For The Sake Of The Elect

Yesterday....visit to jail..."credentials"..."Before I formed you in the womb I knew you" (Jer. 1:5)"Chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world." (Eph 1:4) Scripture is replete with examples of the truth that our salvation originates with choice of God long before we ever considered him. In Acts 13:48 it is said that "those who were appointed for eternal life believed".

In Romans 9:16 "It does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs but on God who has mercy". Our Lord Himself said "all that the Father gives to me shall come to me & who ever comes to me I shall in no wise cast out." (John 6:37) So it is clear that salvation originates with God’s choice.

The implications of this truth for evangelism have not always been clearly understood. Some have gone to extremes & denied the need to evangelize. Others have gone to the opposite extreme & denied the sovereignty of God. Monday morning I woke up with a text on my mind...Found it in Paul’s 2nd letter to Timothy continuing series...Here PAUL REVEALS HIS MOTIVE FOR CONTINUAL PASSIONATE EVANGELISM Paul reveals his motive for continual passionate evangelism and oddly enough, it is rooted in the truth of God’s election.

Last week I began talking about fishing with a sewing needle. This week I’ve got another hypothetical fishing situation. Imagine a world where some of the fish=prehooked...lines running to poles on the dock. You don’t have to anything but pick up the pole and reel them in. Wouldn’t fishing be fun? (Ladies - no worms). Motivation to fish!!!

Elect people = like pre-hooked fish - just waiting for someone to reel them in. OUR DRIVING MOTIVE FOR CONTINUAL EVANGELISM OUGHT TO BE OUR PASSION FOR THE ELECT. Let’s look closely at the text and see this truth explained:

I]"THEREFORE I endure everything for the sake of the elect."

Remember interpretive rule? "What is that there for?" Looks back to vs 9 "God’s word is not chained" Folks, believe it or not, God is at work!

{conviction during service Ill.}

The only limit to the power of God is the limit we put on it.

If we could just see how much God is doing around us we’d be willing to sacrifice just about anything to be a part of His work. Paul says:

II.]"Therefore I endure EVERYTHING for the sake of the elect"

What is it that keeps most of us from sharing the gospel? FEAR! Fear of rejection.

The Mistake we make = thinking "no means no"...We assume God isn’t at work and therefore we aren’t in a position to be used by Him! Not Paul! he knew the elect were there. That is why he says:

III.] "Therefore I endure everything for the SAKE OF THE ELECT."

From His own personal experience, Paul knew that we too often give up on people just because they are antagonistic to our witness.

PAUL’S CONVERSTION Ill. Remember his conversion?

it took Jesus Christ personally to witness to him

because the Christians all thought he was hopeless.

(Acts 9:13-15.)

The motive behind Paul’s passionate concern for continual evangelism was the fact that he knew the elect were out there. He knew that God was at work in the lives of people preparing them for the harvest. And folks, God is still at work!

OUR DRIVING MOTIVE FOR CONTINUAL EVANGELISM OUGHT TO BE OUR PASSION FOR THE ELECT. What are the practical applications?

1.) Don’t give up on that person who seems

uninterested.

2.) It is senseless to compare preachers or

ministries.

3.) God and God alone is to be glorified for a

person’s salvation.