Sunday Morning - May 24, 1998
Text: Genesis 25:22-23 "And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to inquire of the LORD. 23. And the LORD said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger."
CALLED AND ELECT
Romans 9:10-26 "And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac;
Genesis 25:22-23 "And the children struggled together within her; ...And she went to inquire of the LORD. 12. It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.
NOT YET BORN BUT IN THE FAMILY
11. (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;)
THOSE IN THE WOMB
Romans 8:29-30 "For whom he did foreknow [those in the womb], he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, ...30. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: ...he also justified: ... he also glorified."
FROM THE WOMB
John 3:3 "...Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."
2 Timothy 1:9 "Who hath saved us, and called us ... according to his own purpose and grace, ..."
MORE CALLED THAN CHOSEN
Matthew 22:14 "For many are called, but few are chosen."
MORE THAN TWELVE DISCIPLES
Luke 6:13 "And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles;"
THE ELECT ARE BELOVED
13. As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.
RELATIVELY SPEAKING
Luke 14:26 "If any man come to me, and hate not his ... wife, and children...he cannot be my disciple."
Ephesians 5:28 "So ought men to love their wives ...
CAN GOD DO THIS? YES!
14. What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid.
Job 40:8 "Wilt thou also disannul my judgment? wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayest be righteous?"
Psalms 19:9 "...the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether."
Psalms 18:30 "As for God, his way is perfect: ..."
IN THE PURPOSE OF ELECTION
15. For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 "...ye are not your own? 20. For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God ..."
WE HAVE NO PART IN ELECTION
16. So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy.
John 15:16 "Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you."
PHARAOH DECLARED
17. For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might show my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.
Exodus 9:16 "And in very deed for this cause have I raised thee up, for to show in thee my power; and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth."
Daniel 4:32 "...the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will."
WHO WILL RESIST HIS WILL?
18. Therefore hath he mercy on whom [any vessel in the lump] he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth. 19. Thou [vessel] wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will?
Job 23:13 "But he is in one mind, and who can turn him? and what his soul desireth, even that he doeth."
O MAN OF THE ONE LUMP
20. Nay but, O man [vessel of the lump], who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing [clay vessel] formed [out of the same lump] say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?
Job 40:8 "Wilt thou also disannul my judgment? wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayest be righteous?"
ONE LUMP, TWO VESSELS
21. Hath not the potter [The Lord] power over the clay [Saved], of the same lump [The body of Christ, Rebekah] to make one vessel unto honour [Jacob], and another unto dishonour [Esau]?
VESSELS OF DISHONOR
22. What if God, willing to show his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels [of clay of the same lump] of wrath fitted to destruction [waste, ruin]:
Romans 2:4 "Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?"
Malachi 1:2-3 "I have loved you, saith the LORD. Yet ye say, Wherein hast thou loved us? Was not Esau Jacob's brother? saith the LORD: yet I loved Jacob, 3. And I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness."
VESSELS OF HONOR
23. And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,
JEW AND GENTILES
24. Even us, whom he hath called, not of [not all of the Jews] the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles? 25. As he saith also in Osee, I will call them my people, which were not my people [Gentiles]; and her beloved, which was not beloved. 26. And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God."
A HOLY NATION
1 Peter 2:9 "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:"
THE ELECT
Romans 9:11 "(...the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;)"
1 Corinthians 1:27-28"...God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; 28. And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:"
Colossians 3:12 "Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;"
James 2:5 "Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?"