Why God Chose You

Notes: "Why God Chose You"
Ephesians 1
SPEAKER: Pastor Greg Laurie
MUSICAL GUEST: Izzi Ray
WORSHIP TEAM:Harvest Worship Band
SERIES: Live, Love, Fight
Thursday, January 8, 2015 — 7:00 p.m.
Harvest OC

We are starting a new series tonight in Ephesians.

Greg asked us if we know any cheapskates. He is saying he notices how those who have the most give the least and those that have the least seem to give the most. 

He is telling us about a lady in the 1800s that was a true miser. He said she was a good illustration of many Christians today and their sharing of faith.

Ephesians has been dubbed as the believers bank or check book. It tells us how we should live our lives as Christians.

Gods heavenly bank has no limitations so that we are never deprived and we cannot deplete it. It covers all of your past debts, current needs and your future request.

Ephesians speaks to us as a family and we should live in our family.

We are going to discuss the things that God has done for us in Ephesians.

Ephesus was the headquarters of the cult that followed the mythical God Diana. So this city was an area where idolatry was rampant. Much like in our lives today.

An idol is anyone or anything that takes the place of God in our lives.

Before we can fight, we have to learn how to live. He illustrates this with how they tell us on airplanes to put the oxygen mask on ourselves first and then we can help the child.

Ephesians 1:1-6 NKJV
[1] Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, To the saints who are in Ephesus, and faithful in Christ Jesus: [2] Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. [3] Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, [4] just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, [5] having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, [6] to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.

We all know Paul used to be named Saul. The meaning of the word "Paul" is small. 

Paul's smallness became the canvas for God's bigness.

We have to remember all these apostles were ordinary men that were given some very big task by God.

The highest calling of God is what God has called you to be.

We are all called to do something.

1 Corinthians 12:4-7 NKJV
[4] There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. [5] There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. [6] And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. [7] But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all:

A Christian that has been filled with the Spirit is given a gift.

Saint is another word for a believer in Christ.

Ephesians 1:3 NKJV
[3] Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,

Notice in the verse it says He has blessed us, not going to, but already has.

1. We pray for love.

Romans 5:5 NKJV
[5] Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

Even though we always ask for love from God, He has already given it to us.

2. We pray for peace.

3. We pray for strength. 

Philippians 4:13 NKJV
[13] I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

We need to understand that as Christians we are in two worlds.

If we had the curtain pulled back we would see Angels and demons and such. We might not see it but it is there.

Ephesians 1:4-5 NKJV
[4] just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, [5] having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,

God chose you before you chose Him.

Why would God choose you? There is no merit that made God choose you, He did it before you were even born.

God chose you because He loves you.

How did God choose us? We don't know. Some think they know, like Calvinist, predestination. 

John 3:16 NKJV
[16] For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

Greg believes Jesus Christ died for all of us, not a predestined few.

Wether we like it or not. The Bible teaches both predestination and free will.

It was said, it is a good thing that God chose me before I was born.

You decide where you will spend eternity. 

John 6:44 NKJV
[44] No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.

Colossians 1:28 NKJV
[28] Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.

1 Corinthians 3:7-8 NKJV
[7] So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. [8] Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor.

Acts 13:48 NKJV
[48] Now when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord. And as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.

Romans 10:13 NKJV
[13] For "whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved."

What has God predestined me for:

1. God predestined me to be adopted into His family.

Romans 8:15 NKJV
[15] For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father."

1 John 3:1 NKJV
[1] Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.

2. God predestined me to be holy and without blame.

Holiness speaks of a state of in are purity. Without blame means an outward or external condition of purity.

God is not looking at us as slaves but as His children.

No matter how lost we are He wants us home, like the father of the prodigal son.

1 John 4:19 NKJV
[19] We love Him because He first loved us.

3.'God chose us that we might become more and more like Jesus Christ everyday.

Romans 8:28-29 NKJV
[28] And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. [29] For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.

Gods end game is to make you more like Jesus Christ.

God is not trying to make you happy, He is making you holy.

Are you becoming more like Jesus everyday?

4. God chose us that we might live spiritually fruitful lives.

Ephesians 1:6 NKJV
[6] to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.

There is nothing that we can do to be accepted, God already accepts us.

John 17:23 NKJV
[23] I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.

On the cross God treated Jesus Christ as if he committed every sin ever committed yet he committed none of them.