A sermon by Owen Rogers from Deuteronomy 30:15-20 and 1 Corinthians 3:1-9.
The theme of this sermon is choices. Sometimes we are free to choose between different options. For example, we could choose to drink orange or apple juice. In fact we could mix them together and drink both. On other occasions we make serious decisions and we need to make a choice that matters: What job will we do? Where will we live? Will we steal what we want or save up for it? Will we eat all the ice-cream in the freezer, even if it might make us ill, or will we be more restrained?
God asks us to make choices and the biggest choice of all is about Jesus. Will we ask for his help to live his way and follow him — or will we choose our own way?
God or idols?
When God rescued the people of Israel from Egypt, he made a special promise to them. This was a ‘covenant’ which is a serious agreement between two groups or individuals. In biblical times a covenant involved a list of promises — with the threat of what would happen if one party failed to keep it. As the Israelites prepared to enter the Promised Land, Moses reminded them that they were in a covenant with God and He would hold them to it (Deuteronomy 30:15-20). They had a simple choice. They could choose life, obey Gods commands and receive his blessings or they could choose death, follow other gods and find themselves living under a curse. This may seem to be a very clear and simple choice but, over and over again, the nations of Israel and Judah went on to choose curses rather than blessings.
Moses was explaining to the people of Israel that their future decisions would have consequences. God had rescued them from slavery and had given them freedom but they would now have to choose to stay free. They could worship God and live the way that He wanted them to, or they could turn to idols made of stone or wood.
They had a choice between life and death, blessings and curses. It sounds simple but the people were often tempted by the idols of their time and prayed to gods who were not really gods – simply because everyone else was doing it.
For us today there are several things that we might choose rather than God. Things like: money, success, popularity or possessions. Why are these things tempting? What do we think they will gain for us? Why are they false gods?
Life presents a series of choices. It’s easy to make the wrong choice and get lost in a knotted mess of decisions and consequences. For the people of Israel, their decision to follow false gods meant that they had been rescued from slavery in Egypt only to become slaves again to the false gods!
Choose life
Jesus offered a new covenant which he sealed with his own blood. In this new covenant God’s people are offered a new way to choose life: repent and believe. The new covenant requires us to make a decision to turn in his direction, to follow him and discover life. Our relationship with God could be described as a series of choices. Following Jesus is a daily process of choosing life over death — with the promise that he will work to heal our bad decisions so that new life is always open to us.
So, Jesus asks us to make a decision too. He offers us so much – forgiveness, a new beginning, new life. We have to trust him and ask for his help. (See also: Matthew 5:21-37.) Jesus died for us and took on himself the consequences of our bad decisions. This means that we are free to begin again and start over when we make a bad choice. It doesn’t mean that the mess has gone, and the consequences may still be there to deal with, but we do have someone who will help us find our way to freedom, healing and peace.
Living as servants of God
In his first letter to the Corinthians however, Paul tells the believers off for making unnecessary choices with unfortunate consequences (3:3-9). He told them to grow up, not to get tied up with controversies and arguments and fighting over who was best! Some chose to follow Paul and some, Apollos, but Paul reminded them that he and Apollos were both merely servants of God. One planted the seed of faith and one nurtured it. Paul reminds them that those who serve Christ have different gifts and different callings. The Church needs people to take on different tasks so it is foolish and immature to choose between them. We are all fellow-workers in God’s field. The Corinthians shouldn’t fight over who was best but seek to be servants of God themselves.
The challenge of decision-making is always with us. We are called to act in a mature way, attempting to see things from God’s perspective.
How do we do it?
Ask for God’s guidance.
Figure out what the choice is. Check, ‘Do I have to make this decsion?’
Figure out as best you can what the consequences are of the various options.
Prayerfully consider which option is best/right/God’s will.
Make the decision and stick to it.
Evaluate it after an appropriate time (not too soon).
Choices always have consequences. Jesus faces them with us and will be there even if we get it wrong. We need to ask for his guidance and listen to other people. We need to keep choosing the life and love that comes from God.