Choices
Deuteronomy 30:15-20
Intro: Let me begin by explaining the context of these verses. God has made a covenant with the nation of Israel.
We call it the Palestinian Covenant.
This chapter is God establishing a nation. (Deut. 28:9; 29:10-13)
I am using this Old Testament passage because they clearly lay out similar truths about choices.
This is called “making an application.”
These verses clearly describe the same approach that God has with us today about our choices.
The text says in verse 19 “…choose life…”
Every one of us today has that opportunity.
Choices will determine the kind of life you have.
I make choices every day, all day long.
I cannot blame anybody but myself it I don’t get it together.
· I chose to graduate from high school. I’m the only one in my family that did.
· I chose to marry Mrs. Grace.
(did you know that Adam didn’t have a choice to marry Eve?)
· I chose to answer God’s call to preach.
· I chose to prepare for the ministry and I chose to close my business in order to obey God.
Choices are something we make every day, all day long.
Some choices are not very important. Others are extremely important.
· You chose what to wear today.
· You chose to wear deodorant or not.
· You chose to brush your teeth, or not.
· You chose to do your homework, or not.
· You chose to get all your stuff together and be organized today, or not.
· You choose to pay attention, or play and distract others.
· You choose to listen or you choose to sleep in chapel.
· You choose to obey the rules.
· You choose to be a good example, or not.
· You choose to do your schoolwork, or not.
These are all choices.
Some choices have much greater ramifications.
Choosing which pair of shoes to wear is not as big a choice as deciding to jump off the church during recess.
This message is about making big choices; the right choices that will determine your life and eternity.
I. The Choices are Required by God – vs. 15 See, I have set before thee…
Every man, woman, boy and girl have been given a choice.
God created every one of us with a Free Will.
That is what separates us from the animals, among other things.
You cannot stand before God one day and insist that you didn’t have a choice. You do!
The choices are set before you.
There are several key similarities in this covenant with Israel, and our requirement to choose.
A. The Exposure is Undeniable – vs. 11
· 11 For this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not hidden from thee, neither is it far off.
· 12 It is not in heaven…
· 13 Neither is it beyond the sea…
· 14 But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart,
B. The Excuses are Unusable – vs. 12, 13
· 12 …that thou shouldest say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it?
· 13…that thou shouldest say, Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it?
C. The Expectation is Unquestionable - vs. 14
· 14 …that thou mayest do it.
God has completely eliminated all their excuses.
You have been confronted with the choices – now you do not have any excuse – you must DO IT!
II. The Choices are Recorded by God - 19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you
Two things are recorded by God:
1. THE CHOICES HE GAVE
2. THE CHOICES YOU MADE
Look closely at the verse:
· 19 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:
Sometimes when you buy something or sign a contract, they require a notary public.
That is an official person that has been authorized to verify on behalf of the government.
They watch you get the contract and read it and sign it.
That is a double guarantee that you are responsible for the contract.
They make you put your signature on there, and then the notary public has to sign it.
They often put their stamp on there that you cannot forge or erase.
This is how serious God is about these choices that He gave you.
God has witnesses to verify that the choices that He gave.
And God has witnesses to verify what choices you made.
The witnesses that God used in Deuteronomy 30 was HEAVEN and EARTH.
Make no mistake – the choices God gives you and the choices you make are recorded.
Job said it like this:
· Job 16:19 Also now, behold, my witness is in heaven, and my record is on high.
All of heaven saw God give you those choices.
All of heaven heard God give you those choices.
He wrote it down in heaven in a record.
He wrote it down on earth in a record. You’re holding it in your hands now!
There is no doubt that God was good enough to give you a choice.
There is no question that God loved you enough to let you choose your own path.
You can’t say you had no choice.
You can’t say “God made me do it.”
You can’t say “The devil made me do it.”
YOU are the one that makes that choice.
And once you make that choice, the choice is recorded in heaven.
Revelation 20
· 11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
· 12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
III. The Choices are Rewarded by God
The “reward” works two ways.
Rewarded is not always positive.
It is also negative.
The people sitting in prison today are experiencing the reward of their choices.
The children in detention today are experiencing the reward of their choices.
Some of you were rewarded with a demerit today for doing something wrong.
· 2 Samuel 3:39 …the LORD shall reward the doer of evil according to his wickedness.
· Hosea 4:9 …I will punish them for their ways, and reward them their doings.
The thief on the cross that got saved acknowledged his sin.
His comment to the other thief that was railing on Jesus was this in Luke 23:
· 40 But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?
· 41 And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss.
Here are the two rewards that God offered Israel.
REWARD NUMBER ONE:
· 16 that thou mayest live and multiply: and the LORD thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest to possess it.
REWARD NUMBER TWO:
· 18 I denounce unto you this day, that ye shall surely perish, and that ye shall not prolong your days upon the land, whither thou passest over Jordan to go to possess it.
For us today, the choices are the same:
· 15 See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil;
Every single one of you – from the kindergarten class all the way to the oldest person here has the same choices.
God has set before you two doors – one is life and good, and the other is death and evil.
God has never forced a single person in all of humanity.
Every person ever born had a choice.
Conclusion: So how does a person make that choice? God breaks it down like this.
To choose the door of DEATH and EVIL, according to verse 16,
· But if thine heart turn away,
· so that thou wilt not hear,
· but shalt be drawn away, and worship other gods,
· and serve them;
To choose LIFE and GOOD, just simple:
· Love the Lord thy God – vs. 16a
· Walk in His ways – vs. 16
· Keep his commandments, and his statues and his judgments – vs. 16
· Obey His voice – vs. 20
· Cleave unto Him – vs. 20
A very nice preaching material!