Choose Life
Notes
Transcript
Text :
19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:
20 That thou mayest love the Lord thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the Lord sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.
I. God called His people many times throughout the Scripture to make a decision of who they would serve!
I. God called His people many times throughout the Scripture to make a decision of who they would serve!
A. Joshua called the Israelites to choose for themselves a God to serve.
A. Joshua called the Israelites to choose for themselves a God to serve.
15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.
B. Ruth was faced with the decision of who to serve.
B. Ruth was faced with the decision of who to serve.
15 And she said, Behold, thy sister in law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods: return thou after thy sister in law.
C. Jesus encountered some people that had to make a decision.
C. Jesus encountered some people that had to make a decision.
1. Rich young ruler.
1. Rich young ruler.
21 Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.
2. Jesus asked the disciples if they were going to leave too.
2. Jesus asked the disciples if they were going to leave too.
67 Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?
II. Each of these decisions were made.
II. Each of these decisions were made.
A. The Israelites said we will not forget the Lord!
A. The Israelites said we will not forget the Lord!
16 And the people answered and said, God forbid that we should forsake the Lord, to serve other gods;
B. Ruth told Nahomi that she was not leaving her!
B. Ruth told Nahomi that she was not leaving her!
16 And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God:
C. The rich young ruler walked away sad!
C. The rich young ruler walked away sad!
22 And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions.
D. Peter answered Jesus with a question.
D. Peter answered Jesus with a question.
68 Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.
69 And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.
1. Peter understood that he amounted to nothing without the Lord!
1. Peter understood that he amounted to nothing without the Lord!
III. Choose Life!
III. Choose Life!
A. Moses’ cry was for Israel to choose to love the Lord with everything in them, because God is Life!
A. Moses’ cry was for Israel to choose to love the Lord with everything in them, because God is Life!
19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:
20 That thou mayest love the Lord thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the Lord sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.
B. I am crying out today , choose life! We cannot always remain the same as we have always been!
B. I am crying out today , choose life! We cannot always remain the same as we have always been!
1. So many times we can be like the Israelites!
1. So many times we can be like the Israelites!
i. We cling to things that please us.
i. We cling to things that please us.
ii. We turn from God and allow our own intellect to determine our outcome.
ii. We turn from God and allow our own intellect to determine our outcome.
iii. We cannot serve to masters!
iii. We cannot serve to masters!
13 No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
iv. We make gods out of things in life!
iv. We make gods out of things in life!
a. I think this is what the Young Ruler was having a hard time dealing with. He was wealthy and didn’t want to let go and give it up for God.
a. I think this is what the Young Ruler was having a hard time dealing with. He was wealthy and didn’t want to let go and give it up for God.
v. We become distracted from our original focus!
v. We become distracted from our original focus!
vi. Thankfully there were times that they came to themselves and remembered who they should really serve!
vi. Thankfully there were times that they came to themselves and remembered who they should really serve!
C. We have so much that God wants to do!
C. We have so much that God wants to do!
1. We begin taking issue with the church when we start falling out of step with God!
1. We begin taking issue with the church when we start falling out of step with God!
2. We begin to withdrawal ourselves from the authority that God puts in our lives when our relationship with God starts to die.
2. We begin to withdrawal ourselves from the authority that God puts in our lives when our relationship with God starts to die.
D. There is an urgency in the Holy Ghost that we ought to respond too.
D. There is an urgency in the Holy Ghost that we ought to respond too.
1. The Lord’s return is very soon!
1. The Lord’s return is very soon!
2. We can’t be playing games now.
2. We can’t be playing games now.
3. We must make a decision today! Choose Life!
3. We must make a decision today! Choose Life!
E. Hold Fast!
E. Hold Fast!
21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.
23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)
24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:
58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
F. Get full of the Holy Ghost!
F. Get full of the Holy Ghost!
1. When the people heard the Word of God and were overwhelmed and asked what to do Peter told them they just needed the Holy Ghost!
1. When the people heard the Word of God and were overwhelmed and asked what to do Peter told them they just needed the Holy Ghost!
36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.
37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?
38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
2. That is the rest and strength that we ALL need, the Holy Ghost!
2. That is the rest and strength that we ALL need, the Holy Ghost!