Decisions, Decisions
Sermon
From This Day Forward
First Lesson Sermons For Lent/Easter
Think of how many decisions you make in a day:
What do I wear today? Should I take a different route to work due to construction? Should I have a bagel or an English muffin for breakfast? Should I talk with that person about yesterday or just blow it off? Which child is it that had flute lessons today? Should I get a quick twenty out at the ATM machine at lunch or after work? Do I need to pay bills today or can they wait until tomorrow? Do I have enough energy to run today or not? Should I drive to the corner gas station for milk or go all the way to Wal-Mart? Which sitcom should I watch tonight? Should I pick up the phone or let the machine get it?
Other decisions are harder and much more life impacting. Should we invest in a new car or not? Which one? Buy or lease? New or used? Is it time to put our child in a private school? Should we close in the garage or save the money for a vacation? Do I really want to join this church? Is this the woman God wants me to marry or am I just in lust? Should Grandpa live on his own or with us, or be put in a retirement home? Should I bail my troubled kid out of jail or show him tough love and make him learn that there are consequences for bad choices? Should I be buried or cremated?
Without outside help and guidance, decisions like these every day can be paralyzing. And what if the question and answer are not specifically condemned or approved in the Bible? What should be my reaction? What is God's will anyway? And why is it so hard to discern it sometimes?
Should we do what one man did? Desiring to know God's will, he decided to open the Bible randomly and blindly point to a verse. His finger landed on, "Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might." "Good," he thought, "I'll try it again." This time he read: "Whatever you are about to do, do quickly!" "So far, so good. Okay, Lord, be a little more specific, please." He let the Bible flop open a third time, closed his eyes and pointed. The verse read: "And Judas went out and hanged himself."
Maybe some of you have done that before. I wouldn't suggest that. Rather I would suggest the path that Peter and the disciples took in our text for today. Soon after Jesus had returned to heaven and before he sent the Holy Spirit to guide, the apostles had a hard decision to make. A very important decision. A church-impacting choice. Who would be chosen as the replacement for Judas? Who would be put on the stained glass windows alongside Peter, James, and John? Who would probably be martyred for the sake of the gospel? No, most importantly, who would "become a witness with us of his resurrection" (v. 22)?
Judas was dead. Two names were put forward. The first was Joseph Barsabbas, who had the nickname Justus, and the other was Matthias. We don't know much about these godly men. Church father Eusebius says both were part of the seventy disciples Jesus had sent out earlier in his ministry. Papias says Barsabbas drank deadly poison, but did not die. Matthias is said to have preached and suffered martyrdom in Ethiopia. Not much more is known about these men.
We do know one had to be chosen above the other. According to what we know from history, the names of the candidates were written on stones and then the stones were placed in a vessel and the vessel was shaken until one fell out.
"Who will it be? Matthias on my right. Joseph on my left. Shake. Shake. Shake. Oh, there it goes. Who is it? When it stops rolling we will know. It's ... It's ... Matthias. Congratulations, brother!"
Don't you wish decisions were that easy? Have your own rocks with peel-off labels on them. Let's see: A Ford Explorer or a Nissan Pathfinder? Dad goes to a rehab home or he lives with us. Oops. I don't like that answer. I'll do it again.
Don't suppose that Peter and Company took this lightly. Just like the use of the Thummim and Urim in the Old Testament, they knew that God had called them to decipher his will this way, and they knew that God controlled the roll of the stones that were placed in the vessel. God had chosen Matthias -- no questions asked. No recounts needed. It wasn't luck or chance. It's not like the lottery when you pick a few numbers at random or the ping-pong balls lining up to a certain sequence of numbers by random chance. And the choice wasn't voted upon, therefore resting on human wisdom. I wonder if Joseph would have won by a human vote perhaps because he was better known or liked. God didn't choose that way. The heart of the king is in God's hand. So are the dice!
I wish that God owned a chain of airplane companies that fly advertising banners overhead. He could fly over my house each day and tell me, "Yes, private school is the way. And buy a casket, you cheapskate." It would be a whole lot easier!
Instead, God gives us, except for the dice, what the early disciples had -- and more!
1. Start with Scripture. Peter did. Before this choosing process began, Peter stood up and quoted Scripture, thus knowing that what had happened to Judas was foretold and that they could take another step. If we knew the Bible better, we wouldn't be so stymied at times. No, perhaps the specifics you want are not there, but is there an overriding principle to follow? God, in his love, often brings Scripture to our remembrances, but we need to know them first. God uses the Bible preeminently, but he also chooses to use circumstances to help guide us, too. He's in charge of these circumstances and thus uses them to fulfill his plan. Some would call them "closed and open doors." Remember, when God closes one door, look for another -- or for a window. God also shows us his will by the counsel of godly, Christian friends. Ask their opinions. Maybe they will know a biblical principle to follow. But be sure your friends are really faithful friends who won't just tell you what you want to hear. And finally, God loves to hear his children pray and often gives impression or nudges to us as we seek him. God wants his children to know his will!
2. God knows your heart! Verse 24 says, "Then they prayed, 'Lord, you know everyone's heart. Show us who of these two you have chosen.' " God knows everyone's heart. That can be good or bad depending on what is in your heart. You can't hide your real motive and you can't bamboozle God. So we can just be honest. And that's good, especially when we really are stumped and must step out with what we think is the best decision. Guess what? You can't go wrong if your heart is right. God sees it and he will turn even a less-than-perfect decision into good because he knows you were seeking him. "The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart" (1 Samuel 16:7).
3. God's will is always to be a witness. God's will is always what the apostles prayed for in verse 22: "Which one of these will become a witness with us of his resurrection?" Is this God's concern in all things? Yes. But how can the decision between closing up the garage or going on a cruise be directly related to sharing our faith and bringing others to Christ? Will working outside intensely give you more opportunities to witness to your neighbors? Will there be contractors involved who will see Jesus in you? Is the vacation needed so you can stop from being burned out at work and thus have more strength to be who God has called you to be? Are you willing to share Jesus with your dinner companions on the ship? Here are a couple questions to ask yourself as you make a decision: Will this choice lift up the risen Christ more? Will it help me in my Christian life and faith? Will it send us forth into the harvest field boldly?
These suggestions depend on the one thing Peter and the gang didn't have to help guide them, at least not in the way we do: the Holy Spirit. Pentecost had not yet happened. That's why we don't use dice or rocks anymore. All those practices ceased because the Holy Spirit resides in us and speaks to us through the Word and godly counsel, reads our heart well (he lives there!), and uses us to carry the message of the gospel in all we do.
Does God care about every decision? Should we pray about each one? Well, as you stand in front of your hanging clothes in your closet, though he does care about how you look, don't expect him to guide your hand to the dress of the day or the perfectly coordinated tie. And sometimes we paralyze ourselves and wait for an answer when common sense says, "Do it! You must!" There are simply some things we as Christians are called to do, and we can't use prayer as an excuse to put it off.
Communion with the Christ each day ("pray without ceasing") helps us know and clears the way. Setting our minds on things above helps us to sense automatically God's leading often times. He can give a check in your spirit and uneasiness or peace that passes understanding.
God wants you to know his will. He forgives freely those who repent after making a bad choice. And he even graciously brings good out of evil for his children who love and follow him! Count on it!
What do I wear today? Should I take a different route to work due to construction? Should I have a bagel or an English muffin for breakfast? Should I talk with that person about yesterday or just blow it off? Which child is it that had flute lessons today? Should I get a quick twenty out at the ATM machine at lunch or after work? Do I need to pay bills today or can they wait until tomorrow? Do I have enough energy to run today or not? Should I drive to the corner gas station for milk or go all the way to Wal-Mart? Which sitcom should I watch tonight? Should I pick up the phone or let the machine get it?
Other decisions are harder and much more life impacting. Should we invest in a new car or not? Which one? Buy or lease? New or used? Is it time to put our child in a private school? Should we close in the garage or save the money for a vacation? Do I really want to join this church? Is this the woman God wants me to marry or am I just in lust? Should Grandpa live on his own or with us, or be put in a retirement home? Should I bail my troubled kid out of jail or show him tough love and make him learn that there are consequences for bad choices? Should I be buried or cremated?
Without outside help and guidance, decisions like these every day can be paralyzing. And what if the question and answer are not specifically condemned or approved in the Bible? What should be my reaction? What is God's will anyway? And why is it so hard to discern it sometimes?
Should we do what one man did? Desiring to know God's will, he decided to open the Bible randomly and blindly point to a verse. His finger landed on, "Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might." "Good," he thought, "I'll try it again." This time he read: "Whatever you are about to do, do quickly!" "So far, so good. Okay, Lord, be a little more specific, please." He let the Bible flop open a third time, closed his eyes and pointed. The verse read: "And Judas went out and hanged himself."
Maybe some of you have done that before. I wouldn't suggest that. Rather I would suggest the path that Peter and the disciples took in our text for today. Soon after Jesus had returned to heaven and before he sent the Holy Spirit to guide, the apostles had a hard decision to make. A very important decision. A church-impacting choice. Who would be chosen as the replacement for Judas? Who would be put on the stained glass windows alongside Peter, James, and John? Who would probably be martyred for the sake of the gospel? No, most importantly, who would "become a witness with us of his resurrection" (v. 22)?
Judas was dead. Two names were put forward. The first was Joseph Barsabbas, who had the nickname Justus, and the other was Matthias. We don't know much about these godly men. Church father Eusebius says both were part of the seventy disciples Jesus had sent out earlier in his ministry. Papias says Barsabbas drank deadly poison, but did not die. Matthias is said to have preached and suffered martyrdom in Ethiopia. Not much more is known about these men.
We do know one had to be chosen above the other. According to what we know from history, the names of the candidates were written on stones and then the stones were placed in a vessel and the vessel was shaken until one fell out.
"Who will it be? Matthias on my right. Joseph on my left. Shake. Shake. Shake. Oh, there it goes. Who is it? When it stops rolling we will know. It's ... It's ... Matthias. Congratulations, brother!"
Don't you wish decisions were that easy? Have your own rocks with peel-off labels on them. Let's see: A Ford Explorer or a Nissan Pathfinder? Dad goes to a rehab home or he lives with us. Oops. I don't like that answer. I'll do it again.
Don't suppose that Peter and Company took this lightly. Just like the use of the Thummim and Urim in the Old Testament, they knew that God had called them to decipher his will this way, and they knew that God controlled the roll of the stones that were placed in the vessel. God had chosen Matthias -- no questions asked. No recounts needed. It wasn't luck or chance. It's not like the lottery when you pick a few numbers at random or the ping-pong balls lining up to a certain sequence of numbers by random chance. And the choice wasn't voted upon, therefore resting on human wisdom. I wonder if Joseph would have won by a human vote perhaps because he was better known or liked. God didn't choose that way. The heart of the king is in God's hand. So are the dice!
I wish that God owned a chain of airplane companies that fly advertising banners overhead. He could fly over my house each day and tell me, "Yes, private school is the way. And buy a casket, you cheapskate." It would be a whole lot easier!
Instead, God gives us, except for the dice, what the early disciples had -- and more!
1. Start with Scripture. Peter did. Before this choosing process began, Peter stood up and quoted Scripture, thus knowing that what had happened to Judas was foretold and that they could take another step. If we knew the Bible better, we wouldn't be so stymied at times. No, perhaps the specifics you want are not there, but is there an overriding principle to follow? God, in his love, often brings Scripture to our remembrances, but we need to know them first. God uses the Bible preeminently, but he also chooses to use circumstances to help guide us, too. He's in charge of these circumstances and thus uses them to fulfill his plan. Some would call them "closed and open doors." Remember, when God closes one door, look for another -- or for a window. God also shows us his will by the counsel of godly, Christian friends. Ask their opinions. Maybe they will know a biblical principle to follow. But be sure your friends are really faithful friends who won't just tell you what you want to hear. And finally, God loves to hear his children pray and often gives impression or nudges to us as we seek him. God wants his children to know his will!
2. God knows your heart! Verse 24 says, "Then they prayed, 'Lord, you know everyone's heart. Show us who of these two you have chosen.' " God knows everyone's heart. That can be good or bad depending on what is in your heart. You can't hide your real motive and you can't bamboozle God. So we can just be honest. And that's good, especially when we really are stumped and must step out with what we think is the best decision. Guess what? You can't go wrong if your heart is right. God sees it and he will turn even a less-than-perfect decision into good because he knows you were seeking him. "The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart" (1 Samuel 16:7).
3. God's will is always to be a witness. God's will is always what the apostles prayed for in verse 22: "Which one of these will become a witness with us of his resurrection?" Is this God's concern in all things? Yes. But how can the decision between closing up the garage or going on a cruise be directly related to sharing our faith and bringing others to Christ? Will working outside intensely give you more opportunities to witness to your neighbors? Will there be contractors involved who will see Jesus in you? Is the vacation needed so you can stop from being burned out at work and thus have more strength to be who God has called you to be? Are you willing to share Jesus with your dinner companions on the ship? Here are a couple questions to ask yourself as you make a decision: Will this choice lift up the risen Christ more? Will it help me in my Christian life and faith? Will it send us forth into the harvest field boldly?
These suggestions depend on the one thing Peter and the gang didn't have to help guide them, at least not in the way we do: the Holy Spirit. Pentecost had not yet happened. That's why we don't use dice or rocks anymore. All those practices ceased because the Holy Spirit resides in us and speaks to us through the Word and godly counsel, reads our heart well (he lives there!), and uses us to carry the message of the gospel in all we do.
Does God care about every decision? Should we pray about each one? Well, as you stand in front of your hanging clothes in your closet, though he does care about how you look, don't expect him to guide your hand to the dress of the day or the perfectly coordinated tie. And sometimes we paralyze ourselves and wait for an answer when common sense says, "Do it! You must!" There are simply some things we as Christians are called to do, and we can't use prayer as an excuse to put it off.
Communion with the Christ each day ("pray without ceasing") helps us know and clears the way. Setting our minds on things above helps us to sense automatically God's leading often times. He can give a check in your spirit and uneasiness or peace that passes understanding.
God wants you to know his will. He forgives freely those who repent after making a bad choice. And he even graciously brings good out of evil for his children who love and follow him! Count on it!
