Will God Surprise in Missions: Never Forgotten Love
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
The other day while in South Carolina, my brother ask me if I wanted to speak to a children’s mission class about mission? I said yes and did so. Later that night, asleep, I wanted to pray for those kids, but woke up because my mind kept drifting to something else before I could pray. I prayed for God to save those kids and to use them all their lives as preachers, preacher wives, missionaries, and missionary wives. Then, I began to think about all the things I forgot to bring on my hunting trip to S.C. I was alarmed that one day I may forget to forgive or to ask for forgiveness. After that thought, I was terrified that I might forget to love or be loved. At last, I remembered that I may forget to love but God would never forget to love me.
The Salvation Road Map
The Salvation Road Map
29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
What do I mean by “Salvation Road Map?”
What do I mean by “Salvation Road Map?”
As you know, a map helps up get from one place to another.
The salvation map helps us understand how a infinitely Holy God gets to the place of having infinitely sinful people in his presences.
How does that happen?
There is much difficulty in understanding how salvation works.
Because of God’s holiness and our sinfulness the two do not mix well
Some of thing in these verse, Paul has already taught us but there are new things that kinda already understand have not really looked at closely.
Dead Reckoning Navigation (29-30)
Dead Reckoning Navigation (29-30)
Dead reckoning navigation is the process of getting from where you are to where you want to be.
It divides the route and has short distance identifiable points to verify your progress to your final destination.
I use the words Paul uses as fixed points.
The gospel road map has fixed points and I use the word fixed point really to help me express something is inexpressible.
The fixed points are the words that describe what is indescribable.
How do you describe eternity as a fixed location, so it breaks down easily.
There are five Fixed points.
Notice Romans 8:29-30
29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
The five fixed points are foreknow or foreknowledge, predestination, calling, justification, and glorification.
The five fixed points are foreknow or foreknowledge, predestination, calling, justification, and glorification.
This journey stated in eternity past dips into the present and ends in eternity future.
The beginning and ends are timeless but the middle crosses our path.
Praise God the determinate counsel of God crossed your path and my path!
The first location starts with God and his foreknowledge.
The first location starts with God and his foreknowledge.
Salvation starts with God and it started before the foundation of the world.
1 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,
2 (Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,)
24 Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.
Salvation begins with the gospel of God.
Redemption is rooted in God’s foreknowledge.
God’s foreknowledge is the very roots of missions, God’s mission to redeem a people for himself.
We might ask the question to help us understand, has there ever been, is there anyone, will there be a person whom God did not or does not know?
Would there be anyone, beside Jesus, in all of history, that God could say to you and me, he/she lived a perfect sinless life, why could you not do it?
You see God foreknew everyone and that is the roots of mission.
Will God Surprise in Missions? Yes, He foreknew every one.
God’s foreknowledge is the starting point for redemption.
The first way point is Predestination
The first way point is Predestination
None is able or capable to save themselves.
Our very nature pushes, expels us away from God.
God had to intervene if there was to be anyone redeemed.
God had to predestine some to glorification.
You understand that we are not on a crossroad, we are on the road that ends in destruction before we are converted.
We must pray for the conversion of the lost.
We must pray for the conversion of the lost.
Because we do not know whom, God will save.
We do know some will not be saved that hear the gospel message.
We can repeat the the questions Paul ask.
14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
We must pray for conversions and we must share the good news of Jesus to others! We must!
The next question that arises is, “Well, does God predestine some for destruction?
That happen as a natural course of things His law is established along with the consequences.
Left alone every man would end in condemnation.
The answer it No, because there is a command to love God with all our heart, soul, mind and to love our neighbor as our self.
And God commands all people everywhere to repent.
The second way point is calling
The second way point is calling
The calling is hearing the voice Jesus, the shepherd, and us following.
The calling is the leading of the Holy Spirit to repentance and faith.
The calling is Father giving the the redeemed to Jesus as his bride.
God gave the church to Jesus for a bride.
God gave Jesus to the church.
The third landmark is Justification.
The third landmark is Justification.
Justification is what every person needs to stand before God.
R.C. Sproul says it is the hinge pin for salvation.
With out pin in the hinge there is not redemption.
The forth and final destination is glorification.
The forth and final destination is glorification.
The final destination is glorification.
Glorification is a shorter way of saying, “conformed to the image of Christ.”
Why is it important to be conformed to the image of Christ?
Because Jesus Christ is the only man who can come boldly to the throne of Grace.
A person must be like Christ to stand around the throne.
A person must have the wedding garment of glorification to be among those around the throne.
9 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;
There is much more to be said about each of these five points but i felt like we needed some continuity between them.
People get afraid of these concept because they do not take the time understand them.
Salvation is God’s story from beginning to the end and we can be the benefactors of it in simple repentance and faith.