How God Works in Your Life

The word "chose" here means "to make a choice of one or more possible; to select; to prefer." God chose us. And the Bible answers three questions about that choosing: how, when and why.

How? What was the reason for God's choice of us? God chose us because of Jesus!

I'm sure all of you have memories of being on a playground when sides were picked. Certain people were assigned, or more likely assigned themselves, to pick sides. Their choices were based on who was the best player or who was the most popular.

I have a friend with whom I used to play lots of basketball. His name was Fred. Fred was a funny looking guy, especially for a basketball player. He was a little dumpy and even in his twenties had a slight overhanging gut. He used to wear high top black shoes, before they were in style, and dark blue dress socks. He would often compliment this basketball no-no, with a v-neck T-shirt. Anyone who has ever been to a gym to play basketball knows that Fred would be the last one chosen. I knew the first time I saw Fred take the ball to the basket that this was an intentional strategy. But by then it was too late. You see, I was playing on the other team the first time I played with Fred. Our captain had not chosen Fred. In fact, Fred was chosen last. But this proved to be a very unwise oversight for our team and an incredibly lucky break for the other team.

God never makes an unwise choice. His choice of you was with the greatest intention and with perfect wisdom. It was not arbitrary. An arbitrary choice is based on happenstance, or based on nothing at all. With such choices you might end up with a Fred, or you might end up with a dud. But God's choice of us is based on Christ. The reason God chose us is because of Jesus. That's what the Bible means when it says God chose us "in him." Because of him or because of Christ, God chose us.

When did this happen? What were we doing that attracted God's attention? God's choice of you happened before the creation of the world. This same point is made in another part of the Bible like this: "Who has saved us and called us to a holy life ? not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time." Long before you had ever done anything good or bad, God chose you.

So why did He choose us? For what purpose? God chose you so that you might be holy and blameless. He did not choose you because you were holy and blameless, but because he intends to make you holy and blameless. Some of you have been sensing God's touch on your life. You are experiencing something new and you have come to realize that God is at work in you. But you are not yet fully cooperating because you think you need to have it all together before you get religious. You come to Gateway, and you like it, but you can't go deeper with God until your life is a little more together. I want you to know you've got that backwards. You come to God and He begins to work on your life. God's hand is on you because He has chosen you. Not because you are holy or good, but because Jesus was holy and good.

The word "holy" means set apart for a special purpose. God has a purpose for you and He is accomplishing that purpose in those of you who have fully connected your lives to His. Holy also means pure. God is purifying you. And God also intends to make you blameless. No one will be able to lay any charge against your life. Imagine going to a courtroom for a crime you committed ? only someone else is on trial for your crime. The whole trial is conducted and the defendant is found guilty and sentenced. When you walk out of that courtroom, you would be blameless in the eyes of the law. In the eyes of the law, the crime has been solved and you are not guilty. No one may bring any charge against you in that case. This is what God is accomplishing concerning our whole lives. God chooses you!

The word predestine means "to decide ahead of time, to make arrangement ahead of time." God took the initiative. He has been working on our destiny, accomplishing our good and His glory, since the beginning. The Bible answers three questions about this activity: Why? Or to what end have we been predestined? How? Or by what means have we been predestined? And on what basis have we been predestined?

To what end? Have we been predestined to be God's slave? Does this mean we are simply robots? Does this minimize the meaning and integrity of our lives? No, not at all! In fact, just the opposite. We have been predestined to be God's children. He has adopted us as his children. Under Roman law, childless couples would frequently adopt a male child to be their heir. Sometimes the child would be older, maybe five or six, and they would often be from slave parents. They would be brought under the benefits of the family which would include the protection of Roman law and financial security. Similarly, we have been adopted out of a life of spiritual slavery. WE have been given all the benefits of being sons and daughters of God.

By what means have we been predestined? What method does God use to accomplish our good and His glory? Our predestination has happened through Jesus Christ! God used the life, death and resurrection of Jesus to accomplish our adoption. And Jesus did all that he did with you in mind. He told us, "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep." (John 10:11) Again, this was not an arbitrary action with the hope that you would one day connect your life to His. This action was consistent with His choosing of you. He chose you and He arranged the way for you to enjoy eternal connection with Him. Jesus completely recognized that he, as God the Son, was fully and effectually accomplishing what God the Father had intended. He said, "All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away .. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day." (John 6:37-39)

On what basis has all of this happened? Our predestination has happened in accordance with, or consistent with or on the basis of God's pleasure and His will. Mike and Mary Ann Cannon and Diane and I live in a new neighborhood. The Home Owner's Association has just been turned over to the residents. We are now in the midst of arguing about whether or not we will allow 6 foot fences. This decision is important because every fence that is built in our neighborhood must meet the requirements. We can only build in accordance with the standards set by the Home Owner's Association. Every year I pay taxes. I do this because the law requires that I do it. That's the basis for my annual tax payment. I fill out the form and mail in my money on the basis of, in accordance with the law. God predestines us in accordance with His pleasure and will. He has decided for our adoption. It has pleased Him. And on that basis He arranges it.

God forgives you. We are told in Ephesians 1 three things about God's forgiveness: how this happened or by what means and why this happened or on what basis and what does this forgiveness really mean.

What does forgiveness really mean? The Bible equates it with the word redeemed. This word redeemed means "to release or to set free." It is used in exactly this sense in Hebrews 9:13. "For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance-- now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant."

Several weeks ago we talked about forgiveness. And we said that with true forgiveness the forgiver assumes the burden of the debt incurred. If you owe me money and I decide to forgive you, then I am absorbing the burden of the debt myself. I am paying the price for your debt. I take the loss. According to the Bible, our spiritual debts, which are called sins, are forgiven. WE are set free from the debt created by our sin.

How did this happen? By what means did God accomplish our forgiveness? According to the Bible, we are forgiven through the blood of Jesus. Sometimes when relationships are violated counseling is the means of accomplishing forgiveness. Sometimes retribution for wrong is made and then forgiveness is possible. But in the case of our relationship with God, the violence done was so severe that only the death of Jesus could accomplish our forgiveness. Jesus' blood was the ink that God used to write our declaration of independence. And finally what is the basis of our forgiveness? What was the motivation behind it? Was it our attendance at church that motivated our redemption? Was it our interest in God? Or our good behavior? God makes it clear that he forgave us because of the riches of His grace. The motivation behind it is His own gracious favor toward us.

The ultimate question with which humankind struggles is the question of meaning. Who am I? Why am I here? Is there any point to this vast universe or am I as one philosopher put it a grown up germ? God is at work in us informing us that there is meaning. The universe is going somewhere. And God has shown us the direction it is headed. "He made known to us the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment ? to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ." In other words, God has answered for us the ultimate question of meaning and He has done it because it pleased Him.

"In him you also were chosen having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity to the purpose of his will ? our inheritance is guaranteed until the redemption of those who are God's possession ? to the praise of his glory."

The word "chosen" in this verse is a different word than the one used in verse 4. This word means chosen to be an heir, or obtaining an inheritance. That's why the NRSV translates this verse "In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance." It follows that if we have been adopted into God's family, then we will receive an inheritance. What was His will be bequeathed to us. God has bequeathed it. That's what the word chosen here means. It is a past act ? it is done. God has set apart our inheritance. It is secure. It awaits us. And these privileges come to us because we are in Christ.

He marks you with a seal. In the ancient near east, the seal of a person was like their signature. In the case of kings, this seal meant both the authority and protection of the throne who provided for the bearer. If you traveled with the seal of Rome, for instance, you were protected from all but the most brazen thugs because the power of Rome traveled with you. If you were captured, Rome would dispatch her army to reclaim you.

We live under God's seal. By the image the Bible is communicating that God is active in protecting our lives. In fact the word "marked with a seal" can also mean deliver safely.

1. Some of you are not in Christ. All of this activity is predicated on being in Christ. Some of you have not made that connection.

• Today you need to get connected. You need to give your life to God.

2. You may have gotten used to God's activity in your life. You take it for granted.

• Diane and I lived near a fire station. Got used to the sound.
• You may have gotten used to the feel of God's activity in your life.
• Need to give thanks. Remind yourself of what He's done. Remind yourself of the extent of His activity on your behalf.

3. There is too much other noise.

• Too many other things going on in your life. When kids were loud, couldn't hear the fire station even if we wanted to.
• You may have too much extraneous noise in your life. Busyness, worry, pressure, fear ? You cannot hear God informing you. You cannot feel the security and the power of His protection. You cannot sense the peace of His control, His predestination. You cannot feel the warmth of His choice of you. You do not experience the joy of your inheritance.
• You need prayer. You need freedom.