Chosen By God To Be His Glory

Speaker: Archbishop Loren Thomas Hines

May 09, 2021

in Life Worth Giving

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6th Sunday in Easter
Archbishop Loren Thomas Hines
May 09, 2021

Readings: Acts 11:19-30
1 John 4: 7-21
John 15: 9-17

Easter is God’s love for mankind. A commitment of His unfailing love for us. When Christ came, all was restored. The song we sang today is about the magnificence of God. Who can compare to Him? No one. God has placed everything in place on the earth for man because of love. He provided the sun as a source of life. He provided the moon to tell time. Magnificent, eternally, wonderful, glorious God. God sets things in order. He has set the course. The pattern. The warmth and coldness to take care of us.

For us, love is materialistic. With God, His whole being is love. He has revealed to us who He is. He has greater love than anyone could ever express himself. He did not call us “slaves,” but partners – to be one with Him. He chose us. We did not choose Him. He took care of everything on the cross. He conquered all the forces of evil and gave us all the benefits we need. God chose us to be like Him. He chose us to be delivered from darkness, to be holy and blameless. To be blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, to be adopted sons, to be His friend. He reveals His plans for us. He does not give us orders, He just loves.

He chose us to be recipients of His grace, given us the ability and power to do all things and to be equipped to do these things. He gave us the means to receive the inheritance of His will. We did not even need to seek these things from Him because he chose to give these to us. He chose us to be sealed in him by the Holy Spirit. He made us whole and complete in Him, not partial. To be partners, working together with Him. He chose us to represent Him to be ambassadors in His Kingdom. To be witnesses of His power, to live it out. To be sent out and let His life be seen in the world, to be empowered to bear fruit.

We were chosen to be prime instruments of His honor and glory on this earth. We need to stand in strength and not be in fear of what’s going on. If we trust in Him, he will not allow us to be put down. Instead of focusing on His suffering, we should be focusing on how He overcame.

Colossians 3:12 So, as God’s own chosen people. who are holy, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.

1 John 4:17 herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the Day of Judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world.
2 Peter 1:10 Therefore brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities, you will never fail.

James 1:22 Be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

1 Peter 2: 9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into the wonderful light.

James 5:15 And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven.

We should stand upon what Christ has already done for us. Pray to the Father directly through Christ. We do not need to course our prayers through different channels. We should not be in despair but be in confidence. It is not just forgiveness of our sins that He has done for us. He has given us everything pertaining to life and godliness. He is perfection personified.

We need to understand that we are the glory of God. God is greater than the grave. Why should we fear death? If we are in Christ, we know we will be with Him. God has empowered us to be His witnesses. We will overcome circumstances. Greater is He in us than he who is in the world.

When we come to church, our focus should be on God. We come to primarily worship Him and not to talk to each other. This is what Easter is all about. It is being filled with joy and thanksgiving to a great God who has chosen us.