Difference between revisions of "Sermon for October 22nd, 2017"

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Romans 8:26-30

26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. 27 And God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

28 We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn within a large family. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called; and those whom he called he also justified; and those whom he justified he also glorified.

The Doctrine of Irresistible Grace

Today's sermon is about the doctrine of irresistible grace. I'm going to try to explain it in three different ways: First as a divine romance, second as it's understood in classic Calvinism, and finally (as I've been doing for the past few weeks) in terms of modern biology, genetics, and Darwinian evolution.

But before I do that, allow me a somewhat longish digression (but one with a purpose!).

I don't quite remember the first time I saw my wife Amy. But she often tells the story of the first time she saw me. It was in the band room at Coronado High School. We were both 16. She saw me across the crowded room, wearing a red, sleeveless shirt. I had in my hand a bass drum mallet (a drumstick) and with it I was engaged in a mock sword fight with another drummer.

Watching me, in that instant, Amy thought to herself, "What a Dork! But he has nice arms."

Fast forward just a few months, actually 26 years ago this month, and two of our friends had fixed us up on a blind date--the Coronado High School Homecoming Dance. We had dinner at the Chilis on Mesa near Doniphan, then the dance in the ballroom at one of the downtown hotels (I forget which one). We danced awkwardly in the way that only a good Baptist girl and a good Methodist boy can.

After the dance, several of us were scrunched into the back seat of a friend's car as his dad drove us all home. The song "Eternal Flame" by the Bangles came on the radio, and Amy slipped her hand into mine. I don't remember the first time I saw her, but that was the moment when I knew that she was "the one."

And so the next day, I wrote a five-verse love song for her, and played it for her over the telephone. It was called, "Forever." And it scared the hell out of her. Remember, we were 16. We had only been on one date. I was still pretty much just a dork with nice arms.

But I was a persistent dork with nice arms. And so just...nine-and-a-half years later...and after only five unsuccessful attempts (on her part) to break up with me...I asked her to marry me...probably only for about the 30th or 40th time since we were sixteen. But this time I proposed on New Year's eve 1999, and everyone knew that the Y2K bug was going to destroy the earth the next day so what did she have to lose? Other than the fact that in the act of proposing, I lit her apartment on fire and almost burned it down (but that's another story for another time).