You Make the Choice

:15

“See, I have set before you today life and prosperity, and death and adversity

We make hundreds of choices everyday.

You wake up - you get dressed - you eat breakfast - you go to work. I didn’t make any choices. Really?

You stay in bed - no getting dressed - no breakfast - no work. And if you continue that for a few days in a row you a choice will be made for you. You will not have a job - you may not have food - you may not have clothing.

Silly - but you get the point.

In the verse on the screen we see Moses challenging the people of Israel to make a very important choice. In fact, it would be he most important choice they would ever make.

Wouldn’t you want to make the right choice? The better choice.

No one should really care about whether you choose Coke over Pepsi, of dogs over cats, or the train over planes, or coffee over tea, or the movie over the book. Inconsequential.

There are things in our lives as Christians that do matter. There are a number of places we could turn to this morning in the Bible to find them but I would like you to turn to and look with me at some things that Solomon says are really better choices for us as we live our lives wisely in a ways to honor God.

This passage has eight “betters” in it but I want us to narrow them down to four.

Verse one might be seen as an overview of how important it is how we live - and that is followed by a series of additional challenges as to how that might play out in our life.

It matters how we live.

A good name - how do you gain a good name?

How do you gain a good name?

What

Let them see you, In me Who is me? Jason Clint Let them hear you, When I speak Let them feel you, When I sing Let them see you Let them see you in me

We do all to the glory of God and anything that matters is because of God. However, when you or I follow God we are creating a good name. It is our reputation. As Christian it should be a good one!

Perfume - let’s illustrate with perfumes

Everything smells good. Initial attraction (it diminishes). It can be washed off (temporary)

It some cases it is used to cover something up.

Illustrate with Alameda Naval Station

Here is the contrast - a restaurant where the food smells really good when you walk outside. But when you go in - service is poor - food is overpriced - it is not very clean - presentation looks like they just threw it on the table.

Good name over time!

Which leads us to the parallelism - the day of one’s death. This may seem out of place.

When will the ultimate decision be made that you do or do not have a good name? Your obituary!

It is not how you come off the starting blocks - it is how you cross the finish line.

(NASB)

7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith

GENUINE - real deal/ No cover ups.

Solomon has mentioned death, so he mentions it a gain with another “better.”

Vss 2-4 - Better to go to the house of mourning.

The person who reflects on life and the person who doesn’t.

In the house of mourning we learn to value this life and gain a perspective that our time on earth is short lived. The realization of our own death calls our current decisions into question. The pursuit of wisdom is far better that the lifestyle of a fool.

Important issues are clarified at a funeral home.

Does a dying man utter, “I wish I would have spent more time at the office!”

Am I genuine?

Do I reflect on what is important?

Am I willing to change?

Vs 5.

Where do we hear the rebuke of the wise?

Pulpit

Books unoffendable

Bible

Small group - study of peace. It seemed to me that we were all feeling a bit of correction.

Friend

Spouse

Correction isn’t easy but it is really necessary.

Am I moving forward?

Vs 10

“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. 19 See, I am doing a new thing!

Nostalgia is a file that removes the rough edges from the good ol days!

The past is a rudder - not an anchor!

Vs 13-14

How do we live this out? We cannot know the ways of God completely. All this is carried out because we trust - not in what we see - but in the one who is in control.

We only live appropriately in the days of prosperity or the days of adversity because we stay close to our God.