You're listening to Mountain View Church Audio, Christ-centered teaching from the Wilderness City, Whitehorse UConn. Here's this week's message. God of creation, there at the start before the beginning of time, with no point of reference, you spoke to the dark and fleshed out the wonder of life. And as you speak, a hundred billion galaxies are born. In the vapor of your breath, the planets, stars were made to worship, so were I.
I can see your heart in everything you've made. Every burning star, signal fire of grace. Creation sings your praises, so will I, God of your promise. You don't speak in vain, no syllable empty your void. Once you have spoken, all nature and science follow the sound of your voice. And as you speak, a hundred billion creatures catch a breath of what you...
I can see your heart in everything you say. Every painted sky, a canvas of your grace. Creation still obeys you, so will I. As we're made to worship, so will I. The mountains bow in reverence, so will I. If the oceans roar your greatness, so will I. For if everything exists to lift you high, so will I.
If the wind goes where you send it, so will I. Rocks cry out in silence, so will I. If the sum of all our praises still fall shy, then we'll sing again a hundred billion times. Out of salvation, you chase down my heart through all of my failure and pride. On a hill you created the light of the world, abandoned in darkness to die. And as you speak...
100 billion failures disappear. Where you lost your life so I could find it here. If you left the grave behind you, so will I. I can see your heart in everything you've done. Every part designed in a work of art. If you gladly chose surrender, so will I. Like you would again, 100 billion. What measure could amount to your desire?
What if I told you that God chose you before you ever chose him? That's a hard concept to process, even for Christians who've been walking with Jesus for decades. Deep down, most of us feel like we're the ones searching for God. It feels like we're the ones who decide to follow, to believe, and to surrender. But the Apostle Paul turns that whole idea upside down in his letter to the Ephesian church when he writes, He chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world. It wasn't a random choice. It wasn't based on human effort. It flowed from God's love and grace.
My name is Jeremy, and I'm the lead pastor of Mountain View Church. With the next half hour, we're going to take a deep dive into the theological truth of God's choosing and what it means for you and your faith. This message is part of our fall series, Identity Found in Him. In a world that pushes identity politics, gender identity, personal autonomy, and an endless pursuit of self-expression, we're learning that they all lead to confusion and emptiness. Instead, God's design is for us to find our true identity in His Son, Jesus Christ.
My name is Mandy. Our scripture reading is from Ephesians 1, verse 1-4. If you have a physical Bible, you can use the table of contents in front to locate the book of Ephesians. If you have a mobile device, you can download a Bible app or use the search function at Bible.com. Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God. To the saints who are in Ephesus and are faithful in Christ Jesus. Grace to you and peace from God, our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. So what does it mean to be chosen in Christ? Although God led Paul to write this letter to bring spiritual comfort, verse 4 in particular has sparked theological confusion for centuries. It stirred debate and division throughout church history and still echoes in many Christian circles today. So if you're sitting there and you're struggling to grasp this doctrinal concept, you're not the first and you won't be the last. But once you begin to understand the love behind it, your heart will be stirred toward worship and thanksgiving. Before we unpack the theological debate, let's read verse 4 one more time.
Paul writes, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. Paul is inviting us to see salvation not as something we initiate from our own mental capacity, but as something that God initiates spiritually connected to our souls. You might feel some pushback to that statement. And you're thinking, are you saying that my choice to follow Jesus doesn't matter? No, that's not what I'm saying. Your choice definitely matters, but it means that your choice to believe might actually be in response to God's spiritual initiative.
And this is where the debate unfolds. Let's look at the two major doctrinal positions, then I'll talk about my pastoral journey, having to walk through the messy middle of this whole debate. On one side, there's Calvinism, based on the teachings of John Calvin, a French reformer and theologian. He emphasized God's sovereignty in salvation, often referred to as the doctrine of election. Calvin taught that grace is given apart from works or any unforeseen faith. A Calvinist would lean heavily on Jesus' teaching that no one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him.
And Paul's teaching to the Roman church. For those whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his son. On the other side of the debate, there's Arminianism, based on the teachings of Jacobus Arminius, a Dutch Reformed theologian. He emphasized human responsibility and the idea that God's grace enables but does not force belief. Arminius taught that each person must freely choose to receive God's grace. An Arminianist would lean heavily on Jesus' teaching that God so loved the world that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
And Paul's teaching to Timothy that God our Savior who desires all people to be saved. So which is it? Are we chosen or are we choosing? I remember the first time I really had to wrestle with this question. I was a first-year Bible college student sitting in a classroom discussion led by our professor. He acknowledged that Scripture clearly says God chooses, yet in our hearts it often feels like we are the ones choosing God. Our professor shared that he had wrestled with this tension his entire life, studying countless commentaries and perspectives written throughout church history.
And after decades of study, he said the one thing he was sure of was that no one can pinpoint the exact moment where God's choosing and our choosing meet. To help us envision his journey through this debate, he described it like when he was a kid growing up in a rural town and walking on railroad tracks that went through the town. If you look down, one rail represented God's sovereignty and divine choice. The other rail was human responsibility and personal choice. And when he would look down the tracks, they seemed to meet somewhere in the horizon.
But no matter how far he walked, he could never find the point where those two ever met. And perhaps the railroad tracks never did meet. Or do they? You see, he was forced to accept that it's one of God's mysteries. One that Paul actually writes about in his letter to the Ephesians. In chapter 1, verse 9, he writes, This is the tension between God's sovereignty and our responsibility, wrapped up in the mystery of God's will.
Our professor couldn't deny that Scripture teaches God sovereign choice, rooted in His love and grace. Yet he also couldn't deny that, even in his own personal experience, he chose to trust God's Word, which led him to believe in and follow Jesus. In many ways, this is the daily journey for Christians. Every morning we choose to follow Jesus, to walk with Him in faith, while navigating this sin-sick world. But here's the flip side. Because the Holy Spirit lives in us, sealed through our belief in Jesus, even if we wanted to walk away, God's Spirit convicts our wandering and draws us back to Him.
That class that I sat in was 26 years ago. And like my professor, I've continued to study and wrestle through this debate, trying to land on a clear-cut answer. But if you ask me today in this moment, which is it, Jeremy? Did God choose you or did you choose God? I'd have to say that somehow God's choosing and my choosing meet in a mystery that I will never fully comprehend. Now, I'll admit that the middle ground can be messy. Sometimes people struggle when...
As a pastor, I'm not 100% certain on a theological issue, that I'm still struggling through it. And it would be easier to pick a side and plant my flag, but that wouldn't be honest to what's going on inside my heart and mind. I'm still wrestling. And maybe you're in the same place. You're wondering, how do I live in the messy middle? I suggest that you rest in God's sovereignty while responding to his call. You should pray as if it depends on him, while obeying as if it depends on you. In a way, you're walking in both truths, which can draw you closer to him in the end.
I've seen what happens when we drift too far to either camp. Extreme Calvinism can become a doctrine where prayer and evangelism are dismissed, assuming that everything's been predetermined. On the other hand, extreme Arminianism becomes a doctrine where salvation depends solely on human strength or persuasion. Both extremes neglect the mystery that God moves first while inviting us to move with him and toward him. After two decades of ministry, I've watched this mystery unfold in real time. When someone hears the gospel, they feel conviction of their sin, and they submit to their need for a savior.
But when you hear their story, you realize that God had been working in them before that moment, drawing them, softening their hearts, and preparing them to accept Jesus. You see, the Holy Spirit opened their heart, yet they responded in faith and chose to follow Jesus. That's why I'm so comfortable proclaiming that God chose us to become like Christ. that he started it, and yet we're also becoming and moving. Our faith is our own, but it's a response made possible by his first move. And that truth changes how we live. It fuels prayer and boldness. If God's the one who saves, then we can pray with confidence that he opens people's hearts. And if his gospel is the means that he uses, we can share it boldly, knowing that he has already gone before us. And so let's bring this all back to our theme of this series, Identity Found in Him.
If you're chosen in Christ, that means that your worth, purpose, and direction in life aren't random. Before the foundation of the world, God saw you, he knew you, and he chose you. Your identity in Christ wasn't earned, but received as a gift of grace. In the second part of verse 4, Paul wrote that we were chosen to be holy and blameless before him. That means that every choice we make, how we speak, love, forgive, and serve, is all shaped by who we are in Christ.
Holiness becomes a daily directive to walk with Jesus and allow the Holy Spirit to shape us into the image of Jesus. And being chosen in Christ also means that we're being chosen or have been chosen for his mission. We're called to be ambassadors of his grace and truth. Every conversation, every act of kindness, every time we share the gospel, God is working through us to reach someone that he's already been drawing to himself. Sharing the gospel is one of the greatest honors of our faith, where heaven and earth meet in the mystery of God's redeeming work. How amazing is that, to be a part of that?
And so maybe today, right now, you're listening to this or you're watching this and you realize that God has been drawing you. Just as God's drawn countless others before you, he's inviting you to step into his family and receive the grace that he's already offered through his son, Jesus. You see, our sin separates us from God, but he made a way for us to be restored. Out of love, Jesus took our place on the cross, paying the price for our sin once and for all. Three days later, he rose from the dead, defeating death so we could have eternal life.
And that's God's plan for salvation, offered freely through faith in Jesus Christ. So the call is simple, but life-changing. We seek his forgiveness, accept Jesus as our Savior, and follow him as Lord. If this is your moment to respond, you can pray this prayer and receive God's gift of grace today, right here, right now. Let's pray. Dear God, I believe you love me. Thank you for choosing me and sending Jesus to die for my sins. I believe he rose from the dead so I could have life.
Today I turn from my sin and place my faith in you. Teach me to walk with you and live for you from this day forward. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen. To everyone watching or listening, thank you so much. If you'd like to connect with us, head over to mountainview.church slash connect or find us on social media at Mountain View White Horse. We'd love to hear from you, pray with you, or help you take that next step in your faith journey.
If you're a parent, make sure to check out Basecamp, our children's program. Each week, Pastor Herber prepares downloadable video lessons and activities to help your kids grow in their faith. You can find all of that right now at mountainview.church. And related to Basecamp, I need to share an important update with our parents who attend in person. As our church community continues to grow, our children's ministry is also experiencing a lot of growth. This is a great problem, but it means we need more help. Right now, we don't have enough volunteers to cover every shift in Basecamp. So, I'm asking you parents of the kids that are in our program, please sign up to help just once each month. And don't be nervous about the process. Pastor Herbert does an amazing job preparing everything in advance. The lessons and activities are ready to go. It's like a plug-and-play volunteer role. It's quite simple to follow along. You'll have fun, your kids will love it, and you'll be a blessing to other families in the process.
To get you started, simply visit mountainview.church.serve, complete the online volunteer application. Thank you for serving and investing in the next generation. Now, here's the rest of this week's updates. Good morning, Mountain View. My name is Haley. I'm the ministry leader for the Young Adults Ministry, and we have an event happening today. So this is your invite. And this ministry is open to anyone. There's no registration or sign up required. Anyone's welcome to drop in at any time. Bring your friends. This event happening today is a backyard fire and wiener roast. So it's going to be happening from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. The address on the screen is 85B 11th Ave East. So that's a home in Porter Creek. Dress warm. We'll have some games out. We'll have food and snacks. And yeah, we would love to see you there. Have a great day.
Good morning everyone. I'm Erin Lynn. And I'm Barbara. It's that time of year again, the season of shoeboxes and Operation Christmas Child. We want to thank you for your support of Operation Christmas Child and its mission to bring the gospel of Jesus to children all over the world. Last year as a territory, we collected 887 shoeboxes. This year, our goal is 900 shoeboxes. This goal would not be possible without the support of churches in Whitehorse and Yukon communities such as Carcross, Dawson, Ross River, and Farrell.
You'll soon start to see show boxes, brochures, and other promotional materials circulating at your local church. We ask you to prayerfully consider packing more shoe boxes this year. If you want to be a part of this, not in the shoeboxes, you can donate online at samaritansfirst.ca. Mahalaga po ang inyong mga panalangin na maibahagi po natin ang pagmamahal at pag-asa ng Panginoong Jesus sa mga bata at kanilang pamilya at komunidad sa mahigit isang daang bansa sa buong mundo. Kung mayroon po kayong katanungan, mag-iwan lamang po kayo ng mensahe sa yuconocc at gmail.com at ifollow niyo po kami sa Facebook, isearch niyo lamang po ang Operation Christmas Child Yukon.
Thank you very much! As Christians, we are tasked to introduce Jesus Christ to every person. Operation Christmas Yard gift boxes, open those doors. The praise you can give to anyone is a knowledge of God and His Son Jesus Christ. Through the gift boxes, we are helping churches to see this as an outreach to those that have never heard the gospel.
We are seeing children coming to the Lord, taking the gospel back to their families. And the gospel continues to go places where it has never gone before. Every box is an opportunity for a child to hear that Christ came to this earth for them. Keep packing these boxes and continue to pray for these children. God bless you. Hello, UConn churches. It's that time of year again, the season of true boxes and Operation Christmas Child. We are your UConn area Operation Christmas Child team. You may recognize our faces from various churches around Whitehorse. We want to thank you for your continued support of Operation Christmas Child and its mission to bring the gospel of Jesus to children all over the world.
Last year as a territory, we collected 887 shoeboxes. This year, our goal is 900 shoeboxes. This goal would not be possible without the support of churches in Whitehorse and communities, such as Carcross, Dawson, Ross, and Farrow. You will soon start to see shoeboxes, brochures, and other promotional materials circulating at your local church. We ask you to prayerfully consider packing more shoeboxes this year. If you'd like to contribute but are not into packing shoeboxes, you can donate or pack shoeboxes online at samaritansfirst.ca.occ.
Your prayers are also vital in sharing the love and hope of Christ with children, their families, and communities in more than 100 countries around the world. Filled shoeboxes can be dropped off at your local church or at Riverdale Baptist Church from Wednesday, November 19th to Sunday, November 23rd. If you have any questions, you can reach out to us at uconnocc at gmail.com and follow us on Facebook at Operation Christmas Child UConn. Happy shoebox packing! Finally, it's time for this week's discussion and prayer focus. Take a few minutes to talk and pray together to get the most out of this week's message. We'll start with our discussion question. How does being chosen in Christ change how you see your salvation? How does being chosen in Christ change how you see your salvation? Moving on to our prayer focus. Thank God for choosing you and pray for someone in your life who needs the gospel. Take some time to thank God and pray for someone who needs the gospel.
Then plan on coming next week as we continue our identity series from Ephesians with a focus on spiritual adoption. If you've given your life to Christ, you've been welcomed into a new spiritual family and embraced with grace. Join us next week as we discover what it really means to be adopted in Him. We'll see you then. If you prayed to receive Jesus today or would like to connect with our church community, visit mountainview.church and click the connect link. If this podcast and radio ministry has been a blessing to you, please consider partnering with us or making a tax-deductible donation at mountainview.church. Thanks for listening to Mountain View Church Audio. Join us next week for more Christ-centered teaching from the Wilderness City, Whitehorse Econ.