LAST SUNDAY'S SERMON NOTES
Read Peter's preaching notes....
“Emotions of Predestination”
Ephesians 1:3-14
9/15/24
We humans have incredible capacity of taking wonderful things God does,
& tying selves into knots over it: prime example this morning
Before mission presentation, spent 3 wks looking at how Paul began some of his letters
one more today, but want to focus attn on one aspect of what he wrote
Eph 1:3-14: the “thanksgiving” portion of intro: actually, only part of it
one massive glorious run-on sentence: grammarian’s dream or nightmare!
seminary prof outlined it in Gr: practically impossible to trans in Eng as one sentence
8 sentences in NIV
suspect Paul lost his head when wrote because so excited
When outlining sentence, 1st need to ID main clause
everything else flows from it
here, main clause beginning: “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ”
everything that follows is reason for us to praise God
why do we praise God? because he chose to bless us through X
goes on to wax eloquent about how chose, how blesses
focus bit today on how God chooses us, what means to be chosen
v 4: chose us before creation of world: lit Gr: chose us before foundation of world
ie God had us in mind before even said “Let there be light”
you are not an afterthought, an add-on to his plans, patch in improve app
God knew from very beginning that you would be his son/daughter
that you would receive all the blessings that come to us through X
adopted as his child, sin forgiven, reveal will to, receive HS
all so we can be for “the praise of his glory” (phrase 2X)
all this in God’s plan for you long before born
knew you, loved you before world created
had you in mind as X hung on cross, rose from grave, ascended to heaven
prepared plan for you long before able to make any plans for yourself
Word for this concept that got Paul so excited: predestination
aspect of Xn belief we Presbys are well-known for: pay particularly close attn to
is indeed reason to celebrate: our salvation doesn’t depend on us, but on God
w/out predest, sp condition would be fragile & tenuous
if only saved because made decision to accept X, that salvation could be lost easily
all it would take is for us to change mind, have weak moment & walk away
don’t care who you are: we all have weak moments, we all change our minds
God doesn’t want something as important as our eternal fate, praise of his glory,
to depend on something as fickle as what mood we happen to be in when wake up in morning
also gives us hint of how profoundly God loves us
had us as part of his plan for world from very beginning
his will for us to be part of how all things are united in X: didn’t want us to be left out
for us to have his grace poured out on us: dumped like bucket at water park
HS in lives: not only to enjoy now, but down-payment/pledge of what is to come
Predestination is good news! see in other place Paul talks about: Ro 8
different context: not overflowing praise & joy but encouragement in distress & trouble
may start to doubt God’s love: is he really there? will he forget about me?
will my troubles have the better of me?
ends in glorious declaration: nothing “will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
but as part of assurance he offers along way, reminds of predest
“In all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined …. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.”
as struggle w/ ups & downs of life, God’s got you
called you from very beginning, will see you through to very end
your salvation, blessings of God in life, don’t depend on you: God has chosen you
no amt of trouble that this world sends your way can take it away from you
Predest is good news: but doesn’t seem that way for some people
emotions of predest at times exact opposite of what God desires for us
can lead people into anxiety: am I one of God’s chosen? predest’d me for his glory?
how can I know if God chose me or not? what if he didn’t? what will happen to me?
fall into despair, lose self-confidence
This fear/worry can be overwhelming: source of “Prot Work Ethic” (Weber)
recognize world isn’t fair: two people put in same amt work: one succeeds, other doesn’t
if your hard work succeeds, sign of being predest’d, that God is blessing you
eg message from Ps 37
have to make most of what you’ve been given: if goes well, you’re predestined
if doesn’t, you’re in big trouble
sets up for terrible anxiety: eternal fate depends on how well things go for you
also: if predest’d, part of God’s will: have responsibility to do your part
better not let God down if he decided before creation what you’re supposed to do
completely lose sense of joy we find in Eph 1, assurance we find in Ro 8
Challenge of predest is that can’t see it: can only believe it’s real
our perception is that there is no plan: everything happens willy-nilly, by chance
or, that it’s up to us: if we don’t make it happen, it won’t
future completely uncertain, up for grabs
predest challenges us to believe different reality
can find assurance & certainty because we are all part of God’s plan
yes, what we do is part of that plan, but not up to us to make the plan succeed
as align selves more w/ God, what comes from our lives more in accord w/ his will
fear that may not be one of God’s chosen? mere fact want to be indicates that you are
As concept of predests permeate your being, find different emotional grounding
able to trust that God is at work in circumstances all around you
his HS at work w/in you, moving your life according to his purposes
what you are doing is how God is at work in your life, using you for his purposes
ground emotions in Ro 8 & Eph 1
Ro 8: God is at work for our good, nothing will separate us from him
Eph 1: God’s grace is moving us along in his master plan: inc’s praise for God
“glorious inheritance and his incomparably great power” for us
Ephesians 1:3-14
9/15/24
We humans have incredible capacity of taking wonderful things God does,
& tying selves into knots over it: prime example this morning
Before mission presentation, spent 3 wks looking at how Paul began some of his letters
one more today, but want to focus attn on one aspect of what he wrote
Eph 1:3-14: the “thanksgiving” portion of intro: actually, only part of it
one massive glorious run-on sentence: grammarian’s dream or nightmare!
seminary prof outlined it in Gr: practically impossible to trans in Eng as one sentence
8 sentences in NIV
suspect Paul lost his head when wrote because so excited
When outlining sentence, 1st need to ID main clause
everything else flows from it
here, main clause beginning: “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ”
everything that follows is reason for us to praise God
why do we praise God? because he chose to bless us through X
goes on to wax eloquent about how chose, how blesses
focus bit today on how God chooses us, what means to be chosen
v 4: chose us before creation of world: lit Gr: chose us before foundation of world
ie God had us in mind before even said “Let there be light”
you are not an afterthought, an add-on to his plans, patch in improve app
God knew from very beginning that you would be his son/daughter
that you would receive all the blessings that come to us through X
adopted as his child, sin forgiven, reveal will to, receive HS
all so we can be for “the praise of his glory” (phrase 2X)
all this in God’s plan for you long before born
knew you, loved you before world created
had you in mind as X hung on cross, rose from grave, ascended to heaven
prepared plan for you long before able to make any plans for yourself
Word for this concept that got Paul so excited: predestination
aspect of Xn belief we Presbys are well-known for: pay particularly close attn to
is indeed reason to celebrate: our salvation doesn’t depend on us, but on God
w/out predest, sp condition would be fragile & tenuous
if only saved because made decision to accept X, that salvation could be lost easily
all it would take is for us to change mind, have weak moment & walk away
don’t care who you are: we all have weak moments, we all change our minds
God doesn’t want something as important as our eternal fate, praise of his glory,
to depend on something as fickle as what mood we happen to be in when wake up in morning
also gives us hint of how profoundly God loves us
had us as part of his plan for world from very beginning
his will for us to be part of how all things are united in X: didn’t want us to be left out
for us to have his grace poured out on us: dumped like bucket at water park
HS in lives: not only to enjoy now, but down-payment/pledge of what is to come
Predestination is good news! see in other place Paul talks about: Ro 8
different context: not overflowing praise & joy but encouragement in distress & trouble
may start to doubt God’s love: is he really there? will he forget about me?
will my troubles have the better of me?
ends in glorious declaration: nothing “will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
but as part of assurance he offers along way, reminds of predest
“In all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined …. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.”
as struggle w/ ups & downs of life, God’s got you
called you from very beginning, will see you through to very end
your salvation, blessings of God in life, don’t depend on you: God has chosen you
no amt of trouble that this world sends your way can take it away from you
Predest is good news: but doesn’t seem that way for some people
emotions of predest at times exact opposite of what God desires for us
can lead people into anxiety: am I one of God’s chosen? predest’d me for his glory?
how can I know if God chose me or not? what if he didn’t? what will happen to me?
fall into despair, lose self-confidence
This fear/worry can be overwhelming: source of “Prot Work Ethic” (Weber)
recognize world isn’t fair: two people put in same amt work: one succeeds, other doesn’t
if your hard work succeeds, sign of being predest’d, that God is blessing you
eg message from Ps 37
have to make most of what you’ve been given: if goes well, you’re predestined
if doesn’t, you’re in big trouble
sets up for terrible anxiety: eternal fate depends on how well things go for you
also: if predest’d, part of God’s will: have responsibility to do your part
better not let God down if he decided before creation what you’re supposed to do
completely lose sense of joy we find in Eph 1, assurance we find in Ro 8
Challenge of predest is that can’t see it: can only believe it’s real
our perception is that there is no plan: everything happens willy-nilly, by chance
or, that it’s up to us: if we don’t make it happen, it won’t
future completely uncertain, up for grabs
predest challenges us to believe different reality
can find assurance & certainty because we are all part of God’s plan
yes, what we do is part of that plan, but not up to us to make the plan succeed
as align selves more w/ God, what comes from our lives more in accord w/ his will
fear that may not be one of God’s chosen? mere fact want to be indicates that you are
As concept of predests permeate your being, find different emotional grounding
able to trust that God is at work in circumstances all around you
his HS at work w/in you, moving your life according to his purposes
what you are doing is how God is at work in your life, using you for his purposes
ground emotions in Ro 8 & Eph 1
Ro 8: God is at work for our good, nothing will separate us from him
Eph 1: God’s grace is moving us along in his master plan: inc’s praise for God
“glorious inheritance and his incomparably great power” for us
Old Union Presbyterian Church | 200 Union Church Road, Mars, PA 16046
724-538-8672 | [email protected]
724-538-8672 | [email protected]