Jesus for President:

Election

Introduction

•Civility•Expectations•Disclaimer

#JesusIsMyCandidate

• @SorryIDontParty: #JesusIsMyCandidate because He already paid the ultimate sacrifice for us. Did Obama or Romney die for your sins? Don't think so

• @BrianMerritt: #JesusIsMyCandidate because of all the democratically elected candidates in First Century Palestine he seems the most competent.

#JesusIsMyCandidate

• @beccranford: #JesusIsMyCandidate because he said crazy stuff like blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called sons of God

• @raymondafoss: #JesusIsMyCandidate because he even washed the feet of his betrayer

#JesusIsMyCandidate

• @raymondafoss: #JesusIsMyCandidate because he cares about the needs of the children and the marginalized.

• @ryanjpugh: #JesusIsMyCandidate because in his economy, there is enough for everyone's need.

• @MAGuyton: Why #JesusIsMyCandidate: 2) He brings people together by eating and drinking with sinners (Matthew 9:9-13).

Pros and Cons of Jesus for President

What is Election?• To single out, to select, to choose, to take one

and leave another. • The selection of a person or persons for office

by vote. • Comes from the Greek word in the New

Testament for those who are chosen—eklektos.

John Calvin & Election

• Unconditional election is the Calvinist teaching that before God created the world, God chose to save some people according to his own purposes and apart from any conditions related to those persons.

• Double predestination – those who are saved are called the ‘unconditional elect’ and those who are not are called the ‘reprobate.’

What is Election?

• The construction of the Greek verb for “chose” indicates God chose us for Himself. That means God acted totally independent of any outside influence. God made the choice totally apart from human will and purely on the basis of God’s sovereignty.

Election in the Old Testament

• Deuteronomy 7:7-8• Why does God choose Israel?• Deuteronomy 14:2• Does God elect Israel to be bearer of his

graciousness and mercy, or is the election of Israel the end itself?

Election in the Old Testament

• Isaiah 46:9-10• Is God sovereign?• Psalm 105:43-45

Election in the New Testament

• John 15:16• Ephesians 1:4-5• Acts 13:48; Romans 8:33• Rom. 9:6-24• It does not depend on us – but on God, so that

God can share God’s riches. We play no part in election. Election was made before We even came into existence. Election is God’s choice alone.

So what?

• Being part of the elect, the chosen means that we have responsibilities.

• 2 Timothy 1:9; 2 Thessalonians 2:13• We are elected for a purpose – not our own

purpose, not what we feel like, not what we want to do. But to God’s calling.

Are Christians the only ones chosen?

• John 10:11-18 • 16I have other sheep that do not belong to this

fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.

• We don’t know. But we do know that God loved us so much that God sent Jesus for the whole world.

Barth’s Challenge of Election

• Barth makes Jesus the object and subject of both divine election and reprobation: Jesus embodies God's election of humanity and God's rejection of human sin. As the electing God, Jesus elects all of humanity in himself. And thus, as the elected man, all who are "in Christ" are elect in him. Non-believers, it is said, have simply not realized or recognized their election in Christ.

Barth’s Challenge to Election

• Jesus is the Choosing God and the Choosing Man. He is actively choosing and passively chosen. Secondly, we know who is “elect” because in Christ, humankind is chosen for salvation and God Chooses Jesus for damnation. Jesus is elected to rejection at the cross. In this way, Barth believes that Jesus transforms election and double-predestination from a division of the saved and reprobate into a division between human and divine which God overcomes in the resurrection.

Barth & Election

• “Pious egocentricism” – am I saved? What about me? Will God choose, love, help, save me?

• Election and predestination are not inherently about the individual but about the community.

• Reactions to Barth?

In Conclusion

• Election means that both Israel and the church are called in their different ways to be ‘light to the nations.’

• God elects communities to be God’s people primarily – Jewish AND Gentile Christian communities in the Bible.

• Participation in the Christian community is a sign of our election, as we care about each other.

In Conclusion

• The church is the community of people who acknowledge, seek, expect, and gratefully experience the saving grace of God in Christ – where we are reminded over and over again of the promises of God.

• Those whom we elect to public office need to be willing to take on the responsibility and the burden of being elected, just as we are elected to be the Body of Christ.

Benediction

• Go out into the world, living as chosen and elected people to be the light to the world.