Week 3: Better Choices

SLIDE: Bumper

SLIDE: Scripture Proverbs 1:7

Proverbs 1:7 (NLT)

7 Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.

SLIDE: Welcome Home

SLIDE: Title

Introduction

Hello, church! I consider it a great honor to be able to be with you this morning as we open God’s Word together. Two weeks ago, we began a brand-new sermon series called Better. That sounds good, doesn’t it? We all have aspects of our lives that we would like to see improve and become better and I hope that this new year has already been good to you.

I am convinced that living a life with Jesus is the best way to live and when we submit to Him, our lives are better in every single way. Two weeks ago, we looked at the impact God can have in our lives when we begin the new year with better priorities. When we put God first, the rest of our lives fall into order. If we get this backward, the most important things in our lives will suffer. Last week, we discovered that the people we surround ourselves with will have far reaching effects.

Sometimes it is important for us to focus on having better relationships to experience the life that God has for us. Today we continue our series and dive into the need for better choices.

Now before you go poking the person sitting next to you or think in your mind about all the people that need to hear this message, I want you to recognize that we all struggle from time to time making wise choices and doing the right things. This conversation is incredibly important though, because when we make bad choices, we open ourselves up to toxic things that can harm us from the inside out.

SLIDE: Hot Pocket

STORY: I recently saw a comedian named Jim Gaffigan as he delivered a hilarious bit about Hot Pockets. You know, the frozen treats that either come out of the microwave lava-hot or enter your mouth like a frozen piece of ice. I’ll be honest, I used to like Hot Pockets… He makes some really good points. There is nothing about the Hot Pocket that can possibly be healthy for us. But it is tasty, so we consume it without a second thought. But, have you ever questioned, what is in one exactly? Probably better not. Now this message is not to somehow beat up on the Hot Pocket company, as much as it is to shine light on how often we make choices to consume things in our lives without realizing the consequences that may come from that choice. Maybe this year, we need to begin to make better choices, starting with the Hot Pocket. (Consider showing a picture of a Hot Pocket or even playing a bit of Gaffigan’s stand up)

SLIDE: Proper Wisdom

I am afraid that without proper wisdom, all of us run the risk of allowing toxic things into our hearts and minds. When I say toxic, what I mean is any choice that leads us to poisonous outcomes that can lead to our harm, sickness, or death. Much like the things we consume daily, I suggest that some of the choices we make are actually poisoning our lives.

Main Teaching

SLIDE: BETTER CHOICES BEGIN WITH A FEAR OF GOD

1 - BETTER CHOICES BEGIN WITH A FEAR OF GOD

A desire to make better decisions in our lives more than likely stems from a series of bad ones in the past. We must make some intentional changes for there to be different outcomes. Just as a filter is used when backpacking in the wilderness for water to be cleansed and safe for drinking, to reduce poor choices, we must have some sort of filter to protect ourselves from toxic decisions as well. The book of Proverbs offers us the best way to live with wisdom in its very first chapter.

SLIDE: Scripture Proverbs 1:7

READ Proverbs 1:7

Proverbs 1:7 (NLT)

7 Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.

The author tells us that the beginning of wisdom is having a fear of God. The idea of fearing God seems to go against the biblical teaching that we are loved by God. Why would we fear Him if He loves us? And how does that help us in making better choices? This word for fear can be best understood as reverence or respect.

SLIDE: Reverence & Respect

When we begin with a deep reverence and respect for God because of His position before us, as all powerful creator and our position before Him, as fallible humans, we begin to live with wisdom in our everyday choices.

The evangelist Ray Comfort once said it like this, “When men don’t fear God, they give themselves to evil.” When we are given a list of toxic choices that seem like a good choice at the moment, we sometimes need to have some kind of reason to flee. That reason is a fear, reverence, and respect of almighty God.

It might be helpful to think about what it was like to be a child in the kitchen when your parents were cooking. Wherever you go too close to the stove, there may have been a loud warning, or even a hand slap; this was to instill fear. Not because your parents were upset with you or because you were in danger from them, but because you were in danger of being burned without intervention. The same is true when living with the fear of God. Knowing that God is looking out for our best interest, we don’t want to make decisions that might upset Him or break His heart. We don’t want to make decisions that would lead to negative outcomes that might harm us or others. We receive His discipline in our lives and learn to move from fear to trust because we know He loves us. But it all begins with a fear of God.

SLIDE: EVEN A TRACE OF TOXIN CAN BE HARMFUL

2 - EVEN A TRACE OF TOXIN CAN BE HARMFUL

Sometimes our minds and hearts can try and fool us into believing that just a little bit of bad choices won’t make much of a difference. We can dip our toe, take a taste, and it won’t affect us negatively. The problem is that even a trace of toxins can be incredibly harmful for us from the inside out. The book of James speaks to this fact in chapter 2. The author is addressing the listener’s interest in only focusing on certain parts of the law while disregarding other parts, as if they were applying different levels of severity to each sin, making some a big problem, and some not a big deal.

SLIDE: Scripture James 2:10

READ James 2:10

James 2:10 (NLT)

10 For the person who keeps all of the laws except one is as guilty as a person who has broken all of God’s laws.

You see, when we make a choice to break the law of God, even in a way that may seem as small or insignificant to us, we are guilty of breaking all the laws of God. Bad choices in any area bring the same consequences as bad choices in every area, they all separate us from God. To have better choices in the new year, we must commit to living with wisdom in every area of our lives. The problem is that we too often convince ourselves that we can dabble in sin and make it out unscathed. The truth is that sin always takes us further than we want to go, makes us stay longer than we would like to, and costs us more than we want to pay. We must commit to better choices in the small and the big things of life.

STORY: A man named Dr. Ralph Sockman once wrote about an experience he had while standing on the edge of Niagara Falls one clear, cold March day. Wrapped in white winter garments, the giant falls glistened in the bright sun. As some birds swooped down to snatch a drink from the clear water, Sockman's companion told how he had seen birds carried over the edge of the precipice. As they dipped down for a drink, tiny droplets of ice would form on their wings. As they returned for additional drinks more ice would weigh down their bodies until they couldn't rise above the cascading waters. Flapping their wings, the birds would suddenly drop over the falls. (Today in the Word, October 1990, pg. 14)

This should be a warning to us. A little choice to visit that website. May not seem like a big deal. A little choice to report a little falsely on your taxes. May not seem like a big deal. A little choice to gossip just a little about that person. May not seem like a big deal. All these little choices easily become frozen weights that keep us from the better life that God wants for us. We cannot make excuses for a little toxin. We cannot justify a little sin. Sin’s goal is always to steal, kill, and destroy. It is not something to mess with.

When it comes to making better choices in our lives, there is often some gray area that can be difficult to navigate. We don’t all agree on what should be avoided and what should be permitted. I believe there is a simple question we can ask ourselves next time we are posed with a choice. Just because I could, does that mean I should?

SLIDE: JUST BECAUSE I CAN DOES NOT MEAN I SHOULD

3 - JUST BECAUSE I CAN DOES NOT MEAN I SHOULD

As humans, God has given each of us an incredible gift that can be a double-edged sword. That gift is a free choice. We have been given a portion of authority to make decisions for our lives that affect us and others. We can choose what we will wear each day. We can choose what movies we will watch. We can choose how we speak to people. We have a choice in the matter.

STORY: A few years ago, I went on business trip in Niagara Falls, NY.One night, I went to dinner, and I had the most amazing seafood dinner. It was rich and filling. I loved it. Then I went to walk around. While I was walking, I came upon a dessert place. I knew I could not go in there. I was about to explode already. But it smelled so good. I knew I could eat something sweet to fill me up, but the question was, should I? I did. And I should not have. I was miserable until about Noon the next day.

We must realize that to make better choices in our lives, we must admit that just because we can do something, doesn’t mean we should do something. Paul writes about this in the book of 1 Corinthians.

SLIDE: Scripture 1 Corinthians 6:12

READ 1 Corinthians 6:12

1 Corinthians 6:12 (NLT)

12 You say, “I am allowed to do anything”—but not everything is good for you. And even though “I am allowed to do anything,” I must not become a slave to anything.

For context, Paul is specifically addressing some of the poor decisions that the early Church was making in terms of their sexuality. They were trying to make a case as to why it did not really matter what they did with their bodies because they would get a new one at the resurrection anyway. But Paul says that is faulty logic. Just because our bodies can engage in sexual acts, does not mean that we should. Paul makes the case that though we may feel like we are most free when we can do whatever we want, that we are actually mastered by sin when we make unwise choices without the fear of God.

Our choices matter, and just for good measure I’ll say again, just because you can doesn’t mean you should.

STORY: In the movie Jurassic Park Ian Malcolm says: "Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should." Now think about how that worked out.

Conclusion

So, someone could choose to drive 90 miles an hour. Someone could spend so much time on Facebook and reconnect and rekindle a flame with an old boyfriend or girlfriend. Someone could choose to abuse drugs and alcohol. You could choose to eat a Hot Pocket. We have that choice.

SLIDE: Applications for Your Life

Think on these questions:

What choices have you made in the last year that given a second chance you would change?

SLIDE: Applications for Your Life

Think on these questions:

What choices do you know lie ahead of you that you need God’s wisdom to navigate?

Through prayer we can position ourselves to make better choices, just by asking God to guide us and direct us and be truly open to obey Him and follow His lead.

In addition to God, we have each other. Hopefully you already have better relationships in your life as a result of last week’s message. Lean into those relationships as you plan ahead. Talk through priorities together, goals, dreams, and desires. The bible tells us in Proverbs that there is “safety in the multitude of counselors.”

There’s no better time than the beginning of the year to start making better decisions.

Let’s pray together.

Prayer: “Lord, you know how many choices we have before us every single day. Please help us, give us wisdom, and surround us with better people to make choices with this coming year.”