WHY HAS GOD CHOSEN YOU OF ALL PEOPLE?

CHRIST THE ROCK CONGREGATION

SUNDAY JULY 14^TH 2024

Sermon by Pastor Marc Simeon

WHY HAS GOD CHOSEN YOU?

1Corinthians 1:26-29

26 For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called.

 27 But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty;

 28 and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are,

 29 that no flesh should glory in His presence.

INTRODUCTION

• We all love to be picked when they are looking for people to fill important positions.
• In sport, it’s a big thing to make the team.
• To represent your school or place of employment, it’s an honor to be picked.
• We always look inwardly to see why we were being selected.
• There must be something attractive or worthy in me to be picked.
• It gives a sense of high appraisal to be picked out of many.
• Later on you may discover that you were picked for the wrong reason.
• You may discover that you were picked so that they can make a fool out of you.
• You may discover that you were picked out of pity and not because of your self-worth.
• You may discover that you were picked as an escape goat, so that people can have someone to lay the blame on.
• In relationship, couples discuss why they chose each other from all the other candidates.
• In retrospect to our text, when we think of the immensity of the grace of God toward the believers and the blessed future that is tagged to our calling; we tend to ask “why me Lord?”
• We know that it’s not out of our own worthiness.
• We know that there are much more qualified than us who are not chosen.
• The Bible explains why God chooses the least likely to represent Him on this earth.
• God has chosen not many wise, not many mighty, not many nobles.
• The bulk of the elects is considered as foolish, weak, base, and despised things in the sights of this world.

GOD LEAVES NO ROOM FOR BOASTING IN THE SALVATION OF HUMANITY

• Eph 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,
•  9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.
• Salvation can only be received as a gift.
• A gift must be received in humility and gratitude.
• Ro 11:6 And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work.
• God hates pride, and the pride that God hates the most is religious pride.
• Thinking that you are worthy on your own to partake in the things of God.
• When we pay out of our pocket to purchase something, we tend to be arrogant and demanding.
• If you book a coach seat in an airplane and for some reason they ask you if you wish to seat in first class for no extra charge; most would gladly accept the offer.
•  While switching to the first class section, your right to a window seat would be forfeited.
• In salvation, no one can even purchase a seat, less to say to be picky and choosy, and arrogant.
• Ro 4:4-5 Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt.
• 5 But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness.
• God did not choose you because you were better than others.
• God did not choose you because you were more talented than others.
• God did not choose you because you would be more useful than others
• God did not choose you because of your social rank or family name.
• God did not choose you because of the church you belong to or your denomination.
• God did not choose you because you were the worst of sinners either.
• God chooses everyone according to His own free will and wisdom.
• No one can dictate to God who must be saved and who must not be.
• Salvation is offered to all; yet, some have received extra grace to attract them toward God.

God Builds His Church with Weak Human Vessels

1 Corinthians 1: 26

26 For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called.

• The word is trying to become eco-friendly these days. Some people take it upon themselves to recycle some products and repurpose them in an effort to halt global pollution.
• We have recycled papers, recycled plastics, recycled metals, recycled fabrics, and the list goes on.
• There is a sense of humility in those recycled products. They have no right to be at use because they have already served their purposes.
• They should by all rights be doomed in some dumpsters to be void forever.
• These recycled materials owe all their gratitudes to the people who recycled them and reinvest value in them.
• The church likewise is made of recycled people.
• Ro 3:10 As it is written: “There is none righteous, no, not one;
• Ro 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
• Only those with contrite hearts, who understand their unworthiness with respect to God, can access salvation.
• Jesus says, “For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” Mat 9:13

GOD PUT TO SHAME THE WISDOM OF THIS WORLD IN CHOOSING YOU AND ME TO REPRESENT HIM

1 Corinthians 1: 27-28

 27 But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty;

28 and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are,

• God picked you and me on purpose in spite of our unworthiness and shortcomings.
• The raw and untamed materials that we were tend to draw more glory to God as He turns us into masterpieces.
• A handmade product has more value than its artificial counterpart, because it displays the mastery of the person who fashioned it.
• We the elects are God handmade products. Our lives display the awesome power of the redemption of God.
• We show how God can transform a condemned sinner and turn them into a precious jewel of His righteousness.
• We see how God can choose a simple fisherman named Peter to preach on the Day of Pentecost and the thousands were rushing to receive Christ as their lord and Savior.
• We see how Jesus can choose 12 ordinary men and charged them to evangelize the world.
• Shortly thereafter, the disciples were rightly accused of flipping the word upside down with their gospel..
• The Christian church comprised of ordinary saints has survived the tyrannies of great monarchs and kingdoms, and other mighty enemies throughout the ages.
• The Christian faith is being heralded triumphantly in this world not because of the great architectures and buildings and schools and hospitals that so-called Christians have built, but by ordinary believers who are loyal to God in their faith and their deeds.

GOD CHOOSES THE LOWLY THINGS OF THIS WORLD SO THAT NO FLESH SHOULD GLORIFY IN HIS PRESENCE

1 Corinthians 1:29 that no flesh should glory in His presence.

• No one can take credit for his or her salvation.
• No one can say “I am saved by my own merits.”
• No one can undermine the Cross of Jesus Christ and still be saved.
• No one can feel deserving of heaven by his own efforts.
• No one can deny the regeneration power of the Holy Spirit
• No one can undermine the love, grace and forgiveness of God toward his salvation.
• No one can feel that they’ve paid their way to heaven by their actions or conducts.
• No flesh should glory in the presence of God.

CONCLUSION

• WHY HAS GOD CHOSEN YOU?
• God has chosen you out of His own free will
• God has chosen you for His own glory
• God has chosen you out of His love, mercy and compassion.
• God has chosen you in order to put the devil to shame.
• Ro 8:30 Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.
• 1Co 1:27 But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty;
• AMEN!