Chosen for a New Beginning

Introduction: The Gospel Before the Grind

Church, we stand at the doorstep of a new year. Everybody's making resolutions, lose weight, save money, get organized, be better.

I'm not against goals. I'm not against planning. But before you pull out that journal, before you download that app, before you chase the "new you"—I came to remind you of a greater truth.

Before you resolve to change this year, rest in the fact that you are already chosen by the Father, redeemed by the Son, and sealed by the Spirit. This is your identity. (Read the scriptures)

I. THE FATHER CHOSE YOU – Before Time Began (vv. 3–6)

Paul starts with praise in verse 3, because he's about to tell us something so glorious, so overwhelming, that the only appropriate response is worship. And what is it? It is that God has chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him.

Now let's break this down carefully. The Greek word for "chose" is the same word used in the Old Testament when God chose Israel out of all the nations. It means to select, to pick out, to set apart for a specific purpose.

And when did this happen? "Before the foundation of the world." Before the stars were flung into space. Before the first sunrise. Before there was a calendar, before there was a clock, before there was time itself, God chose you!

Now, some of you are thinking, How can that be? How can God choose me before I was born?

This is what we call the doctrine of election, and it's right here in black and white.

The doctrine of election is not earned, but it is received because faith does not cause grace, but grace enables faith.

Here's what you need to understand: God's election is never arbitrary. The purpose of His election is that we should be holy and blameless before Him. You weren't chosen for privilege alone; you were chosen for transformation. You weren't selected to stay the same; you were adopted into the family to become like His son Jesus.

Now, adoption in the Roman world is not like it is today. When a Roman citizen adopted a child, that child received full legal status. All the debts of their old life were canceled. They got a new name, a new inheritance, and all the rights of a biological son or daughter. They became an heir.

And why did God do this, it was "according to the purpose of His will" and “to the praise of His glorious grace."

It wasn't because you deserved it.

It was because He decided it. It was according to His will, for His glory, by His grace. Period.

You see we didn't stumble into God's grace. You weren't an afterthought in the divine plan. You didn't earn your place at the table by being good enough, smart enough, or strong enough. You were chosen!

Before you were ever formed in your mother's womb—chosen!

Before you took your first breath—chosen!

Before you made your first mistake—chosen!

Before you ever called on His name, He had already called yours.

Before you reached for Him, He had already reached for you.

And He didn't choose you because you were good—He chose you because He is good!

He looked past your sin! He looked past your failures! He looked past your fears! And He said, "That one is mine!"

So when the world tells you that you have to prove yourself... When culture says, "Be worthy," "Be visible," "Be enough"... When your job makes you feel replaceable... When your past makes you feel disqualified...

You can stand strong in the truth and say: “I have already been chosen by the only One whose opinion matters!" AMEN!

[Slow it down]

So friends we are not trying to find our identity this year. We are starting FROM our identity. Let the world chase followers. Let social media chase validation. Let the culture chase relevance.

We have already been found by the Father. We have already been chosen by the King. We have already been adopted into the family of God.

And nothing—nothing—can change that.

[Pause, then transition]

Now, if the Father chose you, let me show you what the Son did about it...

II. THE SON REDEEMED YOU – By His Blood (vv. 7–12)

Look at verse 7 with me: "In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace."

Paul uses a specific Greek word for redemption. It's a marketplace term. It's the price paid to release a slave from bondage. But here's what makes it beautiful—and terrible at the same time—this word assumes you were already enslaved. That you were in chains. You were on the auction block. You had a master, and his name was Sin.

Paul says we HAVE been redeemed—past tense! Not "we're trying to be redeemed." Not "we're working toward redemption." We HAVE redemption. It's a done deal! The purchase price has been paid. The transaction is complete.

But notice—through what? Through His blood.

Now some of you grew up singing about the blood, but maybe you've never stopped to ask: Why the blood? Why not His teaching? Why not His miracles? Why not His perfect example?

Because Leviticus 17:11 tells us: "The life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls." Blood represents life poured out. Blood represents death in the place of another. Every lamb slain in the Old Testament, every sacrifice offered at the altar, was pointing forward to this moment—when the Lamb of God would shed His blood once for all.

So when Paul says "through His blood," he's saying the Son of God didn't just feel bad about your sin—He bled for it! He didn't just sympathize with your condition—He died in your place! The righteous for the unrighteous. The innocent for the guilty. The sinless for the sinful.

I know today we live in a cancel culture. You make one mistake and they cancel you. One bad tweet, you're canceled. One wrong word, you're canceled. The world has no grace for your past. Even church folk will cancel you just as fast as the world.

But I came to tell you that Jesus operates in a different kind of cancel culture! 

He canceled your sin debt! He canceled your shame! He canceled the certificate that stood against you! He took it and nailed it to the cross!

What can wash away my sin? [Congregation: Nothing but the blood of Jesus!]

What can make me whole again? [Congregation: Nothing but the blood of Jesus!]

Oh, precious is the flow that makes me white as snow! No other fount I know— [Congregation: Nothing but the blood of Jesus!] Pause

Paul takes us even deeper in verses 8 through 10. He says God lavished this grace on us "in all wisdom and insight, making known to us the mystery of His will."

Church your redemption isn't random. It's not God scrambling to fix a mistake. This was the plan from eternity past! And the plan was for the fullness of time, to unite all things in Him, things in heaven and things on earth.

You see, sin didn't just separate you from God—it fractured the entire cosmos. It broke the relationship between God and humanity, between humans and each other, between humanity and creation itself. Everything fell apart.

But redemption in Christ isn't just about getting you to heaven. It's about God putting the whole universe back together, with Christ as the head over all things! Your personal salvation is part of a cosmic restoration project!

All of history, all of creation, all things in heaven and on earth are being gathered up under the Lordship of Jesus Christ. And you—by grace—are part of that plan!

[Personal testimony moment]

I remember when I first understood this. I thought Christianity was just fire insurance—stay out of hell, get into heaven. But then I saw it: God is redeeming everything. He's making all things new. And He chose to include me in that plan. He redeemed me not just to rescue me, but to restore me to my original purpose—to bring glory to Him and to participate in the healing of this broken world.

So hear me, Church: You weren't just saved FROM something—you were saved FOR something! You were redeemed to be part of God's great redemptive plan in the earth!

That's why verse 11 says "In Him we have obtained an inheritance." You're not just forgiven—you're family! You're not just pardoned—you're promoted! You've been given a seat at the table and a stake in the Kingdom!

And verse 12 tells us why: "so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of His glory."

Your life is not about your glory. It's about His! You were redeemed to reflect His greatness. You were saved to show off His goodness. You were restored to radiate His character to a watching world.

So when the enemy whispers, "You're too stained"— You say, "I've been washed in the blood!"

When he says, "You're too broken"— You say, "I've been made whole by His wounds!"

When he says, "You're disqualified"— You say, "I've been redeemed and I have an inheritance!"

You are redeemed! [Let it sit, then transition]

Now if the Father chose you and the Son redeemed you, let me show you what the Spirit did to seal the deal...

III. THE HOLY SPIRIT SEALED YOU – For Eternity (vv. 13–14)

Look at verses 13 and 14: "In Him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in Him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of His glory."

Now watch the order here—this is critical. You heard. You believed. You were sealed.

Some people get confused and think election means we have no part to play. But look at verse 13: "when you heard the word of truth... and believed." You heard the gospel. You responded in faith. And the moment you believed, something supernatural happened—you were sealed with the Holy Spirit.

That word "sealed" was used in the ancient world in several ways:

- Like a rancher brands cattle, God puts His Spirit on you to say "This one is Mine." A mark of ownership 

- Like a king's seal on a official document, the Spirit authenticates that you're genuinely born again. A mark of authenticity 

- Like a seal on a tomb or a treasure chest, you are protected and preserved by God's power. A mark of security 

And notice what the Spirit is called: "the promised Holy Spirit." This isn't just any spirit—this is the One promised throughout the Old Testament. Joel prophesied, "I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh." Jesus promised, "I will send you the Helper." And at Pentecost, it happened!

But look at what the Spirit does: He is "the guarantee of our inheritance."

So the Holy Spirit living in you right now is God's down payment. He's the first installment of your eternal inheritance. The Spirit's presence in your life is proof that more is coming—resurrection, glorification, eternal life in God's presence!

Everything—election, redemption, sealing—it's all designed to put God's glory on display. Your salvation isn't ultimately about you. It's about showcasing the greatness of God to the universe.

Church, do you understand what this means?

You don’t have to live in fear that God will drop you. Your salvation is not fragile—it’s held by grace. And as long as you continue to trust in Christ, you are secure in Him. One failure doesn’t cancel God’s love. One stumble doesn’t erase your standing. God is not looking for perfection—He’s looking for perseverance.

You have been sealed! And the seal isn't your good behavior—it's the Holy Spirit! The guarantee isn't your performance—it's God's promise!

So don't walk into this year like you're on thin ice, hoping God doesn't drop you. Walk like you're standing on the solid rock! Walk like you're sealed by the Spirit of the living God! Walk like you have an inheritance that can't be stolen, shaken, or spoiled!

I've had people ask me, "Pastor, how do you know you're saved?" Let me tell you how I know. It's not because I feel it every day—feelings change. It's not because I'm perfect—I'm far from it. I know I'm saved because the Spirit bears witness with my spirit that I am a child of God. I know because when I read the Word, something in me says "Yes! That's true!" I know because when I worship, something rises up in me that I can't explain. That's the seal, beloved. That's the guarantee. That's the Spirit saying, "You belong to the King!"

So you are chosen by the Father! You are redeemed by the Son! You are sealed by the Spirit!

And Church, listen to me—you are sent into this world to proclaim this gospel!

This world needs a people who know who they are and are not ashamed to walk in it! This world needs believers who aren't constantly questioning their salvation but are confidently sharing it! This world needs Christians who understand they've been sealed not for comfort but for commission!

As you walk out of here today, I want you to walk like someone who's already accepted. Talk like someone who's already redeemed. Live like someone who's already sealed.

You don't have to earn God's favor this year—you're already in His family.

You don't have to prove your worth—you've already been purchased by precious blood.

You don't have to work up enough faith to hold on—you've already been sealed by the Spirit, and He's holding you.

Closing Prayer: Rooted in Grace

Let's pray...

Father, thank You that before we made any plans, You already had a purpose. You chose us in love before the foundation of the world. Thank You that we are not accidents. We are not mistakes. We are Your chosen ones.

Jesus, thank You that our sins are not our story. You redeemed us by Your blood. You canceled our debt. You washed us clean. Thank You that we are not defined by our worst moments but by Your best work—the cross.

Holy Spirit, thank You that we are not lost in the dark. You sealed us with power and purpose. You are our guarantee. You are our down payment. You are the proof that we belong to God and that more glory is coming.

As we step into this new year, help us walk not in fear but in the full assurance of Your grace. Help us live not to earn Your love but to respond to it. Help us serve not from insecurity but from identity.

May we be a people who know who we are and Whose we are. May we be a church that walks in confidence, speaks with authority, and loves with the same grace we've been shown.

We are chosen. We are redeemed. We are sealed.

And we are Yours. In Jesus' mighty name—Amen.