Sovereign Grace Chapel, located at 135 Annabel Lane in Beaver, West Virginia, invites you to listen to a gospel message concerning Jesus Christ our Lord. Welcome to today's broadcast.

Let's read from Paul's letter to the church at Ephesus, Ephesians chapter three. Let's have a couple verses for this morning, for my text this morning. Ephesians chapter three, and let me read verses seven and eight. Paul wrote these words, Ephesians three, verse seven and eight, was made a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power. Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ.

What a statement. Consider this question. I'm sure the Apostle Paul considered this question on more than one occasion. And I kind of just think that was kind of, as the Spirit was moving him to write here, I just kind of wonder if this question didn't pop up in his mind. Here's the question. This is my title. This is my subject, if you will. Why did God include me? You ever wondered why did God include me?

Now, I just have just a few things to give you this morning in the time I have here on the TV. I want you to think of it first. Why did God include me? You see, Paul was made a minister of the gospel of Christ, but he couldn't be a minister of the gospel of Christ unless he was a believer in the gospel of Christ. Here's the first thing. It was not because of anything Paul was. That's not why God included him. It was not because of anything Paul was, for Paul, actually, according to his own words, was the opposite of deserving God's favor.

And this is what he says to Timothy, when he wrote to Timothy, and let me turn to it here, 1 Timothy. chapter one, and listen to what he wrote to Timothy. Just astounding words of what Paul says about himself. Remember, why did God include me? Paul was no doubt thinking, why did God include me? When he wrote these words, Ephesians chapter three, verses seven and eight, why did God include me? It's not because of anything Paul was. because Paul was doing, he had done the opposite of deserving God's favor. And this is what he wrote to Timothy, as I said, 1 Timothy 1, starting verse 12.

And I thank Christ Jesus, our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me in the ministry. Now not he seen I was faithful, or would be, he counted me, he reckoned it to be so. God did, God took an inventory of this. He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry. Who was before? A blasphemer. Do you see that? A blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious. But I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love, which is in Christ Jesus.

You see it? God didn't just include him to be an apostle, a preacher. He actually included him to be a believer. an actual believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. He says, and the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, you see it, of whom I am chief, you see it? Paul knew it wasn't because of anything he was or anything he did. who he was and what he did before God ever saved him was actually the opposite of deserving God's favor.

You see, in our text, Paul acknowledges it was God's free gift and God's almighty power. Isn't that what he says in verse seven? Whereof, I was made a minister according to the gift of the grace of God. Do you see it? The gift of the grace of God given me. You see it? It wasn't offered to him. It wasn't made available for him, it was given to him. Whereof I was made a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.

Paul's saying, God brought this on me. God made me what I am in Christ. As he said, I am what I am by the grace of God. The other thing he was, he was in Adam because of the fall of Adam, because of our own inner corruption. So again, in our text, Paul acknowledges it was God's free gift and God's almighty power.

You see, if you believe, and I'm talking to those who believe this morning, If you believe, if I believe Christ, we not only did not deserve it, we actually deserve condemnation. And he says that very same thing to these same people who he's writing to there in my text, Ephesians 3, 7, and 8. Listen to what he said about us. This is Ephesians 2, and you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins, wherein in time past you walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air.

We were under Satan's influence. We were dead in sins, not only were we dead in sins, but we were influenced by Satan. according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience." That's unbelievers. Among whom also we all had our conversation, and that's just not just what we say, but our manner of life, our conduct, our deportment. whom also we all had our conversation in time past in the lust of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature the children of wrath.

We hated God just like everybody else did, you see it? And by nature the children of wrath, even as others. But God, do you see that? Those two amazing words. But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love, wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ. Not just by him, but with him. In the purpose of God, when Christ was quickened out of that grave, when he was raised from the dead, we were too, because he was our representative.

If you're a believer this morning, he represented you when he hung on that cross, when he went into that grave, and when he was raised out of that grave, he represented you. You were chosen in him before the world began. And when he ascended to glory and sat down, we sat down with him. Do you see it? What an amazing thing. Whereof I was made a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of a power.

We know we didn't believe it. We didn't deserve it. We didn't merit it. We didn't work for it. It was a free gift from God. Now here's the second thought. Think about it now. We talk about Paul before his conversion. He didn't deserve it. He was a blasphemer, injurious, a murderer. Paul was a man devoted to his religion and he hated Jesus Christ. Yet Jesus Christ showed him mercy in spite of that.

But here's the second thought. Even after Paul's gospel conversion, he felt no merit in his own. Do you see that? Right here in our text. Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given." Do you see it? Paul is saying, even after God saves me, I'm not deserving it now. I'm not earning it now. I'm not meriting it now. Even after his gospel conversion, he felt no merit of his own. Why did God include me? Because he would, because he did, because he's gracious, and he shows his grace to whom he will, and he shows his mercy to whom he will, and he says, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So why did God include me? Amazing question, isn't it? Even as believers, you see it? Even as believers, we never deserve God's favor, never.

You remember what the apostle John wrote in his first epistle. Now listen to it. First John chapter one, writing to believers in verses eight, nine, and 10, he says this, if we say that we have no sin, even right now, if we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves. and the truth's not in us. So I still have sin in me, but thank God I don't have any on me because Jesus Christ bore our sins in his own body on the tree. But let's go on. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar and his word is not in us.

We still don't deserve it today. We still don't earn it today. Every act, even those things wherein God works in me, both to will and to do of His good pleasure, there's still sin mixed with that, because my flesh is a part of me. My old Adamic man, my old Adamic nature's still there, and it's just as corrupt as it ever was. We have no merit of our own. We never deserve God's favor.

Why didn't God include me? According to the scripture, he included me just because it was his own sovereign pleasure. Listen to what Paul wrote. Paul makes it clear. God did not include, first of all, God did not include everyone. Listen to Romans 9, verse 18. Therefore, verse 18, therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will, he hardneth. Thou wilt say then unto me, why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will? Nay, but O man, who art thou that replies against God? You see, to reply against this truth about God is to reply against God. Anybody out there, any preacher out there, any deacon out there, anybody you know that's trying to tell you, but you better beware of this doctrine. This is who God is. It says it right here in this book.

Thou wilt say then to me, Why does he yet find fault? For who has resisted his will? Nay, but, O man, who art thou that replyest against God? Shall the thing form say to him that formed it? Why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the clay of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour and another unto dishonour? What if God, willing to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction, and everyone who perishes is fitted for it? They deserve it. It's theirs. That's what we've merited by our actions and our deeds. But look, and that it might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he hath afore prepared unto glory, even us whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles.

So you see, God did not include everyone. And let me tell you, no one deserves to be included. Listen to what Paul wrote about us in Romans chapter three. Verse nine, what then? Are we better than they? That is, is the Jew better than the Gentile? No, in no wise, for we have before proved, both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin, as it is written. This is nothing new. This is something not just from Paul, this is even from the Old Testament time. As it is written, there is none righteous, no not one. There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable. There is none that doeth good, no not one. Their throat is an open sepulcher. With tongues they have used deceit. The poison of ash is under their lips, whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness." And he just keeps on going. That's me and you by nature. That's what we are. And even after God saves us, the only good thing in us is God the Son in us, Christ in you, the hope of glory.

whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness. Their feet are swift to shed blood. Destruction and misery are in their ways, and the way of peace they have not known. There is no fear of God before their eyes." You see it? So God, why did he include me? It certainly wasn't because I deserved it.

Well, one, God don't include everybody. Let's get that straight right off the bat. Any man that tells you different, God's trying to save everybody, he's lying on who God is. God did not include everyone, and no one deserves to be included. That's for sure.

People, I used to hear all the time, years ago, well, God looked down into the future and seen what you would do, seen you would believe, seen you would repent. That's not what Romans 3 said. We weren't seeking after God. As a matter of fact, Paul says here in Romans 10, let me just read it. I don't want to misquote that. Listen to what he says. In Romans chapter 10, he wrote these words. But Isaiah is very bold, Romans 10, 20. But Isaiah is very bold and saith, I was found of them that sought me not. I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me. That's the glory of his grace. That's why he included me, just because he would, just because he would.

You see, if we are included, God did it and he did it in and of himself. That's exactly what he told Timothy when he wrote to that young preacher, Timothy. And of course, Paul acknowledges to Timothy that, you know, Timothy was quite timid and he was a lot younger than the apostle Paul. But listen to what Paul wrote to Timothy. And if you're a believer, this is the same thing's true of you. Listen to what Paul wrote in 2 Timothy chapter one, just a few verses. Verse eight, be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor me his prisoner, but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God who has saved us. and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus.

And I asked the question, when did he include me in this? Before the world began. Isn't that glorious? God's not waiting around, depending, waiting on me. God purposed to include me before the world began. If you believe today, if you believe God's Christ today, He included you before the world began.

To anyone listening to me, and for that matter, everyone that may be listening to me, if you're of the opinion that it was your choice, if you're of the opinion that it was based on your opinion, If you're of the opinion it was your will that you're saved, I'm not talking to you. Now, I pray God changes that in you and for you. I pray God works the work of that quickening power in you and you begin to realize that your choice and your opinion and your will is your problem. It's not your hope, it's not your insight to God, it's your problem. That's right, our choice, our will, our opinion is the problem. If you're in that, if you're steeped in that, if your feet are stuck in the mud, as we say in that, then I'm not talking to you. I'm talking to those God has saved. I'm talking to those God's still saving. And I'm talking to those He will continue to save. Because that's what the Apostle Paul said about this salvation. He said, He hath saved me, He has saved me, and He will continue to save me. 2 Corinthians chapter 1 and 2.

You see, this salvation's of the Lord. This thing, why did God include me? Just because He would. When He purposed to show us mercy and grace, He purposed to do it before the world was, and even the demons in hell are not gonna be able to stop that. God loved you and chose you in Christ before the world began. You didn't earn it, you didn't deserve it, and that's who I'm talking to, those that God has saved. Those He's still saving, and those He will continue to save.

They know, you know this, and I know this. We know that we deserve to be condemned by God forever. We understand that. I realize we don't understand it to the depth and the degree that we ought to. I am of the opinion. This is just my opinion on the matter. Remember I said opinion will get you in trouble. But I don't know that we really know how bad we really are. But some folks think they're actually pretty good. When Paul makes it clear, there's none good, no, not one. There's none righteous, no, not one. There's not, even if we all join together, we're still nothing. Isaiah the prophet said that even our righteousnesses are as filthy rags in God's sight. And I appreciate all that. And others appreciate, we ought to appreciate the good things that men do for one another, but that doesn't give us any favor before God.

Those who truly believe God know we deserve to be condemned by God forever. We know that it was, that it is and that it shall always be an act of God in free reigning grace. We know that. We're convinced of that. So again, ask the question, why did God include me? It's basically just a rhetorical question just because he did. just because it's profound, but it's yet that simple. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.

Now, let me turn to a passage, and if you're following along, turn to it, Ephesians chapter one. Now, maybe you know this. quite well, but maybe this is something you've been thinking about. Maybe this is something you've read in the scripture, or maybe not from the passage I'm about to read, but maybe you've read things in the scripture and you say, why did God include me? It seems like to me it was all up to God. Well, here we're gonna read and see that it was all up to God. This is why God did what he did. Here is why God included me. Here is why God included you. If we are included, God did the including. Is that not simple enough to state? That's what this book teaches. Here's why it is. Listen, Ephesians chapter one. It's kind of lengthy, but I want to read the whole of the context.

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God. to the saints which are at Ephesus and to the faithful in Christ Jesus. Grace be to you and peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ. Now here he gets down to the nitty gritty of it as we say. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. There's why. That's why I include him, in Christ, according, here it is, according as he has chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy without blame before him in love.

And someone says, that's it, preacher. That's what I kind of knew, but I couldn't articulate. Well, I can't articulate it either. I'm just reading what God says. You see, that's what he says, doesn't he? According as he has chosen us in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him in love.

But he's not done with explaining this. He's not through with it yet. Why did God include me? Look, having predestinated us unto the adoption of children. Do you see it? This thing of predestination is not God predestinated some to heaven and some to hell. He predestinated some to be like his son, to be the children of Jesus Christ by Jesus Christ. That's what predestination is like. That's what it's all about. Men go to hell because of their sin. Men go to heaven because of Jesus Christ.

But God predestinated, look at, having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ, to himself. Here's why he did it. according to the good pleasure of his will. There it is. According to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace. Now, if we want a why did God include me, right there is the only true answer. To the praise of the glory of his grace.

Since God does it all, he gets all the glory. And you know as I do, if you're a believer this morning, And you know this is there. Maybe you haven't been able to articulate it like I'm reading it from this book. Maybe you haven't come across this passage even, I don't know. But you're reading it now and you said, that's the way God saved me. God did the work. It's because God chose you. That's why, because he would glorify himself. to the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved, in whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace, wherein he abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence.

In other words, let me see if I can say a little on this. God didn't leave anything out. There's nothing gonna blindside God. There's nothing gonna sneak up behind God in this matter and frustrate his purpose or his will, no sir. Look at it, wherein he abounded toward us, and this was even before the world began, remember. Wherein he abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known unto us the mystery of his will.

Aren't you glad for this word? if you truly believe Christ, if you're saved because of a work of God. Now, if your salvation's a work of you, like I said, I'm not talking to you, but if you know God brought you to where you are, you know, why did God include me? It had to be just cause he wanted to. If you know that, listen, having made known unto us the mystery of his will.

He's pleased to show us this much, at least this much in this book. Look. According to his good pleasure, which he purposed in himself. He didn't consider who we were or what we would do. He just considered us. Do you hear what I said? He did not consider who we were or what we would do. Had he done that, he would have cast us off forever. but he just considered us, you see it? Which he purposed in himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of times, he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth, even in him, those that have gone on before us and those of us who are still stuck here left behind right now. He's got a purpose in it, but one day he's gonna gather us all together in Christ.

Look, in whom, verse 11, here's why. God included you, here's why he included me. In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will, that we should be to the praise of his glory. There's why he included me. to glorify himself in his free, unadulterated, sovereign grace, that we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ, in whom he also trusted, after that you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, in whom also after that you believed, you were sealed."

Do you see that? Sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise. Just like when you can those veggies. And I realize this is a very limited illustration. It's an earthly illustration of a heavenly glory. But you take those vegetables and you put them in them glass jars and put that canning lid on there and you put it in that hot water and that thing chugs and boils and it's like pop and it seals. It means it's preserved. It's like that seal that those truckers put on the back end of those trucks, and they seal that thing. That way, if anybody messes with it, they know somebody's been in there. But let me tell you something, nobody's gonna touch God's seal. Why? Look, ye were sealed with what? That Holy Spirit of promise. God promised our preservation. Bless God he'll carry it out.

Look, which is the earnest, that's the guarantee, like earnest money. which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, and then here is the reason why he included me, unto the praise of his glory. This is why God did what he did. Somebody says, but preacher, isn't it any more than that? No, that's just it. just because he wouldn't glorify himself. And he'll glorify himself in saving some people, and he'll glorify his wrath in damning, justly damning some people because of their sin. And that's the truth of the scripture. Don't you let anybody sway you away from the truth of this word. I don't care whether it be your preacher. I don't care whether it be your deacons. I don't care whether it be your family members. I don't care whether it be your wife. I don't care whether it be your husband. I don't care whether it be your children. I don't care whether it be your mother. I don't care whether it be your father. You stay hold, stay hold, stay hold on Jesus Christ. You trust him. You lean on him. You believe him.

Look at, in whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, not the gospel that you could be saved, you heard the good news of your salvation. You heard that God Almighty had saved you in Jesus Christ. And isn't that what it is? You realize that God included you just because he would. See, this is why God did what he did, because he was pleased to. He was pleased to. He was pleased to bring glory to himself. We get no glory. And for those God had saved, those God is saving, and those God continues to save, we're okay with that. He gets all the glory. Revelation chapter five, no man deserves any glory. We're not able and worthy. We're not able and we're not worthy, Revelation chapter five. But Christ is worthy.

Why did God include me? Because of Jesus Christ. Because he predestinated you unto the adoption of children, because he chose you in Christ before the world began, and he's blessed you with all spiritual blessings. Just like those Israelites, when they came out of Egypt, they were slaves, they had nothing. But you know what they did? They spoiled those Egyptians. Those Egyptians would say, get out of here, take this gold, take this silver, take these, go, go, take all this. Everything they had when they went into that wilderness, they had when they left Egypt. And that's just a small illustration that we were blessed with all spiritual blessings in the heavenly places in Christ, even before the world began. It's all there. That's why God included you, because he was pleased to bring praise and honor to the glory of his grace. And so be it.