Paradise Valley Community Church
Sunday, October 25, 2026

  • Election in the Bible

    Election is either corporate or individual:
    Corporate election is choosing a group of people.
    Individual election is choosing specific individuals.

    Four Kinds of Election

    Corporate Election to Serve

    God chose the people of Israel. This corporate election is not for salvation but for special favor and service.
    Deuteronomy 14:2 (LSB) 2 “For you are a holy people to Yahweh your God, and Yahweh has chosen you to be a people for His treasured possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.
    Isaiah 41:8–9 (LSB) 8 “But you, Israel, My servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, Seed of Abraham My friend, 9 You whom I have strongly taken hold of from the ends of the earth, And called from its remotest parts And said to you, ‘You are My servant, I have chosen you and not rejected you.
    Isaiah 45:4 (LSB) 4 “For the sake of Jacob My servant, And Israel My chosen one, I have also called you by your name; I have given you a title of honor Though you have not known Me.
    Acts 13:17 (LSB) 17 “The God of this people Israel chose our fathers and lifted up the people during their stay in the land of Egypt, and with an uplifted arm He led them out from it.
    How do we know that Israel corporately was not chosen for salvation but instead for favor and service?
    Acts 13:16-41
    Israel was chosen but just because they were chosen they were not automatically saved.
    They individually needed to repent and believe the gospel which is why Paul warned them from the Hebrew Scriptures.

    Individual Election to Serve

    God elected the Messiah

    Isaiah 42:1 (LSB) 1 “Behold, My Servant, whom I uphold; My chosen one in whom My soul is well-pleased. I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the nations.
    Matthew 12:15–18 (LSB) 15 But Jesus, aware of this, withdrew from there. Many followed Him, and He healed them all, 16 and warned them not to make Him known, 17 in order that what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet would be fulfilled, saying, 18 “Behold, My Servant whom I have chosen; My Beloved in whom My soul is well-pleased; I will put My Spirit upon Him, And He shall proclaim justice to the Gentiles.

    Cyrus, the King of Persia

    Isaiah 44:28 (LSB) 28 “It is I who says of Cyrus, ‘He is My shepherd! And all My good pleasure he will complete.’ And saying of Jerusalem, ‘She will be built,’ And of the temple, ‘Your foundation will be laid.’”
    Isaiah 45:4 (LSB) 4 “For the sake of Jacob My servant, And Israel My chosen one, I have also called you by your name; I have given you a title of honor Though you have not known Me.

    Corporate Election to Save

    Elect Israelites Now

    Romans 9:6 (LSB) 6 But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For they are not all Israel who are descended from Israel;
    Romans 11:1-10
    God foreknew- v.2
    a remnant according to God’s gracious choice has also come to be.- v.5
    but the chosen obtained it v.7

    Elect Israelites Future

    Romans 11:25–28 (LSB) 25 For I do not want you, brothers, to be uninformed of this mystery—so that you will not be wise in your own estimation—that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in; 26 and so all Israel will be saved; just as it is written, “The Deliverer will come from Zion, He will remove ungodliness from Jacob.” 27 “And this is My covenant with them, When I take away their sins.” 28 From the standpoint of the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but from the standpoint of God’s choice they are beloved for the sake of the fathers;
    On what basis will there be a future salvation of Jewish people according to verse 28?
    God made a promise to Israel that in the future there will be a mass salvation after the time of the Gentiles.
    Why is that going to happen?
    Because God in his eternal plan has chosen to save that generation of Jewish people.
    Ezekiel 36-37, Jeremiah 31.

    Elect Gentiles

    Acts 15:6–17 (LSB) 6 Both the apostles and the elders came together to look into this matter. 7 And after there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles would hear the word of the gospel and believe. 8 “And God, who knows the heart, testified to them giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He also did to us; 9 and He made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith. 10 “Now therefore why do you put God to the test by placing upon the neck of the disciples a yoke which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? 11 “But we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way as they also are.” 12 And all the multitude kept silent, and they were listening to Barnabas and Paul as they were relating what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles. 13 Now after they had stopped speaking, James answered, saying, “Brothers, listen to me. 14 “Simeon has related how God first concerned Himself about taking from among the Gentiles a people for His name. 15 “And with this the words of the Prophets agree, just as it is written, 16 ‘After these things I will return, And I will rebuild the fallen booth of David, And I will rebuild its ruins, And I will restore it, 17 So that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord, And all the Gentiles who are called by My name,’

    Individual Election to Save

    Abraham
    Genesis 12:1–4 (LSB) 1 And Yahweh said to Abram, “Go forth from your land, And from your kin And from your father’s house, To the land which I will show you; 2 And I will make you a great nation, And I will bless you, And make your name great; And so you shall be a blessing; 3 And I will bless those who bless you, And the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.” 4 So Abram went forth as Yahweh had spoken to him; and Lot went with him. Now Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran.
    Genesis 15:6 (LSB) 6 Then he believed in Yahweh; and He counted it to him as righteousness.
    Nehemiah 9:5–8 (LSB) 5 And the Levites, Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah, said, “Rise up, bless Yahweh your God from everlasting to everlasting! O may Your glorious name be blessed And exalted above all blessing and praise! 6 “You alone are Yahweh. You have made the heavens, The heaven of heavens with all their host, The earth and all that is on it, The seas and all that is in them. You give life to all of them And the heavenly host bows down to You. 7 “You are Yahweh God, Who chose Abram And brought him out from Ur of the Chaldees, And gave him the name Abraham. 8 “You found his heart faithful before You, And cut a covenant with him To give him the land of the Canaanite, Of the Hittite and the Amorite, Of the Perizzite, the Jebusite, and the Girgashite— To give it to his seed. And You have established Your promise, For You are righteous.
    Can we divorce God’s choosing to serve and God’s choosing to save when he chose Abraham?
    Moses
    Psalm 106:19–26 (LSB) 19 They made a calf in Horeb And worshiped a molten image. 20 Thus they exchanged their glory For the image of an ox that eats grass. 21 They forgot God their Savior, Who had done great things in Egypt, 22 Wondrous deeds in the land of Ham And awesome things by the Red Sea. 23 Therefore He said that He would destroy them, Had not Moses His chosen one stood in the breach before Him, To turn away His wrath from eradicating them. 24 Then they despised the pleasant land; They did not believe in His word, 25 But grumbled in their tents; They did not listen to the voice of Yahweh. 26 So He swore to them To make them fall in the wilderness,
    Exodus 3
    The Apostle Paul??
    Galatians 1:14–17 (LSB) 14 And I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries among my countrymen, being far more zealous for the traditions of my fathers. 15 But when God, who had set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace, was pleased 16 to reveal His Son in me so that I might proclaim Him as good news among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with flesh and blood, 17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away to Arabia, and returned once more to Damascus.
    Did God choose him to be an apostle?
    Did God choose him to be saved?
    2 Thessalonians 2:13 (LSB) 13 But we should always give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you as the first fruits for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth.
    Acts 13:48 (LSB) 48 And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.
    James 2:5 (LSB) 5 Listen, my beloved brothers: did not God choose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?
  • Praise His Name (Psalm 148)
  • O Great God

      • Psalm 29NASB95

      • Psalm 29NASB95

  • Ancient Words

  • Introduction

    Why does Creation Matter?
    Creation by God’s design directs our hearts to bow in humble adoration of Him.
    Look at this passage
    Romans 1:19–20 (LSB) 19 because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, both His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.
    Creation reveals God’s Great Power!
    Romans 1:19–20 (LSB) 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, both His eternal power
    Creation reveals God’s Wisdom!
    Creation reveals God’s goodness!
    Romans 1:19–20 LSB
    both His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen,
    So how am I going to approach Genesis 1 and early chapter 2?
    I had at least two options.
    I could preach it from the scientific perspective and on the back of the outline I have a recommended resource that opens up Genesis from that angle. It was wonderful and helpful
    I could preach this with a focus upon the literary emphasis of this text, which is not a scientific textbook but instead exulting in God as the Creator.
    This does not mean that what is revealed in Genesis is unscientific but its not written as a Science textbook.
    It is written purposefully and wonderfully to reveal God!
    So I have as my objective for each of us to bow in worship of God as we contemplate…..
    His Great Power
    His Great Wisdom
    His Great Goodness
    Let’s pray

    Day 1: Material Ordered and Delivered (Genesis 1:1-5)

    Genesis 1:1–5 (LSB) 1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 And the earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters. 3 Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. 4 And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. 5 And God called the light day, and the darkness He called night. And there was evening and there was morning, one day.
    Genesis 1:1 (NASB95) 1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
    Created Out of Nothing
    Time
    In the beginning
    Spaces
    Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia Chapter 1

    הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם

    Term means heavens or spaces
    Dual- legs, arms, eyes, etc
    God created dual spaces (heavens)
    What this means is that space is a created thing, space is not nothing, a vacuum or void, space is a real, physical substance but different from matter.- Amunrud.
    Material
    Genesis 1:1 (NASB95) 1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
    the term earth or land here is not given its common usage until later in the creation week.
    In Genesis 1:9-10
    Now look at what is said about this earth or material 2 The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters.
    formless – no structure to it at all.
    void – nothing could live there in its initial condition.
    dark – there was no electrical-magnetic radiation in the original matter. This and the formlessness suggest that it was not in atomic structure yet.
    deep – it was all the physical matter of the entire universe. Everything will come from this mass.
    The land was liquids (waters) – the material was not solid, but a liquid.
    3 Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. 4 God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light day, and the darkness He called night. And there was evening and there was morning, one day.
    Light is Created
    Light is separated from the darkness
    Light is called day and darkness is night
    So where does this light originate?
    It could be God himself who is described as light in John 1:5, Revelation 21:23-25.
    John 1:5 (NASB95) 5 The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.
    Revelation 21:23–25 (NASB95) 23 And the city has no need of the sun or of the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God has illumined it, and its lamp is the Lamb. 24 The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. 25 In the daytime (for there will be no night there) its gates will never be closed;
    I dont think so because…
    3 Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light.
    God creates this light instead of it being His quality
    Therefore it seems that God lit the land (earth) from which all things will be formed.
    Summary Day 1
    God speaks into existence
    time, spaces, material, light
    All the building blocks from which he will form and fashion.
    Which of us can speak and it be?? Who is our God?

    Day 2: Everything in its Place (Genesis 1:6-8)

    6 Then God said, “Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.” 7 God made the expanse, and separated the waters which were below the expanse from the waters which were above the expanse; and it was so. 8 God called the expanse heaven. And there was evening and there was morning, a second day.
    Waters refers to liquid earth/land materials
    Expanse refers to spaces dividing waters below and waters above
    God called the expanse heaven
    This is facinating when you read passages like
    Isaiah 42:5 (NASB95) 5 Thus says God the Lord, Who created the heavens and stretched them out, Who spread out the earth and its offspring, Who gives breath to the people on it And spirit to those who walk in it,
    Isaiah 45:12 (NASB95) 12 “It is I who made the earth, and created man upon it. I stretched out the heavens with My hands And I ordained all their host.
    Isaiah 44:24 (NASB95) 24 Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, and the one who formed you from the womb, “I, the Lord, am the maker of all things, Stretching out the heavens by Myself And spreading out the earth all alone,
    Summary: Day 2
    God has divided water earth/land material some above and some below
    God has stretched out the spaces and calls it heaven

    Day 3: Earth, Sea, and Plants(Genesis 1:9-13)

    9 Then God said, “Let the waters below the heavens be gathered into one place, and let the dry land appear”; and it was so. 10 God called the dry land earth, and the gathering of the waters He called seas; and God saw that it was good.
    The liquid material is gathered together
    The dry land appears
    God defines terms
    dry land=earth/land
    waters=seas
    11 Then God said, “Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees on the earth bearing fruit after their kind with seed in them”; and it was so. 12 The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed after their kind, and trees bearing fruit with seed in them, after their kind; and God saw that it was good. 13 There was evening and there was morning, a third day.
    The earth sprouts vegetation designed to reproduce with seeds in them- by design
    I take for granted seeds designed within plants so that they reproduce?
    Who came up with that? Why do they function like that? Why do some trees only release seed if it gets hot?
    Stop and think how infinitely powerful He is and wise to create. Why when the seed goes in the ground does it produce?
    Unbelievable!!!
    Summary: Day 3
    Dry land appeared= earth
    waters gathered= seas
    vegetation sprouted, seed within themselves, according to their kind.
    What wisdom!! What Design!! What a Designer!!!

    Day 4: Sun, Moon, and Stars (Genesis 1:14-19)

    14 Then God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night, and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years; 15 and let them be for lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth”; and it was so.
    The Lights in the expanse of the heavens for…
    signs
    seasons
    days
    years
    God’s Use of Signs
    God used a star to declare the Birth of Jesus
    Matthew 2:9–11 (NASB95) 9 After hearing the king, they went their way; and the star, which they had seen in the east, went on before them until it came and stood over the place where the Child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. 11 After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
    The Crucifixion of Jesus for 3 hours darkness covered the land
    Matthew 27:45–46 (NASB95) 45 Now from the sixth hour darkness fell upon all the land until the ninth hour. 46 About the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”
    Jesus’s Second Coming will bring with it Signs from the Heavens
    Matthew 24:29–30 (NASB95) 29 “But immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30 “And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory.
    14 Then God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night, and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years;

    seasons

    Spaceplace.nasa.gov
    What Causes the Seasons?
    Answer: Earth's tilted axis causes the seasons. Throughout the year, different parts of Earth receive the Sun's most direct rays. So, when the North Pole tilts toward the Sun, it's summer in the Northern Hemisphere. And when the South Pole tilts toward the Sun, it's winter in the Northern Hemisphere.
    The earth in combination with the Sun produces seasons.

    days

    defined as one complete rotation of the earth on its axis. Composed of an evening and morning (periods of light and darkness)

    years

    NASA- a year is determined by the time it takes the earth to complete one orbit around the Sun, which is approximately 365 days. This period is known as a tropical year and is used to keep track of seasons and time.
    16 God made the two great lights, the greater light to govern the day, and the lesser light to govern the night; He made the stars also. 17 God placed them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth, 18 and to govern the day and the night, and to separate the light from the darkness; and God saw that it was good. 19 There was evening and there was morning, a fourth day.
    Summary: Day 4
    God made the Sun, moon, and stars
    Purposefully for signs, seasons, days, and years
    God is purposeful in every detail!
    Power, wisdom, and Goodness for His creation.

    Day 5: Sea Creatures and Birds (Genesis 1:20-23)

    20 Then God said, “Let the waters teem with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth in the open expanse of the heavens.” 21 God created the great sea monsters and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarmed after their kind, and every winged bird after its kind; and God saw that it was good.
    What did God create?
    Sea creatures
    Birds in the heavens
    Great sea monsters
    2. God created
    bara- used all the way back in Genesis 1:1.
    Not only fashioned and formed but gave life.
    22 God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.” 23 There was evening and there was morning, a fifth day.
    Unlike vegetation they are to be fruitful and multiply.
    Their are male and female.
    They are to reproduce and fill the seas and sky to the glory of their creator!!
    Summary: Day 5
    God made Sea Creatures and birds.
    Different than what has been formed and fashioned.
    They have life given by God.
    Sea Creatures and birds of all kinds.

    Day 6: Land Animals and Humans (Genesis 1:24-31)

    24 Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures after their kind: cattle and creeping things and beasts of the earth after their kind”; and it was so. 25 God made the beasts of the earth after their kind, and the cattle after their kind, and everything that creeps on the ground after its kind; and God saw that it was good.
    Domestic Animals- cattle
    creeping things
    and beasts of the earth
    Why does God repeat “after their kind”?
    God did not form every species
    God did form every “kind” or family
    For example the family when thinking of cows is Bovine- this includes cattle, bison, water buffalo etc- they can breed and produce off spring according their family or kinds.
    But different families/kinds cannot breed and produce.
    Cats and dogs etc.
    26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27 God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. 28 God blessed them; and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
    Mankind is the only created being in God’s image
    Only created being in God’s likeness
    Our likeness why plural?- Triune God hint right here!
    Created to rule and exercise dominion
    Mankind is made in God’s image male and female.
    Reproduce and have children populate the earth fill it with Image bearers!!
    Rule and have dominion over God’s Earth
    29 Then God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the surface of all the earth, and every tree which has fruit yielding seed; it shall be food for you; 30 and to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the sky and to every thing that moves on the earth which has life, I have given every green plant for food”; and it was so. 31 God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.
    God has produced and given food to sustain his creatures.
    God says it was not just good but very good!!!
    Summary: Day 6
    God made…
    Land animals according to their kind.
    Humans in his image male and female
    They are to be fruitful and multiply
    They are to rule and have dominion over his world.

    Day 7: Day of Rest (Genesis 2:1-3)

    1 Thus the heavens and the earth were completed, and all their hosts. 2 By the seventh day God completed His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. 3 Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.
    God does not grow tired or weary but He rested establishing the work week as we saw in Exodus 20 last week.
    Created- out of nothing
    made- formed and fashioned

    Conclusion

    As we conclude Genesis 1-2:3 let us stand in awe of what is before us.
    Do you see God’s infinite power to speak all of this into existence?
    His Power is unmatched the one who created all of this.
    Do you see God’s infinite wisdom- the complexity of the world in which we live.
    He came up with our bodies and how they work, the animals, the insects, the plants, every detail.
    Do you see a God who is purposeful in all he does?
    No mistakes, no throw away, all purposeful, details matter to Him not chaos.
    Do you see God as the ultimate artist?
    He takes the raw materials, then forms and fashions them into great beauty and wonder!
    We are artistic and creative because our God is!!
    Do you see God as abundantly good??
    Why the order of Creation like it is? Why blob to spread out to land and vegetation, sun moon and stars, why fish and birds, why animals and then finally humans made in his image to rule over them?
    Do you see the order? The purpose? The beauty? Food was made so that when the animals were made they could eat. The food, birds, fish, and animals are made before man so that man will exercise domonion.
    All that was done before it had to happen so that they could all survive and thrive.
    God is so gracious who provided everything for his creation in the correct order.
    The God of grace who provides all we need for life both physical and spiritual life in Him.
    Does this not blow your mind? Does it humble your heart? Does it not lead your heart to a posture of awe??
    Psalm 8:3–9 (LSB) 3 When I see Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have established; 4 What is man that You remember him, And the son of man that You care for him? 5 Yet You have made him a little lower than the angels, And You crown him with glory and majesty! 6 You make him to rule over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet, 7 All sheep and oxen, And also the animals of the field, 8 The birds of the heavens and the fish of the sea, Whatever passes through the paths of the seas. 9 O Yahweh, our Lord, How majestic is Your name in all the earth!
    Let us fall down and worship
  • Yet Not I But Through Christ In Me
Paradise Valley Community Church
pvccmontana@gmail.com
http://www.paradisevalleychurch.com
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