The Church of Eleven22 - Wk 1: Sovereign Election

Episode Date: September 27, 2020

God wants YOU to SURRENDER to the lordship of Christ NOW. I know this because he brought you here to hear this gospel.

Amen and amen. How are doing church? You're doing okay? I hope so. Man, big night in Jacksonville, huh? A lot going on. Mostly right here. You are in the right place. So glad that you're here. Grab your Bibles. We're going to be in Malachi chapter 1. Malachi chapter 1. We're starting a six-week series in Malachi. He's not an Italian prophet named Malachi. It is Malachi. Okay? And so it's an exciting weekend for us. This is Beach Baptism Sunday. Amen? I hope you're going to go. I hope you're RSVP. I hope you'll bring a bunch of people. people, and if you've never been baptized, I hope you'll get dunked, do that, okay? We are studying the book of Malachi. By the way, who does this? When I sat down to write the sermon this week, I was like, what am I thinking? And then I know what I'm thinking. It's all God's Word. It's all inspired.

It's all useful and profitable. So it doesn't matter what page you go to, it will be useful and profitable to every believer to study the Word of God. Amen? And so we are going to dive in. Just to tell you a little bit about maybe the history, the country, the context of what's happening here before we get into chapter 1, verse 1. Malachi's written about 100 years after Israel returns from the Babylonian and Persian exile. And so God makes all these

promises to the nation of Israel. And basically, he's like, if you're obedient, I'll have my hand of protection on you. But if you worship false gods, if you turn away from me, essentially, I will let you go in the direction that you want to hit. Romans chapter 1 says that it is the wrath of God to turn us over to our own desires. In other words, God didn't have to curse Israel. They did a good job by themselves of that, and he just let them go, and they found themselves in exile for 70 years in Babylon. And then God kind of wakes up a king under the leadership of Nehemiah, and he begins to let people go back to Jerusalem, to build the walls, to build the temple. And so by the time Malachi writes this, the people have been there for about 100 years.

And they had very high hopes when they first returned from exile. And like almost every generation does, almost every generation looks at the previous generation and says, look at those idiots. If we were in charge and when we were in charge, everything will be better. That is the problem of a revolution. You know that, right? Because everybody thinks if we can just get those crooked evil people out of here and then some good righteous people like us can be in charge, then everything won't be right.

And it turns out, ha ha, funny enough, Israel was just as crooked and rotten this time as they were last time. When they get there, they're greedy, they're adulterous, they're stealing from God. And basically what the book of Malachi is, is God confronts Israel over six different issues. And basically the way it goes is that God makes a claim. You've been unfaithful, you've been worshipping idols, you're greedy, you're spending all your money on you, and the nation of Israel, like a teenager, is like, not me, not me. And then God, like a good father, just leans in and tenderly and with a lot of toughness, confronts them and points out their wrongs.

And ultimately what we find out is the exile did not change the hearts of Israel. And so God, again, like a good dad in chapter 1, verse 6 and chapter 2, verse 10, God refers to himself as father, which is not the normative in the old covenant. Jesus makes it normative 189 times in the new covenant in the gospels. Jesus calls the sovereign king and judge father, but in the old covenant, he wasn't often called father. And now like a good dad, God is going to go after the hearts of the people. chapter one verse one says the oracle of the word of the lord to israel by malachi i almost did a whole sermon just on this one verse that word translated here to oracle is literally burden burden the the burden of the

word of the word of the lord to israel by malachi and i understand i understand what this means by the way the word malachi the name malachi just means messenger just means messenger and so what malachi is saying is hey, listen, I'm like the mailman. I don't write it. I don't write it. I just deliver it. But God has given me this burden, this message to share. And when I read that, I understand this, okay? Like this thing that I do every week, it is a burden.

It is a heavy burden. It is a heavy responsibility. And I go into the woods every Monday, and God does not owe me a sermon. And yet somehow, by God's grace, he gives me a word through his word to our people. Now, not in the same way that Malika, I'm not saying what I'm saying is scripture, but I have this burden every single week to preach the Word of the Lord to the Church of 1122. And my burden this week is this. If you're not a Christian that today you would get saved and Sunday you will get baptized. That's my goal.

Now, you may say, not me, we'll see, okay? The whole message you're going to see is about sovereign election. So good luck. And also, I know we have a bunch of believers, praise God. And then my burden for the believer is that the assurance of your salvation would be found and grounded on God's unconditional love for you. That that's what we would find, by the way, in this very, very difficult text that we're going to study.

You see, the oracle of the word of the Lord to Israel by Malachi. What Malachi is saying as, as I am sharing these words with you, they're not my words. these are, this is the Word of God. So here at 1122, our authority is not me. It's not our opinions. It's not the Supreme Court. It's not who's president. The authority for us is the Word of God. And I'm a Bible guy. I believe it cover to cover. I believe the leather's genuine, if you know what I mean, okay? And so if you ever find yourself at another church and they are not teaching the Bible, gather your things, get your kids, and leave, and do not go back there. Because, because, Because God's word is what drives us.

And as we study the Bible, one of the things that you're going to find is there are going to be many things in the scripture that offend you. By the way, this is how highly we regard the scriptures here. On December 3rd and 6th is when we will have our first services in San Pablo where we'll move over to what used to be Hobby Lobby. That's where we're moving in. We're going to start a Christmas series. It's going to be awesome. But before we ever do a service in our new San Pablo location, beginning on November the 8th at 7 p.m., that's a Sunday night, I think,

we are going to begin reading the Bible in our new worship center, and we're going to read the whole thing through nonstop. It's how we think it's going to take us to Wednesday afternoon sometime. And it's open to everybody, anybody wants to come and just hear the Word of God, and here's what we want to do in our new broadcast location. Before we ever say a word in there officially, we want to bathe the walls in the Word of God and just watch God's Word do what it does.

So there's not going to be anything to it except the Word of God. So we'll tell you more about it, but you should come. Now, what you'll find when you read the Bible, you know, sometimes people say, you know, I was reading the Bible, and I saw this, and I don't really like that. Well, okay. Of course there are things in here you don't like. What would you expect?

Like what kind of father does it correct and teach his kids? What kind of Savior does it save people? If God only said the things that you totally understand and agree with, then would you try to put yourself on the level with God? So in fact, there's a verse tonight that we're going to wrestle with, and nobody likes it. I don't like it. And I think it's because we don't fully understand it.

And our attitude towards the Bible is not necessarily complete of. understanding, but our posture towards the Word of God is that it is our authority. I'll give you an example. Not specifically because you'll get all hosed up on the specifics of it. But when we were launching the Church of 1122, and I was interviewing Lars Peterson to be an elder, there was an issue that from my perspective, his view on it coming out of corporate America, did not line up with my understanding of what the Bible said about church. And I thought it was going to be a break. point for us. And I love this man. I mean, he has been the most influential man in my life over the past 12 years, without a doubt. And I could not imagine an 1122 without him as an elder

and being a leader, okay? And yet, I was not going to bend on this issue because he is not my authority, the word of God is my authority. And I go into that interview and I'm thinking this is it for us, okay? And we get to this issue about ecclesiology, and I just say to him, what do you think about the issue? And he holds up his Bible, and he just simply says this. He goes, if there's anything in my life or understanding that is not in line with what the scripture says, it's just because I don't understand that part yet. But my disposition is, is that this is my authority and not this. Now, when you have that kind of, first of all, that's when you're just like, yep, check please. That's an elder, okay? Thank you very much.

But that is our attitude. Of course, there's all kind of stuff I read in here, and I'm like, I don't understand that. Or if this is true and this is true, how can they both be true at the same time? Or this thing kind of rubs me the wrong way? For sure, for sure. But like a good dad, what God is going to do with Israel through the Prophet Malachi is he is going to go after their heart. So again, he's got six things that he's going after them for. And before he ever corrects them, he's going to connect with them.

The first thing he says, the very first words out of God's mouth to his people is, I have loved you. So before he corrects, he's going to connect, like a good dad. So I'm not a great parent, but I married one. And occasionally, I get it right. Okay, I don't want to paint this picture for y'all. Like at my house, it's just all sermons and hymnsings. Okay, that's not how it is. But in my best moments of parenting, in my best moments of parenting, when my kids have royally screwed up, which they did,

often. Then I start with this. And usually I do it better when I'm really mad because I know I'm about to go crazy and I don't want to go crazy on them and, you know, the counseling fees will break me. So I'm like, go to your room. I go to the room. And then I walk in and I typically start this way when I'm getting in right. I go, who am I? And they're like, your dad. Right. And how much do I love you? And they'll go all the way. Because their whole life, that's what I've been telling how much do I love you all the way okay and then with that established when before we like we connect and then we move to correct and you know because I love you you cannot lie to your mama or you got to do your chores do you not understand we all have a whatever the thing is and by the way another just

free parenting tip whatever you do parents please please please don't ever tell your kids you're disappointed in them it's so anti-gospel if Jesus is the propitiation for our sin and that means He is a payment that satisfies, then God could never be dissatisfied in you, and disappointment has to do with surprise. Now, you are surprised by your kid. You did expect this and experience that. But please don't tell your kid you're filling that gap with disappointment. Tell them, you're filling that gap with love and grace, and that's why you're there to correct

him. Do you see the difference? It will help them understand that God's not disappointed in them, but he filled that gap with love and grace through the cross of Jesus Christ. This is what God the Father is due. with Israel. He says to them, I have loved you, says the Lord. But you say, this is Israel's response. How? How have you loved us? Again, like an arrogant little teenager that thinks he knows more than his dad, that's how Israel is responding. Now, the Christian answer to this is pretty simple.

That if you want to know, does God love you, then you don't look at your circumstances, especially in 2020, amen. You look at the cross. Once and for all, at the cross, then God has established and proved forever that we are loved by God. Now, Israel at this point, they were looking at a temple. They were looking at the fact that they only owned about 500 square miles of real estate. They used to be this national powerhouse, and now they are a little nobody. And they are looking at their circumstances, and God says, I have loved you. Past tense.

It's already been done. You have been loved by me. And they're like, how? Now, again, you may look around at your circumstances and everything is terrible, but when we look at the cross, it reminds us that God once and for all has established his love for us. Romans 5.8 says, God demonstrates his love for us and this, that while we were yet still sinners, Christ died for us. 1. John 4.10 says, and this is love, not that we loved him, but he loved us and sent his son to be a propitiation for our sin. John 1513 says, greater love has no one than this, that he would lay down his life for his friends,

and this is what I've done for you. You see, at the cross, God proves his love for us. Now, God answers them. When they say, how, have you loved us? And here's how he answers. Is not Esau Jacob's brother, declares the Lord? I know that just went over our head. I'll have explained in just a second.

Yet I have loved Jacob, but Esau I have hated. Wait, what? Not the answer we're looking for, right? Let's keep going. I have laid waste to his hill country and left his heritage to a jackal of the desert. If Edom, Edom is the offspring of Esau. If Edom says we are shattered,

but we will rebuild the ruins, the Lord of Hose says they may build, but I will tear down. And they will be called the wicked country, not the good, innocent folk, but the wicked country and the people with whom the Lord is angry forever. Okay, so here's what he's talking about.

When he says, I have loved you, and Israel is like, how have you loved us? And he says, don't you remember that Jacob and Esau were twins in the womb together, and you, Israel, are descendants of Jacob, and look across the border. There's another nation called Edom, and they're a train wreck because of their unfaithfulness and their wickedness. But newsflash, Israel, you're unfaithful and white,

wicked too, and yet I'm giving you another opportunity to come back to the promised land, rebuild the temple, and have another chance. Now, verses like this, Jacob I love, Esau, I hated, they bother the mess out of our Western sentiment. Is anybody with me here? Does anybody read a verse like that and be like, all right, I need a little help, okay? Because I grew up on some Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so unless your name's Esau and then to hell with you, okay? Is that what it said? All right. So, again, it would not have bothered Israel at all. They would have seen it as a blessing. And what had happened is every single one of us live on a continuum between entitlement and gratitude, and they had shifted way over here to say, God, you owe us blessing.

And God is like, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, have you forgotten all of the blessings from Jacob now to you? So, one of my ways to study the Bible that I think is the best is, if you want to know what a verse like, Jacob I love, Esau I hated, what it means, then always use the Bible as commentary unto itself. Before you find out what John MacArthur says, and John Piper and Tim Keller, all incredible, really smart, way smart to me, all of them, I did a conference one time. Tim Keller was sitting on the front row. Do you know who that is? I just felt like blue-collar comedy tour, and there's Tim Keller, just judging me.

But anyway, before you track down what those brilliant people think, as you should, the first thing you should always do is use the Bible as commentary unto itself. And in Romans chapter 9, the Apostle Paul is going to quote this verse out of Malachi. And in Romans 9, the context of that helps us understand what God means to Israel when he says this verse, Jacob I love and the Esau I hate it. Okay, so flip over to Romans chapter 9, you know, a couple years ago, we taught the entire book of Romans. Romans chapter 9 is about the sovereign election of God in salvation.

It makes lots of people really uncomfortable, especially free will type, so it's just totally fine. And if you'll remember, though, Romans chapter 9 comes right after Romans chapter 8, the greatest chapter in the whole Bible. And you might not think that, but you can be wrong, okay? The greatest paragraph is in Romans 3, but the greatest chapter in the whole Bible is Romans chapter 8 and Romans chapter 8 has all these epic epic epic verses Romans chapter 8 comes after 7 7 is where Paul is like what is wrong with me

I I want to do good and I can't and I want to quit doing evil and I can't do that either what a wretched man am I who would save a wretch like me and then he ends seven with praise God for Jesus who came to save me and then based on that you get 8-1 there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus praise God We love that. One of my favorite verses. Then by the time you get to 828, man, everybody loves 828. And we know that for those who love God, all things work together for good.

For those who are called according to his purpose. Now, what most evangelicals do is they skip the next couple of verses because it makes them uncomfortable, and they jump down to the 31, but I'm not going to skip them. So right after that really, like that coffee cup verse, that God works in all things for the good of those that love him are called according to his purpose. He goes on to say, for those whom he foreknew, he also purnew. predestined to be conformed to the image of his son in order that he might be first born among many brothers and those whom he predestined he also called and those whom he called he also justified

and those whom he justified he also glorified sometimes people say pastor do you believe in predestination and i say i believe the bible says that we are predestined and then people say well hold on but do you believe that whosoever calls on the name of the lord will be saved absolutely i say i believe that the bible says whosoever calls on the name of the lord will be safe is that comprehensive Of course it is. Get over it. All right? That's what I say. So then he goes for this big close. The greatest chapter in the whole Bible. You've got to end well, okay? Because it ain't how you start. It's how you end. And this is how he closes this chapter. After he says that God works in all things and that God forenows us and predestances us and calls us and justifies us and sanctifies us and glorifies us, then he says,

what then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who could be against us? He who did not spare his own son but gave him up for us? us all. How will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died. More than that, who was raised, who is at the right hand of God who indeed is interceding for us? Who shall separate us from the love of Christ shall tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword or COVID? I added that one, but I think it applies. And then the answer to his five questions is, no. Can any of that separate us from the love of God? No. In all these things, we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that needed a death,

nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus, our Lord. And that's what you're supposed to do. When you're, you're get to that part of Romans 8, you're supposed to lose your mind. Really? Nothing? Uh-uh, nothing. Are you serious? How serious are you, Paul? And then the skyscraper that goes all the way to eternity of Romans 8 sits on some really deep footers that are found in Romans 9. How can we believe that, Paul, and this is where he gets to God's sovereign election unconditionally. Verse 9, I am speaking the truth in Christ.

I'm not lying. My conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit. And the reality that for all those he foreknows, he predestines, and all those he predestines he calls and all those he calls, he justifies, leads us not to be arrogant to think, well, I'm a believer and you're not, because I figured it out in my own goodness, and I am more humble and smarter than you, and that's why I'm going to heaven and not you. That's not where it should lead. If that's where it leads, it's evidence that you haven't experienced the grace of God.

So then he says, first two, look at this. I want you to see his heart here, that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart, for I could wish that I myself were a curse and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsman according to the flesh. Here's kind of just real talk. Paul's saying, as I see my religious Jewish family reject Jesus, my heart breaks. My heart breaks. I don't see God saving me and the gospel transforming my life and then look at a lost world and look down my nose at them. When I see people who don't know him, especially my religious family, I have, look at what he says. he says, I have unceasing anguish.

Like he's never okay with it. And then he goes in verse 4. There are Israelites. They had such a head start. This is what he's saying. They had such a head start. Look at all that God had blessed them with. And to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants,

the giving of the law, the worship, the promises. To them belong the patriarchs. And from their race, according to the flesh, is Christ, that Jesus was born out of the nation of Israel, who is God overall, blessed forever. Here's what he's saying. They had every reason to receive Jesus, and yet they, along currently with a whole bunch of religious people, and they rejected him. And the reason that they rejected him is because they thought, I don't need a Savior,

I got this. I don't need an innocent, righteous one to die in my place. because I'll just be righteous on my own. This is what anybody from any religion that has not trusted Christ thinks, I don't need a savior. My good works will be okay. You hear Paul's heart,

his heart is breaking for his brothers and sisters who Malachi was talking to, and now the son of God is walking among them, and they know all the Bible verses, and they know all the religious activity, and they can smell the breath of God, God. Think about that. They can smell the breath of God, but the breath of life has not entered them because of their arrogance and their religious activity of which they are hanging their hopes

of eternity on. That's what's happening here. And then Paul anticipates the question that we would ask. All right, hold on, hold on. Well, if God promised these things to Israel, and yet you're saying that by and large Israel has rejected the Savior Jesus, then did God fail Israel? And if so, then how do we trust the promises of Romans chapter 8? Paul's like, I'm glad you asked. Verse 6. But it is not as though the word of God has failed, for not all who are descendants from Israel belong to Israel.

He's going to redefine who Israel is. This is very important. And not all are children of Abraham because there is offspring. In other words, all ethnic and national Israel is not what Paul is talking about when he talks about Israel in the book of Romans. He's saying that to be a child of Abraham means that you have faith. That's what he's saying. So then in the back half of Romans there's a whole bunch of promises,

and those promises are two people who have put their faith in Jesus Christ. That's what he's saying. And now he's going to give two examples. And then the second one is where we're going to find our verse from Malachi. He says, but through Isaac shall your offspring be named? This means that it is not the children of flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring. For this is what the promise said.

About this time next year, I will return, and Sarah will have a son. So just in case you don't know the book of Genesis, he's going to share two examples of God's salvation of his people. Example number one is this. Abraham was given a promise. He was given a promise when he was 80 years old. And the promise was, I'm going to change your name from Abraham, which means dad, to Abraham, which means the father of many nations.

And Abraham's like, yep, there's only one problem. I'm old, and my wife is older than old is what the Hebrew said. Don't ever say that, fellas, okay? But that's what he said. Her womb is dead. He said that too, okay? And God is like, no, no. With man, all kind of stuff's impossible.

With me, no thing is impossible. And so he says, I'm going to give you this promise. And then the Bible says it's not slow, so you can't call him slow, but you ever notice God's time and your time ain't on the same calendar? Anybody? And so there is this time going on. like about 13 years or so, and Abraham is like, still got no kids, still got no kids, still got no kid. God's promising, I'm going to have more children, like from my lineage, there's

going to be more kids than the stars in the sky. You know how many stars in the sky there are? A bunch, all right? And so he's waiting and waiting and waiting. Then he gets to the point where he gives up on God. Can't wait anymore. I can't wait anymore. So instead of by faith trust in God in his promises, I'm going to make this happen at my own hands. And he and his wife agree, well, if we're going to have a kid, we better get to work here. And so he said, it ain't working with us. Why don't you sleep with Hagar, our servant? So he does. And she has a child named Ishmael. So there are two sons. Ishmael is a picture of workspace righteousness. This is what happens when you don't trust the promises of God

and you try to work it out on your own. You get an illegitimate kid. That's what that is. And so God is saying, so that's not where my name will rest, but my name will rest on Isaac. And so he comes to Sarah and says, you're going to have a kid this time next year.

And she laughed. And he says, perfect. We're going to name your kid laughter. Hebrew for laughter is Isaac. And then sure enough, a year later, here's the kid, the kid that was born by faith. So what he's saying is, works, like your own works will not save you. See this example.

But it is by faith that you are saved. That's example number one. Example number two. He's also going to go back to Genesis and he's going to quote Malachi, verse 10. And not only so, but also when Rebecca had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac, though they were not yet born and had done no thing, either good or bad, in order that God's purpose of election might continue, not because of works, but because of him who calls, she was told the older will serve the younger.

In other words, here's what he's saying. Do you know why you're saved? Do you think it's because you're smarter? Do you think it's because you're better? Do you think it's because God scanned all of Jacksonville and says, I don't know how I'm going to make it without her. Or do you think God looked at you like Luke looks at Darth Vader and says, I still see a little good in their father?

No. He's using this as an example of unconditional election. So in other words, God does not choose us because of us. That he chooses us, he saves us because of him. And there's great assurance there if you're a believer. I hope you know that. There is great assurance. there if you were a believer.

And then here's our verse. As it is written, Jacob, I love, but Esau, I hate it. Okay. What does that mean? What does that mean? And again, our Western sensibilities are like, I don't like that. Well, okay.

I will tell you this. In my insecurity, I am tempted to preach this away and soften it so that it will be palatable to you. because not only do I want you to like me. Actually, I don't care really if you like me. I just want you to be impressed. That's really what it is. You can hate me or love me.

Just don't ignore me. That's kind of my issues, okay? And then sometimes I want to solve and settle like this. It's because I want you to like God better. And sometimes I feel like, and a lot of preachers will do this. They feel like they're running PR for the Lord. And they're trying to like, ooh, that's not how I would say that, Lord. So why don't we just say it another way?

But I'm telling you, here's what I do know. So Jesus does not need a makeover. And I don't need to feather his hair to make it more palatable to you. The line of Judah needs no defense. So I'm just going to lay it out for what it says. There are at least four possible meanings, and you can be a Christian and buy into any combination of these four, okay? Number one, when he says, Jacob, I love, Esau, I hated.

This is called the principle of first. And the hate there doesn't mean hate. It's a comparative word. We know this from Luke 14, 26, where Jesus says, if you want to, you want to. follow me, then you got to hate you, mama, hate your daddy, hate your brother, hate your sister. Is he actually telling you to hate your family? Some of you are like, that's the only commandment I can keep,

so I hope so. No, that's not what he's saying. He's saying that you should love me so much that the gap between his first place in your life to everybody else important in your life would be like the gap between love and hate. Okay, that's and maybe. Or a lot of folks say, well, he's talking about nations. He's talking about nations.

Some nations he chooses and some nations he does not choose. Well, for sure in Malachi, that's a part of what God was talking about when he was saying, you know, Israel I loved and Edom, I have cursed. But essentially what you're doing, if you take that hermeneutic, is you're just kicking the can down the road. If what you mean is, by God's sovereign choice, he has opened up some nations to the gospel, and then the people in that nation can choose him, then you're still, why doesn't he open up every nation?

So I don't, I'm not into that one, okay? Another explanation is that when, when he says love and hate, what the words mean are chosen and unchosen. Like the Bible will use the word to choose love and know all interchangeable. Like for instance, in Matthew chapter 25, Jesus says to some people, depart from me, I never knew you. Does that mean he looked at them? He was like, what is your name again?

No, he knows all things. It means that we don't have a relationship. That's what the word no means. The Bible used the word no this way. And Adam knew Eve and she bore a child. Now that's no one. You understand what I'm saying? It is like intimate relationship.

And so what some people will say is, ah, he didn't hate Esau. He just, I chose Jacob and Esau I did not choose. Okay. Maybe. Or it just means what it says. and God elects unconditionally. Unconditionally. And so, I don't know.

God just decided, I'm going to save you. Not because of anything that you have done. And I typically, when there's kind of some options in the scriptures, I'm just going to typically read it for what it says and go with that. And if I'm off, one day I will stand before the Lord and he will be like, why did you take that so literally, you dummy? I was just trying to prove a point. But I would rather take that one than him say,

why did you water down the truth of my word so as to make it more palatable for people? So either way, by faith, you have to understand that it is God that chooses and not us. Now remember, remember, this verse, Jacob I love and Esau, I hated. Remember, he is using these examples of being saved by grace through faith and not works. He is using this as an illustration

Paul is using it as an illustration that were saved by the grace of God through Jesus Christ and not because God looked into the womb and there were twins and he said, I don't like the red-headed one I'm going to go with the other one. That's not what happened, but it was just by his grace. And in fact, I think a big part of what it's going on here is if you look at the life of Jacob and Esau, their life proved to be that one of them loved the Lord and one of them hated the Lord. In fact, the name Jacob means trickster or deceiver. That when they were born, the reason, okay, so Esau was born first, and so by right, he had the birthright, he had the inheritance,

he had the title, he had the promise of God. And the reason they named him Esau is because it meant Harry. He just came out of Harry, and Chabaca wasn't a word yet, so they went with Harry, Esau. And Esau was a stud. He hunted with the bow. I like him all right. ready. And then when Jacob is born, he's holding on to Esau's heel. This is like Daytona. He's trying to pass him in the final turn so that he can win first place and that he can get the blessing. And so they name him heel grabber. That's what Jacob means. Deceiver, trickster. And then when you go on in their life a little bit, Esau's dad's favorite, Jacob's a mama's boy. He was just always, you know, he was just cooking and watching real housewives of Shackham or wherever they live.

And then not only that, he, one day, he tricks his brother. And Esau rejects the promises of God in his life for immediate satisfaction. He says, I don't know, forget you. I'm going to get mine right now. That's what he does. And Jacob, not only does Jacob trick his brother, Jacob also lies to his dad and tricks his dad into receiving the promises of his dad, his blessing. And so by all accounts,

Esau's a pretty good guy, and Jacob's a dirtbag, and yet Jacob one night, while he's running from his brother because he doesn't want to get killed by him, because, again, he's a bowhunter. He's running from him, and he lays down on a rock, and God shows up and wrestles him. And Jacob surrenders his life to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. I think a part of the message here is you're never too far gone.

You're never too far gone. And even though Esau had every advantage, there is no place in the scripture where it says by faith he ever surrendered to God's plan. He was always trying to run it his way. That's what happened. Listen to me. If you were listening to me, it doesn't matter what campus is in. It doesn't matter where you are, if it's online.

It doesn't even matter when it is. Somebody six months from right now listening to you in your car. That's prophecy. God wants you. He wants you. If you can hear this, he wants you. He is chasing you down. to put you in a headlock like he did Jacob,

and he's not going to let go until you tap out, and then you're going to walk away with a spiritual lint for the rest. You're going to be marked by your surrender for the rest of your days. This is what Jacob does. You were never too far gone. Never, ever, ever. Because God's not choosing the best and the brightest. God is unconditionally loving you.

Then he goes on to say, what shall we say it in? Is there injustice on God's part? And then he does a bunch of verses, and basically he says, no way. Do you think God owed you salvation? If God saves anybody, it is by His mercy. You cannot blame God for us getting what we deserve. And if God saves any... The question that Paul's going to get to is not,

why doesn't God save everybody? The thing that Paul says what we should marvel at is that he's gracious enough to save anybody. It's not God's fault that you're not saved. The responsibility is yours. if let's just say I was in a campus pastor meeting and all of our campus pastors were like you know what pastor you don't pay us enough we're going to rob a bank and I was like boys that is not a good idea and they said we don't care what you say we're going to rob a bank and as they were walking out the door

I decided to wrestle one to the ground and I chose the weakest which is obviously Ben Phillips okay I mean Berringer he's too fast in a track suit Chris Gerr would just hug you you're not sure if you, you know, he'd be like, come on. Jeff Kopp, y'all have seen that guy? Playing the NFL runs our prison ministry. He's already there. What's he going to do? Anyway, so I'd go for BP.

So if I wrestle BP to the ground and don't let him up, and then all the boys go and it gets bad and they shoot a guy and they all go to prison. Can they blame me? No, no, no, no, no. They decided to go to be dumb. And BP can't look and say, well, the reason that I didn't go to prison is because of my goodness.

know. So everybody that is saved, all the credit goes to the Lord. And everybody who has rejected God, all the responsibility is theirs. He goes on to say, and you will say to them, why does he still find fault for who can resist his will? Ultimately, if you study salvation enough, and particularly if you were looking at what is God's role in his sovereignty and our salvation and what is our responsibility to respond to the gospel. Ultimately, this is the only place you can end up. And here's the answer. But who are you, old man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, why have you made me like this? Has the potter no right over the clay to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use? In other words,

when you get all deep and, well, God, is that fair? Ultimately, God says to you, what's that clay? what can the clay say to the potter? I mean, are we creator or created? Who are the created to look at the creator and say, you're not doing this right? That's ultimately where he lands. Now, there's a great verse, Deuteronomy 2929. When you get to places like this,

you know that when the apostle Peter writes his letter, he says things like, there are things that Paul writes that are hard to understand. I am almost positive. He is talking about Romans chapter 9. Deuteronomy 2929 says this. The secret things belong to the Lord our God. But the things that are revealed belong to us

and to our children forever that we may do all the words of the law. The secret things belong to the Lord, our God. But the things that are revealed belong to us. Here's what I know. Here's what I know. I know that God saves. I know that God chooses.

I know that God sent his son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross and whosoever would believe in him would be saved. Do I know if you're the elect or not? I'll tell you how I know. Put your faith in Jesus right now and you are the elect God has chosen you. Did he send his son to take away any excuse? And then Paul goes on to say, what if? He didn't say this is how it is.

He's just given like a what if scenario. What if God desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power has endured with much patience, vessels of wrath, prepared for destruction in order to make. known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for his glory, even us whom he has called, not from the Jews only, but also from the Gentiles. That we can see in the past that God used some atrocious things in this world, like Jesus being accused of crimes that he did not commit, and the murder of the only good man who's ever lived.

And little did the world know in that moment that what God was doing was saving was saving. all of us, but he wasn't saving us for us. He was saving us for his glory. Ultimately, what he's saying there is, everything is about God's glory, and that his glory is what's best for us. So do you realize, like, before, you know, a thousand years ago, before Copernicus comes wrong and says, hey, I've got an idea, we're not the center of the universe. By the way, the church killed him for that. Do you know what's really good news? news that the earth is not the center of the universe? That the earth does not have enough gravitational pull to keep the rest of the planets and the sun in orbit. If the earth became the center,

we're all dead. Did you know that the earth has no source of heat and light? And so if the earth became the center, then we would all freeze the death and die. That if the sun were a person, the best thing the sun could do for all the other planets is be the center of everything because of who the sun is, that's how we get to live. The best thing God can do for us is make His glory the center of everything because He is light and He is life, and it is by His grace and His glory that we live. That's what he's saying.

Then he closes a bunch of Old Testament people, and then he closes it down. And here's what happens, man. If you study this, okay? The reality that God loves you and shows you, and died for you, and that it's unconditional, no matter who you are or what you've done or who your parents are, it should lead us to be overwhelmed by the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Look, man, the enemy tries to whisper doubts about our salvation all the time. Can I just

tell you one of the affirmations that the Lord gives me about my salvation? I can't get over the gospel. I mean, I cannot get over. Who am I that he? would take my place. Me? A nobody from nowhere who's got a track record of bad. Even after I said I loved him, there was still a whole bunch of stuff I just kept secret over here and prayed the people that my church wouldn't find out about. Don't look at me all judgmental like that ain't you too. And yet even knowing that, he still decided to send his son Jesus Christ on a rescue mission. I didn't grow up in church. I didn't go to Sunday school. I didn't get a perfect attendance.

I never went. And when I did go, I mocked it when I left. It's not like I went to youth group and thought, that was interesting. I would go and I was like, they just spent 30 minutes singing songs spelling out joy with their body. What a bunch of dorks.

I'm not hanging out with those people. And little did I know God was using the pretty awful circumstances in my life when I was in high school. And he was using all of those things to set me. in front of a night in Veniceville, South Carolina, where a bunch of college kids wrapped sheets around them like togas and reenacted the crucifixion of Christ

with more country accents than I have. What shall I do with this man named Jesus? That's what Pilate would say. It's crazy. There's no reason I should be saved. There's no reason. We would sing songs like, I am a sea. That was our worship.

That was, it's not, I don't even think it counts, okay? And I'm sitting there and Coach Lee says for God's so love the world. He pointed to the cross. And somehow, man, not metaphysically, but in my mind, I was at Galgotha and Jerusalem somewhere around 33 AD. And I knew that kid hanging on the cross was my camp counselor from Wofford. But somehow when he pushed up and he says, it is finished by grace in that moment. I had no new information, y'all. I grew up in the South.

I heard that Jesus died on the cross 100 minutes. Well, I went to church. I heard that every Easter. It's the only sermon we ever heard because my family went. We didn't even go on Christmas because we had a pig picking to go to. You don't even know what that is, okay?

But that's fine. And I heard that. I can't explain what happened. I didn't get any smarter or dumber in that moment. The scales fell off. My heart began to beat. I believed it. I believed when he died on the cross

somehow that counted for me. If you understand the gospel of grace, then it will lead you to where Paul goes at the very end. He goes, what shall we say then that Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it? That is a righteousness that is by faith, but that Israel, like really religious people, who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness, did not succeed in reaching that law? Here's plain talk. You mean to tell me that there are some people that grew up in church that memorized all the books of the books, Bible that have never even said a bad word. They don't even use. They made up their own version of

cuss words, not to say actual cuss words. They got fish on their car. They do all the things. And those people have not attained a righteousness because they tried their own right activity to attain a righteousness. And me, a law-breaking good-for-nothing lying, deceiving me. And yet I have attained this righteousness they couldn't. Paul's like, Yep, that's what I'm saying. That's what God's unconditional love is. He didn't look at you and say, if you can just get a few things right, I'll save you.

That is not what he said. He looked at you in your own depravity and said, to display my glory, I'm going to die for you. Why? Because they didn't pursue it by faith. But as if it were based on works, they have stumbled over the stumbling stone. As it is written,

behold, I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling and a rock of a fence. And whoever believes in him will not be put to shame. So here's the truth, man. God loves you unconditionally. And right now, in this moment, he wants you to surrender your life to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

And those two truths will cause one of two reactions in you. Either you will stumble over that and get all caught up in here and never meet Jesus and spend an eternity separated from him. And like Paul would say, man, to think that there are those kind of people in our church that would listen

to me preach the gospel every week and yet not knowing because you think it's up to you, my heart anguishes over that. Because from here, everybody looks like a Christian. Everybody looks great. But have you, have you surrendered your life to Jesus? Back to Malachi, here's how he closes. The way he closes this, those really tough verses, he points to Jesus. He says, your eyes shall see this, and you shall say, great is.

the Lord beyond the borders of Israel. That God sent his son, Jesus, on a mission to rescue, to die for you and for me, to rescue us from sin, from ourselves. And we are a long way from Israel. I don't know if you notice that. That this gospel of Jesus is to go to every tribe and every tongue and every nation to the corners of the earth, to the very ends of the earth. And the message is, for whoever would believe that when Jesus, says it is finished, that counted for me. Good news. For whoever would believe that, God has chosen you and God loves you. Here's the whole point. God wants you to surrender to the Lordship of Jesus Christ

right now. How do I know this? I know this because he brought you here to hear this gospel message right now. And so for anyone, for anyone, there's not a person here that's too far gone. If you're really, really, really bad, I've got good news. You're never too far gone to be saved by the blood of Jesus Christ at the cross. And some of you are really, really, really good. Like you've been going to church a long time. And you can be saved too. The same way. You just put your faith in the Lordship of Jesus. And now, now, now you know a little more theological backing on how that helps, but it don't matter. It simply comes down to this. If you admit it, Ham of sinner, I need a Savior.

And I believe, I trust. Somehow, like Joby, like you did when you were a teenager at that camp, I believe that when Jesus on that cross says, it is finished, somehow, somehow that counted for me. Then just surrender. Surrender. Just confess Jesus as your Lord, and the Bible says, you will be saved. Would you bow your heads? Would you close your eyes?

If that's you, right now. if you know in this very moment for the very first time that God unconditionally loves you and right now by his grace he has made that message clear to you and in this moment you were ready to surrender your life to the Lordship of Jesus Christ would you just raise your hand in the air would you say father here I am I surrender my life to the Lordship of Jesus Christ praise God praise God and if you're watching online click the raise hand

our good and gracious heavenly Father God I thank you that you're not waiting for us to get our act together, that then maybe you would accept us, but through the blood of Jesus Christ, that you have chosen us, you have called us, you foreknew us, and you paid the price for us, for anybody who would believe. God, I pray against the whispers of the enemy right now.

He is a liar. And Lord, I pray that men and women students would be set free by the truth. and the truth is that you love them and died for them. God, I thank you. I thank you that even today, a long way away from the border of Israel, that you are still saving your children. We pray this in Jesus' name.

Amen. Would you please stand as we respond? We respond by bringing our ties and offerings. We do that online. We respond by praying. By praying. I'd love for you to, Pray for your one more's, if you got them,

that they would hear this message this weekend. Oftentimes, what we need to do in prayer is just like God was reminding Israel of how he had loved them. Sometimes in prayer, what you need to do is you just need to come down and posture yourself before your king who died for you and just pour out a prayer of Thanksgiving. That's worship. And then we join our voices together and we sing, and we're going to sing words right out of Malachi. We're going to sing about the greatness.

of the Lord. So let us pray, let us sing, let us bring. Let's respond.