Decisions (wk 3)

Good morning, CHURCH!

Mothers are so different these days. Mothers back in my day were a lot stricter than these I want to be your friend mothers of today.

(Opening joke)

Top 10 things our mother would never say.

1. “Why are you sitting back so far? Scoot up closer to the TV.”

2. “I used to sneak out of the house when my parents fell asleep too.”

3. “Just leave all the lights on … it makes the house look more fun.”

4. “Let me smell that shirt — Yeah, it’s good for another week.”

5. “Go ahead and keep that stray dog, honey. I’ll be glad to feed and walk him every day.”

6. “Oh, your friends’ parents are out of town. Sure, you can spend the night there.”

7. “Honey, your curfew is just a general time to shoot for. It’s not like I’m running a prison around here.”

8. “I don’t have a tissue with me… just use your sleeve.”

9. “Don’t bother wearing a jacket – you won’t catch a cold.”

10. “Just eat what you want off your plate and throw the rest away.”

Are you ready to be equipped today?

Let me see your Bibles.

Let’s go to the book of Proverbs 3:5-6 ESV for this week’s wisdom Vaccination.

This Week’s Wisdom Vaccination Proverbs 3:5-6 ESV

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

Remember; we talked about a way, last week.

Proverbs 16:25 ESV

There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.

We go the way we go because it seems like it’s right to us.

But we are not supposed to be going the way that seems right to us.

We are supposed to be getting direction for our ways from the Lord.

We are in a series titled:

Decisions

In this series we’re talking about how our decisions to disobey God cause our broken relationships and cause brokenness in us and others close to us.

Today’s message title is:

My decisions don’t just affect me

Back in week 1 we looked at some fallout from disobedience to God.

Adam decided to follow his wife into disobedience instead of leading her to obedience.

We challenged males to be men as defined by God since God created us.

1. Know what God has said to us and for us.

2. Obey what God has said over and above anything anyone else says.

FYI, this formula works for defining women, children of God and believers in general.

In week 1, we also discovered that through Adam and Eve’s decisions at least 4 things came to be.

Point #1

Nakedness

Genesis 3:6-7 ESV

So, when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. 7 Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.

We lost our innocence.

And to this very day when humans are stripped of their innocence, they are ashamed of it.

Point #2

Shame

Genesis 3:8 ESV

And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.

We started doing crazy things.

They attempt to hide it, cover it up, mask it or make you focus on something else, so you don’t pay attention to it.

Point #3

Fear

Genesis 3:9-10 ESV

But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” 10 And he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.”

We start hiding from others, especially God.

They are also immediately opened to fear. Either of the one who took their innocence or of God for disobeying.

Point #4

Blame

Genesis 3:11-13 ESV

He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” 12 The man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.” 13 Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this that you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”

We shifted responsibility to others.

And finally, when it comes time to own up to their responsibility for disobeying, they resort to blame. They try to get someone else to either share in the responsibility or to take the responsibility.

This brokenness that occurs from decisions to disobey God not only affect us but others around us.

Adam and Eve’s decisions not only affected their relationship with each other, but it affected their children.

Genesis 4:1-6 ESV

Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, “I have gotten a man with the help of the Lord.” 2 And again, she bore his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain a worker of the ground. 3 In the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground, 4 and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, 5 but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So, Cain was very angry, and his face fell. 6The Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen?

The shame of him and his offering being rejected by God was too much for him.

God didn’t accept it because it wasn’t an obedient offering.

Genesis 4:7 ESV

If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.”

Acceptance is one of the 4 basic needs in all of us. (Acceptance, Identity, Security and Purpose.)

Cain’s actions were uncovered, and his actions were now naked before God.

Therefor he didn’t feel accepted anymore.

He was broken like his parents.

Genesis 4:8-9 ESV

Cain spoke to Abel his brother. And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him. 9 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He said, “I do not know; am I my brother's keeper?”

Instead of taking responsibility, he did just the opposite.

“Am I supposed to be responsible for the where abouts of my brother?”

If you investigate most of the fallout of disobedience to God in society, you will find most of the 4 basic consequences to our decisions to disobey.

(Closing illustration)

Rape

Robbed

Verbally/Physically abused

Abandoned

Severe illness/injury

If you’re watching online or here in the room, I have a very important question to ask you.

What is Holy Spirit saying to you right now?