We are God’s chosen people, predestined to be holy and blameless. But does God create and choose those who will be blameless and those he will blame? In this sermon, Greg shows how God does choose us but we also have the ability to choose him and get on board the predestined train. 
We are chosen to receive unimaginable blessings from God because we are God’s chosen people. But the concept of being one of the chosen people can give us a bad image of God and how predestination actually works.
Ephesians 1 shows us that God chose us before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. This has been understood to be an individual choosing of people, by God, as opposed to other individuals. But this choosing, like a gym class choosing teams, paints a picture of a God who makes people that are damned for hell the way that they are made. This is the main way that people understand predestination in the Bible.
It’s true that there is predestination in the Bible, but it’s not God picking and choosing how to make people. Instead, it is a corporate choosing. To understand this, we need to understand Greg’s interactions with trains.
When Greg was in college, he and Shelley went to a Broadway play. They had a lot of trouble getting on the train that would take them to the right destination. Whether or not they were on the train, the train would have gone to the destination. The train is predestined to go to that location.
In the Bible, this is how we should understand predestination. The Jesus train is full of people that are holy and spotless. It will arrive at the destination of righteousness and this has been settled since before time began. It is predestined. But what isn’t predestined, and this is how the Jews understood this as well, is that people can either choose to be on the train or not. If they choose to be on the train, or be a part of the Israel nation for the Jews, then they are predestined as holy and blameless.
Instead of an ugly picture of God that chooses some for heaven and some for hell, we have a picture of God that invites everyone to hop on the train that is predestined for holiness. God wants every person to be on this train. This train is beautiful. In a world full of possible trains to get on, God wants you on the train that takes you into the Kingdom of God. In the middle of a warzone of a corrupted world full of suffering, God is the one thing that we can trust in to deliver us to the right destination. We need to savor the knowledge of being on this train because it reveals to us the future that we can look forward to.
If you’re discouraged by life, remind yourself of this train’s destination. The predestined train that won’t implode on itself and has, since before time began, known it will succeed. Remind yourself of your inheritance, which was sealed on your mind and make it a part of your daily activities. Remind yourself of the things that you’re predestined to become. In a world that is a confusing, cosmic New York subway system, this predestined train is the one thing that is certain, and its destination is more beautiful than words can convey.
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Greg’s sermon remind of a song sung by Tennessee Ernie Ford called “The Gospel Train” which I always dance and sing with.
Choo -choo ? Whatever…Thanks for the clarification in your message 🙂
Thank you Greg! It’s the ONLY train that once you choose to get on, you’ll never want to get off!
Real test of patience and grace with the guy saying “yeeeeaahhh” every 5 seconds. Don’t mean to complain about another’s worship, but that made it really hard to hear Greg’s message for me.
Sunday preaching on Rom 9.
We weer very glad with thuis subject.
We live in Holland (parents Fam. Eddy. The grand daughter met with after THE 1100 hour service
THE Duch reform churches are very influenced by the mentioned calvin teaching.
I felt released . Thanks
Steve, I agree with you completely. I now go to anther service. I could not concentrate on Gregs teaching with that guys Yeeeeahs. I am so happy he is excited about the message. He just needs to say the yeeeeahs to himself.
@Joann, since you brought up country music (and trains), Josh Turner sings a song called “Long Black Train.” Don’t anybody get on that one. 😉 Unfortunately, it’s the train that most of society is conditioned to board.
http://www.iamsecond.com/seconds/josh-turner/
I’ve heard the guy say “yeah” in other sermons. It doesn’t bother me because it’s usually during a time when some really good stuff is being said, and I should listen and take to heart what’s being said. Anyway, let’s not get “off track.” (pun intended…sorry)
I’ve been listening to the sermons online for a while now…from Cincinnati. The messages have pretty much replaced talk-radio while I work in my office. Thank you for making it available.
@Steve and Lisa, I have to say that I am glad someone feels free enough to say yeahs during the sermon. If it is a test of patience and grace how did you do? Is there another solution besides silencing him or withdrawing? I understand that we all have different likes in worship and as God made us and loves us all, how can we increase our relationship with each other?I recently read a very freeing book called Messy Spirituality by Mike Yaconelli that is helping me. I am a repressed, quiet, afraid to inconvenience anyone, do everything right(which I seldom manage), follow all the rules person married to an extroverted, break any rule he can find person. How thankful I am for God’s grace as I struggle on. Be Loved.
Wow. THANK YOU GREG!!!
I LOVE Greg’s teachings. They are always so reflective on who Jesus really is. His interpretation shows the love that’s intended to be seen in scripture rather than the status quo that religion has always thrust upon us.