12.380 --> 00:17:14.180
 For He not only accepted our appeal,

00:17:14.320 --> 00:17:15.759
 but being Himself very earnest,

00:17:15.880 --> 00:17:17.560
 He is going to you of His own accord.

00:17:17.660 --> 00:17:18.360
 So, Paul says,

00:17:18.660 --> 00:17:19.220
 in one verse,

00:17:19.320 --> 00:17:21.040
 God put it into the heart of Titus

00:17:21.040 --> 00:17:22.759
 to do what He's doing.

00:17:23.120 --> 00:17:24.120
 And in the second verse,

00:17:24.160 --> 00:17:24.540
 he says,

00:17:24.640 --> 00:17:26.340
 Titus is going to you of His own accord.

00:17:27.700 --> 00:17:29.019
 And that's not a contradiction.

00:17:29.960 --> 00:17:31.940
 See, the Bible puts both of these things together.

00:17:32.060 --> 00:17:33.240
 N.T. Wright puts it this way,

00:17:33.460 --> 00:17:35.440
 Christian faith is wholeheartedly

00:17:35.440 --> 00:17:37.940
 and responsibly answering the call

00:17:37.940 --> 00:17:39.019
 of a sovereign God

00:17:39.019 --> 00:17:41.480
 with love, gratitude, and obedience

00:17:41.480 --> 00:17:43.620
 that comes from the depth of our own being

00:17:43.620 --> 00:17:46.220
 and is simultaneously experienced

00:17:46.220 --> 00:17:48.500
 as a response to a sovereignty,

00:17:49.059 --> 00:17:50.500
 a compulsion even.

00:17:52.360 --> 00:17:53.340
 Now, some of you might say,

00:17:53.400 --> 00:17:56.059
 but I just don't see how both of these things

00:17:56.059 --> 00:17:57.160
 can be true at the same time.

00:17:57.200 --> 00:17:57.880
 It just doesn't…

00:17:57.880 --> 00:17:59.279
 I can't put it together in my head.

00:17:59.779 --> 00:18:01.000
 It doesn't make sense.

00:18:01.840 --> 00:18:02.820
 But consider this.

00:18:04.039 --> 00:18:05.240
 In the natural world,

00:18:05.240 --> 00:18:06.539
 in the physical universe,

00:18:07.140 --> 00:18:09.039
 we see paradoxes

00:18:09.039 --> 00:18:11.680
 that we cannot fully resolve.

00:18:12.500 --> 00:18:14.240
 Yet, they are undeniably real.

00:18:14.359 --> 00:18:14.980
 For example,

00:18:15.900 --> 00:18:16.880
 physicists tell us

00:18:16.880 --> 00:18:18.440
 that light is both a wave

00:18:18.440 --> 00:18:19.319
 and a particle.

00:18:20.660 --> 00:18:21.819
 Now, it's very difficult,

00:18:22.400 --> 00:18:22.779
 right?

00:18:23.779 --> 00:18:25.319
 It's very difficult to explain,

00:18:25.400 --> 00:18:26.700
 and I think even the PhD students

00:18:26.700 --> 00:18:27.839
 in physics can affirm this,

00:18:28.079 --> 00:18:29.359
 it's very difficult to explain

00:18:29.359 --> 00:18:31.240
 how both of those things

00:18:31.240 --> 00:18:32.460
 are true at the same time.

00:18:33.259 --> 00:18:34.660
 But it's very well established

00:18:34.660 --> 00:18:36.220
 that they are both true.

00:18:37.500 --> 00:18:38.859
 If you study quantum mechanics,

00:18:39.019 --> 00:18:40.279
 it just makes your head spin.

00:18:41.759 --> 00:18:43.279
 It's not what anyone

00:18:43.279 --> 00:18:44.039
 would have come up with

00:18:44.039 --> 00:18:44.539
 on their own.

00:18:45.940 --> 00:18:47.039
 But it's reality,

00:18:47.200 --> 00:18:48.779
 strange as it may seem.

00:18:49.779 --> 00:18:51.559
 And if the physical universe

00:18:51.559 --> 00:18:53.539
 that scientists can study

00:18:53.539 --> 00:18:54.799
 and examine operates

00:18:54.799 --> 00:18:56.620
 in ways that are counterintuitive

00:18:56.619 --> 00:18:59.299
 and hard, if not impossible,

00:18:59.299 --> 00:19:00.500
 for our human minds

00:19:00.500 --> 00:19:01.419
 to fully grasp,

00:19:01.679 --> 00:19:03.419
 how much more mysterious

00:19:03.419 --> 00:19:05.159
 and unfathomable

00:19:05.159 --> 00:19:06.119
 and glorious

00:19:06.119 --> 00:19:06.739
 are the ways

00:19:06.739 --> 00:19:07.759
 of an infinite God

00:19:07.759 --> 00:19:09.619
 as God interacts

00:19:09.619 --> 00:19:10.439
 with His creation.

00:19:13.099 --> 00:19:13.459
 You know,

00:19:13.479 --> 00:19:13.979
 if you think about

00:19:13.979 --> 00:19:15.719
 nearly every major

00:19:15.719 --> 00:19:17.259
 Christian doctrine,

00:19:17.779 --> 00:19:20.099
 it contains some mystery.

00:19:21.299 --> 00:19:21.879
 The Trinity,

00:19:22.279 --> 00:19:22.959
 one God

00:19:22.959 --> 00:19:24.159
 in three persons.

00:19:24.160 --> 00:19:26.019
 Jesus Christ,

00:19:26.340 --> 00:19:27.340
 completely God,

00:19:28.180 --> 00:19:29.140
 and yet He became

00:19:29.140 --> 00:19:30.240
 completely human

00:19:30.240 --> 00:19:32.640
 at the same time.

00:19:34.820 --> 00:19:35.860
 And the interplay

00:19:35.860 --> 00:19:36.779
 between God's

00:19:36.779 --> 00:19:37.900
 complete sovereignty

00:19:37.900 --> 00:19:40.540
 and our human responsibility.

00:19:41.640 --> 00:19:42.500
 And when we probe

00:19:42.500 --> 00:19:43.380
 the depths of these

00:19:43.380 --> 00:19:44.340
 biblical teachings,

00:19:44.740 --> 00:19:46.320
 it's meant to lead us

00:19:46.320 --> 00:19:48.980
 to awe-filled worship.

00:19:50.740 --> 00:19:51.940
 That's where Paul goes

00:19:51.940 --> 00:19:53.019
 at the end of Romans 11

00:19:53.019 --> 00:19:55.460
 Oh, the depth

00:19:55.460 --> 00:19:56.720
 of the riches

00:19:56.720 --> 00:19:57.859
 and wisdom

00:19:57.859 --> 00:19:59.400
 and knowledge of God!

00:20:00.099 --> 00:20:01.700
 How unsearchable

00:20:01.700 --> 00:20:02.660
 are His judgments

00:20:02.660 --> 00:20:04.240
 and how inscrutable

00:20:04.240 --> 00:20:05.000
 His ways!

00:20:05.839 --> 00:20:06.859
 For who has known

00:20:06.859 --> 00:20:07.859
 the mind of the Lord

00:20:07.859 --> 00:20:08.599
 or who has been

00:20:08.599 --> 00:20:09.220
 His counselor?

00:20:10.299 --> 00:20:11.460
 Who has ever given

00:20:11.460 --> 00:20:12.139
 a gift to Him

00:20:12.139 --> 00:20:13.839
 that He might be repaid?

00:20:15.599 --> 00:20:16.639
 For from Him

00:20:16.639 --> 00:20:17.379
 and to Him

00:20:17.379 --> 00:20:18.079
 and through Him

00:20:18.079 --> 00:20:18.879
 are all things.

00:20:18.980 --> 00:20:20.339
 To Him be glory forever.

00:20:20.839 --> 00:20:21.440
 Amen.

00:20:21.440 --> 00:20:24.080
 You know,

00:20:24.140 --> 00:20:24.920
 every time the Bible

00:20:24.920 --> 00:20:25.840
 talks about God's

00:20:25.840 --> 00:20:26.759
 predestination,

00:20:27.880 --> 00:20:29.160
 His sovereign choice

00:20:29.160 --> 00:20:30.600
 of us before

00:20:30.600 --> 00:20:31.180
 the foundation

00:20:31.180 --> 00:20:31.620
 of the world

00:20:31.620 --> 00:20:32.740
 is for one of three purposes.

00:20:33.440 --> 00:20:33.880
 First,

00:20:34.039 --> 00:20:34.820
 it's to promote

00:20:34.820 --> 00:20:35.400
 gratitude

00:20:35.400 --> 00:20:36.720
 and praise to God.

00:20:37.559 --> 00:20:38.460
 So, Ephesians 1

00:20:38.460 --> 00:20:39.120
 says,

00:20:39.380 --> 00:20:39.960
 God chose us

00:20:39.960 --> 00:20:40.420
 in Christ

00:20:40.420 --> 00:20:41.240
 before the foundation

00:20:41.240 --> 00:20:41.799
 of the world

00:20:41.799 --> 00:20:42.860
 that we might be

00:20:42.860 --> 00:20:43.600
 to the praise

00:20:43.600 --> 00:20:44.259
 of His glory,

00:20:44.820 --> 00:20:45.860
 that we might

00:20:45.860 --> 00:20:46.840
 praise Him

00:20:46.840 --> 00:20:48.799
 for His amazing grace,

00:20:48.799 --> 00:20:50.599
 that He has lavished

00:20:50.599 --> 00:20:51.079
 upon us

00:20:51.079 --> 00:20:52.119
 from eternity past.

00:20:53.419 --> 00:20:53.859
 Second,

00:20:53.960 --> 00:20:54.460
 it's to promote

00:20:54.460 --> 00:20:54.960
 humility.

00:20:56.000 --> 00:20:56.859
 That's one of the main

00:20:56.859 --> 00:20:57.899
 emphases of Romans 9.

00:20:59.059 --> 00:21:00.119
 Romans 9.20 says,

00:21:00.180 --> 00:21:00.579
 Who are you,

00:21:00.659 --> 00:21:00.960
 O man,

00:21:01.019 --> 00:21:02.039
 to answer back to God?

00:21:03.740 --> 00:21:04.539
 Will the clay

00:21:04.539 --> 00:21:05.399
 say to the potter,

00:21:05.579 --> 00:21:06.759
 why have you made

00:21:06.759 --> 00:21:07.480
 me like this?

00:21:11.419 --> 00:21:12.460
 It humbles us.

00:21:13.659 --> 00:21:14.619
 The third purpose

00:21:14.619 --> 00:21:15.700
 is to give assurance

00:21:15.700 --> 00:21:17.079
 to suffering believers,

00:21:17.079 --> 00:21:17.699
 and that's actually

00:21:17.699 --> 00:21:18.279
 the main purpose

00:21:18.279 --> 00:21:19.799
 of this text

00:21:19.799 --> 00:21:21.179
 in the context

00:21:21.179 --> 00:21:22.059
 of the middle

00:21:22.059 --> 00:21:22.679
 of Romans 8.

00:21:23.599 --> 00:21:24.259
 The whole section

00:21:24.259 --> 00:21:24.839
 is talking about

00:21:24.839 --> 00:21:25.679
 our present suffering

00:21:25.679 --> 00:21:27.099
 and our future glory,

00:21:27.919 --> 00:21:29.539
 and so verses 29 and 30

00:21:29.539 --> 00:21:31.059
 are meant to reassure us.

00:21:31.779 --> 00:21:32.859
 They're meant to reassure us

00:21:32.859 --> 00:21:33.339
 in the midst

00:21:33.339 --> 00:21:34.019
 of our suffering

00:21:34.019 --> 00:21:35.399
 and looking to Christ

00:21:35.399 --> 00:21:37.079
 that He's on our side

00:21:37.079 --> 00:21:38.539
 and He's for us

00:21:38.539 --> 00:21:39.799
 and we can trust Him.

00:21:40.720 --> 00:21:41.419
 And He's been there

00:21:41.419 --> 00:21:42.059
 all along.

00:21:44.799 --> 00:21:45.720
 To know that we are

00:21:45.720 --> 00:21:46.859
 predestined by God

00:21:46.859 --> 00:21:47.719
 means to know

00:21:47.719 --> 00:21:48.539
 that our lives

00:21:48.539 --> 00:21:49.899
 have a destination.

00:21:51.579 --> 00:21:52.240
 Isn't that what's

00:21:52.240 --> 00:21:53.399
 in that word,

00:21:53.500 --> 00:21:54.399
 predestination?

00:21:54.500 --> 00:21:55.019
 It means we have

00:21:55.019 --> 00:21:55.619
 a destination

00:21:55.619 --> 00:21:56.599
 that we're going to.

00:21:57.199 --> 00:21:57.979
 The Greek word

00:21:57.979 --> 00:21:59.059
 is prohorizo.

00:21:59.219 --> 00:21:59.619
 It's where we get

00:21:59.619 --> 00:22:00.459
 the word horizon.

00:22:01.359 --> 00:22:02.439
 It's a word that's meant

00:22:02.439 --> 00:22:03.199
 to focus our attention

00:22:03.199 --> 00:22:03.879
 on the goal,

00:22:04.799 --> 00:22:05.799
 the destination

00:22:05.799 --> 00:22:06.740
 that God has set out

00:22:06.740 --> 00:22:07.199
 for us

00:22:07.199 --> 00:22:07.919
 in the second half

00:22:07.919 --> 00:22:08.579
 of verse 29

00:22:08.579 --> 00:22:09.839
 tells us what that is,

00:22:09.859 --> 00:22:10.979
 to be conformed

00:22:10.979 --> 00:22:12.099
 to the image

00:22:12.099 --> 00:22:13.719
 of His Son.

00:22:13.720 --> 00:22:16.819
 Pastor Nick talked

00:22:16.819 --> 00:22:17.360
 last week

00:22:17.360 --> 00:22:18.600
 that this is the good

00:22:18.600 --> 00:22:19.920
 that verse 28

00:22:19.920 --> 00:22:20.620
 is talking about

00:22:20.620 --> 00:22:21.000
 when it says,

00:22:21.259 --> 00:22:22.059
 all things work together

00:22:22.059 --> 00:22:22.640
 for good.

00:22:23.480 --> 00:22:24.200
 What's that good?

00:22:24.279 --> 00:22:24.940
 It's that we

00:22:24.940 --> 00:22:26.420
 become more

00:22:26.420 --> 00:22:27.039
 and more

00:22:27.039 --> 00:22:29.000
 like Jesus Himself.

00:22:31.799 --> 00:22:33.160
 He is the pattern,

00:22:33.480 --> 00:22:33.980
 the imprint,

00:22:34.100 --> 00:22:34.539
 the glory,

00:22:34.680 --> 00:22:35.700
 everything the human race

00:22:35.700 --> 00:22:37.059
 was originally intended

00:22:37.059 --> 00:22:37.600
 to be.

00:22:37.599 --> 00:22:40.759
 And we who believe

00:22:40.759 --> 00:22:41.480
 in Him

00:22:41.480 --> 00:22:42.419
 and belong to Him

00:22:42.419 --> 00:22:43.259
 are being shaped,

00:22:43.919 --> 00:22:44.339
 polished,

00:22:44.819 --> 00:22:45.619
 melted down,

00:22:45.839 --> 00:22:46.679
 smoothed out,

00:22:46.899 --> 00:22:47.439
 sculpted,

00:22:47.599 --> 00:22:48.039
 framed,

00:22:48.399 --> 00:22:49.399
 cast into that

00:22:49.399 --> 00:22:50.779
 master design.

00:22:51.939 --> 00:22:52.899
 This has been

00:22:52.899 --> 00:22:53.639
 God's plan

00:22:53.639 --> 00:22:54.359
 and purpose

00:22:54.359 --> 00:22:56.339
 from eternity past.

00:22:58.599 --> 00:22:59.000
 Now,

00:22:59.059 --> 00:22:59.480
 I want you to think

00:22:59.480 --> 00:23:00.000
 for a moment

00:23:00.000 --> 00:23:01.619
 about the process

00:23:01.619 --> 00:23:02.139
 of creating

00:23:02.139 --> 00:23:02.859
 a work of art.

00:23:04.679 --> 00:23:05.579
 Because it says

00:23:05.579 --> 00:23:06.159
 that that's what

00:23:06.160 --> 00:23:07.060
 God is doing

00:23:07.060 --> 00:23:08.800
 in conforming us

00:23:08.800 --> 00:23:09.279
 to the image

00:23:09.279 --> 00:23:09.779
 of His Son.

00:23:09.860 --> 00:23:10.300
 It's the image

00:23:10.300 --> 00:23:11.340
 of creating

00:23:11.340 --> 00:23:12.220
 a work of beauty.

00:23:15.000 --> 00:23:15.660
 Creating a work

00:23:15.660 --> 00:23:16.400
 of art is messy.

00:23:18.259 --> 00:23:18.900
 Have you ever

00:23:18.900 --> 00:23:19.519
 walked into

00:23:19.519 --> 00:23:20.360
 an art studio

00:23:20.360 --> 00:23:21.880
 with a bunch

00:23:21.880 --> 00:23:22.860
 of works in progress

00:23:22.860 --> 00:23:24.100
 that looks neat

00:23:24.100 --> 00:23:24.640
 and tidy?

00:23:26.019 --> 00:23:26.460
 No!

00:23:27.660 --> 00:23:28.460
 But the artist

00:23:28.460 --> 00:23:29.080
 has a purpose

00:23:29.080 --> 00:23:29.779
 in mind,

00:23:30.380 --> 00:23:30.640
 right?

00:23:30.720 --> 00:23:31.600
 Despite the apparent

00:23:31.600 --> 00:23:32.820
 madness and chaos.

00:23:34.279 --> 00:23:35.360
 And God is not

00:23:35.360 --> 00:23:36.120
 above working

00:23:36.119 --> 00:23:36.679
 through

00:23:36.679 --> 00:23:38.479
 apparent madness

00:23:38.479 --> 00:23:39.259
 and chaos

00:23:39.259 --> 00:23:42.039
 to produce

00:23:42.039 --> 00:23:42.859
 His masterpieces.

00:23:45.859 --> 00:23:46.379
 Second,

00:23:47.039 --> 00:23:47.679
 creating a work

00:23:47.679 --> 00:23:48.519
 of art is intense.

00:23:49.659 --> 00:23:50.219
 Think about

00:23:50.219 --> 00:23:51.019
 glass blowing

00:23:51.019 --> 00:23:52.099
 or wood turning

00:23:52.099 --> 00:23:53.339
 or sculpture making

00:23:53.339 --> 00:23:54.519
 or anything

00:23:54.519 --> 00:23:55.319
 where you have

00:23:55.319 --> 00:23:56.319
 to use a blowtorch

00:23:56.319 --> 00:23:56.819
 on metal.

00:23:57.899 --> 00:23:58.899
 Not for the faint

00:23:58.899 --> 00:23:59.319
 of heart.

00:24:01.079 --> 00:24:01.779
 Sometimes God

00:24:01.779 --> 00:24:02.319
 brings us

00:24:02.319 --> 00:24:03.559
 through fiery trials

00:24:03.559 --> 00:24:04.819
 trials that feel

00:24:04.819 --> 00:24:05.500
 intense

00:24:05.500 --> 00:24:08.519
 through painful

00:24:08.519 --> 00:24:09.319
 experiences

00:24:09.319 --> 00:24:11.359
 not to destroy us

00:24:11.359 --> 00:24:13.039
 but to refine us

00:24:13.039 --> 00:24:15.059
 and to make us

00:24:15.059 --> 00:24:15.579
 into something

00:24:15.579 --> 00:24:16.779
 unimaginably beautiful

00:24:16.779 --> 00:24:17.319
 that we would

00:24:17.319 --> 00:24:17.899
 otherwise

00:24:17.899 --> 00:24:19.179
 never become.

00:24:21.579 --> 00:24:22.200
 Third,

00:24:22.279 --> 00:24:23.019
 it's time-consuming.

00:24:24.200 --> 00:24:25.359
 Think about a painting

00:24:25.359 --> 00:24:26.440
 on a large canvas.

00:24:26.619 --> 00:24:27.539
 Last summer

00:24:27.539 --> 00:24:28.279
 before last,

00:24:28.359 --> 00:24:28.940
 my family went

00:24:28.940 --> 00:24:29.460
 to a museum

00:24:29.460 --> 00:24:30.079
 in Ohio

00:24:30.079 --> 00:24:31.359
 that contained

00:24:31.359 --> 00:24:32.539
 a circular mural

00:24:32.539 --> 00:24:35.059
 265 feet long

00:24:35.059 --> 00:24:36.500
 by 10 feet high

00:24:36.500 --> 00:24:38.399
 chronicling the history

00:24:38.399 --> 00:24:39.519
 of the Anabaptist movement.

00:24:40.279 --> 00:24:41.139
 It was entirely

00:24:41.139 --> 00:24:41.599
 the work

00:24:41.599 --> 00:24:42.819
 of one man

00:24:42.819 --> 00:24:43.420
 from Germany.

00:24:44.420 --> 00:24:45.259
 It took him

00:24:45.259 --> 00:24:46.440
 14 years

00:24:46.440 --> 00:24:48.059
 to do the background

00:24:48.059 --> 00:24:48.799
 research,

00:24:49.480 --> 00:24:50.220
 to plan out

00:24:50.220 --> 00:24:50.859
 the sequence,

00:24:51.059 --> 00:24:51.700
 and finally

00:24:51.700 --> 00:24:52.539
 to paint the mural.

00:24:52.539 --> 00:24:54.460
 And he did it

00:24:54.460 --> 00:24:55.259
 all by himself

00:24:55.259 --> 00:24:56.680
 the whole way.

00:24:59.200 --> 00:25:00.399
 Now think about that.

00:25:01.079 --> 00:25:01.960
 It's messy,

00:25:02.200 --> 00:25:03.099
 it's intense,

00:25:03.180 --> 00:25:04.460
 and it's time-consuming.

00:25:05.039 --> 00:25:05.980
 Brothers and sisters,

00:25:06.079 --> 00:25:06.539
 here's the point.

00:25:06.619 --> 00:25:07.740
 The life and work

00:25:07.740 --> 00:25:08.759
 that God

00:25:08.759 --> 00:25:09.920
 has set before you

00:25:09.920 --> 00:25:11.299
 may be

00:25:11.299 --> 00:25:12.099
 all those things.

00:25:12.159 --> 00:25:13.039
 It might be messy.

00:25:14.519 --> 00:25:15.259
 Your life

00:25:15.259 --> 00:25:15.779
 might feel

00:25:15.779 --> 00:25:16.559
 chaotic

00:25:16.559 --> 00:25:17.799
 and

00:25:17.799 --> 00:25:18.619
 just

00:25:18.619 --> 00:25:19.899
 disordered

00:25:19.899 --> 00:25:20.460
 right now.

00:25:20.460 --> 00:25:22.120
 It might feel

00:25:22.120 --> 00:25:22.680
 intense

00:25:22.680 --> 00:25:23.440
 and painful.

00:25:23.700 --> 00:25:24.460
 It might be

00:25:24.460 --> 00:25:25.660
 just long

00:25:25.660 --> 00:25:28.039
 and drawn out.

00:25:29.059 --> 00:25:29.920
 A time-consuming

00:25:29.920 --> 00:25:30.279
 journey.

00:25:31.120 --> 00:25:32.039
 But here's what

00:25:32.039 --> 00:25:32.759
 this verse is saying.

00:25:32.840 --> 00:25:33.100
 It's saying,

00:25:33.220 --> 00:25:33.819
 long ago,

00:25:34.140 --> 00:25:35.079
 God made

00:25:35.079 --> 00:25:35.660
 a plan.

00:25:37.380 --> 00:25:38.039
 And long ago,

00:25:38.079 --> 00:25:38.840
 God envisioned

00:25:38.840 --> 00:25:39.900
 the glorious

00:25:39.900 --> 00:25:40.519
 destination

00:25:40.519 --> 00:25:41.680
 that He is

00:25:41.680 --> 00:25:42.519
 leading you

00:25:42.519 --> 00:25:43.079
 towards

00:25:43.079 --> 00:25:44.740
 every day

00:25:44.740 --> 00:25:46.039
 by His Spirit.

00:25:47.519 --> 00:25:48.299
 His purpose

00:25:48.299 --> 00:25:49.480
 from eternity

00:25:49.480 --> 00:25:50.240
 past is that

00:25:50.240 --> 00:25:50.900
 you might

00:25:50.900 --> 00:25:51.620
 come to be

00:25:51.620 --> 00:25:52.220
 one of His

00:25:52.220 --> 00:25:53.079
 masterpieces,

00:25:53.539 --> 00:25:53.980
 reflecting

00:25:53.980 --> 00:25:55.240
 the beautiful

00:25:55.240 --> 00:25:55.740
 image

00:25:55.740 --> 00:25:56.680
 of His Son,

00:25:57.819 --> 00:25:58.539
 Jesus Christ.

00:25:59.480 --> 00:26:00.120
 That you might

00:26:00.120 --> 00:26:00.559
 be one of

00:26:00.559 --> 00:26:01.620
 Christ's brothers

00:26:01.620 --> 00:26:02.539
 or sisters

00:26:02.539 --> 00:26:03.240
 forever.

00:26:03.400 --> 00:26:03.799
 That He might

00:26:03.799 --> 00:26:04.559
 be the firstborn

00:26:04.559 --> 00:26:05.200
 among many.

00:26:07.259 --> 00:26:07.640
 Another way

00:26:07.640 --> 00:26:08.039
 you can think

00:26:08.039 --> 00:26:08.500
 about this

00:26:08.500 --> 00:26:08.960
 is God's

00:26:08.960 --> 00:26:09.420
 purpose from

00:26:09.420 --> 00:26:10.319
 eternity past

00:26:10.319 --> 00:26:10.859
 was to have

00:26:10.859 --> 00:26:11.539
 a big family.

00:26:14.339 --> 00:26:14.779
 Now,

00:26:14.839 --> 00:26:15.299
 God always

00:26:15.299 --> 00:26:15.839
 had a perfect

00:26:15.839 --> 00:26:16.259
 family.

00:26:17.579 --> 00:26:18.339
 The Father,

00:26:18.680 --> 00:26:19.140
 the Son,

00:26:19.140 --> 00:26:19.780
 and the Holy

00:26:19.780 --> 00:26:20.160
 Spirit.

00:26:21.160 --> 00:26:21.680
 They were one

00:26:21.680 --> 00:26:22.340
 happy family

00:26:22.340 --> 00:26:22.759
 from all

00:26:22.759 --> 00:26:23.160
 eternity,

00:26:23.300 --> 00:26:23.680
 full of

00:26:23.680 --> 00:26:25.000
 love and

00:26:25.000 --> 00:26:25.580
 glory and

00:26:25.580 --> 00:26:26.160
 power and

00:26:26.160 --> 00:26:26.680
 wisdom and

00:26:26.680 --> 00:26:27.620
 mutual understanding

00:26:27.620 --> 00:26:28.120
 and mutually

00:26:28.120 --> 00:26:28.660
 indwelling,

00:26:28.840 --> 00:26:29.680
 utterly complete

00:26:29.680 --> 00:26:30.400
 and unbroken,

00:26:30.540 --> 00:26:31.100
 not lacking

00:26:31.100 --> 00:26:31.580
 anything.

00:26:32.280 --> 00:26:32.960
 But God

00:26:32.960 --> 00:26:33.460
 didn't just

00:26:33.460 --> 00:26:34.040
 want a perfect

00:26:34.040 --> 00:26:34.380
 family,

00:26:34.440 --> 00:26:34.740
 He wanted

00:26:34.740 --> 00:26:35.380
 a big one.

00:26:36.360 --> 00:26:37.340
 He intentionally

00:26:37.340 --> 00:26:38.400
 chose to open

00:26:38.400 --> 00:26:39.200
 His home to a

00:26:39.200 --> 00:26:40.120
 vast multitude

00:26:40.120 --> 00:26:40.780
 of children.

00:26:42.060 --> 00:26:43.060
 Not temporarily,

00:26:43.259 --> 00:26:43.759
 but forever.

00:26:43.759 --> 00:26:43.839
 forever.

00:26:46.480 --> 00:26:47.099
 And oh,

00:26:47.160 --> 00:26:47.559
 that was a

00:26:47.559 --> 00:26:48.440
 costly choice.

00:26:51.200 --> 00:26:51.900
 Because God

00:26:51.900 --> 00:26:52.339
 the Father,

00:26:52.900 --> 00:26:53.460
 to make us

00:26:53.460 --> 00:26:54.000
 His children,

00:26:55.299 --> 00:26:55.900
 had to send

00:26:55.900 --> 00:26:56.359
 His one and

00:26:56.359 --> 00:26:56.879
 only Son

00:26:56.879 --> 00:26:57.460
 into this

00:26:57.460 --> 00:26:57.839
 world,

00:26:58.440 --> 00:27:00.400
 to rescue us

00:27:00.400 --> 00:27:00.920
 from sin

00:27:00.920 --> 00:27:01.359
 and death

00:27:01.359 --> 00:27:01.819
 and the devil

00:27:01.819 --> 00:27:02.379
 that we had

00:27:02.379 --> 00:27:03.619
 gotten ourselves

00:27:03.619 --> 00:27:04.059
 into.

00:27:05.619 --> 00:27:06.160
 And the

00:27:06.160 --> 00:27:06.740
 eternal Son

00:27:06.740 --> 00:27:07.220
 of God,

00:27:07.400 --> 00:27:07.980
 Jesus Christ

00:27:07.980 --> 00:27:08.359
 Himself,

00:27:08.500 --> 00:27:09.019
 suffered and

00:27:09.019 --> 00:27:09.519
 bled and

00:27:09.519 --> 00:27:10.240
 died to make

00:27:10.240 --> 00:27:10.579
 us His

00:27:10.579 --> 00:27:11.079
 brothers and

00:27:11.079 --> 00:27:11.440
 sisters.

00:27:11.440 --> 00:27:11.600
 brothers.

00:27:14.140 --> 00:27:14.900
 Talk about a

00:27:14.900 --> 00:27:15.240
 brother who

00:27:15.240 --> 00:27:15.820
 will sacrifice

00:27:15.820 --> 00:27:16.519
 for you,

00:27:17.320 --> 00:27:18.880
 who would

00:27:18.880 --> 00:27:19.640
 die for you.

00:27:20.519 --> 00:27:21.039
 You have

00:27:21.039 --> 00:27:21.299
 one.

00:27:23.180 --> 00:27:23.980
 And now God

00:27:23.980 --> 00:27:24.519
 the Father has

00:27:24.519 --> 00:27:25.039
 sent His very

00:27:25.039 --> 00:27:25.820
 own Holy Spirit

00:27:25.820 --> 00:27:26.740
 into each of

00:27:26.740 --> 00:27:27.279
 our hearts

00:27:27.279 --> 00:27:28.680
 to assure us

00:27:28.680 --> 00:27:29.160
 that God is

00:27:29.160 --> 00:27:29.740
 really our

00:27:29.740 --> 00:27:30.039
 Father,

00:27:30.160 --> 00:27:30.500
 that He will

00:27:30.500 --> 00:27:31.240
 never leave

00:27:31.240 --> 00:27:32.059
 us nor forsake

00:27:32.059 --> 00:27:32.259
 us,

00:27:32.500 --> 00:27:32.900
 that despite

00:27:32.900 --> 00:27:33.320
 all the

00:27:33.320 --> 00:27:33.960
 rejection we

00:27:33.960 --> 00:27:34.259
 might have

00:27:34.259 --> 00:27:34.799
 experienced

00:27:34.799 --> 00:27:35.539
 and all the

00:27:35.539 --> 00:27:36.100
 trauma that's

00:27:36.100 --> 00:27:36.700
 in our past

00:27:36.700 --> 00:27:37.380
 and all the

00:27:37.380 --> 00:27:38.000
 craziness we

00:27:38.000 --> 00:27:38.240
 might have

00:27:38.240 --> 00:27:38.680
 gone through,

00:27:38.779 --> 00:27:39.380
 that we can

00:27:39.380 --> 00:27:39.920
 trust this

00:27:39.920 --> 00:27:40.320
 God.

00:27:41.440 --> 00:27:42.220
 Forever and

00:27:42.220 --> 00:27:42.440
 ever.

00:27:44.440 --> 00:27:45.080
 God's the

00:27:45.080 --> 00:27:45.960
 ultimate adoptive

00:27:45.960 --> 00:27:46.299
 parent.

00:27:48.279 --> 00:27:49.080
 And He has a

00:27:49.080 --> 00:27:49.960
 glorious destination

00:27:49.960 --> 00:27:51.580
 for every one

00:27:51.580 --> 00:27:53.420
 of His children

00:27:53.420 --> 00:27:53.940
 who've been

00:27:53.940 --> 00:27:54.980
 adopted through

00:27:54.980 --> 00:27:55.460
 Christ.

00:27:55.900 --> 00:27:56.240
 Forever.

00:27:58.640 --> 00:27:59.320
 That's God's

00:27:59.320 --> 00:27:59.779
 purpose from

00:27:59.779 --> 00:28:00.600
 eternity past.

00:28:03.519 --> 00:28:04.160
 But second,

00:28:04.279 --> 00:28:04.920
 we see that God's

00:28:04.920 --> 00:28:05.940
 purpose continues to

00:28:05.940 --> 00:28:06.720
 be carried out in

00:28:06.720 --> 00:28:07.440
 the present age.

00:28:07.539 --> 00:28:07.840
 Those He

00:28:07.840 --> 00:28:08.400
 predestined,

00:28:08.480 --> 00:28:09.279
 He also called,

00:28:09.740 --> 00:28:10.259
 and those He

00:28:10.259 --> 00:28:10.519
 called,

00:28:10.519 --> 00:28:10.920
 He also

00:28:10.920 --> 00:28:11.579
 justified.

00:28:12.359 --> 00:28:12.859
 Second Timothy

00:28:12.859 --> 00:28:13.759
 1.9 says a

00:28:13.759 --> 00:28:14.339
 similar thing,

00:28:14.420 --> 00:28:15.220
 God saved us

00:28:15.220 --> 00:28:16.019
 and called us

00:28:16.019 --> 00:28:16.579
 to a holy

00:28:16.579 --> 00:28:17.039
 calling,

00:28:17.680 --> 00:28:18.940
 not because of

00:28:18.940 --> 00:28:19.500
 our works,

00:28:19.599 --> 00:28:20.240
 but because of

00:28:20.240 --> 00:28:20.960
 His own purpose

00:28:20.960 --> 00:28:21.639
 and grace,

00:28:22.440 --> 00:28:23.019
 which He gave

00:28:23.019 --> 00:28:23.559
 us in Christ

00:28:23.559 --> 00:28:24.259
 Jesus before

00:28:24.259 --> 00:28:25.460
 the ages began.

00:28:25.559 --> 00:28:25.819
 Again,

00:28:25.920 --> 00:28:27.160
 it began before

00:28:27.160 --> 00:28:27.720
 the ages,

00:28:27.940 --> 00:28:28.599
 and it's now

00:28:28.599 --> 00:28:29.359
 carried out in

00:28:29.359 --> 00:28:30.039
 the present age.

00:28:30.079 --> 00:28:30.379
 What does it

00:28:30.379 --> 00:28:30.720
 mean to be

00:28:30.720 --> 00:28:31.079
 called?

00:28:31.539 --> 00:28:31.900
 Again,

00:28:31.980 --> 00:28:32.400
 Pastor Nick

00:28:32.400 --> 00:28:32.839
 talked about

00:28:32.839 --> 00:28:33.599
 this last week

00:28:33.599 --> 00:28:34.259
 when Paul talks

00:28:34.259 --> 00:28:34.639
 about being

00:28:34.639 --> 00:28:35.680
 called according

00:28:35.680 --> 00:28:36.180
 to God's

00:28:36.180 --> 00:28:36.819
 eternal purpose.

00:28:36.920 --> 00:28:37.599
 He's not just

00:28:37.599 --> 00:28:38.220
 talking about

00:28:38.220 --> 00:28:39.279
 being invited

00:28:39.279 --> 00:28:40.279
 externally,

00:28:40.600 --> 00:28:41.299
 He's talking

00:28:41.299 --> 00:28:41.920
 about being

00:28:41.920 --> 00:28:42.640
 awakened

00:28:42.640 --> 00:28:43.779
 internally

00:28:43.779 --> 00:28:45.279
 to the truth

00:28:45.279 --> 00:28:45.860
 through the

00:28:45.860 --> 00:28:46.420
 conviction of

00:28:46.420 --> 00:28:47.200
 the Holy Spirit

00:28:47.200 --> 00:28:48.460
 brought into

00:28:48.460 --> 00:28:49.220
 a saving

00:28:49.220 --> 00:28:49.759
 relationship

00:28:49.759 --> 00:28:50.620
 with Jesus

00:28:50.620 --> 00:28:51.360
 Christ.

00:28:52.559 --> 00:28:53.380
 If you look

00:28:53.380 --> 00:28:54.039
 at Romans 4,

00:28:54.100 --> 00:28:54.680
 verse 17,

00:28:54.680 --> 00:28:55.140
 it says,

00:28:55.559 --> 00:28:56.059
 God gives

00:28:56.059 --> 00:28:56.740
 life to the

00:28:56.740 --> 00:28:58.039
 dead and

00:28:58.039 --> 00:28:59.079
 calls into

00:28:59.079 --> 00:28:59.860
 existence the

00:28:59.860 --> 00:29:00.759
 things that do

00:29:00.759 --> 00:29:01.519
 not exist.

00:29:02.539 --> 00:29:02.980
 Isn't that

00:29:02.980 --> 00:29:03.339
 amazing?

00:29:03.339 --> 00:29:05.559
 when God

00:29:05.559 --> 00:29:06.099
 calls us,

00:29:06.139 --> 00:29:06.480
 we become

00:29:06.480 --> 00:29:06.799
 a new

00:29:06.799 --> 00:29:07.399
 creation in

00:29:07.399 --> 00:29:07.799
 Christ.

00:29:08.419 --> 00:29:09.220
 He breathed

00:29:09.220 --> 00:29:09.740
 life into

00:29:09.740 --> 00:29:10.119
 us where

00:29:10.119 --> 00:29:10.859
 previously we

00:29:10.859 --> 00:29:11.500
 were spiritually

00:29:11.500 --> 00:29:12.579
 dead and

00:29:12.579 --> 00:29:13.419
 unresponsive

00:29:13.419 --> 00:29:13.879
 to God.

00:29:15.159 --> 00:29:15.839
 Some of you

00:29:15.839 --> 00:29:16.619
 have experienced

00:29:16.619 --> 00:29:17.099
 this very

00:29:17.099 --> 00:29:17.659
 distinctly.

00:29:19.039 --> 00:29:19.919
 You can point

00:29:19.919 --> 00:29:20.359
 to a time

00:29:20.359 --> 00:29:20.740
 in your own

00:29:20.740 --> 00:29:21.039
 life.

00:29:21.539 --> 00:29:22.000
 You can look

00:29:22.000 --> 00:29:22.379
 back and

00:29:22.379 --> 00:29:22.879
 remember a

00:29:22.879 --> 00:29:23.679
 time when you

00:29:23.679 --> 00:29:24.299
 wanted nothing

00:29:24.299 --> 00:29:24.759
 to do with

00:29:24.759 --> 00:29:25.099
 God.

00:29:25.579 --> 00:29:26.119
 You hated

00:29:26.119 --> 00:29:26.519
 God.

00:29:26.859 --> 00:29:27.199
 You were

00:29:27.199 --> 00:29:27.599
 indifferent

00:29:27.599 --> 00:29:28.159
 toward Him.

00:29:28.199 --> 00:29:28.519
 You just

00:29:28.519 --> 00:29:28.939
 wanted to be

00:29:28.939 --> 00:29:29.299
 your own

00:29:29.299 --> 00:29:29.699
 God.

00:29:30.179 --> 00:29:30.819
 Or you were

00:29:30.819 --> 00:29:31.419
 trying to use

00:29:31.419 --> 00:29:32.039
 God for your

00:29:32.039 --> 00:29:32.699
 own purposes.

00:29:33.339 --> 00:29:34.199
 Rather than

00:29:34.199 --> 00:29:34.799
 let Him use

00:29:34.799 --> 00:29:35.240
 you for

00:29:35.240 --> 00:29:35.619
 His.

00:29:37.480 --> 00:29:37.839
 And then

00:29:37.839 --> 00:29:38.699
 one day God

00:29:38.699 --> 00:29:39.259
 through His

00:29:39.259 --> 00:29:40.139
 Word called

00:29:40.139 --> 00:29:40.579
 you to

00:29:40.579 --> 00:29:41.000
 Himself.

00:29:41.819 --> 00:29:42.399
 Maybe it was

00:29:42.399 --> 00:29:42.740
 through a

00:29:42.740 --> 00:29:43.279
 sermon that

00:29:43.279 --> 00:29:44.220
 you heard,

00:29:44.319 --> 00:29:44.679
 maybe a

00:29:44.679 --> 00:29:45.159
 scripture you

00:29:45.159 --> 00:29:45.679
 were reading

00:29:45.679 --> 00:29:46.480
 that jumped

00:29:46.480 --> 00:29:46.839
 off the

00:29:46.839 --> 00:29:47.299
 page to

00:29:47.299 --> 00:29:47.439
 you,

00:29:47.519 --> 00:29:47.879
 maybe a

00:29:47.879 --> 00:29:48.159
 Christian

00:29:48.159 --> 00:29:49.039
 friend or

00:29:49.039 --> 00:29:49.459
 even a

00:29:49.459 --> 00:29:50.399
 stranger who

00:29:50.399 --> 00:29:50.939
 shared the

00:29:50.939 --> 00:29:51.539
 gospel of

00:29:51.539 --> 00:29:52.179
 Jesus Christ

00:29:52.179 --> 00:29:52.679
 with you,

00:29:52.819 --> 00:29:53.359
 and whatever

00:29:53.359 --> 00:29:53.759
 the means,

00:29:53.839 --> 00:29:54.419
 God awakened

00:29:54.419 --> 00:29:55.159
 you that

00:29:55.159 --> 00:29:57.179
 day, and

00:29:57.179 --> 00:29:57.799
 you realized

00:29:57.799 --> 00:29:58.359
 your spiritual

00:29:58.359 --> 00:30:00.079
 need, and

00:30:00.079 --> 00:30:00.759
 you saw the

00:30:00.759 --> 00:30:01.679
 beauty and

00:30:01.679 --> 00:30:02.480
 sufficiency of

00:30:02.480 --> 00:30:03.199
 Jesus Christ

00:30:03.200 --> 00:30:03.860
 dying on the

00:30:03.860 --> 00:30:04.240
 cross for

00:30:04.240 --> 00:30:04.840
 your sins,

00:30:04.960 --> 00:30:05.539
 covering them

00:30:05.539 --> 00:30:05.880
 with His

00:30:05.880 --> 00:30:06.799
 blood, rising

00:30:06.799 --> 00:30:07.380
 from the dead

00:30:07.380 --> 00:30:08.519
 victorious, and

00:30:08.519 --> 00:30:09.279
 He poured the

00:30:09.279 --> 00:30:09.819
 love of God

00:30:09.819 --> 00:30:10.200
 into your

00:30:10.200 --> 00:30:11.360
 heart through

00:30:11.360 --> 00:30:12.059
 the Holy Spirit,

00:30:12.120 --> 00:30:12.519
 and now you

00:30:12.519 --> 00:30:12.860
 don't just

00:30:12.860 --> 00:30:13.380
 believe that

00:30:13.380 --> 00:30:13.900
 God is out

00:30:13.900 --> 00:30:14.360
 there somewhere,

00:30:14.500 --> 00:30:15.019
 you love Him

00:30:15.019 --> 00:30:15.440
 because He

00:30:15.440 --> 00:30:16.380
 first loved

00:30:16.380 --> 00:30:16.799
 you.

00:30:17.440 --> 00:30:17.880
 You've been

00:30:17.880 --> 00:30:18.299
 called.

00:30:19.880 --> 00:30:20.380
 Now, not

00:30:20.380 --> 00:30:20.880
 every one of

00:30:20.880 --> 00:30:21.680
 us can pinpoint

00:30:21.680 --> 00:30:23.460
 a moment when

00:30:23.460 --> 00:30:24.039
 that happened.

00:30:24.700 --> 00:30:25.180
 Some of us

00:30:25.180 --> 00:30:25.860
 can't remember a

00:30:25.860 --> 00:30:27.160
 time when we

00:30:27.160 --> 00:30:28.440
 didn't believe in

00:30:28.440 --> 00:30:30.080
 Jesus Christ as

00:30:30.080 --> 00:30:30.660
 our Savior and

00:30:30.660 --> 00:30:30.900
 Lord.

00:30:31.380 --> 00:30:32.120
 God called us to

00:30:32.120 --> 00:30:32.660
 Himself before

00:30:32.660 --> 00:30:33.080
 we even knew

00:30:33.080 --> 00:30:33.360
 what He was

00:30:33.360 --> 00:30:33.580
 doing.

00:30:34.420 --> 00:30:34.980
 And that's a

00:30:34.980 --> 00:30:35.779
 wonderful testimony

00:30:35.779 --> 00:30:36.240
 too.

00:30:37.840 --> 00:30:39.200
 Sometimes we

00:30:39.200 --> 00:30:39.519
 know it's

00:30:39.519 --> 00:30:40.180
 happened, but we

00:30:40.180 --> 00:30:41.720
 can't quite identify

00:30:41.720 --> 00:30:42.480
 when, right?

00:30:42.540 --> 00:30:43.259
 Some days the sun

00:30:43.259 --> 00:30:44.420
 rises with brilliance

00:30:44.420 --> 00:30:45.140
 and glory, and

00:30:45.140 --> 00:30:45.840
 other days it's

00:30:45.840 --> 00:30:46.440
 behind all the

00:30:46.440 --> 00:30:46.820
 clouds.

00:30:47.500 --> 00:30:49.440
 But either way, a

00:30:49.440 --> 00:30:49.980
 new day has

00:30:49.980 --> 00:30:50.400
 dawned.

00:30:53.019 --> 00:30:53.800
 Paul says in

00:30:53.800 --> 00:30:54.759
 Romans 1, verse 6

00:30:54.759 --> 00:30:55.759
 and 7, you are

00:30:55.759 --> 00:30:57.560
 called to belong to

00:30:57.559 --> 00:30:58.639
 Jesus Christ.

00:30:59.960 --> 00:31:01.299
 Loved by God and

00:31:01.299 --> 00:31:02.319
 called to be

00:31:02.319 --> 00:31:03.059
 saints.

00:31:03.220 --> 00:31:03.899
 That word means

00:31:03.899 --> 00:31:05.059
 God's holy people.

00:31:05.179 --> 00:31:05.879
 You're called to

00:31:05.879 --> 00:31:07.179
 belong to Jesus and

00:31:07.179 --> 00:31:07.960
 to be His holy

00:31:07.960 --> 00:31:08.559
 people in the

00:31:08.559 --> 00:31:08.879
 world.

00:31:10.019 --> 00:31:10.700
 That's what it

00:31:10.700 --> 00:31:11.220
 means to be

00:31:11.220 --> 00:31:12.019
 called by God.

00:31:13.339 --> 00:31:14.319
 And Paul goes on,

00:31:14.339 --> 00:31:14.879
 those he called,

00:31:14.960 --> 00:31:15.919
 he also justified.

00:31:17.099 --> 00:31:18.259
 To be justified by

00:31:18.259 --> 00:31:19.220
 God means to be in

00:31:19.220 --> 00:31:20.619
 right standing with

00:31:20.619 --> 00:31:21.899
 God, to be forgiven

00:31:21.899 --> 00:31:24.759
 of our sins, that God

00:31:24.759 --> 00:31:26.539
 will never hold them

00:31:26.539 --> 00:31:28.140
 against us anymore.

00:31:29.839 --> 00:31:30.819
 That we're declared

00:31:30.819 --> 00:31:31.859
 righteous in His sight.

00:31:31.920 --> 00:31:32.480
 This is the main

00:31:32.480 --> 00:31:33.460
 theme of Romans 3 and

00:31:33.460 --> 00:31:33.660
 4.

00:31:33.720 --> 00:31:34.299
 If you read those

00:31:34.299 --> 00:31:35.019
 chapters, it talks

00:31:35.019 --> 00:31:35.700
 all about being

00:31:35.700 --> 00:31:37.279
 justified by God's

00:31:37.279 --> 00:31:38.359
 grace through faith

00:31:38.359 --> 00:31:39.460
 in the Lord Jesus

00:31:39.460 --> 00:31:39.980
 Christ.

00:31:41.559 --> 00:31:42.539
 And chapter 5 says

00:31:42.539 --> 00:31:43.400
 the result of being

00:31:43.400 --> 00:31:45.259
 justified by faith in

00:31:45.259 --> 00:31:46.039
 Christ is we have

00:31:46.039 --> 00:31:47.019
 peace with God.

00:31:48.059 --> 00:31:49.220
 That we stand in

00:31:49.220 --> 00:31:50.019
 God's grace and we

00:31:50.019 --> 00:31:50.920
 rejoice in the hope

00:31:50.920 --> 00:31:51.720
 of God's glory.

00:31:53.240 --> 00:31:53.920
 Have you experienced

00:31:53.920 --> 00:31:54.579
 those things?

00:31:54.759 --> 00:31:58.539
 the peace with God

00:31:58.539 --> 00:31:59.420
 knowing that your sins

00:31:59.420 --> 00:32:01.079
 have been forgiven and

00:32:01.079 --> 00:32:01.660
 paid for.

00:32:02.579 --> 00:32:03.839
 The hope of God's

00:32:03.839 --> 00:32:06.460
 glory, God's grace to

00:32:06.460 --> 00:32:07.940
 sustain you and help you

00:32:07.940 --> 00:32:09.460
 stand in the present

00:32:09.460 --> 00:32:09.819
 day.

00:32:11.799 --> 00:32:13.079
 This is how God carries

00:32:13.079 --> 00:32:14.180
 out His eternal purpose.

00:32:14.960 --> 00:32:16.379
 By calling people to

00:32:16.379 --> 00:32:17.400
 belong to Jesus and

00:32:17.400 --> 00:32:18.660
 justifying them through

00:32:18.660 --> 00:32:20.079
 their belief in Jesus.

00:32:23.500 --> 00:32:24.420
 Have you experienced

00:32:24.420 --> 00:32:24.700
 this?

00:32:24.759 --> 00:32:25.779
 Have you been called and

00:32:25.779 --> 00:32:26.180
 justified?

00:32:26.420 --> 00:32:27.759
 Have you come to believe

00:32:27.759 --> 00:32:29.319
 in and belong to Jesus

00:32:29.319 --> 00:32:29.819
 Christ?

00:32:32.119 --> 00:32:33.079
 Maybe for some of you,

00:32:33.119 --> 00:32:33.599
 you haven't.

00:32:34.319 --> 00:32:36.799
 You say, I don't yet

00:32:36.799 --> 00:32:38.379
 really believe in Jesus.

00:32:39.379 --> 00:32:40.240
 Well, let me ask you,

00:32:40.359 --> 00:32:40.879
 why not?

00:32:42.579 --> 00:32:43.799
 What is there that is

00:32:43.799 --> 00:32:45.640
 holding you back from

00:32:45.640 --> 00:32:47.460
 fully entrusting yourself

00:32:47.460 --> 00:32:47.859
 to Him?

00:32:47.859 --> 00:32:50.659
 Maybe you're just starting to

00:32:50.659 --> 00:32:51.699
 learn what Christianity is

00:32:51.699 --> 00:32:52.179
 all about.

00:32:53.179 --> 00:32:53.979
 That's great.

00:32:55.419 --> 00:32:56.559
 Start by reading through

00:32:56.559 --> 00:32:57.500
 one of the New Testament

00:32:57.500 --> 00:32:58.979
 Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke,

00:32:59.019 --> 00:32:59.399
 or John.

00:32:59.819 --> 00:33:01.559
 Maybe talk about it with a

00:33:01.559 --> 00:33:01.859
 friend.

00:33:03.039 --> 00:33:03.959
 Keep coming to church.

00:33:04.019 --> 00:33:04.819
 We want to help you

00:33:04.819 --> 00:33:07.519
 understand what Christianity

00:33:07.519 --> 00:33:08.439
 is all about.

00:33:09.379 --> 00:33:10.579
 It's ultimately about who

00:33:10.579 --> 00:33:12.379
 Jesus is and what God has

00:33:12.379 --> 00:33:14.019
 done through Him for us.

00:33:14.019 --> 00:33:16.519
 Maybe you have questions

00:33:16.519 --> 00:33:18.500
 or objections or concerns

00:33:18.500 --> 00:33:19.359
 that you need to work

00:33:19.359 --> 00:33:19.619
 through.

00:33:20.339 --> 00:33:21.740
 If you haven't already read

00:33:21.740 --> 00:33:22.519
 Tim Keller's book,

00:33:22.599 --> 00:33:23.539
 The Reason for God,

00:33:24.299 --> 00:33:25.879
 I highly recommend it.

00:33:27.079 --> 00:33:28.299
 Now, he has another one

00:33:28.299 --> 00:33:29.279
 that's very thought-provoking

00:33:29.279 --> 00:33:30.579
 called Making Sense of God.

00:33:30.960 --> 00:33:32.019
 Those are excellent resources

00:33:32.660 --> 00:33:33.940
 if you want to read

00:33:33.940 --> 00:33:35.359
 something that goes into

00:33:35.359 --> 00:33:35.879
 some depth.

00:33:35.880 --> 00:33:39.040
 But maybe you're mostly…

00:33:39.040 --> 00:33:40.400
 Maybe you've worked

00:33:40.400 --> 00:33:41.160
 through some questions.

00:33:41.360 --> 00:33:42.480
 Maybe you've been coming

00:33:42.480 --> 00:33:43.280
 for some time,

00:33:43.380 --> 00:33:44.560
 and if you're honest

00:33:44.560 --> 00:33:45.200
 with yourself,

00:33:45.280 --> 00:33:46.620
 you're mostly persuaded

00:33:46.620 --> 00:33:48.580
 that Jesus probably was

00:33:48.580 --> 00:33:49.640
 who He said He was.

00:33:51.060 --> 00:33:52.940
 That, yeah, He probably

00:33:52.940 --> 00:33:54.120
 really was the Son of God,

00:33:54.700 --> 00:33:56.940
 but there's something else

00:33:56.940 --> 00:33:58.920
 that holds you back

00:33:58.920 --> 00:33:59.760
 from committing to Him.

00:34:01.300 --> 00:34:02.160
 What is that?

00:34:02.160 --> 00:34:05.880
 Is it fear of being ridiculed

00:34:05.880 --> 00:34:06.500
 by others

00:34:06.500 --> 00:34:09.700
 or disapproved of by others?

00:34:09.840 --> 00:34:10.599
 Is it pride?

00:34:13.220 --> 00:34:14.280
 I mean, every Christian

00:34:14.280 --> 00:34:15.180
 has to let go

00:34:15.180 --> 00:34:17.300
 of the air of being

00:34:17.300 --> 00:34:18.539
 totally self-sufficient.

00:34:20.000 --> 00:34:21.059
 Because isn't that at the heart

00:34:21.059 --> 00:34:21.680
 of what it means

00:34:21.680 --> 00:34:22.220
 to be a Christian

00:34:22.220 --> 00:34:23.340
 is to admit that you're not?

00:34:25.519 --> 00:34:26.579
 Is it reluctance

00:34:26.579 --> 00:34:27.700
 to embrace the cost

00:34:27.700 --> 00:34:28.559
 of following Jesus?

00:34:28.680 --> 00:34:29.740
 There's always a cost.

00:34:29.739 --> 00:34:32.500
 It may look different

00:34:32.500 --> 00:34:33.319
 for each of us.

00:34:36.059 --> 00:34:37.159
 Let me challenge you

00:34:37.159 --> 00:34:38.179
 to ask,

00:34:38.599 --> 00:34:39.899
 what is holding me back

00:34:39.899 --> 00:34:42.579
 from fully trusting Jesus?

00:34:43.459 --> 00:34:44.419
 And to address

00:34:44.419 --> 00:34:45.359
 whatever that is.

00:34:47.799 --> 00:34:49.079
 You see, if you have come

00:34:49.079 --> 00:34:50.679
 to believe in Jesus

00:34:50.679 --> 00:34:51.939
 and belong to Jesus,

00:34:52.339 --> 00:34:54.819
 that is not an accident.

00:34:57.000 --> 00:34:57.879
 You've entered into

00:34:57.879 --> 00:34:58.859
 a much bigger story

00:34:58.860 --> 00:34:59.740
 than you can imagine.

00:35:00.460 --> 00:35:01.599
 God's own story

00:35:01.599 --> 00:35:02.120
 that stretches

00:35:02.120 --> 00:35:03.180
 from eternity past

00:35:03.180 --> 00:35:04.120
 to eternity future.

00:35:05.320 --> 00:35:05.980
 God's purpose

00:35:05.980 --> 00:35:06.820
 and plan for you

00:35:06.820 --> 00:35:07.680
 and for every believer

00:35:07.680 --> 00:35:08.099
 in Jesus

00:35:08.099 --> 00:35:09.579
 began in eternity past.

00:35:09.820 --> 00:35:10.820
 His purpose will continue

00:35:10.820 --> 00:35:11.920
 into eternity future

00:35:11.920 --> 00:35:13.340
 beyond the farthest horizon

00:35:13.340 --> 00:35:14.059
 that your eye

00:35:14.059 --> 00:35:15.380
 can now glimpse

00:35:15.380 --> 00:35:16.620
 or your mind imagine.

00:35:17.900 --> 00:35:19.720
 To use a very imperfect analogy

00:35:19.720 --> 00:35:22.940
 of what this means

00:35:22.940 --> 00:35:23.860
 to be called

00:35:23.860 --> 00:35:24.460
 and justified

00:35:24.460 --> 00:35:25.120
 and brought into

00:35:25.120 --> 00:35:26.039
 God's eternal purpose,

00:35:26.120 --> 00:35:27.039
 imagine that you get

00:35:27.039 --> 00:35:28.360
 a check in the mail

00:35:28.360 --> 00:35:30.079
 for $10,000

00:35:30.079 --> 00:35:31.960
 along with a note

00:35:31.960 --> 00:35:32.980
 that you're receiving

00:35:32.980 --> 00:35:33.500
 this check

00:35:33.500 --> 00:35:34.500
 because you've been included

00:35:34.500 --> 00:35:35.860
 in a distant relative's will.

00:35:37.139 --> 00:35:38.679
 And your immediate reaction is,

00:35:38.840 --> 00:35:40.679
 wow, how generous.

00:35:41.579 --> 00:35:42.940
 I can pay off some debts,

00:35:43.039 --> 00:35:44.659
 I can stash some in savings,

00:35:44.779 --> 00:35:45.820
 I can buy a couple of things

00:35:45.820 --> 00:35:46.800
 that our family needs,

00:35:47.039 --> 00:35:48.719
 and then the next month

00:35:48.719 --> 00:35:50.300
 another check arrives

00:35:50.300 --> 00:35:51.639
 for the same amount

00:35:51.639 --> 00:35:52.960
 from the same source.

00:35:53.639 --> 00:35:54.559
 And the next month,

00:35:54.559 --> 00:35:55.159
 and another,

00:35:55.299 --> 00:35:55.719
 and another,

00:35:55.840 --> 00:35:56.480
 and then you learn

00:35:56.480 --> 00:35:57.259
 that this relative

00:35:57.259 --> 00:35:58.940
 has set up a college fund

00:35:58.940 --> 00:35:59.519
 that will provide

00:35:59.519 --> 00:36:00.779
 for all your kids' education,

00:36:01.079 --> 00:36:02.099
 and they've left you

00:36:02.099 --> 00:36:02.880
 a vacation home

00:36:02.880 --> 00:36:03.860
 in the Adirondacks.

00:36:05.579 --> 00:36:06.940
 You thought the first check

00:36:06.940 --> 00:36:07.820
 was pretty good.

00:36:09.659 --> 00:36:10.880
 An undeserved favor

00:36:10.880 --> 00:36:11.579
 from a generous

00:36:11.579 --> 00:36:12.559
 and thoughtful relative

00:36:12.559 --> 00:36:13.579
 who thought of you

00:36:13.579 --> 00:36:14.179
 in advance.

00:36:15.219 --> 00:36:16.119
 But now you see

00:36:16.119 --> 00:36:16.759
 that it was only

00:36:16.759 --> 00:36:17.759
 one small part

00:36:17.759 --> 00:36:20.059
 of a much larger inheritance.

00:36:20.880 --> 00:36:22.480
 Only one small link

00:36:22.480 --> 00:36:24.900
 in a chain of kindness.

00:36:26.820 --> 00:36:28.079
 And that's what Paul's saying

00:36:28.079 --> 00:36:28.599
 is true,

00:36:29.559 --> 00:36:30.639
 spiritually speaking,

00:36:31.440 --> 00:36:32.699
 of every believer in Jesus.

00:36:33.599 --> 00:36:35.159
 When you first come to Jesus,

00:36:35.599 --> 00:36:37.260
 there's joy,

00:36:37.440 --> 00:36:38.599
 and you experience

00:36:38.599 --> 00:36:39.519
 some of His blessings.

00:36:40.199 --> 00:36:41.099
 And then Paul's saying,

00:36:41.099 --> 00:36:44.719
 but there's even a larger,

00:36:45.039 --> 00:36:47.240
 longer chain of God's kindness

00:36:47.240 --> 00:36:49.280
 and His thoughtfulness

00:36:49.280 --> 00:36:50.620
 from eternity past

00:36:50.620 --> 00:36:51.860
 to eternity future

00:36:51.860 --> 00:36:53.380
 that you've come into.

00:36:53.940 --> 00:36:55.040
 Do you see that?

00:36:55.260 --> 00:36:55.980
 Have you begun

00:36:55.980 --> 00:36:56.760
 to glimpse

00:36:56.760 --> 00:36:58.260
 God's steady

00:36:58.260 --> 00:36:58.940
 and eternal

00:36:58.940 --> 00:37:00.680
 and loving purpose

00:37:00.680 --> 00:37:01.580
 for you?

00:37:04.740 --> 00:37:06.660
 It goes from eternity past

00:37:06.660 --> 00:37:07.860
 through the present age,

00:37:07.880 --> 00:37:08.760
 and finally we see

00:37:08.760 --> 00:37:10.540
 it goes into eternity future.

00:37:10.620 --> 00:37:11.440
 Those He justified,

00:37:11.640 --> 00:37:12.680
 He also glorified.

00:37:12.679 --> 00:37:15.559
 Now the puzzling thing

00:37:15.559 --> 00:37:16.779
 about this word glorified

00:37:16.779 --> 00:37:19.619
 is that Paul's talking

00:37:19.619 --> 00:37:20.119
 about something

00:37:20.119 --> 00:37:21.079
 that hasn't happened yet.

00:37:23.759 --> 00:37:24.779
 And that's very clear

00:37:24.779 --> 00:37:26.839
 from the rest of verse 18,

00:37:26.960 --> 00:37:27.379
 for example.

00:37:27.579 --> 00:37:27.879
 Paul says,

00:37:27.960 --> 00:37:29.019
 I consider the sufferings

00:37:29.019 --> 00:37:29.980
 of this present time

00:37:29.980 --> 00:37:31.159
 are not worth comparing

00:37:31.159 --> 00:37:31.739
 with the glory

00:37:31.739 --> 00:37:33.399
 that is to be revealed to us.

00:37:33.699 --> 00:37:34.460
 He's talking about

00:37:34.460 --> 00:37:35.239
 the future glory

00:37:35.239 --> 00:37:36.299
 when Jesus comes again

00:37:36.299 --> 00:37:37.559
 and we'll be glorified with Him.

00:37:37.559 --> 00:37:40.219
 But he uses

00:37:40.219 --> 00:37:42.099
 the same verb tense

00:37:42.099 --> 00:37:42.679
 he's used

00:37:42.679 --> 00:37:43.799
 for every other action

00:37:43.799 --> 00:37:45.619
 in this chain of events.

00:37:46.480 --> 00:37:47.179
 In Greek,

00:37:47.239 --> 00:37:48.500
 it's called the aoris tense.

00:37:48.920 --> 00:37:49.759
 It's used to speak

00:37:49.759 --> 00:37:51.440
 about a completed action.

00:37:53.159 --> 00:37:54.179
 Now what's the point?

00:37:55.860 --> 00:37:56.759
 Paul's not using…

00:37:56.759 --> 00:37:57.880
 it's not a grammar mistake.

00:37:59.440 --> 00:38:00.400
 The point is

00:38:00.400 --> 00:38:01.179
 God's promises

00:38:01.179 --> 00:38:02.059
 for the future

00:38:02.059 --> 00:38:03.639
 are as real

00:38:03.639 --> 00:38:05.340
 and as reliable

00:38:05.340 --> 00:38:07.079
 as if they had already

00:38:07.079 --> 00:38:07.900
 taken place

00:38:07.900 --> 00:38:08.880
 in history.

00:38:11.460 --> 00:38:12.719
 You can be as certain

00:38:12.719 --> 00:38:13.940
 of them as you can

00:38:13.940 --> 00:38:16.299
 of things

00:38:16.299 --> 00:38:17.340
 that have already happened.

00:38:18.960 --> 00:38:19.659
 God is not…

00:38:19.659 --> 00:38:20.819
 because God is not

00:38:20.819 --> 00:38:21.779
 limited by time

00:38:21.779 --> 00:38:22.579
 just as He's not

00:38:22.579 --> 00:38:23.619
 limited by space.

00:38:23.940 --> 00:38:24.920
 And so Paul can speak

00:38:24.920 --> 00:38:26.319
 of our future glorification

00:38:26.319 --> 00:38:27.960
 as a completed work

00:38:27.960 --> 00:38:29.400
 even though we have not

00:38:29.400 --> 00:38:30.779
 yet experienced it.

00:38:31.559 --> 00:38:32.340
 God's purposes

00:38:32.340 --> 00:38:33.079
 are eternal,

00:38:33.319 --> 00:38:33.579
 steady,

00:38:33.719 --> 00:38:34.199
 and sure.

00:38:34.559 --> 00:38:36.440
 And even if we can't yet see

00:38:36.440 --> 00:38:37.559
 how they're all

00:38:37.559 --> 00:38:38.380
 going to work out,

00:38:38.700 --> 00:38:40.280
 God can guarantee it.

00:38:42.099 --> 00:38:43.139
 One commentator

00:38:43.139 --> 00:38:44.220
 described this passage

00:38:44.220 --> 00:38:46.099
 as a golden chain

00:38:46.099 --> 00:38:47.700
 of interconnected

00:38:47.700 --> 00:38:48.860
 divine actions

00:38:48.860 --> 00:38:50.240
 leading to a climax,

00:38:50.559 --> 00:38:51.320
 our glorification,

00:38:51.440 --> 00:38:53.079
 a series of divine initiatives

00:38:53.079 --> 00:38:54.519
 snowballing toward fullness,

00:38:54.659 --> 00:38:55.619
 a steady drumbeat

00:38:55.619 --> 00:38:57.420
 of God's unshakable purpose.

00:38:57.559 --> 00:38:58.599
 What God undertakes

00:38:58.599 --> 00:39:00.119
 will ultimately come to pass.

00:39:00.480 --> 00:39:01.300
 God will complete

00:39:01.300 --> 00:39:02.460
 the work He has begun.

00:39:02.460 --> 00:39:03.460
 God will complete

00:39:03.460 --> 00:39:05.599
 that's our confidence.

00:39:06.920 --> 00:39:08.079
 That's our assurance

00:39:08.079 --> 00:39:10.099
 in the midst

00:39:10.099 --> 00:39:11.240
 of everything within us

00:39:11.240 --> 00:39:13.340
 and everything around us

00:39:13.340 --> 00:39:15.019
 that makes us anxious

00:39:15.019 --> 00:39:16.599
 and afraid

00:39:16.599 --> 00:39:19.000
 and complacent

00:39:19.000 --> 00:39:20.860
 and discontent.

00:39:22.800 --> 00:39:23.500
 Paul says,

00:39:23.880 --> 00:39:25.059
 look to God's

00:39:25.059 --> 00:39:26.280
 eternal purpose.

00:39:26.280 --> 00:39:29.960
 Now,

00:39:30.000 --> 00:39:30.360
 these verses

00:39:30.360 --> 00:39:31.040
 are not saying

00:39:31.040 --> 00:39:31.700
 that our faith

00:39:31.700 --> 00:39:32.360
 or our obedience

00:39:32.360 --> 00:39:33.000
 are irrelevant

00:39:33.000 --> 00:39:33.720
 or unnecessary.

00:39:34.460 --> 00:39:35.160
 Paul speaks a lot

00:39:35.160 --> 00:39:35.700
 about faith

00:39:35.700 --> 00:39:36.960
 in Romans 1-4

00:39:36.960 --> 00:39:38.519
 and a lot about obedience,

00:39:38.660 --> 00:39:39.380
 putting sin to death,

00:39:39.460 --> 00:39:40.140
 walking in the Spirit

00:39:40.140 --> 00:39:41.220
 in chapters 5-8.

00:39:41.300 --> 00:39:42.000
 But Paul wants

00:39:42.000 --> 00:39:43.000
 to remind us here

00:39:43.000 --> 00:39:44.360
 that in the end,

00:39:44.960 --> 00:39:45.820
 our salvation

00:39:45.820 --> 00:39:47.200
 and the destiny

00:39:47.200 --> 00:39:48.000
 of all creation

00:39:48.000 --> 00:39:49.180
 is not ultimately

00:39:49.180 --> 00:39:50.600
 in our hands.

00:39:50.800 --> 00:39:51.860
 It's not ultimately

00:39:51.860 --> 00:39:52.920
 dependent on us.

00:39:53.660 --> 00:39:54.460
 God is God

00:39:54.460 --> 00:39:55.660
 and His sovereign purpose

00:39:55.659 --> 00:39:57.239
 won't be thwarted.

00:39:57.339 --> 00:39:58.319
 Salvation comes

00:39:58.319 --> 00:39:59.179
 from the Lord.

00:39:59.980 --> 00:40:00.259
 You see,

00:40:00.299 --> 00:40:01.039
 if our salvation

00:40:01.039 --> 00:40:02.179
 ultimately depends

00:40:02.179 --> 00:40:03.199
 on how strong

00:40:03.199 --> 00:40:04.279
 or how pure

00:40:04.279 --> 00:40:05.399
 or how enduring

00:40:05.399 --> 00:40:07.179
 our faith is,

00:40:07.920 --> 00:40:08.739
 then we will either

00:40:08.739 --> 00:40:10.199
 vastly overestimate

00:40:10.199 --> 00:40:11.119
 our capabilities

00:40:11.119 --> 00:40:12.659
 and fall into pride,

00:40:12.659 --> 00:40:14.440
 or we will despair

00:40:14.440 --> 00:40:16.239
 of ever reaching

00:40:16.239 --> 00:40:16.599
 the goal

00:40:16.599 --> 00:40:17.379
 that God has set

00:40:17.379 --> 00:40:18.379
 out for us.

00:40:19.779 --> 00:40:21.199
 To find assurance,

00:40:21.319 --> 00:40:22.099
 we need to rest

00:40:22.099 --> 00:40:23.399
 in God's eternal

00:40:23.399 --> 00:40:25.039
 and steady purpose

00:40:25.039 --> 00:40:27.920
 in His unfailing

00:40:27.920 --> 00:40:29.559
 love and faithfulness.

00:40:32.559 --> 00:40:36.779
 When we look down

00:40:36.779 --> 00:40:37.460
 below us

00:40:37.460 --> 00:40:38.880
 and see that the tree

00:40:38.880 --> 00:40:41.360
 to which we are connected

00:40:41.360 --> 00:40:42.279
 through Christ

00:40:42.279 --> 00:40:44.300
 is steadily planted

00:40:44.300 --> 00:40:45.360
 and well-rooted,

00:40:45.920 --> 00:40:47.440
 then we can continue

00:40:47.440 --> 00:40:48.179
 bearing fruit

00:40:48.179 --> 00:40:50.420
 and not constantly

00:40:50.420 --> 00:40:51.619
 be anxiously

00:40:51.619 --> 00:40:52.739
 looking around,

00:40:53.059 --> 00:40:54.759
 worrying that the tree

00:40:54.760 --> 00:40:55.480
 is going to fall over

00:40:55.480 --> 00:40:56.220
 in the next storm.

00:41:00.260 --> 00:41:00.780
 You see,

00:41:00.820 --> 00:41:01.640
 it's with this assurance

00:41:01.640 --> 00:41:02.240
 we can face

00:41:02.240 --> 00:41:02.860
 all the sources

00:41:02.860 --> 00:41:03.700
 of our anxiety.

00:41:04.920 --> 00:41:05.680
 We can face

00:41:05.680 --> 00:41:06.260
 our past

00:41:06.260 --> 00:41:08.460
 and know that our past

00:41:08.460 --> 00:41:09.420
 does not define us.

00:41:10.740 --> 00:41:11.880
 We can rest secure

00:41:11.880 --> 00:41:12.620
 because we have

00:41:12.620 --> 00:41:13.400
 a heavenly Father

00:41:13.400 --> 00:41:14.680
 who has foreknown

00:41:14.680 --> 00:41:15.900
 and foreloved us

00:41:15.900 --> 00:41:17.060
 from before time began.

00:41:17.780 --> 00:41:18.560
 We can face

00:41:18.560 --> 00:41:19.400
 our present weakness,

00:41:19.560 --> 00:41:20.900
 our present sufferings,

00:41:21.040 --> 00:41:22.080
 and know that through them

00:41:22.080 --> 00:41:23.120
 God's refining us,

00:41:23.119 --> 00:41:24.039
 even when it's messy,

00:41:24.139 --> 00:41:25.519
 even when it's intense,

00:41:25.599 --> 00:41:26.359
 and even when it's

00:41:26.359 --> 00:41:28.339
 a long journey

00:41:28.339 --> 00:41:30.339
 because He's leading us

00:41:30.339 --> 00:41:31.480
 toward the destination

00:41:31.480 --> 00:41:32.940
 that He has set out

00:41:32.940 --> 00:41:34.319
 for us in Christ.

00:41:35.319 --> 00:41:36.279
 And we can face

00:41:36.279 --> 00:41:37.059
 the uncertainties

00:41:37.059 --> 00:41:37.739
 of the future

00:41:37.739 --> 00:41:39.759
 knowing that God's plans

00:41:39.759 --> 00:41:40.380
 and purposes

00:41:40.380 --> 00:41:41.099
 for the future

00:41:41.099 --> 00:41:42.599
 are as certain

00:41:42.599 --> 00:41:43.719
 as if they had

00:41:43.719 --> 00:41:44.819
 already happened.

00:41:46.059 --> 00:41:47.099
 Brothers and sisters,

00:41:47.299 --> 00:41:48.599
 God's eternal purpose

00:41:48.599 --> 00:41:50.059
 in Jesus Christ

00:41:50.059 --> 00:41:51.159
 is steady

00:41:51.159 --> 00:41:52.539
 and strong.

00:41:53.820 --> 00:41:54.599
 Let's pray.

00:42:03.279 --> 00:42:04.039
 Our Father,

00:42:04.119 --> 00:42:04.659
 we thank You

00:42:04.659 --> 00:42:06.320
 for this window

00:42:06.320 --> 00:42:08.380
 into Your purposes

00:42:08.380 --> 00:42:10.059
 from eternity past

00:42:10.059 --> 00:42:12.139
 through the present age

00:42:12.139 --> 00:42:13.719
 into eternity future.

00:42:13.719 --> 00:42:13.799
 Father,

00:42:14.519 --> 00:42:16.239
 we pray,

00:42:17.439 --> 00:42:18.179
 Lord,

00:42:18.299 --> 00:42:19.019
 that as we

00:42:19.019 --> 00:42:20.199
 prepare to come

00:42:20.199 --> 00:42:21.119
 to the communion table

00:42:21.119 --> 00:42:22.000
 that we would cast

00:42:22.000 --> 00:42:23.619
 our anxieties on You,

00:42:24.759 --> 00:42:26.579
 that we would know

00:42:26.579 --> 00:42:27.919
 that You care for us,

00:42:27.980 --> 00:42:28.599
 that we would know

00:42:28.599 --> 00:42:29.419
 that You are faithful

00:42:29.419 --> 00:42:30.179
 to Your promises,

00:42:30.339 --> 00:42:31.000
 that we would be able

00:42:31.000 --> 00:42:32.119
 to rest assured

00:42:32.119 --> 00:42:36.199
 in Your good purpose

00:42:36.199 --> 00:42:38.500
 for us.

00:42:38.919 --> 00:42:39.699
 Strengthen us

00:42:39.699 --> 00:42:41.299
 that we may love You

00:42:41.300 --> 00:42:43.320
 with all of our hearts,

00:42:44.080 --> 00:42:47.440
 that as we depend on You,

00:42:48.740 --> 00:42:49.680
 that our lives

00:42:49.680 --> 00:42:50.480
 might bear fruit.

00:42:53.500 --> 00:42:54.200
 Lord Jesus,

00:42:54.320 --> 00:42:55.400
 You said to Your disciples,

00:42:55.640 --> 00:42:56.740
 You did not choose me,

00:42:56.820 --> 00:42:58.039
 but I have chosen You

00:42:58.039 --> 00:42:59.320
 and appointed You

00:42:59.320 --> 00:43:00.960
 to go and bear fruit,

00:43:01.539 --> 00:43:02.660
 fruit that will last.

00:43:05.240 --> 00:43:06.100
 Lord, help us

00:43:06.100 --> 00:43:06.840
 to bear fruit

00:43:06.840 --> 00:43:08.360
 for Your kingdom

00:43:08.360 --> 00:43:09.840
 with our lives.

00:43:11.300 --> 00:43:12.800
 trusting in Your

00:43:12.800 --> 00:43:14.460
 mercy and grace.

00:43:16.060 --> 00:43:17.360
 Pray this in Jesus' name.

00:43:17.519 --> 00:43:17.780
 Amen.