GOD’S SOVEREIGN CHOICE
ROMANS 9:5-18
PAUL IS DEALING IN THIS CHAPTER WITH THE ANXIETY THAT COMES WHEN HIS PEOPLE CHOOSE TO NOT BELIEVE THAT JESUS IS THE MESSIAH. HE ALSO HAS TO DEAL WITH THE FACT THAT GOD IN HIS SOVEREIGNTY, CAN ELECT TO SAVE SOME OF HIS PEOPLE BUT NOT ALL.
WE TEND TO CONFUSE THE ISSUE OF SOVEREIGN GRACE AND THE DOCTRINE OF “ELECTION”, THINKING IT MEANS THAT GOD HAS CHOSEN TO SAVE SOME AND THEREFORE CHOOSES NOT TO SAVE OTHERS.
THIS IS NOT THE CASE. GOD WOULD NOT BE SO CRUEL AS TO BRING INDIVIDUALS INTO THIS WORLD, ONLY TO CHOOSE BEFORE THEY WERE FORMED THAT THEY WOULD BE DESTINED FOR HELL. THIS GOES AGAINST THE TEACHING OF SCRIPTURE.
2 PETER 3:9: THE LORD IS NOT SLOW IN KEEPING HIS PROMISE, AS SOME UNDERSTAND SLOWNESS. INSTEAD HE IS PATIENT WITH YOU, NOT WANTING ANYONE TO PERISH, BUT EVERYONE TO COME TO REPENTANCE
JOHN 3:16-17:
16 FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE HIS ONE AND ONLY SON, THAT WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM SHALL NOT PERISH BUT HAVE ETERNAL LIFE. 17 FOR GOD DID NOT SEND HIS SON INTO THE WORLD TO CONDEMN THE WORLD, BUT TO SAVE THE WORLD THROUGH HIM.
1. PAUL IS CAREFUL, HERE, FIRST OF ALL TO REFER TO HIS PEOPLE AS “ISRAELITE”, NOT JEW. “ISRAELITE” IS A SPECIAL RELIGIOUS POSITION, TO MEMBERS OF THE JEWISH PEOPLE. IT IS NOT A NATIONALISTIC DESIGNATION AND HAS RELIGIOUS SIGNIFICANCE EVEN IF NOT ACCEPTED BY MOST OF HIS PEOPLE. HE THEN LISTS A NUMBER OF BLESSINGS THAT THE ISRAELITES ARE REWARDED WITH FOR CHOOSING TO FOLLOW CHRIST.
A) ADOPTION: PAUL IS USING THIS TERM IN A DIFFERENT WAY HERE THAN HE DID IN CHAPTER 8. THERE IT WAS FOR INDIVIDUALS, HERE IT IS FOR THE NATION. GOD’S ADOPTION OF ISRAEL AS HIS “CHOSEN PEOPLE”, CONVEYS TO THE NATION ALL THE RIGHTS AND PRIVILEGES INCLUDED IN THE OLD COVENANT. THESE BLESSINGS DO NOT INCLUDE SALVATION FOR EVERY SINGLE ISRAELITE.
B) THE SECOND PRIVILEGE IS THE “GLORY”. THIS REFERS TO GOD’S
CONTINUING PRESENCE WITH ISRAEL, OR HIS “SHAKINAH” GLORY. IT IS THE KNOWLEDGE, NOT JUST THE FEELING, THAT GOD IS PRESENT IN THEIR LIVES.
C) THE “COVENANTS” HERE IS NOT REFERING TO JUST THE OLD TESTAMENT SACRIFICIAL COVENANT, BUT TO SEVERAL OF THE COVENANTS THAT GOD MADE WITH PEOPLE IN THE OLD TESTAMENT.
PAUL WAS SHOWING PEOPLE GOD’S CONTINUING PRESENCE WITH THEM AS INDIVIDUALS, AND MARKED THEM AS “SPECIAL PEOPLE”, OR PEOPLE WHO HAD A SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM.
HE DOES THIS TODAY AS WELL. BECAUSE OF THE PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WE HAVE WITH CHRIST, WE SHOULD DEAL WITH OUR DAILY ISSUES IN A MUCH DIFFERENT WAY THAN THOSE WHO DO NOT HAVE THAT RELATIONSHIP. THIS DIFFERENCE WHOULD BE ATTRACTIVE AND SOMETHING TO BE DESIRED BY PEOPLE.
D) THE “GIVING OF THE LAW” SIMPLY REFERS TO THE FACT THAT GOD CHOSE ISRAEL TO GIVE THE LAW. IT IS A SPECIAL GIFT TO A SPECIAL PEOPLE.
E) “TEMPLE WORSHIP” COULD REFER TO ISRAELS WORSHIP OF GOD WHEREVER AND WHENEVER IT WAS CARRIED OUT, BUT MORE LIKELY WAS A FOCUS ON THE SACRIFICIAL SYSTEM.
THIS IS TRUE IN OUR WORLD TODAY AS WELL. GREAT NUMBERS OF PEOPLE FEEL THAT THEY CAN WORSHIP GOD ANYTIME AND ANYWHERE. IT IS OFTEN SAID THAT “I DON’T HAVE TO GO TO CHURCH TO WORSHIP GOD.” I DARE SAY THAT IN MOST CASES THERE IS NO WORSHIP BEING DONE IN THOSE OTHER AREAS AS WELL.
IT IS ALSO TRUE THAT PEOPLE WILL COME TO CHURCH ON SPECIAL OCCASIONS. THEY ARE THE FOUR SEASON WORSHIPPERS. THEY COME AT CHRISTMAS, EASTER, THANKSGIVING, AND USUALLY MOTHER’S DAY. THEY ARE HERE FOR THE SEASON, CHURCH IS PART OF THE ROUTINE.
WHAT PAUL IS SPEAKING OF HERE IS THE BLESSING THAT PEOPLE HAVE WHEN THEY TRULY ARE COMING TO CHURCH TO WORSHIP GOD. IT IS WHEN THEY TRULY WRESTLE WITH ISSUES IN THEIR LIVES AND SEE GOD WORK IN THEIR MIDST.
F) THE “PROMISES” THAT PAUL CONCLUDES VERSE 4 WITH ARE THE PROMISES GIVEN TO ABRAHAM AND THE OTHER PATRIARCHS. THESE ARE PROMISES THAT IF FOLLOWED WILL BE PASSED ON DOWN TO THEIR DESCENDANTS.
2. THE SECOND PRIVILEGE THAT PAUL SPEAKS OF IS IN VERSE 5. IT IS THE PRIVILEGE OF “BELONGING”. IT IS THE PRIVILEGE OF BELONGING TO THE SAME SPECIAL GROUP AS “THE FATHERS” OR “THE PATRIARCHS.”
THIS BELONGING TO THE PATRIARCHS IS IMPORTANT, AS GOD HAS MADE PROMISES TO ABRAHAM, ISSAC AND JACOB THAT ARE VALID BOTH FOR THEM AND THEIR DESCENDANTS.
WHAT GREAT PROMISES GOD HAS MADE TO THESE PATRIARCHS, AND THESE PROMISES ARE PASSED ON TO THOSE OF US WHO HAVE ACCEPTED CHRIST.
THINK OF THE NAMES OF GOD.
• El Shaddai:“God Almighty.” The derivation is uncertain. Some think it stresses God’s loving supply and comfort; others His power as the Almighty one standing on a mountain and who corrects and chastens (Gen. 17:1; 28:3; 35:11; Ex. 6:1; Ps. 91:1, 2).
• El Elyon: “The Most High God.” Stresses God’s strength, sovereignty, and supremacy (Gen. 14:19; Ps. 9:2; Dan. 7:18, 22, 25).
• El Olam: “The Everlasting God.” Emphasizes God’s unchangeableness and is connected with His inexhaustibleness (Gen. 16:13).
• Yahweh Jireh (Yireh): “The Lord will provide.” Stresses God’s provision for His people (Gen. 22:14).
• Yahweh Nissi:“The Lord is my Banner.” Stresses that God is our rallying point and our means of victory; the one who fights for His people (Ex. 17:15).
• Yahweh Shalom:“The Lord is Peace.” Points to the Lord as the means of our peace and rest (Jud. 6:24).
• Yahweh Sabbaoth:“The Lord of Hosts.” A military figure portraying the Lord as the commander of the armies of heaven (1 Sam. 1:3; 17:45).
• Yahweh Maccaddeshcem: “The Lord your Sanctifier.” Portrays the Lord as our means of sanctification or as the one who sets believers apart for His purposes (Ex. 31:13).
• Yahweh Ro’i: “The Lord my Shepherd.” Portrays the Lord as the Shepherd who cares for His people as a shepherd cares for the sheep of his pasture (Ps. 23:1).
• Yahweh Tsidkenu: “The Lord our Righteousness.” Portrays the Lord as the means of our righteousness (Jer. 23:6).
• Yahweh Shammah: “The Lord is there.” Portrays the Lord’s personal presence in the millennial kingdom (Ezek. 48:35).
• Yahweh Elohim Israel: “The Lord, the God of Israel.” Identifies Yahweh as the God of Israel in contrast to the false gods of the nations (Jud. 5:3.; Isa. 17:6).
(3) Adonai: Like Elohim, this too is a plural of majesty. The singular form means “master, owner.” Stresses man’s relationship to God as his master, authority, and provider (Gen. 18:2; 40:1; 1 Sam. 1:15; Ex. 21:1-6; Josh. 5:14).
3. THE LAST PRIVILEGE THAT PAUL POINTS OUT IN THESE VERSES IS THAT “THE MESSIAH” IS FROM THEM. HE IS BEING CAREFUL NOT TO ALLOW THIS FACT TO INDICATE SPECIAL “OWNERSHIP” BY THE ISRAELITES OF THE MESSIAH. HE ALSO IS CAREFUL TO HAVE THEM KNOW THAT THEY HADVE NO SPECIAL STATUS BECAUSE THE MESSIAH CAME FROM THEIR GROUP. THEY DO HAVE A SPECIAL PLACE IN HISTORY, BUT THAT SPECIAL PLACE HAS NO SALVIFIC VALUE.
THESE ARE SOME OF THE BLESSINGS AND PRIVILEGES THAT WE HAVE AND ARE OPEN FOR ALL PEOPLE TODAY. NOT ALL WILL ACCEPT THEM AND THEY WILL HAVE TO DEAL WITH THOSE CONSEQUENCES.
JOHN 1:11-13:
HE CAME TO THAT WHICH WAS HIS OWN, BUT HIS OWN DID NOT RECEIVE HIM. 12 YET TO ALL WHO DID RECEIVE HIM, TO THOSE WHO BELIEVED IN HIS NAME, HE GAVE THE RIGHT TO BECOME CHILDREN OF GOD—13 CHILDREN BORN NOT OF NATURAL DESCENT, NOR OF HUMAN DECISION OR A HUSBAND’S WILL, BUT BORN OF GOD.
AS WE CONSIDER VERSES 6-18 WE COME FACE TO FACE WITH THE ISSUE OF GOD’S SOVEREIGN GRACE AND ELECTION.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE PART OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD? WHAT IS SO SPECIAL ABOUT ME THAT GOD WOULD BLESS ME BY ALLOWING ME TO LIVE IN THIS PART OF THE WORLD, AND TO BE A PART OF HIS KINGDOM.
WE HAVE TO COME TO THE REALIZATION THATY THERE ARE TWO KINGDOMS IN PLAY HERE. THE PHYSICAL KINGDOM IS THE KINGDOM THAT WE ARE ALL A PART OF. IT IS THIS PHYSICAL WORLD.
THE SECOND KINGDOM IS THE SPIRITUAL KINGDOM. PEOPLE BELONGING TO THE SPIRITUAL KINGDOM ARE THOSE WHO HAVE DECIDED TO ACCEPT JESUS AS LORD AND SAVIOR.
THE OLD TESTAMENT TAUGHT THAT BELONGING TO PHYSICAL ISRAEL IN ITSELF MAKES A PERSON A MEMBER OF GOD’S TRUE SPIRITUAL PEOPLE. PAUL ARGUES AGAINST THIS TEACHING, AND TEACHES THAT BELONGING TO GOD’S TRUE SPIRITUAL PEOPLE IS ON THE BASIS OF GOD’S GRACIOUS AND SOVEREIGN CALL.
THIS MEANS THAT GOD IS FREE TO “NARROW” THE BOUNDARIES OF ELECTION BY CHOOSING ONLY SOME JEWS TO BE SAVED. AT THE SAME TIME HE CAN “EXPAND” HIS DIMENSIONS BY CHOOSING TO INCLUDE THE GENTILES.
LET ME ILLUSTRATE. LET’S SAY THAT LES AND I DECIDED TO HOST A BAR-B-QUE FOR SOME CHURCH PEOPLE. BECAUSE WE ARE HOSTING, WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO LIMIT OUR CHOICE OF GUESTS TO JUST BAPTISTS. WE ALSO HAVE THE RIGHT IF WE SO CHOOSE TO INCLUDE THE PRESBYTERIANS. NO ONE CAN SAY WHO WE CAN OR CAN’T INVITE BECAUSE IT’S OUR PARTY.
THIS LEADS US TO THE SECOND POINT OF MY MESSAGE:
POINT TWO: GOD’S CHOICE IN “ELECTING” TO SAVE SOME IS A FREE CHOICE:
PAUL IS FACED WITH A DILEMMA IN VERSE 6. WHEN THE JEWS WILLFULLY CHOOSE TO REJECT CHRIST AS THE MESSIAH, DOES THIS MEAN THAT THE WORD OF GOD HAS FAILED? HE ANSWERS THIS DILEMMA BY POINTING OUT THAT THERE IS A MUCH SMALLER SPIRITUAL ISRAEL, WITHIN THE LARGER PHYSICAL ISRAEL. THIS IS WHAT HE MEANS WHEN HE SAYS “ALL THOSE WHO BELONG TO ISRAEL, DO NOT BELONG TO ISRAEL” IN A SPIRITUAL SENSE. THIS ALLOWS PAUL THE OPPORTUNITY TO INCLUDE GENTILES AS PART OF THE SPIRITUAL ISRAEL.
LESLIE AND I WENT TO A HOCKEY GAME ON FRIDAY NIGHT. PHYSICALLY EVERYONE WITH A TICKET WAS IN THE ARENA. NOT EVERYONE THOUGH CHEERED FOR THE TIGERS.
WE LIVE IN A WORLD THAT IS POPULATED BY OVER 7,000,000,000 PEOPLE. NOT EVERYONE IS GOING TO BE SAVED. WITHIN THAT 7.000,000,000 PEOPLE WILL BE A MUCH SMALLER GROUP OUT OF WHICH GOD IS GOING TO MAKE HIS SPIRITUAL KINGDOM.
PAUL GOES ON TO EXPLAIN FURTHER IN VERSES 7-13. HE BEGINS BY TAKING THE PEOPLE BACK TO ABRAHAM. JEWS LOOKED TO THEIR DESCENT FROM ABRAHAM AS THE SOURCE OF THEIR SPIRITUAL BENEFITS. FAMILIES WOULD TRY TO TRACE THEIR HERITAGE ALL THE WAY BACK TO ABRAHAM.
PAUL USES TWO DIFFERENT EXAMPLES IN THIS PART OF THE PASSAGE TO ILLUSTRATE HIS POINT. FIRST HE SPEAKS OF ISSAC AND ISHMAEL.
ISSAC AND ISHMAEL WERE HALF-BROTHERS, AS THEY HAD DIFFERENT MOTHERS BUT THE SAME FATHER IN ABRAHAM. WE MAY WANT TO THINK THAT THE COVENANT PROMISE GOD MADE WOULD INCLUDE THE WIVES OF ABRAHAM, BUT IT DIDN’T. GOD MAKES NO MENTION OF BLESSING FOR SARAH IN PASSING DOWN THE COVENANT, ONLY TO ABRAHAM.
GENESIS 15:5: HE TOOK HIM OUTSIDE AND SAID, “LOOK UP AT THE SKY AND COUNT THE STARS—IF INDEED YOU CAN COUNT THEM.” THEN HE SAID TO HIM, “SO SHALL YOUR OFFSPRING BE.”
THE FACT IS SARAH IS SHOWN TO BE A MEAN-SPIRITED WOMAN AND HER PARENTAL STATUS WILL NOT BE SPOKEN OF UNTIL CHAPTER 17.
GENESIS 17: 18-19:
AND ABRAHAM SAID TO GOD, “IF ONLY ISHMAEL MIGHT LIVE UNDER YOUR BLESSING!” 19 THEN GOD SAID, “YES, BUT YOUR WIFE SARAH WILL BEAR YOU A SON, AND YOU WILL CALL HIM ISAAC. L I WILL ESTABLISH MY COVENANT WITH HIM AS AN EVERLASTING COVENANT FOR HIS DESCENDANTS AFTER HIM.
JEWISH CUSTOM OF THE TIME WAS TO PASS THE INHERITANCE AND THE BLESSING OF THE FATHER TO THE ELDEST SON. FOR ABRAHAM, THAT WOULD BE ISHMAEL. HERE THOUGH, GOD MAKES THE PROMISE THAT THE COVENANT WOULD BE PASSED ON TO THE YOUNGER, ISSAC.
THE QUESTION WE MUST ASK IS WHAT MADE ISSAC BETTER THAT ISHMAEL. ISHMAEL WAS THE PROPER CHOICE ACCORDING TO THE CULTURE. HE FIT THE REQUIREMENTS FOR PASSING DOWN THE COVENANT AS HE WAS ABRAHAM’S OFFSPRING, AND GOD DID PROMISE TO BLESS HIM AND MAKE HIM INTO A GREAT NATION AS WELL.
GENESIS 17:20-21:
AND AS FOR ISHMAEL, I HAVE HEARD YOU: I WILL SURELY BLESS HIM; I WILL MAKE HIM FRUITFUL AND WILL GREATLY INCREASE HIS NUMBERS. HE WILL BE THE FATHER OF TWELVE RULERS, AND I WILL MAKE HIM INTO A GREAT NATION. 21 BUT MY COVENANT I WILL ESTABLISH WITH ISAAC, WHOM SARAH WILL BEAR TO YOU BY THIS TIME NEXT YEAR.”
WAS THERE ANY REASON FOR THE COVENANT NOT TO BE PASSED THROUGH ISHMAEL? IT WAS JUST THE FACT THAT GOD IN HIS SOVEREIGN PLAN HAD CHOSE TO PASS IT THROUGH ISSAC, BEFORE ISSAC AND ISHMAEL HAD EVER BEEN BORN.
THERE MAY BE SOME WHO WOULD SAY THAT THE REASON THE COVENANT WAS PASSED THROUGH ISSAC WAS BECAUSE ABRAHAM WAS MARRIED TO SARAH AND NOT HAGAR. I WOULD POINT OUT THAT IT WAS SARAH’S IDEA AND GAVE HAGAR TO ABRAHAM TO SLEEP WITH AND HAVE A CHILD.
PAUL WILL TEACH THE GALATIAN CHURCH THAT HAGAR AND SARAH REPRESENTED THE TWO COVENANTS. YOU CAN READ ABOUT IT IN GALATIANS 4:21-31. HAGAR ACCORDING TO PAUL IN THIS CASE REPRESENTED THE OLD COVENANT AND SARAH THE NEW. I WOULD STILL POINT OUT THOUGH THAT THE COVENANT WAS PASSED ON BY GOD’S SOVEREIGN CHOICE, NOT THE SOCIAL STATUS OF THE WOMEN.
PAUL WILL NOW USE THE EXAMPLE OF JACOB AND ESAU TO FURTHER SUPPORT HIS POINT. IN GENESIS 25 WE ARE TOLD THAT ISSAC PRAYED ON BEHALF OF HIS WIFE AND SHE BECAME PREGNANT WITH TWINS.
GENESIS 25:22-23:
ISAAC PRAYED TO THE LORD ON BEHALF OF HIS WIFE, BECAUSE SHE WAS CHILDLESS. THE LORD ANSWERED HIS PRAYER, AND HIS WIFE REBEKAH BECAME PREGNANT. 22 THE BABIES JOSTLED EACH OTHER WITHIN HER, AND SHE SAID, “WHY IS THIS HAPPENING TO ME?” SO SHE WENT TO INQUIRE OF THE LORD. 23 THE LORD SAID TO HER, “TWO NATIONS ARE IN YOUR WOMB, AND TWO PEOPLES FROM WITHIN YOU WILL BE SEPARATED; ONE PEOPLE WILL BE STRONGER THAN THE OTHER, AND THE OLDER WILL SERVE THE YOUNGER.”
UNDERSTAND THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS. ISSAC AND ISHMAEL HAD DIFFERENT MOTHERS, BUT FOR JACOB AND ESAU IT IS THE SAME MOTHER, BUT THE RESULTS ARE THE SAME, THE BLESSING AND COVENANT ARE PASSED ON THROUGH THE YOUNGER SON.
AGAIN THE QUESTION, WHY WAS JACOB CHOSEN? WHAT OPPORTUNITY DID HE HAVE BEFORE HE WAS BORN TO SHOW HIMSELF BETTER THAN HIS BROTHER. HE CERTAINLY DIDN’T SHOW HIMSELF TO BE BETTER AFTER HE WAS BORN. REMEMBER THAT HIS NAME MEANS DECEIVER AND HE LIVED UP TO IT.
IT LEAVES US WITH THE QUESTION OF THE DAY. WHY DOES GOD CHOSE TO BLESS SOME AND NOT OTHERS? IS HE FAIR IN DOING SO?
THE PURPOSE OF GOD’S “ELECTION” OF SOME AND NOT OTHERS IS SO THAT HIS SOVEREIGN PLAN WOULD REMAIN IN PLACE.
TO ILLUSTRATE LETS GO BACK TO THE BACKYARD BAR-B-QUE, THAT LESLIE AND I ARE HAVING. THE BAR-B-QUE IS PART OF A GREATER PLAN OF MINE. I WANT TO DO SOME SPECIAL THINGS IN CAMPBELLTON AND I NEED PEOPLE TO HELP ME DO IT. I CHOOSE TO INVITE THE BAPTSIST’S AND THE PRESBYTERIANS TO GET INVOLVED IN IT, NOT BECAUSE OF ANYTHING THEY HAVE DONE, BUT SIMPLY BECAUSE I CHOSE THEM TO MEET MY NEEDS. THEY DID NOT KNOW OF THE PLAN, THEY DIDN’T DO ANYTHING SPECIAL TO MAKE ME CHOOSE THEM. IT IS MY PLAN, AND I AM IN CONTROL OF IT. THEY DO NOT KNOW OF MY PLAN SO THEY ARE NOT IN A POSITION TO MAKE ANY SUGGESTIONS OR DEMANDS BASED ON THE PLAN. IT IS MY CREATION AND I AM SOVEREIGN OVER IT.
DOES IT MAKE ME UNJUST TO THE OTHER DENOMINATIONS IN THE AREA? IT WOULD, IF I HAD CERTAIN CRITERIA TO BE INVOLVED IN MY PLAN, AND MADE THAT CRITERIA KNOWN TO THE BAPTISTS AND PRESBYTERIANS. BUT WHEN I KEEP MY PLAN AND MY CRITERIA FOR CHOICE TO MYSELF, THEN EVERYONE IS ON THE SAME PLAYING FIELD, AND NO ONE CAN MAKE THEMSELVES LOOK BETTER THAN THE REST.
IT IS FOR THIS REASON THAT PAUL CAN SAY IN VERSES 14 AND 15:
ROMANS 9:14-15:
WHAT THEN SHALL WE SAY? IS GOD UNJUST? NOT AT ALL! 15 FOR HE SAYS TO MOSES, “I WILL HAVE MERCY ON WHOM I HAVE MERCY, AND I WILL HAVE COMPASSION ON WHOM I HAVE COMPASSION.”
PAUL IS THUS SAYING THAT THE NECESSARY CREDENTIALS FOR BECOMING PART OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD ARE KNOWN BY ALL. GOD IS NOT WITHHOLDING ANY INFORMATION FROM SOME AND GIVING MORE TO OTHERS. THE PLAN OF SALVATION IS KNOWN TO ALL PEOPLE.
GOD’S CHOICE TO SAVE “SOME” THEN IS NOT BASED ON ANYTHING EXTRA OR SPECIAL THAT WE CAN DO, BUT SOLELY ON THE BASIS OF HIS MERCY AND GRACE. THE PLAN IS KNOWN TO ALL BUT ONLY SOME WILL RESPOND, AND IN GOD’S MERCY AND GRACE HE “ELECTS” OR CHOOSES TO SAVE THEM.
THE POSIDEON ADVENTURE IS A MOVIE ABOUT A CRUSIE LINER THAT GETS HIT BE A TIDAL WAVE AND TURNS UPSIDE DOWN AND IS IN THE PROCESS OF SINKING. IN ORDER TO REACH SAFETY THE PASSENGERS HAVE TO CLIMB TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SHIP.
IT’S SET AROUND NEW YEARS EVE, AND A SMALL NUMBER OF THE PASSENGERS USE THE FAKE CHRISTMAS TREE AS A LADDER TO BEGIN THEIR CLIMB. NOW THE INVITATION IS GIVEN FOR ALL TO FOLLOW THEM, BUT THEY MUST HURRY FOR WATER IS ABOUT TO COME INTO THE BALLROOM AND ANY LEFT THERE WILL DIE.
MANY CHOOSE TO STAY WHERE THEY ARE. SOME CHOOSE TO HEED THE CALL AND ARE HELPED TO SAFETY AS THEY GRASP THE HANDS THAT REACH OUT TO THEM. THE PEOPLE IN THE BALLROOM CALLED OUT FOR HELP AND THE PEOPLE ON TOP “ELECTED” TO SAVE THESE PEOPLE SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY WERE IN A POSITION TO DO SO. THE WATER THEN COMES INTO THE BALLROOM AND ITS TOO LATE FOR MANY.
MY QUESTION TO YOU TODAY IS SIMPLY THIS. ARE YOU REACHING OUT TO THE LORD, PERHAPS FOR SALVATION, PERHAPS FOR A NEED IN YOUR LIFE. GOD IS REACHING OUT TO YOU TODAY AND WANTS TO SAVE YOU FROM THE ENSLAVEMENT OF SIN, NOT BECAUSE OF ANYTHING YOU HAVE DONE, BUT SIMPLY BECAUSE HE LOVES YOU. PLEASE SAY YES TODAY TO THE CALL OF GOD.
