Every Act Counts

Introduction:

Our age tends to blur distinctions and throw everything into a “gray area” – but in the matters Scripture, things are more clear-cut.

B. Our age tends to blur distinctions and throw everything into a “gray area” – but in the Scriptures matters are more clear-cut.

C. In the world there are good people and there are bad people: those who lovingly obey their God and those who stubbornly reject Him

In the world there are good people and there are bad people: those who lovingly obey their God and those who stubbornly reject Him.

1.

Consider 1, “But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who “will render to each one according to his deeds”: eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality; but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness—indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek; but glory, honor, and peace to everyone who works what is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For there is no partiality with God.”

Two destines await mankind.

a. Two destines await mankind

Our destiny depends on our actions.

b. Our destiny depends on our actions

Also read with me, “Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?”

2.

a. Our action show who we serve

Our action show who we serve.

We serve only one of two master.

b. We serve only one of two masters

It is worth asking how people get to be the way they are.

D. It is worth asking how people get to be the way they are

We often ask this question, “How do people get to be the way they are?”

Discussion:

Our Characters Are the Results of the Decisions We Have Made:

OUR CHARACTERS ARE THE ACCUMULATION OF THE DECISIONS WE HAVE MADE

When we are dissatisfied with our present state in life, it is tempting to blame circumstances beyond our control – we tend to think we would be better off if we had been “dealt a better hand.”

Yet, in all the important ways, we are each the product of decisions that we have made in the freedom of our wills.

2. Yet, in all the important ways, we are each the product of decisions that we have made in the freedom of our wills

We have voluntarily thought, spoken, and done the things that have made us what we are.

We have voluntarily thought, spoken, and done the things that have made us what we are.

a. We have voluntarily thought, spoken, and done the things that have made us what we are.

Our characters are not built from our external circumstances, but from what we have chosen to do with those circumstances.

Our characters are not built from our external circumstances, but from what we have chosen to do with those circumstances: , .

b. Our characters are built up not from our external circumstances, but from what we have chosen to do with those circumstances.

Consider the contrast between Saul and David.

1) Contrast Saul with David.

, “But now your kingdom shall not continue. The Lord has sought for Himself a man after His own heart, and the Lord has commanded him to be commander over His people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you.”

Now turn to , “So Samuel said to him, “The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today, and has given it to a neighbor of yours, who is better than you.”

b)

The kingdom was to be taken away from Saul because of his bad choices.

c) The kingdom was to be taken away from Saul because of his bad choices

David was better than Saul – because he had made better choices, not because he had better circumstances.

2) David was better than Saul – because he had made better choices, not because he had better circumstances

Friends, we need to accept responsibility for what we have made of ourselves: .

3. We need to accept responsibility for what we have made of ourselves.

We are what we have chosen to be.

a. We are what we have chosen to be.

We are self-made people.

b. We are self-made persons.

c. Unfortunately, the self-made person is often the product of unskilled labor!?!

Unfortunately, the self-made person is often the product of unskilled labor!?!

We reap what we sow –

d. We reap what we sow –

Decisions and choices have a cumulative effect – they tend to “snowball”: .

4. Decisions and choices have a cumulative effect – they tend to “snowball”

Even “little” choices are more significant than we might think.

a. Even “little” choices are more significant than we might think.

b. Every decision and every act change a person for better or worse – one is never exactly the same after making any choice.

Every decision and every act change a person for better or worse – one is never exactly the same after making any choice.

Future choices have to be made by a person who has been shaped by the choices already made –Consider , “Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days.”

c. Future choices have to be made by a person who has been shaped by the choices already made –

“…As was his custom since early days.”

1) “as he did aforetime”

2) Choices build a habit of life for Daniel

Choices built a habit of life for Daniel.

With every one of even the slightest deeds, we are building up a character and a self that will find it progressively easier to act in certain ways and more difficult to act in others.

d. With every one of even the slightest deeds, we are building up a character and a self that will find it progressively easier to act in certain ways and more difficult to act in others.

We are building habits by our actions.

1) We are building habits by our actions

We are building good habits by our actions.

2) We are building good habits by our actions

We build bad habits by our actions – some of these will hard to quit.

3) We build bad habits by our actions – some of these will hard to quit

5. None of us is standing still

None of us are standing still: James 8:44; ; .

a. With every choice we are becoming more like God or more like Satan

With every choice we are becoming more like God or more like Satan.

b. ,

In , Jesus said, “You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do....” And in verse 47. Jesus concludes, “He who is of God hears God’s words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God.”

Consider , “This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.”

c. compare this with-

Compare this with- , “But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.”

IT IS SOBERING TO THINK THAT EVERY ACT COUNTS:

God will take every act into account in His judging of our lives: ; ; .

a. No decision is too small to be significant.

No decision is too small to be insignificant.

b.

Consider , Jesus said, “But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment.”

c.

In , Paul wrote, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.”

d.

In , the word of God says, “Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each one’s praise will come from God.”

2. As children on the playground, we may have said “That didn’t count” or “I had my fingers crossed” – but when God judges our lives, no such excuses will be accepted.

Do you remember, as children on the playground, saying, “That didn’t count” or “I had my fingers crossed” – but when God judges our lives, no such excuses will be accepted.

As children on the playground, we may have said “That didn’t count” or “I had my fingers crossed” – but when God judges our lives, no such excuses will be accepted.

3. We may think we are merely being careless or haphazard, but the consequences of our choices are eternal and we are responsible for them.

We may think we are merely being careless or haphazard, but the consequences of our choices are eternal and we are responsible for them.

4. Hell will not be the arbitrary punishment of people who engaged in certain acts.

Hell will not be the random punishment of people who engaged in certain acts:

a. It will be the telos (end, goal, outcome) of those acts, the inevitable consequence of actions that we chose.

It will be the telos (end, goal, outcome) of those acts, the inevitable consequence of actions that we chose.

b.

Read with me , “What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death.”

Every action has consequences

c. Every action has consequences

5. God will not “inadvertently” or “mistakenly” consign anyone to eternal punishment.

God will not “inadvertently” or “mistakenly” consign anyone to eternal punishment: .

a. Only those will be there who demanded to be there by the choices they made.

Only those will be there who demanded to be there by the choices they made.

And few of those will be people who set out to be wicked.

b. And few of those will be people who set out to be wicked.

c. “Sooner or later, we must all sit down to a banquet of consequences” (Robert Louis Stevenson).

“Sooner or later, we must all sit down to a banquet of consequences” (Robert Louis Stevenson).

It is dangerous and detrimental to ever to say no to God – even once- In , the Hebrew writer wrote, “See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven.”

6. It is dangerous and detrimental to ever to say no to God – even once-

IT IS ALSO ENCOURAGING TO THINK THAT EVERY ACT COUNTS:

We can never truly say that our lives are helpless and hopeless – we can do something that will alter our situation for the better:

1. We can never truly say that our lives are helpless and hopeless – we can do something that will alter our situation for the better.

a. In spiritual matters, there is really no such thing as a “stalemate.”

In spiritual matters, there is really no such thing as a “stalemate.”

We need the youthful confidence of David- Consider the attitude of David in , “Then David spoke to the men who stood by him, saying, “What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?”

b. We need the youthful confidence of David-1 Samuel 17:26

We can make choices that will truly alter the present situation.

c. We can make choices that will truly alter the present situation.

We can act in the faith that steps in the direction of goodness and truth, however small and seemingly insignificant, do make a difference: .

2. We can act in the faith that steps in the direction of goodness and truth, however small and seemingly insignificant, do make a difference-

Read with me , “Now Jesus sat opposite the treasury and saw how the people put money into the treasury. And many who were rich put in much. Then one poor widow came and threw in two mites, which make a quadrans. So He called His disciples to Himself and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury; for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood.”

God does not require larger steps of righteousness than we cannot manage, only small steps taken in faith.

a. God does not require larger steps of righteousness than we can manage, only small steps taken in faith.

God is not looking for people who can do everything, but for those who are willing to do what they can!

b. God is not looking for people who can do everything, but for those who are willing to do what they can!

3. Heaven will be the outcome if we learn to choose actions that tend in God’s direction-

Friends, if we learn to choose actions that tend in God’s direction, heaven will be our reward:

In , Paul wrote, “What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Conclusion:

Life is serious business – it pays to live carefully. “See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise...” ().

Let us be sobered by the fact that each action reaches into eternity, and take responsibility for the bad choices we have made.

1. Let us be sobered by the fact that each action reaches into eternity, and take responsibility for the bad choices we have made.

On the other hand, let us be encouraged knowing that we can make a difference for good even in “small” acts of faith.

2. On the other hand, let us be encouraged knowing that we can make a difference for good even in “small” acts of faith.

B. In all things, let us be grateful for the opportunity to make better choices today-

In all things, let us be grateful for the opportunity to make better choices today than we did yesterday-As we close, consider the words of Paul in tell us, “For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.”

Remember, every act counts – even the little ones!

C. Remember, every act counts – even the little ones!