Choices

Youth Cell Sharing

Title: U Have a Choice

Have u ever wonder how should u live this life?

Have u ever struggled between living for Christ and living according to the world’s standards?

Let me tell u a story:

Long before ur time, in America, there lived these 2 famous actors, named Edwin Thomas Booth and John Wilkes Booth. Yes, there were brothers.

In 1863, the 2 brothers acted together in Julius Caesar. John played the role of a Brutus, an assassin. Who would have known what would happen 2 years later?

Two years later, this John who acted as a stage assassin in Julius Caesar is the same John who took the role of real-life assassin. He fired a bullet into the head of President Abraham Lincoln.

Edwin was never the same after that night, shame from his brother’s crime had drove him into retirement and he wouldn’t had returned to the stage if not for this incident.

One day, when Edwin was waiting for his train, a well-dressed young man, pushed by the crowd, fell between the platform and the moving train. Anyone could have imagined what would have happened after that. Suddenly, brave Edwin locked his leg around a railing, grabbed the man and pulled him to safety. Edwin did not recognize this young man but the young man did.

Weeks later, a letter from the General Ulysses S.Grant’s secretary came, thanking Edwin for saving the life of the son of an America Hero-Abraham Lincoln.

Strange isn’t it? One brother killed the president, and the other saved the president’s sons life. Both from the same parents, same background, same profession and passion, one chooses death and the other chooses life.

Examples from the bible:

- Abel and Cain, both sons of Adam. Abel chooses God. Cain chooses murder and God lets him.

- Abraham and Lot, both pilgrims in Canaan. Abraham chooses God. Lot chooses Sodom and God lets him.

- David and Saul, both kings of Isreal. David chooses God. Saul chooses power and God lets him.

- Peter and Judas, both deny their Lord. Peter seeks mercy. Judas seeks death and God lets him.

One of the God’s greatest gifts to us is the gift of choice.

You see, on the hill of calvary, God gave men freedom to choose. Have u ever wonder why were there 2 crosses next to Jesus? Why not 4 or 6? Why was Jesus’s cross in the center? Why not at the far right or far left? Could it be that the 2 crosses on Calvary represents one of God’s greatest gift? The gift of choice.

The 2 criminals crucified with Jesus have so much in common. Convicted by the same system. Condemned by the same death. Surrounded by the same crowd. Equally close to Jesus. In fact, they begin with the same attitude that day at Calvary. Both said cruel things to Jesus. But one change….

Read Luke 23:39-43

While we remember the thief who change, let us not forget the one who did not. U must be asking, what about him, Jesus? Would u just let him go to hell? Wouldn’t u just invite him or persuade him? No…. he wouldn’t do that, and I’ll tell u why..

Lets look at this one, the bible says that the shepherd will leave his 99 sheep and seek for the one who’s lost and the housewife would sweep the house until the lost coin is found. Yes to the both, but the father of the prodigal son does nothing.

The sheep was lost innocently,

the coin was lost accidentally

but the prodigal son left intentionally.

The father gave him the choice. Jesus let the thieves choose just as he let us choose.

Choices; we make them everyday. Some are major and some are just tiny winy choices like:

- What to eat?

- What to wear?

- What movie to watch?

And many times we make lousy choices. Have u been in a stall and after eating, u said “yucks, it’s so yucky and expensive. I wouldn’t go there again, and the next time u went back to the stall again, and feeling so unsatisfied after that” What a lousy choice u’ve made.

These are just some small mistakes that we can afford to make. We still have tomorrow to get some cheaper and nicer food.

But some choices we make are big choices, really important choices, choices u can’t afford to go wrong.

Remember there is a consequence to every choice made.

Ex: U saw these bunch of real cool hunks in ur school and u think to urself, if only I could be like one of them. And one day, a handsome hunk came to u and asked u out for a date, and u know for sure that this guy’s not good for u and ur parents wouldn’t like it if u hang out with him, but u choose to follow what ur heart feels and go with ur own desire. In the end, u find urself slacking in class, skipping school, smoking, stealing and even having sex before marriage. Ok…u got ur life all screwed up, u drop out from school, landing up in the police station a few times, ur parents are so disappointed in u and worse, ur handsome bf dumped u for another girl. What’s next? Who can u blame? Ur bf? God? Parents? Friends? No one.. It’s ur choice. U’ve wasted ur youth, ur bright future, and ur virginity. And all these can’t be rewind. Ur friends who used to be in the same class as u might had became a doctor.