Chosen In Christ Series

INTRO.- Special children we are. My mother and father were probably greatly surprised on December 9, 1944 when they got two babies instead of one: Steven Ray and Sharon Rae. I’m not sure if they knew at that time if they were getting one or two babies. Sharon was the fat baby at over 5 lbs. and I was the skinny baby at just over 4 lbs. She was fatter than me!

I had to stay in the hospital until I gained up to 5 lbs. before they could take me home. I used to torment and tease my mother, saying, “You didn’t want me. You left me in that hospital to die!”

Sister Sharon has always been the saint of the two. I don’t think she’s perfect but as far as I know she’s never done much of anything wrong in life and was always more obedient to mom and dad than I was. Did her homework. Didn’t get into trouble.

However, I must say that after the passing of dad in Dec. 1982 mom always made me feel somewhat special. Special in what way? We had a good relationship. I always went home to help her whenever I could: mow grass, take her to eat, take to the movies, etc. And if she had to enter the hospital for any reason I always tried to be there for her. When she had to go into a nursing home in Joplin I went back every month to visit with her a few days even though we lived over 400 miles away. And as mom aged and her health declined we talked quite a bit. I tried as best I could to make mother laugh since laughter is good medicine (Proverbs 17:22). But she loved me more than I loved her!

Do you realize that you, too, are special to someone? Even if you never felt special to your mom and dad, you are extremely special in the eyes of God!

ILL.- Max Lucado put it this way: “God is crazy about you. If God had a refrigerator, your picture would be on it. If God had a wallet, your picture would be in it. Whenever you would talk, He would listen. And you might go days without thinking of Him, but there would never be a moment when He would not be thinking of you.”

Isn’t this a wonderful thought? And I believe it’s true! I do believe that we who are in Christ are God’s special people!

I Peter 2:9 “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light."

Oh boy! A chosen people! Royal, holy, a people belonging to God. And it’s all because of Jesus. We are God’s chosen people because of Christ.

PROP.- Paul explains our chosen position in Christ in this text.

1- We are chosen in Christ

2- We were chosen in Christ before the world

3- We were chosen in Christ for a purpose

I. WE ARE CHOSEN IN CHRIST

11 In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will. IN HIM WE WERE CHOSEN!

Matthew 16:13-16 “When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” “But what about you?” he asked.“Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

Jesus asked, “Who do you say I am?” And is not this the crux of the matter into regard to all of life? Or the most important question that any person could answer? The reason is because the answer to this question can well determine what we will do in life and where we will spend eternity! The answer to this question will have affect on everything we do in life. Or should.

ILL.- I saw a survey on the internet where people were asked in New York City, “Who was Jesus?” Here were some answers they gave: White guy with a beard. Blond-headed dude. Made up person. Gandhi-like person. A guy with super powers. A Jew. A fisherman.

CAN YOU BELIEVE THESE ANSWERS?

ILL.- One writer asked: “Who Was Jesus? Not one recognized religious leader—as Moses, Buddha, Confucius, Mohammed—ever claimed to be God. Jesus is the only person who has ever convinced a great portion of the world that He is God. This claim can either be true or false. If false, Jesus either knew His claims were false and He lied, or He was deluded and a lunatic.