Why God Chose You - If You Knew the Future

Notes: Why God Chose You - If You Knew the Future 
Pastor Greg
Esther 3
https://www.harvest.org/watch-and-listen/webcast/watch/why-god-chose-you

Jesus chose Peter even though He knew already that Peter would let Him down. Peter came back stronger.

Esther 3:5-6 NLT
[5] When Haman saw that Mordecai would not bow down or show him respect, he was filled with rage. [6] He had learned of Mordecai's nationality, so he decided it was not enough to lay hands on Mordecai alone. Instead, he looked for a way to destroy all the Jews throughout the entire empire of Xerxes.

Today Iran wants to wipe Israel off the planet. Haman’s plan is something that happens over and over in history.

Esther could not stay isolated.

Esther 4:13-14 NLT
[13] Mordecai sent this reply to Esther: "Don't think for a moment that because you're in the palace you will escape when all other Jews are killed. [14] If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?"

God does not need us. 

God wants us because loves us.

He reaches others through us.

Ephesians 1:4-5 NLT
[4] Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. [5] God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.

Before the world was made, God chose us.

He didn’t choose us because of us. He chose us in spite of us.

Try to explain election and you may lose your mind, try to explain it away and you may lose your soul.

God says He loves the world, not the elect.

Romans 5:6-8 NLT
[6] When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. [7] Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. [8] But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.

Whether we like it or not, the Bible teaches predestination and free will.

“The Whosoever wills are the elect, the whosever wonts are the non elect.” - D.L. Moody

Romans 10:13 NLT
[13] For "Everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved."

John 11:26 NLT
[26] Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die. Do you believe this, Martha?"

Ephesians 1:5 NLT
[5] God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.

Ephesians 1:6 NLT
[6] So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son.

John 17:22-23 NLT
[22] "I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one. [23] I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me.

On the cross God, the Father, treated His Son as if He committed all the sons of All of us.