A Time to Choose

Introduction

Message about Choices we face in the life of a Christian

Our theme this year (as you know) is ‘Such a Time as This’. Throughout this year, the LORD has given us messages as:

‘A Time to Send’

‘A Time to Support’

‘A Time to Share’

‘A Time for Courage’

A Time for Consequence’

Today in recognition of the upcoming election day, I wanted to speak to you about ‘Choice’. The Title of this message is ‘A Time to Choose’.

Some of you are going to and others already have made choices for our elected officials. Now before you get your dander up, I’m not going to tell you who or what party to vote for - but I am going to tell you how you should vote if you’re a Christian.

We should be voting (period)

No matter who you choose - we are electing imperfect people. But to neglect our right to vote is to neglect our duty to stand for Christian values.

We should be voting according to policy, not personality

There’s some who will or won’t vote for a candidate because they do or don’t like their personality. THIS IS SHALLOW!

This is a problem we not only have in politics, but also in the church. There’s many pastors filling pulpits today - not because they’re qualified or have strong convictions concerning the Word of God - but rather, they are ‘nice guys’.

We should be voting according to principles, not party affiliation

New Flash - in case you haven’t noticed - BOTH political parties are drastically different in many respects than they were 10-20 years ago.

In short, we should be voting according to the Word of God, not our personal preference.

So this is my challenge to you - IF YOU’RE A CHRISTIAN - ask yourself WHY you’re voting the way you are, then find Biblical principles that align with the policies of your candidate - and if you can’t, you would do well to reconsider your position.

It’s no sin to simply be ignorant - but willful ignorance is sin and will be brought into account by the God of Heaven! Proverbs 24:12 “If thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not; Doth not he that pondereth the heart consider it? And he that keepeth thy soul, doth not he know it? And shall not he render to every man according to his works?”

That being said, today we’re going to speak about Choice - but the choices we’re addressing today are of FAR GREATER IMPORTANCE THAN ANY ELECTION. The Choices today are directly related to the God of Heaven rather than a politician in Washington.

The first choice is the most base - but is the choice that determines your eternity. It’s the Choice to be Saved.

I. Choose to be Saved

Jesus told Nicodemus in John 3:14–18“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”

Now before I move onto this, I want to address the truth that Salvation is a choice - a choice made by man, not God.

Every soul that lifts their eyes in Hell, has chosen to be there - because they chose to reject the only escape FROM there.

Jesus said: Revelation 3:20 “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.”

So let’s break down this passage.

Sin Brings Judgment

We first need to recognize that Jesus is referring to something here. If you’re not familiar, He’s comparing Spiritual Salvation through Him with a physical salvation found in Num. 21:4-9.

In this passage of Scripture, the people sinned against God, and God brought Judgment. (v4-6)

Church, it’s important to understand this principle: Though we’ve been given Freedom to Choose, we do NOT have Freedom of Consequence. THE CONSEQUENCE FOR SIN IS THE JUDGEMENT OF GOD!

Ezekiel 18:4 “Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.”

Romans 5:12 “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:”

We’re all sinners - and sin brings Judgment

God Provided a Plan for Salvation

Looking back in Num. 21, we see that the people sought salvation from the bite of the serpent. They said ‘Seek the LORD to remove these serpents from us!’

But there’s a couple things to notice here:

When God provided His Plan for Salvation - it didn’t involve removing the serpents - it involved an image of a serpent.

When God provided His Plan for Salvation - it didn’t involve:

An ointment to be applied

A doctoring that needed administered

Not even a prayer that needed spoken

All it required from the one stricken, was faith in the Plan that God gave. They just had to believe that God’s plan was sufficient - and looked to the serpent for Salvation

In short - all that was needed was FAITH IN GOD’S PLAN.

God Provided a Plan for Salvation

We’re Saved when we Believe (place Faith) in Jesus

Just as God had a plan for a physical salvation for the sinners in the wilderness in that day - God has a plan for Spiritual, Eternal Salvation for mankind today.

Jesus said: John 3:14 “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:”

Moses lifted up an image of Judgment

Jesus was lifted up and endured the Judgment

Faith is what was required to save the Jews in that day

Faith in Jesus is what is required for Salvation today.

And just like there wasn’t multiple serpents or multiple remedies - there’s only one remedy for your sin today - and that is found in Jesus!

So the first question posed to you today is ‘Will you choose Salvation? - or will you choose Damnation. The difference is whether or not you place your faith in Christ: John 3:18 “He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”

Choose Salvation. IF you don’t choose that, nothing else matters. Once you have, you’re faced with another Choice.

II. Choose to Sacrifice

Romans 12:1–2 “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

This passage of Scripture is

As we look at the three things presented here, it’s important to know that in order to have one, you must be willing to sacrifice the other.

(Ill.) You’ve heard of the phrase ‘You can’t HAVE your cake and EAT it too’? Same principle.

Your Will for His

Every one of us has a ‘will’ or ‘want’ or ‘desire’. We each have a ‘way’ or what we want to DO or how we want things DONE.

And know this: The will that we have within us doesn’t NATURALLY line up with God’s. I think that we see the best example of this with Jesus in the Garden.

(Explain) Just before Jesus would be taken and Crucified, He and His disciples went to the garden to pray. In there we read: Luke 22:41–42 “And he was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.”

Even in Jesus when He was in the flesh had to deal with the lusts of the flesh! But ultimately, Jesus deferred to the Will of His Father!

Church, it’s a CHOICE whether we will seek His Will or our own.

Whether or not we choose His Will, is largely dependent upon the next Sacrifice we must be willing to make. We must Sacrifice our Carnal Mind for a Spiritual Mind

A Carnal Mind for a Spiritual

The difference between the two is decided by choice. Mainly concerning two thing:

What we Love

Do you know that you have a choice about who and what you love? Many don’t understand that because they don’t understand what true love is.

True Love is not a ‘feeling’ or ‘emotion’ - true love is best summed up in 1Cor. 13 by the word ‘Charity’ - unconditionally giving. - And you can choose to give unconditionally to anyone or anything.

John 3:16a “For God so loved the world, that he gave…”

God didn’t have to - He chose to. And God admonishes us on what to love: 1 John 2:15 “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”

We see this admonition to ‘Love NOT’ - and also the counter to that - IF you love the world, you don’t love the Father.

You can choose to allow your feelings to dictate your actions, or you can allow your actions to dictate your feelings. AND YES YOUR ACTIONS CAN DICTATE HOW YOU FEEL!

(Ill.) Years ago, when my daughter was feeling bad, down or depressed, my wife advised her to go visit people in the nursing home that we used to minister to. So they would go and visit and CHOOSE to be a blessing to others - and every time would come away FEELING BETTER FOR IT!

If you’re going to move from a Carnal mindset to a Spiritual mindset we must follow the Word of God in Colossians 3:2 “Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.” (CHOICE).

We CHOOSE what we Love

What we Think About

Some people might say ‘Preacher, things just come into my head! I don’t choose to think about some things, I can’t help it!’

To that I have two responses:

First, some of the things to come to our minds do so, because we allowed them into our minds at the first.

This is why we need to be careful to guard our eyes, ears & hearts.

Secondly, we absolutely can control (with the help of the Spirit) what we ponder about. It IS a choice.

Paul said: Philippians 4:8 “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”

(Ill.) I love music. I’ve loved music - especially rock music - since I was very young. (Some think I don’t like CCM just because of preference - but that’s not the case.) Stylistically, I LOVE that music - but it’s carnal, therefore I CHOOSE not to listen & be consumed & influenced by it. There are times - even today - that old songs will enter my mind and kind of sit there. Do you know how I get rid of it? I start singing something else! I CHOOSE to put something good, Godly, positive there instead of carnal delights.

We CHOOSE what we Think About - and here’s the cascading thought once again - in that if we CHOOSE His Will, if we CHOOSE a Spiritual mind - then we will CHOOSE Treasures in Heaven instead of Trophies on the Earth.

Trophies on Earth for Treasures in Heaven

Jesus said: Matthew 6:19–21 “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”

(Ill.) Years ago growing up & was quite the athlete. I had trophies from many sports over many years. (I was talking to my dad about it this week & he said of my baseball days ‘You were pretty good at about everything - except for pitching - you were about the worst I’d ever seen’). My point is, I had a big box of trophies. Those trophies are either in one of two places right now - in storage possibly, but I think they are probably in a landfill somewhere.

You see church, those trophies brought me selfish, self-serving glory for a short time, but now they are worthless.

This illustrates I think the same manner on how a lot of Christians life their lives. They spend their time building up a box of trophies, that one day will be dung. Those trophies of houses, cars, land, fame & fortune. BUT:

IF we CHOOSE HIS WILL

IF we CHOOSE a SPIRITUAL MIND

THEN we WILL have more TREASURES in Heaven rather than worthless TROPHIES on the EARTH!

But remember, it’s all choice - and it’s an ‘EITHER / OR’ not an ‘AND’

Choose to be Saved, Choose to Sacrifice, and lastly, Choose to Serve

III. Choose to Serve

Joshua 24:14–15 “Now therefore fear the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the Lord. 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.”

Here we have Joshua speaking unto the COI and telling them (in essence) what I have told you today. It’s time to choose. You can choose to serve false idols like so many that have gone before us - or you can choose to serve the LORD.

A few things in closing I want you to recognize.

It’s a Personal Choice

I cannot make you serve the LORD any more than Joshua could the COI. All I can do is be an example like he was to them. This is a personal decision.

AND MAKE NO MISTAKE - YOU ARE MAKING A CHOICE. IF YOU DON’T CHOOSE TO SERVE THE LORD, YOU ARE SERVING DEAD IDOLS JUST LIKE THE COI DID IN EGYPT!

It’s a Personal Choice - but it’s also a persuasive choice

It’s a Persuasive Choice

(Ill.) Now I will say this: I spoke w/ some parents a while back (not here) that told me that while they go to church, they haven’t been able to get their child in church for years. (This is a teenager). Now praise the LORD, I have never had either of my children tell me they weren’t going to go to church. They I don’t ever think considered that an option - because it wasn’t!

Joshua was the head of his house - and he had his house in order. He was going to make sure that he did everything that he could be make sure that his family served the LORD.

Joshua had influence over not only his family but others as well.

Church, you have influence over somebody. EVERYBODY has influence over SOMEBODY! Are you using it to lead them to Heaven or Hell?

Choose to Serve

Conclusion

Lastly, I will close with the words of Moses. Deuteronomy 30:19–20 “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: 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.”

What will your choice be?