100623w Let Talk Choices
The Power of Choice
Tim Franklin
Introduction:
· Most people under estimate the power of choice that is given to us as people and as God’s creation.
· Choices empowers you.
o For good or for evil
o To live or to die
· In your group, let each one share three choices you made today?
o I decided to get up.
o I chose a hamburger over a salad for lunch
o I chose to share with my little sister.
1. Choice – A gift of God. Gen 3:1-7
A. Adam and Eve were the first two people in scripture to be given a choice. Read Gen. 3:1-7.
i. What choice(s) was that? How many choices can you find in Genesis 3:1-7?
a. Vs 1 “Have I been told the truth or lied to?”
b. Vs. 4 “Will I really die if I eat the fruit or will I be like God?”
c. Vs 6 “Should I eat what I have been told not to eat?”
B. What made Adam and Eve’s choice so difficult, (Three things)? Vs.6 They were making their decision based on their 5 senses [2 Cor 5:7], logic or reason [2 Cor 10:4&5] and desire [James 1:14; 2 Tim 4:3], not on what God had said.
i. Their heart told them one thing but their head and their desire said another thing?
a. It was good for food--logic
b. It was pleasant to the eyes--senses
c. It was desirable to make one wise—desire
d. Note: these are the same places we get excuses from.
C. God wants us to make our decisions based on faith. 2 Cor 5:7
i. That means we must trust him. Ie. Telling a child that the candle flame is hot. Possible skit: dress a teen like a baby. Have a parent tell them about the flame. The child then sticks his finger in the candle flame.
ii. That means we must know that He has our best interest in mind.
D. What is so tempting in the Garden of Eden if they have everything?
i. Knowledge of good and evil. At this point they know only what is good.
ii. Knowledge of something they have not yet experienced.
E. What is so bad about making a wrong choice? There are two major things that are bad.
i. Adam and Eve could never go back once they chose wrong. Consequences-effects of a bad choice.
ii. Our choices affect others.
F. What God gives us in the ability to choose is freedom and the capacity to love. The ability to choose is a gift from God. Because with it we can trust Him and freely love Him-which He desires. Or we can rebel and disobey which will only bring us pain-like the baby’s finger in the candle flame.
2. Moses – Empowers a people. Read Dt. 30:19,20
A. What is the choice that Moses presents to the Children of Israel? When you think of life or death, blessing or cursing what do you think of?
i. Life or death
ii. Blessing or curses
B. Why was Moses forceful when he said this?
i. He knew what happened to Adam and Eve
ii. He understood that Adam and Eve’s choice had affected him
iii. He knew that it was bad choices that kept the children of Israel as slaves in Egypt for 400 years and he did not want his people or their families to go into bondage again.
iv. He wanted them to know how serious it is to make right choices.
C. How does the ability to choose empower us? What does the ability to choose give us? Give an example of choice giving you power. IE. If I chose to get my homework done in a timely fashion it empowered me to have permission to go to my friend’s house. It gives us the opportunity to become what/as we see ourselves in our heart. Ie. Gethsemane—Jesus chose to die. A very hard choice in light of logic (this will hurt), senses (pain), desire (there must be a better way). His choice to die not only empowered Him as King of Kings and Lord of Lords but it also empowered me to be like God.
3. Surrender – Is making a Choice. If choice is a gift and it empowers us to become what God has called and fashioned us to be, then the next step is to choose that. That is called surrender or obedience. It is doing the will of Him who has our best interest in mind.
A. What does it mean to surrender your will to God?
i. It means that you will make it a practice of choosing wisely.
ii. It means you are making a commitment to choose what God chooses for us.
iii. That means you realize he has your and others best interests in mind.
B. Why would I want to do that? Dt 30:20
i. Because God has my best interests in mind.
C. Who is someone you know who has surrendered their will to God?
Conclusion:
· Choice is a gift.
· Choice empowers us.
· The first choice is choose to follow God—life and blessing.
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