WEBVTT 00:00:00.320 --> 00:00:01.040 Hello, friends. 00:00:01.120 --> 00:00:02.399 This is Pastor Creighton. 00:00:02.560 --> 00:00:05.679 Thank you for listening to Newsong Church's Sermon Podcast. 00:00:05.919 --> 00:00:12.480 Newsong Church exists to lift high Jesus Christ in Port Perry as we worship, grow, and serve. 00:00:12.640 --> 00:00:14.000 We'd love to connect with you. 00:00:14.080 --> 00:00:18.160 You can find our contact information at newsongportperry.ca. 00:00:18.640 --> 00:00:23.039 Today we continue our sermon series, The Gospel According to Samuel. 00:00:25.199 --> 00:00:29.280 The Lord said to Samuel, Fill your horn with oil and go. 00:00:29.760 --> 00:00:31.920 I have provided for myself a king. 00:00:32.079 --> 00:00:33.280 Let's pray. 00:00:37.119 --> 00:00:40.960 So, Heavenly Father, we give you thanks and praise for your word. 00:00:41.679 --> 00:00:49.840 We pray, Lord, that our hearts would be renewed and our lives shaped evermore into the glory and glorious image of our Lord Jesus. 00:00:50.000 --> 00:00:57.679 So, Lord, let the words of my mouth and the meditation of all of our hearts be always pleasing in your sight, O Lord, our Rock and our Redeemer. 00:00:57.920 --> 00:00:58.560 Amen. 00:00:59.200 --> 00:01:00.560 Please be seated. 00:01:05.760 --> 00:01:08.480 So we all love an underdog story, don't we? 00:01:08.719 --> 00:01:17.040 Whether it's Leicester City winning the cup or Rocky Balboa going the distance, we love an underdog story. 00:01:17.120 --> 00:01:22.799 We love it when a hero overcomes outrageous odds against them. 00:01:23.680 --> 00:01:28.560 It's tempting to read 1 Samuel chapter 16 like an underdog story. 00:01:28.879 --> 00:01:30.879 Israel is down and out. 00:01:31.359 --> 00:01:36.159 Jesse's youngest son is, well, overlooked as a word for it. 00:01:38.000 --> 00:01:48.239 But if we read this just like an underdog story, I suspect we miss the heart of what's really going on here, of the good news that God has for us. 00:01:48.959 --> 00:02:01.760 What 1 Samuel chapter 16 wants to put on display is the fact when we are helpless and powerless on our own, we need someone to save us from without. 00:02:02.400 --> 00:02:07.920 We need God to make a sovereign, saving choice on our behalf. 00:02:08.159 --> 00:02:09.840 See, Israel is helpless. 00:02:10.000 --> 00:02:13.599 At this moment, they have a bleak outlook on the future. 00:02:13.919 --> 00:02:17.120 And what they need is the saving help of the Lord. 00:02:17.360 --> 00:02:27.039 And what 1 Samuel chapter 16 wants to tell us is that God works his salvation through his sovereign choice. 00:02:27.599 --> 00:02:32.479 God works his salvation through his sovereign choice. 00:02:32.800 --> 00:02:37.680 So the hero of this story is not Jesse's youngest son, it's not even Samuel. 00:02:37.919 --> 00:02:41.120 The hero of the story is the Savior, and that's the Lord. 00:02:41.280 --> 00:02:42.639 God works his salvation. 00:02:42.879 --> 00:02:59.039 He gives his deliverance and saving help when no one else can, by his sovereign choice, which is to say God's self-determined actions, which are free and unconditioned, which is something we can really only rightly say of God. 00:02:59.360 --> 00:03:06.479 We could use terms like free will to describe our actions, but even what we choose is conditioned, isn't it? 00:03:06.719 --> 00:03:09.840 We only have a limited number of possibilities in front of us. 00:03:10.080 --> 00:03:20.319 We're located in a particular time and a particular place, and human finitude necessarily puts a limit on what our options can be and what our choices are. 00:03:20.560 --> 00:03:21.840 Not so with God. 00:03:22.879 --> 00:03:30.960 God works his salvation, his deliverance, through his sovereign saving choice in a way that only he can. 00:03:31.599 --> 00:03:43.280 So perhaps we can hear echoes in this chapter of Hannah's song, which we looked at all the way back in chapter 2, as we opened up and opened up this journey through 1 and 2 Samuel together. 00:03:43.439 --> 00:03:52.639 Maybe we hear echoing through this passage that there is none holy like the Lord, there is none besides you, there is no rock like our God. 00:03:53.360 --> 00:04:01.840 God is completely holy, he is utterly unique, he is supremely strong and mighty to save. 00:04:02.159 --> 00:04:12.400 When all else fails and all else will, he alone intervenes to save his people by his unconditioned and sovereign choice. 00:04:12.719 --> 00:04:20.720 So in this particularly helpless moment in the story of God's people, we see God working his salvation through his sovereign choice. 00:04:20.879 --> 00:04:31.439 And there are three things I think we see in 1 Samuel chapter 16 about the sovereign choices that God makes for us and for our salvation. 00:04:31.680 --> 00:04:35.759 One, God's sovereign choice gives us hope. 00:04:36.160 --> 00:04:40.800 Two, God's sovereign choice is uniquely wise. 00:04:41.600 --> 00:04:46.480 And three, God's sovereign choice can surprise us. 00:04:46.959 --> 00:04:51.839 It gives us hope, it's uniquely wise, and it can surprise us. 00:04:52.000 --> 00:04:55.279 And friends, this is good news for us today at New Song. 00:04:55.600 --> 00:05:04.879 It's good news because God still works his salvation in our lives, in our parish, through his sovereign choice. 00:05:05.839 --> 00:05:19.680 1 Samuel 16 reminds us that God is infinitely capable when we are powerless to help ourselves, and he is infinitely faithful to his people and will neither leave us nor forsake us. 00:05:20.000 --> 00:05:23.920 God works his salvation through his sovereign choice. 00:05:24.160 --> 00:05:26.160 His sovereign choice gives us hope. 00:05:26.399 --> 00:05:29.120 So our passage this morning begins with a question. 00:05:29.360 --> 00:05:34.639 The Lord said to Samuel, How long will you grieve over Saul? 00:05:34.879 --> 00:05:38.000 Since I have rejected him from being king over Israel. 00:05:38.160 --> 00:05:39.439 Do you see that in verse 1? 00:05:39.600 --> 00:05:45.120 If you've got your order of service or your Bible, I welcome you to open that up with me. 00:05:45.680 --> 00:05:52.240 When we meet Samuel here in chapter 16, he's grieving over the rejected King Saul. 00:05:52.480 --> 00:06:03.519 Because in chapter 15, which we opened together last week, Saul's partial obedience was revealed for the disobedience that it really was. 00:06:04.319 --> 00:06:07.360 And it was rightly rejected by the Lord. 00:06:07.519 --> 00:06:12.319 And this disqualified Saul from ruling over God's people. 00:06:13.120 --> 00:06:22.959 Saul continues to reign, but his kingship is on the decline, and his character is only going to go from bad to worse. 00:06:23.600 --> 00:06:27.920 So perhaps in this moment of grief, Samuel might be thinking back to years earlier. 00:06:28.160 --> 00:06:33.120 When Israel first demanded a king like all the nations in chapter 8. 00:06:33.600 --> 00:06:37.680 It was Saul that Samuel was directed to anoint to lead Israel. 00:06:37.920 --> 00:06:41.600 Samuel was personally invested in Saul's kingship. 00:06:41.759 --> 00:06:50.160 Saul showed so much promise at the start, but eventually his character was found out for what it was, and it made for his downfall. 00:06:50.399 --> 00:06:53.839 Saul is arrogant, self-centered, and prideful. 00:06:54.879 --> 00:07:03.839 Perhaps in this moment, too, this moment of grief for Samuel, he remembers this song that his mother Hannah might have sung to him as a young child. 00:07:04.160 --> 00:07:13.439 Talk no more, so very proudly, let not arrogance come from your mouth, for the Lord is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed. 00:07:13.759 --> 00:07:16.319 So certainly Samuel grieves in this moment. 00:07:16.480 --> 00:07:18.800 He grieves over Saul's failure. 00:07:18.959 --> 00:07:22.000 We know that Samuel cared a great deal for Saul. 00:07:22.800 --> 00:07:27.680 But no doubt his grief is amplified by Israel's present predicament. 00:07:27.920 --> 00:07:32.879 The king is meant to lead the nation in covenant faithfulness to the Lord. 00:07:33.360 --> 00:07:37.600 The people chose the king, but he's proven unfaithful and broken God's covenant. 00:07:37.759 --> 00:07:41.920 So now Israel's future seems so uncertain. 00:07:42.160 --> 00:07:50.879 Without a king acceptable to the Lord, the question is, will Israel be conclusively rejected as God's people as well? 00:07:51.279 --> 00:07:55.040 Israel, it seems, is beyond human help at this moment. 00:07:55.199 --> 00:08:01.360 And here's where God's sovereign choice brings hope that Israel wouldn't otherwise have. 00:08:02.000 --> 00:08:06.720 God says to Samuel, verse 1, fill your horn with oil and go. 00:08:06.959 --> 00:08:13.759 I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for myself a king among his sons. 00:08:14.000 --> 00:08:23.120 And then picking it up in verse 3, you shall anoint for me him who I declare to you, the one who I will instruct you to anoint. 00:08:23.360 --> 00:08:26.000 This word provided here is so important. 00:08:26.720 --> 00:08:39.360 In other translations you might see, I see a king among Jesse's sons, but this word that can be translated determined or see, it's not see in a sense of, well, let's give this a try and see if it works. 00:08:39.840 --> 00:08:46.559 No, this is more of a, Samuel, I see the next right step that I have determined to take. 00:08:46.879 --> 00:08:53.759 I see my plan working out step by step, even if you can't right now in the midst of your grief. 00:08:54.480 --> 00:08:57.200 So trust me and obey. 00:08:57.759 --> 00:09:09.919 Where Samuel grieves Saul's failure and Israel is hopelessly lost on its own, God has made the sovereign choice of a new king who will bring hope for God's people. 00:09:10.960 --> 00:09:15.440 Perhaps God's sovereign choice can be an antidote for our despair. 00:09:15.679 --> 00:09:20.559 In moments of seeming hopelessness, is that a word? 00:09:21.519 --> 00:09:22.799 You know what I mean. 00:09:22.960 --> 00:09:25.120 That's a lot of listness is. 00:10:09.440 --> 00:10:14.480 So in a few generations' time, there would come even bleaker times for God's people, Israel. 00:10:14.639 --> 00:10:17.679 This is an iffy moment, but it's going to get worse still. 00:10:17.919 --> 00:10:24.639 Their increasing unfaithfulness to the Lord would result in exile in hostile and foreign lands. 00:10:24.879 --> 00:10:33.600 But in the midst of bleakness, defeat, and the grief of exile, God's sovereign choice still offers hope for his people. 00:10:34.399 --> 00:10:39.759 Who speaks a word of hope to Israel through the prophet Jeremiah. 00:10:40.000 --> 00:10:41.919 Here are the famous words. 00:10:42.320 --> 00:10:47.440 I know the plans I have for you, my people, declares the Lord. 00:10:47.759 --> 00:10:53.600 Plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. 00:10:54.000 --> 00:11:06.320 What an assurance it is to know that God is always making sovereign choices to give us hope in a future when we otherwise wouldn't have one, even in the midst of our grief. 00:11:06.639 --> 00:11:10.080 God works salvation through his sovereign choice. 00:11:10.320 --> 00:11:16.799 He's purposed to bring about a new king, and he is purposed to bring about hope where we're in despair. 00:11:16.960 --> 00:11:20.559 This gives us hope, even in the most grievous of circumstances. 00:11:20.799 --> 00:11:23.840 So Samuel recognizes that there's still a threat from Saul. 00:11:24.080 --> 00:11:27.919 Saul is probably intensely jealous and intensely defensive. 00:11:28.159 --> 00:11:33.600 Samuel understands that his life, well, he's taken his life in his hands to go to Bethlehem. 00:11:33.759 --> 00:11:37.120 Nevertheless, God directs him there and he's willing to obey. 00:11:37.279 --> 00:11:42.159 So he goes to Bethlehem, he meets the elders, and most importantly, he meets Jesse. 00:11:42.639 --> 00:11:50.639 And it's in his meeting with Jesse and Jesse's sons that we see the second important thing to note about God's sovereign choice, and that is this. 00:11:50.960 --> 00:11:55.200 God's sovereign choice is uniquely wise. 00:11:56.399 --> 00:12:00.559 Wisdom, it could be said, and I say it could be said because I Googled it. 00:12:00.879 --> 00:12:05.279 Wisdom is a quality of experience, knowledge, and good judgment. 00:12:05.600 --> 00:12:09.600 It's knowing what we're talking about and acting accordingly. 00:12:09.759 --> 00:12:11.600 Isn't that a joyful noise? 00:12:13.519 --> 00:12:28.559 So if that's the case, if wisdom is experience, knowledge, and good judgment, it seems that uh I've received, maybe you have two, conflicting uh um advice on whether or not it's a wise thing to judge a book by its cover. 00:12:28.720 --> 00:12:30.240 Have you heard that expression before? 00:12:30.480 --> 00:12:32.480 Judge a book, don't judge a book by its cover. 00:12:32.559 --> 00:12:38.879 On the one hand, there's truth to the principle that there are great treasures hidden beneath humble trappings. 00:12:39.200 --> 00:12:49.200 But on the other hand, if you don't exercise good judgment based on the information made available on the cover of the book, you could go looking for the answer to the meaning of life in a cookbook. 00:12:49.919 --> 00:12:55.600 So whether conscious or not, the truth is we unavoidably judge by appearances, don't we? 00:12:56.000 --> 00:13:06.879 We train ourselves to, because we're finite creatures with limited vision, and our best judgment and wisdom must go by what we perceive, to one degree or another. 00:13:07.120 --> 00:13:11.039 But it opens up the question: what if there's a greater wisdom still? 00:13:11.360 --> 00:13:16.240 And we miss it completely when we're fixated on the appearances of things. 00:13:16.480 --> 00:13:20.320 This is the wisdom that Samuel displays in a very human moment. 00:13:20.480 --> 00:13:30.399 Verse 6, when they came, that is, Jesse's sons come before Samuel, he looked on Eliab and thought, surely the Lord's anointed is before him. 00:13:30.799 --> 00:13:34.159 I suspect that none of us would have thought differently than Samuel. 00:13:34.399 --> 00:13:40.559 Here's Eliab, as fine a specimen of manhood and leadership as you could hope to come across. 00:13:40.799 --> 00:13:44.080 Surely this must be Israel's new king. 00:13:44.320 --> 00:13:46.240 And what a king he'll be. 00:13:46.960 --> 00:13:48.799 Samuel is not stupid. 00:13:48.960 --> 00:13:50.320 He's a wise fella. 00:13:50.799 --> 00:13:58.639 His many years of being Israel's judge and prophet have shown him what godly character and effective leadership requires. 00:13:58.879 --> 00:14:05.039 So in this moment, Samuel's best human wisdom says, Yes, Eliab is the man. 00:14:05.279 --> 00:14:06.240 Go for it. 00:14:07.600 --> 00:14:12.879 Perhaps Eliab would be Samuel's chosen king, but he is not the Lord's chosen king. 00:14:13.039 --> 00:14:20.720 As the Lord instructs Samuel, do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I've rejected him. 00:14:20.960 --> 00:14:23.679 For the Lord sees not as a man sees. 00:14:24.080 --> 00:14:28.960 Man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart. 00:14:29.279 --> 00:14:35.200 See the Lord's rejection of Eliab is not equivalent to the Lord's rejection of Saul. 00:14:35.360 --> 00:14:44.639 Rather, this no to Eliab simply means that the Lord has not called Eliab to serve in this way or in this office of the king. 00:14:44.879 --> 00:14:50.559 He's got something else in mind for Eliab and something else in mind for his people Israel. 00:14:51.120 --> 00:15:04.960 But if Samuel wasn't careful to listen or discern the Lord's unique wisdom in this moment, we might go on to read about the tragedy of King Eliab, who may have ended up being Saul 2.0. 00:15:05.679 --> 00:15:21.039 So the Lord says to Samuel, Man looks on the outward appearance, but I look on the heart, which is to say that the best of human wisdom unavoidably judges the book by the cover, the person or the situation by what appears to our limited perception. 00:15:21.279 --> 00:15:28.879 The Lord, however, sees people and situations not just in terms of appearance, but for the way they really are. 00:15:29.679 --> 00:15:42.240 The Lord uniquely sees through to the very center of things, the very core of human persons and attitudes and motivations, which not even the wisest among us can claim to do. 00:15:42.559 --> 00:15:47.039 So while Eliab is standing in front of Samuel, Samuel has a choice. 00:15:47.360 --> 00:16:02.639 Either he trusts his own best human wisdom, and he judges this particular book by its cover, or with humility, he trusts in what the author himself is saying at this moment. 00:16:09.120 --> 00:16:22.080 The unique understanding of wisdom is that as wise as we may be or count ourselves to be, true wisdom, the Christian understands, is always something that belongs to the Lord. 00:16:22.240 --> 00:16:24.399 True wisdom always belongs to the Lord. 00:16:24.559 --> 00:16:27.840 Proverbs chapter 2 says, the Lord gives wisdom. 00:16:28.080 --> 00:16:31.519 From his mouth come knowledge and understanding. 00:16:32.000 --> 00:16:46.080 No matter how right a choice may seem to us, unless we're willing to listen to the Lord and submit to his word, we can make the decision that seems wise, yet in fact is found out to be the foolish one. 00:16:46.879 --> 00:16:50.000 This requires humility on our part, doesn't it? 00:16:50.720 --> 00:16:55.679 Recognizing that God's ways are higher than our ways, his thoughts than our thoughts. 00:16:55.919 --> 00:16:58.320 And humility doesn't come easy to me. 00:16:59.200 --> 00:17:02.159 Because I'm more or less convinced I'm always right. 00:17:03.200 --> 00:17:07.440 That my wisdom is the best wisdom, and I make the decision accordingly. 00:17:08.319 --> 00:17:11.680 So how do we do the hard work of discerning God's unique wisdom? 00:17:11.759 --> 00:17:15.440 Well, I think Samuel gives us a couple of thoughts to consider. 00:17:15.680 --> 00:17:20.240 Samuel is willing to listen, and that's hard work. 00:17:22.000 --> 00:17:28.160 He's done the hard work of knowing God's character as God has revealed himself to Samuel. 00:17:28.799 --> 00:17:35.599 And he's willing to humble himself and go not by his best wisdom, by the call of the Lord. 00:17:36.000 --> 00:17:47.440 Friends, for us, as we're discerning God's wisdom for a particular choice or particular situation in front of us, we can follow Samuel's example by listening for what it is that the Lord is speaking. 00:17:47.839 --> 00:17:57.519 Knowing God's character in his word and acting accordingly, and humbling ourselves, even if that means going and seeking out godly counsel. 00:17:59.440 --> 00:18:00.480 Can you pray for me? 00:18:01.039 --> 00:18:11.039 James the apostle tells us that if any of you lack wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. 00:18:11.759 --> 00:18:26.000 God's rejection of Eliab as king and his word to Samuel that he looks upon the heart tells us that God works his salvation in a way that only he can through his uniquely wise, sovereign choice. 00:18:26.640 --> 00:18:31.440 See, God's sovereign choice gives us hope when we're otherwise left with no hope. 00:18:31.680 --> 00:18:34.880 And his sovereign choice is uniquely wise. 00:18:35.279 --> 00:18:38.640 Here's the third thing that 1 Samuel 16 tells us. 00:18:38.880 --> 00:18:42.079 God's sovereign choice can be surprising. 00:18:42.319 --> 00:18:45.279 Let's look at verses 13, 11 to 13. 00:18:46.400 --> 00:18:53.359 Here's what Samuel knows from verses 1 to 3 that God's sovereign choice for a king is among Jesse's sons in Bethlehem. 00:18:53.440 --> 00:19:03.279 So Jesse parades seven of his boys before Samuel, and yet Samuel, as he listens to the Lord's direction, knows that none of these sons is the appointed king. 00:19:03.519 --> 00:19:05.519 So Samuel asks the logical question. 00:19:05.680 --> 00:19:08.160 Verse 11, Are all your sons here? 00:19:08.480 --> 00:19:11.200 Jesse says, There yet remains the youngest. 00:19:11.359 --> 00:19:13.359 But behold, he's keeping the sheep. 00:19:13.599 --> 00:19:18.960 And Samuel said to Jesse, Send and get him, for we will not sit down until he comes here. 00:19:19.200 --> 00:19:22.240 And so Jesse sent and brought him in. 00:19:22.559 --> 00:19:28.480 So at this point, maybe I can ask if there's any younger children who could maybe identify with this moment. 00:19:30.000 --> 00:19:33.200 There's no reason to think Jesse doesn't love his youngest boy. 00:19:33.440 --> 00:19:40.559 In fact, Jesse is following well-established ancient Near Eastern practice to give priority to the oldest child. 00:19:40.720 --> 00:19:45.839 Although, again, perhaps there are some youngests here who are thinking that's not so ancient a practice. 00:19:46.480 --> 00:19:55.200 But in this context, the oldest son priority gave an ancient Near Eastern family stability and security from one generation to the next. 00:19:55.359 --> 00:19:59.920 To give the youngest priority risks disorder and confusion. 00:20:00.160 --> 00:20:08.880 But as a disciple of God's word knows, God's sovereign choice doesn't always follow our established practices or expectations. 00:20:09.519 --> 00:20:12.559 See, the line of God's covenant promises bears witness to this. 00:20:12.799 --> 00:20:23.359 God chooses to continue his promise line with the younger son Isaac rather than his older brother Ishmael, and he chooses Jacob over his older brother Esau. 00:20:23.839 --> 00:20:28.799 What we easily miss in our day would not have been lost in the ancient Near East. 00:20:29.039 --> 00:20:32.559 God's sovereign choices can surprise us. 00:20:32.799 --> 00:20:37.440 So Jesse runs and fetches his youngest from shepherding the family flock. 00:20:37.680 --> 00:20:39.519 And verse twelve we pick it up. 00:20:39.680 --> 00:20:43.680 Now this young boy was ruddy, and he had beautiful eyes and was handsome. 00:20:43.920 --> 00:20:47.680 And the Lord said, Arise, anoint him, for this is he. 00:20:48.400 --> 00:20:52.319 And Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. 00:20:52.480 --> 00:20:57.119 And the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon David from that day forward. 00:20:57.440 --> 00:21:01.680 David is named for the first time in Scripture, here in verse 13. 00:21:02.079 --> 00:21:13.759 His appearance is given in verse twelve, but we can infer from verse 7 that it is not based upon his appearance that the Lord has chosen David, rather with reference to his heart. 00:21:14.000 --> 00:21:19.200 And David is famously remembered as a man after God's own heart. 00:21:19.920 --> 00:21:22.480 David didn't earn the office of king. 00:21:22.720 --> 00:21:25.279 He certainly wasn't entitled to it. 00:21:26.079 --> 00:21:47.359 That David of all people in Israel is anointed king, and in fact is remembered as Israel's ideal king in a time of failure and rejection, says to God's people that the Lord works his salvation through his hope giving, uniquely wise, surprising choice. 00:21:48.079 --> 00:21:50.480 God's choice may surprise us. 00:21:50.799 --> 00:21:59.599 We would have not thought that deliverance or help or salvation would come about this way, just as we would not have expected God's sovereign choice to. 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:07.839 Has hope in an otherwise hopeless situation, or display his unique wisdom, which humbles our best understanding. 00:22:08.160 --> 00:22:12.960 God works salvation through his sovereign choice. 00:22:13.519 --> 00:22:24.400 And for us, friends, here at Nusong, we know this to be supremely true in our Savior Jesus, the heir to David's everlasting throne. 00:22:24.720 --> 00:22:36.000 See, Scripture bears witness that apart from God's working salvation through his sovereign choice, we are helpless, even dead in our sins and trespasses. 00:22:36.480 --> 00:22:46.160 But long before we ever made our decision for Christ, God in Christ made a decision for us, for us sinners. 00:22:46.400 --> 00:22:56.559 The Apostle Paul writes in Ephesians 1 that God chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. 00:22:56.799 --> 00:23:04.640 What a remarkable thing to think, since before what we understand is time began, God has made a choice for you. 00:23:06.079 --> 00:23:07.920 He has made a choice for me. 00:23:08.559 --> 00:23:12.880 And he has brought us to know him in Christ. 00:23:14.000 --> 00:23:16.799 That's God's sovereign saving choice. 00:23:17.039 --> 00:23:28.400 Just like the nation of Israel knows in 1 Samuel 16 that God works his salvation through his sovereign choice, so too do we see this come to its fullest bloom in Jesus. 00:23:28.640 --> 00:23:33.119 See, it's in Christ that God's sovereign choice gives us the greatest hope. 00:23:33.359 --> 00:23:43.759 1 Peter 1, according to God's great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. 00:23:44.079 --> 00:23:48.880 God does the calling, he does the choosing, he does the gathering. 00:23:49.200 --> 00:23:54.720 We get a living hope in Christ, a hope that takes us beyond death. 00:23:54.960 --> 00:24:00.880 Even in times of grief, for those in Christ, we do not grieve as those without hope. 00:24:01.359 --> 00:24:08.640 In Christ, God's sovereign choice supremely displays his unique and unfathomable wisdom. 00:24:08.960 --> 00:24:17.599 Paul again writes in 1 Corinthians chapter 3 if anyone among you thinks he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. 00:24:17.920 --> 00:24:22.640 For the wisdom of the world is folly with God, so let no one boast in men. 00:24:22.799 --> 00:24:24.640 And why is that, Paul? 00:24:24.960 --> 00:24:30.400 Because we could say that through God's sovereign choice, all things are yours. 00:24:30.720 --> 00:24:35.039 And Paul says, You are Christ's, and Christ is God's. 00:24:35.279 --> 00:24:43.200 Even our best wisdom could not anticipate what God would do for us in Christ through the cross. 00:24:43.519 --> 00:24:48.000 And in Christ, God's sovereign choice is supremely surprising. 00:24:48.319 --> 00:24:59.440 When the Apostle Paul considers the biblical doctrine of election, which is to say God's sovereign saving choice in Romans chapter 11, he erupts into spontaneous praise. 00:24:59.759 --> 00:25:08.640 Oh, the depth and riches and wisdom and knowledge of God, how unsearchable his judgments, how inscrutable his ways. 00:25:08.960 --> 00:25:22.720 Who could have thought that God would love us enough to choose the cross for our sake, to restore us to the Father, and give us eternal hope and a future. 00:25:23.119 --> 00:25:31.119 This is our sovereign, saving God who says yes to us, who chooses us in Christ. 00:25:31.440 --> 00:25:35.599 We have only received him by trust and by faith. 00:25:36.000 --> 00:25:39.279 So, friends, we have a blessed insurance in Christ. 00:25:39.599 --> 00:25:43.680 God has sovereign, savingly chosen us. 00:25:44.160 --> 00:25:49.599 What can we do but worship the rescue of sinners and the ransom from heaven? 00:25:49.920 --> 00:25:50.559 Amen. 00:26:01.839 --> 00:26:03.599 Thank you for listening today. 00:26:03.759 --> 00:26:09.200 We worship a generous God who calls us to follow Him in giving willfully, cheerfully, and sacrificially. 00:26:09.440 --> 00:26:15.920 Newsong Church's mission and ministry is 100% funded by the generous gifts of those worshiping and journeying with us. 00:26:16.079 --> 00:26:23.599 If you'd like to offer a gift towards Newsong's ministry, please visit Newsongportperry.ca Giving for more information on how to do that. 00:26:23.839 --> 00:26:26.799 May God bless you and keep you today and every day.