I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ.

Philippians 1:6

He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.

Ephesians 1:5-6

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. And those whom he predestined he also called; and those whom he called he also justified; and those whom he justified he also glorified.

Romans 8:29-30

In this last installment of my series on the new birth, I want to end on the classic doctrine known as "predestination," though I think it is better for us to speak of it by its proper name, the doctrine of election. However, let's quickly review where we've been.

At its heart, the new birth is the free gift of God by the Spirit whereby we believe upon Christ through personal encounter with him. In receiving his Spirit, we are vivified and united with him as our souls are transformed and resurrected. When we are united with Christ in the new birth, the Spirit begins a process of restoring us in conformity with the image of Christ (Calvin, Institutes, Book III, Ch. 3, ss.6,8). The place where we can surely go to find Christ in the power of the Spirit is Scripture. The point that I've beaten to death is the centrality of the Holy Spirit who accomplishes this work of new birth in us: "The Holy Spirit is the bond by which Christ effectually unites us to himself" (Calvin, Institutes, Book III, Ch. 1, s.1).

God's free gift of grace that drew us to Christ by the witness of Scripture in the power of the Spirit (new birth) is the same gift that promises to make us more like Christ as we grow in glory. This one act of grace can be seen in various ways, or drawn into several distinctions (justification, regeneration, sanctification, etc.). Nevertheless, it is one act, located in Jesus Christ alone, given by the Father and made effective by the Spirit: God's act alone, by God's initiative alone. It is for this reason the writer of Hebrews can proclaim that Jesus is both the author and the finisher of our faith (12:2).

With this in mind, I ask you to consider the three passages I highlighted in this article. Paul tells us in each of these passages that the God who set His heart upon us before we had life (God foreknew us) is the same who began this reconciling work, and is the same who will complete us in Jesus Christ. In Jesus Christ, and before we ever drew our first breath, God chose us to be conformed to the image of His Son, calling us to Christ by the Spirit, and uniting us with him in the promise of future glory. In our encounter with the risen Lord present in the new birth by which the Spirit unites us to Christ, we have the sure promise that God will see us through. For this reason Paul can write in Romans 8:38 that nothing can separate us from this redeeming love in Jesus Christ.

That last paragraph, in a nutshell, is the doctrine of election, or predestination: one act of reconciling grace by God the Father through the Son by the Spirit. It is God who loved us and destined us, God who initiated the work by the Spirit, and God who completed the work in Christ's sacrifice and resurrection, as attested by Scripture (past tense). It is God who reveals this choice for us by the testimony of the Spirit who brings us in encounter with Christ through Scripture (present tense). It is God who will complete this electing work through the ongoing work of the Spirit to make us like Christ, as promised in Scripture (future tense). This one act is eternally present, never ceasing, and sufficiently attested to by Scripture unto salvation.

I hope you can see that the doctrine of predestination isn't some archaic or scary doctrine that eliminates human dignity and agency from the equation, as if God is capricious. No. We understand God is at work in Christ out of overflowing love, electing to put us at the center of the picture for Christ's sake. Not only that, this same God's promises truly mean something, and so we can rely upon them with all our heart as God repairs our hearts and wills so that we can love God as we were made to love God. At its deepest core, the doctrine of election is a doctrine of comfort for the believer, a point Calvin himself makes in his letters as well as in his Institutes (Book III, Ch. XXI, s.3).

However, given that it is God who chooses and enacts this work within us, there are many who object because, they argue, we are robbed of choosing God for ourselves. Moreover, critics maintain that if this doctrine is right, then we have no incentive to obey God by following Christ since we're either "in" or we're not. Why be good, if God has already chosen one way or another?

In response, I would only ask you to consider: (1) how effective are our choices apart from the grace of God and (2) how can we come face-to-face with this sort of overwhelming love and not be shaken at our core, and continue in our old way of life? From my understanding of fallen human nature (see Romans 1:21-23 and 3:10-18), our best thinking is in the dark, so to speak. Our choices are motivated by hearts that are out of control and in love with all the wrong things. In that light, how can we rightly choose anything, given our blindness to the reality of God? Paul is clear as he quotes Psalm 14:3: "All have turned away, all have become corrupt." Can we really bring our heart in line by our own power? Moreover, once we realize that we don't have that power, then how should we respond when we encounter God's love? Should we just keep on as we were? Honestly, I do not believe we can authentically encounter the risen Lord and not be changed. When we encounter him, what we are in love with changes. We are now in love with God in Christ by the Spirit because of God's love for us, not with the old things. We are new creatures!

And here we arrive, full circle, back at new birth. If God has set God's heart on you, then rest assured that God has, is, and will complete that work of new creation in you. My point has never been to pressure someone into a conversion or scare you into questioning whether you are in or out. No. Rather, I have simply stated what Jesus stated in John 3:3. If you are a new creature; if you have had that sort of heart reorienting encounter, then take heart! "The one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ" (Philippians 1:6).

However, I would fail in my task as a teacher of the Gospel if I didn't bring this to your attention. If you are unsure of whether you have experienced Christ in this way, then my advice, taken from the very words of Jesus himself, is to seek him out (Matthew 7:7). The Lord I know and serve has made a promise that if you seek him, then you will eventually find out that he sought you first.

In Christ,

Pastor Sam

We give thanks to God for the leadership of Katie McInnis and Lilly Osborne in early worship over the past seven months. God gave them the grace and gifts to help our community at exactly the right time, and without them, we would have lacked the warmth and grace we have all felt during their tenure. We also thank their families for sharing them with us. We give thanks to them for all they have given us, and we know that God will continue to use them to bless our community.

Lilly and Katie will work with our newly hired Director of Contemporary Worship, Anthony Childress, through the end of May. We will give a small reception for Lilly and Katie after early worship this Sunday, May 26. Please take this opportunity to thank them in person for service above and beyond!

Recognizing Pentecost as the gift of the birth of the church, Communion Sunday for June will be on the second Sunday of the month, June 9, instead of on the first. If you have any questions, please contact Dave Welch at [email protected].

Pastor Sam and our Brazil mission team leave Sunday afternoon for Felipe Camarão. They will return June 3. Please pray for them on their journey, asking God for safe travels and success, as we strengthen our relationship with our brothers and sisters there.

Today we introduce the rest of our Brazil mission team, in time for you to pray that they receive traveling mercies! All five are juniors at Tennessee High School and active in sports.

Alie Bassett plays volleyball, swims, and runs track. She loves adventure and seeking out new opportunities. She was recently crowned Queen of Hearts. Alie is happiest when she is surrounded by her people, and she can't wait to make more friendships in Brazil.

Hope Godsey plays tennis for THS. She is hilarious and does incredible impersonations. She loves being surrounded by friends and chasing adventures. Hope serves up delicious food at the Wheelhouse at Lakeview Dock and enjoys free time with her cat.

 

Reece Proffitt plays basketball, football, and baseball. In his free time he trains for whatever sports season it is. Reece is excited to go to Brazil and experience a life that is so different from his own, while serving alongside the people of Brazil.

Lance Tudor plays football and baseball. He is a leader in Boy Scout Troop 3 at FPC and will be earning his Eagle Scout rank this summer. Lance is excited to serve the people in Felipe Camarão and eager to see what the Lord has to teach him through this experience.

Nolan Wishon plays basketball and football. He loves hanging out with the guys, working out, and singalongs with his bros. Nolan is sure to bring laughter to any setting.

We're lucky enough to have two fine additions to our church staff, Anthony Childress and Chris Bingham, starting their ministries here soon. We want to give them a good start when they arrive, so we're having an old-fashioned, bring-something-for-a-friend pounding to stock their fridges and pantries. So please, bring a pound of this and a pound of that for Anthony and Chris and their families! Drop nonperishables such as canned goods and staples in the labeled boxes in the Fellowship Hallway. Label items that require refrigeration and take them to the little kitchen. Gift cards to local stores could work, too. It's all good! Questions or ideas? Call Beth Flannagan at 423-764-7875 or Becca Tate at 423-573-2141 or 404-790-1223. Let's do this!

Rebekah and Anthony Childress

Hannah, Chris, and Lola Bingham

Seventh and eighth graders are invited to the church for Middle School Mania from 8:00 to 10:00 p.m. next Friday, May 31. It's going to be crazy, so come prepared! Questions? Ask Katie Arnold, [email protected].

Seventh and eighth graders will FISH for the first time this summer Monday, June 3, from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. FISH stands for Fellowship in Someone's Home, and we are now looking for hosts in whose homes we can share a short lesson or devotion and have a lot of fun. We'll announce the location of our first meeting when we've found it!

We need folks to provide a meeting place, snacks, drinks, and an activity to give our kids an opportunity for fellowship. Activities in previous years included swimming, volleyball, Minute to Win It, The Amazing Race, and bonfires. For more information or to volunteer, email Katie Arnold at [email protected].

This Sunday morning we lift up  Lilly Osborne and Katie McInnis, who faithfully led our early worship service for seven months while we searched for a permanent director. In the afternoon the mission team takes off for Brazil, then Monday is Memorial Day, and we're winging our way toward June. Underscoring these events with a crisp green line, Bruce Gannaway mows the lawn May 22 -25. David Moore takes over May 29 -June 1 for a safe landing on the following Sunday.

The stamps you place in the collection bin in the Fellowship Hallway help support the preparation, publication, and distribution of a Spanish-language Sunday School curriculum through the Alliance Stamp Ministry. More than 50 lesson series provided by this ministry are now being used by 40 denominations in Latin America, Spain, and the US. In 2018 the Alliance Stamp Ministry collected $46,000 for this Sunday School project. Thank you for your canceled stamps! Please continue to bring them in, remembering to leave at least a quarter-inch border around each one.

Sunday's music participants: Bob Greene, Sanctuary Choir.

Sunday's music: Our anthem, "O Love, How Broad, How Deep, How High," was composed by our own Bob Greene (b. 1957). With degrees from Oberlin College Conservatory of Music and Colgate Rochester Divinity School, Bob has served churches in New York, Florida, Virginia, and Tennessee. His musical compositions include art songs, congregational hymns, choral anthems for adults and children, handbell compositions, church musicals, solo organ pieces, chamber music, electronic music, contemporary Christian music, and a major cantata, The Seven Last Words, based on the passion of Christ. He has received awards and commissions for his instrumental and choral compositions, and he is published by MorningStar Music and St. James Music Press. The text of his hymn-anthem is attributed to Thomas à Kempis.

	Mark Sedio

Organist's footnotes: I have once again matched the organ music with the day's hymns. The final hymn of the service, "Come Down, O Love Divine," is set on DOWN AMPNEY, composed by Ralph Vaughan Williams in 1906 for The English Hymnal, which he edited. It is named for the village where he was born, in the county of Gloucestershire, England. Max Sinzheimer begins his Partita on "Down Ampney" (prelude) with a chantlike section, then continues with the melody in the pedals. A full-voiced half-stanza concludes the work. The offertory is also based on DOWN AMPNEY. Mark Sedio (b.1954) weaves the melody, a few notes at time, in and out of a jazzy accompaniment, which he marks "unhurried, with sultry elegance." Finally, Diane Bish works her usual magic on the postlude, "Jesus Shall Reign" (DUKE STREET), based on the opening hymn of the service. Bish keeps the 16th notes flowing from start to finish. Quiet at first with the melody played by the feet, it then crescendos to full organ with the melody soaring high above.

Our pastoral and program staff take their ministries on the road when school ends: to our partner church and school in Brazil, to Great Escape, and to service programs for teens, before they return to administer summer programs on campus. Somewhere in all that bustle, they need to take time off to recharge for the coming program year. Our summer newsletter schedule contributes its mite to make all that possible by relieving staff of their share of preparation every other week. Our summer schedule of bi-weekly Windows will begin next week on May 30. Subsequent bi-weekly newsletters will be published June 13, June 27, and July 11. Weekly publication will resume July 25, in good time to announce news of fall program events. We pray that all enjoy a refreshing summer!

Sunday, May 26

9:00 a.m.       Worship, Fellowship Hall

10:10 a.m.     Sunday School

11:00 a.m.     Worship, Sanctuary

Monday, May 27

Church office closed for Memorial Day

Tuesday, May 28

10:00 a.m.     Staff Meeting, Room 117

10:00 a.m.     Morning Prayer Group, Conf. Room

6:00 p.m.       Venture Crew 3, Room 165

7:00 p.m.       Boy Scout Troop 3, Scout Wing

Wednesday, May 29

5:30 p.m.       Fun Family Fellowship, TBD

6:00 p.m.       Worship Team, Fellowship Hall

6:15 p.m.       Handbell Practice, Room 212

Thursday, May 30

7:00 a.m.       Men's Bible Study, Parlor

12:00 p.m.     Noon Bible Study, Room 117

Friday, May 31

8:00 p.m.       Middle School Mania, Church

Church Officers
Class of 2019	Class of 2020	Class of 2021
ELDERS
Anna Booher	Nancy Allerton	Ann Abel
Lee Galliher	Rebecca Beck	Randy Cook
Pete Holler	David Hyde	John Graham
Han Ong	Jordan Pennington	Katie McInnis
Pete Stigers	Jerry Poteat	John Vann
DEACONS
Sujean Bradley	Blake Bassett	Fred Harkleroad
George Linke	Rhonda Comer	Matt Kingsley
Greg Roberts	Ron Fox	Lisa McClain
Nate Sproles	Brenda Lawson	Drew Rice
Bill Whisnant	Barbara Thompson	Joyce Samuel
TRUSTEES
Nancy Cook	Peggy Hill	Jack Butterworth