Lent #19 Why?

1 Thessalonians 1:2-5

"For we know, brothers and sisters beloved by God, that he has chosen you." (1 Thess. 1:4, NRSV)

I was a scrawny little kid, even through High School. I was decent at some sports, but not great at any of them. I wanted to be a jock, but where I flourished we didn't have teams. So when it came time to pick teams for any kind of pick up game, I was usually picked close to last if not dead last.

I've felt the sting of disappointment, the faithlessness of my peers, the humility of standing alone, unwanted.

But something changed...me...I grew up.

I don't remember when I actually began to grow, but somewhere between Sophomore and Junior years in High School, I grew several inches and somewhere during my Senior year, I reached my full height. (still not too tall, but taller than most of my family!) Then in college I fell in love with swimming and working out and my body began to change.

Then something else happened...I wasn't the last one picked any more.

Now I know that my whole environment had changed, even the sports in which we were playing pick up games, but I was seen as something else, someone else, mostly because of how I looked. (I wasn't any better at any of those games than I used to be.) And then I experienced privilege and pride of being the first one picked.

Yet when we think about God picking us (choosing) a different set of parameters come into play.  We are simply chosen!

This choseness has nothing to do our looks, our abilities, skills or gifts. It's not about our potential, persuasion, or possible influence in the kingdom of God. It's not about how well we grow or what we will grow into. It is simply about us being...well, us!

This is what Paul was discovering in his ministry and theology. He used to think Israel was the chosen-above-others people. Now he is witnessing first hand that the Spirit of God was entering the very people he used to look down on. He discovered that God's choosiness was different, that God wasn't actually choosy at all, rather God wants all of us, chooses all of us, to be a part of this kingdom. It's why Jesus came the way he did...for you!

So the answer to the question, Why did God choose us? (you and me?) is simple...





...because!

Peace ><>
Pastor Chris