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Broad, much more like a sermon
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Less concerned with specific daily events
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More concerned with the bigger picture of the Gospel – what God did
through Christ
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How eternal changes to our lives affects out daily lives
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In Christ we have unity and a better understanding of morality
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Division between chapters 3 and 4; Ch.1-3 talk about the basis of our
faith; Ch.4-6 talk about how we live out that faith in the church
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vv.3-14 Picture of God’s purpose in eternity
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v.3 God has given us every spiritual blessing in Christ
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vv.4-6 Before the world began God decided that we would be His children
through Jesus Christ
o
The fact that you are in church now proves that you were chosen before
the beginning of the world
o
Youth perspective: “If God knows before whether I’m going to believe or
not, then if I have doubts now God meant for me never to believe.”
o
Answer: Intent of the passage was to encourage Christians; Paul was
speaking to Christians, and there is no reference to non-Christians.
o
Paul is talking about a group of people – a community – addressing a
church. He is not addressing specific people.
o
By saying that you are not chosen, you are already making a decision to
not allow God to work in your life.
o
Where you are right now, who you are right now is not the end of your
story. You are not going to be the same person as you are 30 years from now.
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vv.7-12 God achieves his purpose through Christ
o
Life, death, and resurrection of Christ
o
Inheritance is a promise of something that is going to be given in the future,
even though the it has not been fully received
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vv.13-14 We will receive our inheritance
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From beginning to end God has prepared His salvation for us
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We are a part of this plan of God
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vv.15-23 Prayer for the church
o
That the church would know what they received through Christ
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Our salvation is not a “secret” – something that God wants to make
known to us
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Youth wonder about what God is doing
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God often seems invisible and unknowable
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God who raised Jesus from the dead is still at work today in our lives
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What are you trying to say when you gather at the pole (See You at the
Pole)? Aren’t you saying, “This school belongs to God, not the school board or
the government”? God is in control of even the school.
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How does it change the way you look at school when you say that God is
in control?
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If you really believe that Jesus is in control of your school, how
would that change the way that you act and think in school?
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More general – knowing how powerful God is, how can we act on that
knowledge?
o
Be able to trust God for our Salvation
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Have confidence in knowing that it’s God who chose us
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If God did choose us, we can trust Him to see it through to the end –
that if we displease Him, He won’t reject us; we can have security in
Him