E Is For Elect Series

Introduction

1. Email funny by Ken and Shelia Bailey

While walking down the street one day a US senator is tragically hit by a truck and dies.

His soul arrives in heaven and is met by St. Peter at the entrance.

"Welcome to heaven," says St. Peter. "Before you settle in, it seems there is a problem. We seldom see a important government official around these parts, so we’re not sure what to do with you."

"No problem, just let me in," says the man.

"Well, I’d like to, but I have orders from higher up. What we’ll do is have you spend one day in hell and one in heaven. Then you can choose where to spend eternity."

"Really, I’ve made up my mind. I want to be in heaven," says the senator.

"I’m sorry, but we have our rules."

And with that, St. Peter escorts him to the elevator and he goes down, down, down to hell.

The doors open and he finds himself in the middle of a green golf course.

In the distance is a clubhouse and standing in front of it are all his friends and other politicians who had worked with him.

Everyone is very happy and in evening dress.

They run to greet him, shake his hand, and reminisce about the good times they had while getting rich at the expense of the people.

They play a friendly game of golf and then dine on lobster, caviar and Diet Coke.

Also present is the devil, who, contrary to popular opinion...

really seems to be a very friendly guy who has a good time dancing and telling jokes.

They are having such a good time that before he realizes it, it is time to go.

Everyone gives him a hearty farewell and waves while the elevator rises...

The elevator goes up, up, up and the door reopens on heaven where St. Peter is waiting for him.

"Now it’s time to visit heaven."

So, 24 hours pass with the senator joining a group of contented souls moving from cloud to cloud, playing the harp and singing.

They have a good time and, before he realizes it, the 24 hours have gone by and St. Peter returns "Well, then, you’ve spent a day in hell and another in heaven. Now choose your eternity."

The senator thinks about it for a minute, then he answers: "Well, I would never have said it before, I mean heaven has been delightful, but I think I would be better off in hell."

So St. Peter escorts him to the elevator and he goes down, down, down to hell.

Now the doors of the elevator open and he’s in the middle of a barren land covered with waste and garbage, and fire and brimstone...

He sees all his friends, dressed in rags, picking through garbage as more garbage falls from above.

The devil comes over to him and puts his arm around his shoulder.

"I don’t understand," whines the senator "Yesterday I was here and there was a golf course and clubhouse, and we ate lobster and caviar, drank Diet Coke, and danced and had a great time. Now there’s just a wasteland full of garbage and fire and my friends look miserable. What happened?"

The devil looks at him, smiles and says, "Yesterday we were campaigning...... Today you voted."

2. Well, now that the campaigns are over...

We will see how those that were elected will govern...

Regardless of how you feel about the election...

and if whoever you voted for won or lost...

I want us to look at an election that we can all get excited about...

democrat, republican, independent...doesn’t matter what your political leanings are...

or even if you have NO political leanings...

And that is: Scriptural election...

3. As we have been studying the ABCs and XYZs of the Bible...

We come to the letter E...

E is for elect or election...

politically, election is how we select the government officials who will represent us in government...

we even have elections in church where we elect a Church Board... SS Supt, Missions President, and so forth.

theologically...Election is different...

Election is quite a complex doctrine...

There have been oodles of pages written explaining the doctrine from different perspectives...

I won’t be able to cover the doctrine in great depth in this type of format...

But I will certainly try to give a brief and simple overview of what I believe Scripture is telling us about this important doctrine...

Read Text: 2 Timothy 2:8-13, Ephesians 1:5, 11

1. The Doctrine of Election Explained...

A. Some will speak about “unconditional election”...

by which they usually mean that God has already chosen those people who will be saved...

and He has also chosen those who will be damned to hell...