"What does it mean that Christ will never cast us out?"
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Every 4 years in our great country we as citizens of the United States of America get to take part in a thing called an election. We vote for the best person we think can lead and guide our country in that of a President. We also have many state and local elections every year in which we also vote for the best people to serve. Elections are extremely important! The word election is defined as the exercise of deliberate choice.
We see this word elect used many times throughout the Bible, and yet I believe that there are many believers who are unfamiliar with the meaning. Some believers can even find this word a little scary or offensive. Over the years I have heard some Christians tell me that they don’t believe in election. In other words, they disagree with the theology behind election and predestination. So, what does the Bible have to tell us about this unique word??? Here are just a few Scriptures that you may want to jot down.
And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
And if the Lord had not cut short the days, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, whom he chose, he shortened the days.
Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies.
Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.
Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall.
Wayne Grudem in his Systematic Theology book defines election this way:
“Election is an act of God before creation in which he chooses some people to be saved, not on account of any foreseen merit in them, but only because of his sovereign good pleasure.”
“Election is an act of God before creation in which he chooses some people to be saved, not on account of any foreseen merit in them, but only because of his sovereign good pleasure.”
Let me just begin today by saying that this idea of election may seem very hard to take in and believe for some of you especially in our day and age where we want to be kind and loving toward everyone. I remember in Bible College really learning what God’s Word had to say about this, and really wrestling with this when it was explained to me. However, the more we dive into God’s Word and have a love for what it says, we see that our hearts and minds are opened to the truth that God has chosen a people for himself. Yes, God is not willing that any should perish and all come to know him, but many don’t. Many people never see the need to turn from their sin and run towards the Savior, and the Lord knows who will continue to harden their hearts toward him and never experience salvation. But, he also knows those who will come running to Him. Many believers understand that God is in control and is sovereign but still struggle with election. I understand that and for some believers this side of heaven it may not make sense to you. Here in John chapter 6 Jesus clearly helps us see that God has chosen a people for himself and He will never cast them out. This is what I want us to look at with our short time that we have together today.
Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.
But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe.
All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.
For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me.
And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day.
For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”
Jesus tells us that He is the bread of life and comes to offer himself to those who are spiritually hungry. There are so many people today who are spiritually hungry. People know that they need something, they desire something to fill the empty whole inside of them, but so often they don’t know where to turn. Or who to run too?
Jesus has just finished up with an amazing miracle at the beginning of John chapter 6. We read about this feeding of the 5,000 that Jesus made happen with just 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish. After Jesus feeds all of these people he crosses the sea, and they find Jesus again, and begin to ask him many questions. We come full circle to verse 35 and now Jesus plainly tells them that He is the bread of life. That statement may sound funny to you and I today but their was a reason Christ told them this. They didn’t understand what Jesus was telling them. Why??? Here is why, because they didn’t believe Him. The people here were thinking about some physical bread and they failed to see the spiritual implication. So, their lack of faith did not discourage Christ. He never got upset with them or shake his head at them. No, in fact Christ was very confident. He was confident in the fact that all in verse 37 whom the Father had given Him would come to Him because the Father would draw them (or bring them to the Son.)
1. We are unable to come to God on our own.
1. We are unable to come to God on our own.
Church, because we are fallen human beings, we are completely unable to come to Jesus. We all were born with a sin nature because of our family tree that goes all the way back to Adam and Eve. We may think that we are good people by nature. We have not done too many bad things compared to Hitler or someone on death row, but ultimately we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God and we desperately need a Savior to save us from what we all deserve.
No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.
In fact, at our very core we are rebels against God. Nothing in us wants to turn from our sin and come to Jesus for salvation. The Bible tells us that we are all like sheep and we have gone astray. There is none of us who seek God. We seek after our own selfish desires. We seek to please us.
as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one;
no one understands; no one seeks for God.
There are many Christians today who I hear talk about “free will.” I understand that we are not robots and that God does allow us to make certain decisions but our will ultimately is not free. Why??? Because God’s Word tells us that we are a slave to sin.
We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.
Paul tells us here in Romans that we are enslaved to sin. Sin will hold us and keep us in bondage so much so that on our own strength we have no desire to break free. We may think that we are free however it is impossible to come to Christ in our own strength and power.
And he said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.”
When we see our sin for what it is, and that even our good deeds are filthy rags then we can begin to understand a little bit easier this doctrine of election.
The great 19th century preacher, Charles Spurgeon, was preaching about God’s sovereignty from Romans chapter 9 and he was explaining verse 9. He talked about the fact that God loved Jacob and yet hated Esau. Afterwords a women came up to him and said, I don’t understand how God could say he hated Esau.” Spurgeon replied, “Ma’am I find it more difficult to understand how he could love Jacob.” You see today church the real mystery is not that some are not chosen by God, but that God would choose anyone because of our sin. So, today if you do have salvation and know that God has changed you from a sinner to a saint than may we ever be thankful for our salvation. It is a gift from God that none of us deserve.
2. God uses the gospel message to draw the Elect to Salvation.
2. God uses the gospel message to draw the Elect to Salvation.
Turn back with me to John chapter 6 verse 44.
No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.
This word draws here is very interesting. Later on in John we see this word is used to describe the disciples pulling up their nets full of fish onto the deck of the boat. Just like fish swimming around we are drawn into salvation by God. What is so interesting here is the means by which it is done. The means here is not through a net like what the disciples used to gather fish, but the gospel message or the finished work of Christ is how we are drawn to Salvation. It’s the preaching of the gospel and the life-giving work of the Spirit. We as the body of Christ should see the importance of being a bright light to our world. In fact the local church is God’s evangelism plan for the world. The local church helps our community and the world know that Jesus has got up from the dead and THAT He is alive. So much so, that they see it in us as believers. If the world doesn’t see this truth in us, then where will they see it? God chooses and God is the one who truly saves us. When we are converted it is His work. And yet he uses means to accomplish His will.
Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
Election is all together a work or result of God’s mercy upon us. But here is the point that I want you to see today. We are responsible to respond to what we hear. In other words, even though God is sovereign this does not negate our responsibility. God welcomes us as sinners to him for salvation. This is why it is so important at a very young age to teach our children and our students God’s Word. We should want them to see and hear over and over again the message of what Jesus has done for them. As we immerse ourselves in God’s Word we see the call to turn from our sin and come to Jesus for salvation. Here is what this looks like.
For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”
This is how you know that you are truly saved. This verse emphasizes to us our responsibility in salvation. So, although God is sovereign, He works through faith. We has humans must believe in Jesus as the one who comes to offer us the Bread of Life (Salvation).
This thing called election may be tough for you today to hear. You may wrestle with this already. But I hope I can encourage you and challenge you to dig into God’s Word and let it speak to you. You may be here today dealing with doubt. I want you to know that if you are a child of God He loves you eternally. He loved us before time began and he will forever love us. Here is what Paul David Tripp puts it.
Wether on a given day you believe it or it feels like it, you are eternally loved by God.
When you are plagued by doubt, you are eternally loved by God.
When his promises seem absent and he seems distant, you are eternally loved by God.
When his word seems dry and you find it hard to apply it to your life, you are eternally loved by God.
On your best day and during your worst, darkest moment, you are eternally loved by God.
When your pride crushes gratitude, you are eternally loved by God.
When you follow him with a heart filled with courage and faith, you are eternally loved by God.
John Newton the song writer who penned the famous hymn, “Amazing Grace” said as he was nearing the end of his life, “My memory is nearly gone, but I remember two things, that I am a great sinner, and that Christ is a great Savior.”
(Close in Prayer and lead into Communion)