HOW TO MAKE CHOICES

1. This past week a major newspaper offered a prominent headline: God have mercy on His church.

2. Last Wednesday the Episcopal church had a meeting that confirmed the church’s first openly gay bishop.

3. This is how news reports have described the matter, and this description is overly tactful.

4. I would describe the matter in different terms; namely these:

5. A religious group professing to be followers of Jesus Christ put a matter involving sexual ethics to a vote.

6. An attempt was made to legislate the morality of a certain behavior by voting.

7. The actions of this group creates an interesting question.

8. At different times decisions must be made—sometimes important decisions.

9. When times of decision come, how should they be made?

10. What should be the basis or grounds for choices?

11. Should we, like the religious group just referenced, put things to a vote?

12. Common sense should tell us that voting is not necessarily a wise choice.

SOME THINK VOTING IS THE WAY TO DECIDE WHICH COURSE OF ACTION TO TAKE. A SECOND WAY TO MAKE DECISIONS IS FOUND IN TODAY’S TEXT.

A. the first chapter of Jonah tells us about a bad storm.

B. A prophet of God was sleeping while the ship he was on was being cast about on the waves.

C. Things were so bad the people on board made a decision.

D. We want to start with the 7^th verse – READ.

2. The casting of lots done by those on board might be compared to drawing straws.

3. These men wanted to decide who was guilty so they cast lots and Jonah got the short straw.

4. Today people often like to vote on matters but they do not have much faith in casting lots.

5. When choices must be made a third way is often tried.

A. Two days ago a woman wrote an editorial.

B. This piece was titled “Times change, so do religions.”

C. The writer apparently favored the decision by the Episcopal church.

D. To further her support she set forth two short arguments concerning religion.

E. She argued that “the Bible forbids working on Sunday” but on this forbidden day many work.

F. She also contended that the Bible says women are to be “subservient to their husbands.”

G. These commands are not being followed but that is okay because times change.

H. Since changing times are inevitable, we must adjust the Bible to our culture.

I. This is the way we make choices and decisions.

J. Those who elected a homosexual male to a high religious post are merely embracing natural changes.

6. This writer apparently accepts the philosophy which says rules are adopted to the current situation.

7. This mindset is also known as situation ethics.

A. The lady who wrote the editorial should have done some more checking before writing her article.

B. The Bible does not forbid working on Sunday. This idea is never taught in the scriptures.

C. Under the Old Testament the Jews had prohibitions against working on the Sabbath.

D. The Sabbath was the day we know as Saturday but Christians worship on the Lord’s Day (Sunday).

E. The Sabbath was part of the Old Testament; Christians live under the New Testament.

F. The good lady who had her 5 minutes of fame also failed to properly understand the role of wives.

G. Wives are not “subservient” to their husbands (this term denotes inferiority).

H. The Bible teaches that men are the head of the home but this does not result in a subservient mate.

8. I have listed three ways that people have devised to make decisions:

9. Voting, casting lots, deciding whatever seems to be good at the time.

10. Now it is time for us to consider a proposal.

11. Many of the techniques that are used to make decisions are only partially accepted by our society.

A. Consider the first decision making method that was mentioned: voting.

B. Is this really an acceptable standard to determine how we should act and live?

C. What would people think if we said our nation put murder to a vote?

D. Suppose the President said we would legalize murder if at least 51% of the population voted for it.

E. People would think he had lost his mind.

12. In the spiritual realm we have just had a vote on sexual ethics.

13. We can only wonder how long it will be before other votes are taken.

14. Who will be the first group to vote on whether or not the virgin birth is true?

15. Why not affirm or deny the existence or non-existence of God by casting a ballot?

16. On these issues, at least at the present time, most would not want to take a vote.

17. Don’t put Mary’s honor to a vote but do vote on what constitutes a God approved family.

IT’S TIME TO REMIND PEOPLE THAT THE DEVIL AND HIS HELPERS ARE LYING TO US AND THE REST OF THE WORLD.

A. Issues are not settled by voting.

B. Drawing straws is not the right way to determine what is right and wrong.

C. Making rules that change with the times is also not any kind of standard.

2. Mankind needs something solid and sure.

3. This need is especially visible in our day and time.

4. When we look at the world it is easy to see instability and turmoil; people have no foundation.

5. Many have no true guide for moral choices and decisions.

6. A guide exists if people will simply turn to it.

7. Our source of is described by four small words: the will of God.

A. This expression is found several times in the scriptures.

B. You can find it 23 times in the KJV and 22 times in the ASV (New Testament).

8. This information through the Holy Spirit.

9. In Jn. 16 Jesus told the apostles that after His departure another member of the Godhead would come.

10. Jesus said the Spirit would “convict the world.”

A. People would come to definite conclusions about sin.

B. They would learn some things about “righteous and judgment.”

11. How would the Holy Spirit convict people?

12. Would there be huge voting polls on morality?

13. Would a standard be given that was designed solely for those in the first century?

14. Jesus explained in Jn. 16:13 – READ

15. The Holy Spirit guided the apostles into “all the truth.”

16. God says there is truth.

17. When truth exists we do not vote on it.

A. Suppose that a hundred people are in a classroom.

B. A teacher puts a most basic problem on the class board: 2 + 2.

C. He then writes out two numbers to the side of the problem: 4 and 8.

D. The class is then asked to vote on what the answer is.

E. All 100 people in the class could vote for the number 8.

F. The members of the class could scream this number as loudly as they could shout.

G. The number 4 might be erased from the board.

18. Those in the room might allege that anyone who believes the right to be 4 is ignorant and misguided.

19. All kinds of things might be done, but in the end 2 + 2 is four.

20. People can hate that fact, try to deny it, denounce those who believe it, and lie about it.

21. A vote does not change truth.

22. If there is a lesson for us to keep before us in modern times, this is it.

A. Those in the world are frequently not too interested in the truth.

B. At the very end of Jn. 17 Jesus told His friends that they would have “tribulation” in the world.

C. His is right.

D. When we object to voting on morality, we will make some people unhappy.

E. When we say that truth exists and does not change from culture to culture, or year to year…

F. Many will not be pleased with us.

23. It is our job to say that truth (a standard exists), and we need to follow it.

24. Earlier I describe this as the will of God.

25. Mk. 3:35 says the will of God can be “done.”

26. That is, there is a specific way we are to live and this way is something each one can do.

27. Rom. 12:2 adds that God’s will is in contrast to the ways of the world.

A. This should not be surprising in light of what has been said.

B. The ways of the world are changing and unreliable; such is not the case with God’s will.

C. It is consistent.

D. Jas. 1:17 says there is “no variation” with Him.

28. If we do not decide things as the world does we will be blessed.

29. Heb. 10:36 says those who do the will of God “receive the promise.”

30. If we accept the ways of the world—voting, drawing straws, and changing morality, we will die.

31. Holding to what God has given will result in our salvation.

32. The reference that stands out most of all for me when thinking about God’s will is 1 Pet. 2:15.

A. This is a verse that needs to be read – READ.

B. It is a foolish thing to follow the ways of the world.

C. Little by little we are beginning to see that not everything can be addressed by voting.

D. Changing moral standards because of custom, culture, and time simply doesn’t work.

33. In fact, we do not want these principles in the important matters of life.

34. Let’s put the subject into more personal terms.

A. Next week the place where we or one of our family members is going to promote some employees.

B. The better jobs will not go to those who have the most seniority or the best workers.

C. Every employee will get a straw.

D. Those with the long straws get promoted; those with short straws get demoted.

35. There would be outrage if this type of technique were applied to what really affects our life.

36. We reject this type of thing in the secular realm but many welcome it in the spiritual.

37. God says to us: watch out.