Deal or No Deal: It’s Your Choice!
IT’S NOT MY LIFE…IT’S HIS!
Today, we begin a new sermon series entitled Deal or No Deal? The Choice is Yours! For the next few weeks, I want to talk about making the choice to obey God and not waver from His ideal for your life in the following areas of your life:
Your Time * Your Treasure * Your Temple * Your Testimony * Your Talent
I’ll just tell you upon the outset that we will get all of our direction from God’s Word. And, as we search the scriptures, I’ll just tell you that the Bible will motivate us over and over again to obey God no matter what by reminding us that – if it weren’t for God who blesses us, sustains us, who puts life in our lungs, or gives us the capacity to think, feel, and live…then we would be lost. Therefore, it is incumbent upon us to choose God’s Way – every time!
Our theme verse for this series is a verse that summarizes this so clearly and profoundly:
I Corinthians 6:20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.
John 3:30 He must increase, but I must decrease.
This series is all about making a CHOICE on how to use this life of yours. And my prayer is that you make the choice to follow God’s Way – every time – and never consider an offer or temptation to compromise…which leads me to what you see on stage this morning…DEAL OR NO DEAL!
Fortunately for us, we don’t have to rely on just “guesses” or “hunches” when we make our choices in life. Throughout these next six weeks, we will search God’s word in order to receive specific clear directions on how we should manage these five areas of our life. We will also receive clear explanations as to why we should live life God’s way, along with receiving helpful motivations to encourage us along the way!
But, today, I want to talk about deciding from the outset - to settle in your minds to live life God’s way! In other words, before we even talk about these five topics that speak to specific areas of your life, I want to talk today about settling the decision in your mind, “Will I obey God in every area of my life?”
So, when we do talk about specific areas of life for the remaining five weeks, our minds will already be conditioned to want to hear what God’s Word says about it. In other words, before we talk about making choices on these five areas of life, there is ONE FUNDAMENTAL CHOICE that must be made. And it is this:
“Are you going to live your life according to God’s Way?”
There is a Hebrew word “Dabaq” (Dah-Bach) or (Dah-Bock). It means: passionately fixing our heart on Him – being loyal no matter what! “Dabaq” is used in the following verses:
Psalm 57:7 My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise.
Psalm 63:8 My soul follows hard after thee: thy right hand holds me.
In other words, we are to cling to Him, holding on to God for dear life! It is the heart that says, “I don’t want to leave!” “I can’t leave!” Or, “How dare I leave!” So, in life you must make your choice!
There is an excellent Biblical example of one person who made His choice…and provides for us the best example of fixing your mind on living life God’s Way. That example is Jesus Christ Himself.
Jesus Christ Himself was put to the test to see if He would make a deal with the Devil at the beginning of His earthly ministry. Before Jesus performed any miracle, offered any public teaching, any recorded sermon, he went into the wilderness to demonstrate to us his commitment to the Father’s will.
Satan, though, had a different plan. He wanted to play “Deal or No Deal” with our Lord to try to convolute Jesus’ commitment to obey the Father…and, by default, keep Jesus from dying on the cross to pay for our sins. Satan knew that Jesus had made a choice – “I will go to the cross!” “I will pay for the sins of the world…and nothing will stop me!”
So, Satan, decided to play a little “Deal or No Deal” with Jesus to see if He could make Jesus settle for less! But, we know, that If Jesus would have settled for less – we would not just be less-spiritually satisfied, or not just “less happy”…OUR SOULS WOULD HAVE BEEN LOST!
So, a lot is riding on how Jesus does at this little game that Satan played – Deal or No Deal.
Offer #1 - Look at the Immediate rather than the Eternal!
Matthew 4:1-3 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry. 3 Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.”
Jesus had made his one, singular choice – “I am going to the cross!” Satan tried to tempt Jesus to compromise – “Well, your choice isn’t satisfying you RIGHT NOW! You’re hungry RIGHT NOW…and your choice is not putting food in your stomach, is it?”
So, here’s my offer: “Forget what God the Father said – that You should be fasting right now – and break Your fast and make these stones bread!” Forget about all the souls you could save and satisfy YOUR hunger NOW!!! “Deal?” or “No Deal?”
Jesus said – “No Deal!”
Matthew 4:4 But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’”
By the way, you may be wondering what was wrong with what Satan asked Jesus to do?
What is wrong with eating when you are hungry? Nothing…unless God asks you not to. THEN, it becomes a disobedience issue. Are you going to be able to say “No” to selfish desires or are you going to live life “God’s Way?”
Offer #2 - Trust our plans and not God’s plan!
Matthew 4:5-6 Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, 6 and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: ‘He shall give His angels charge over you,’ and, ‘ In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.’”
Jesus had made his one, singular choice – “I am going to the cross!” Satan tried to tempt Jesus to compromise – “Well, if you are so dead-set on gaining your followers and saving their souls, then you are going to need some help! Because, trust me, it is going to take way too long for you gather a lot of followers the way you’re going about it! You’re going to have to PROVE IT and, trust me, the best time is early in your ministry!”
So, here’s the offer: “I know God the Father has planned for you not to exhibit your miraculous power early on…but trust me, you need to forget that and start your ministry off with a bang!” “Deal?” or “No Deal?” Jesus said – “No Deal!”
Matthew 4:7 Jesus said to him, “It is written again, ‘You shall not tempt the LORD your God.’”
Offer #3 – Gain the world, lose the soul!
Matthew 4:8-9 Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9 And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.”
This was the big offer – the offer Satan was hoping Jesus couldn’t refuse! Jesus had made his one, singular choice – “I am not going to the cross!” Satan tried to tempt Jesus to compromise – “Look, you’re a tough man to deal with… but I have an offer you can’t refuse. Ok, Ok, I know you want to go to the cross and pay for the sins of the world. BUT, I have a way you can have all the souls you want…AND you can establish your Kingdom RIGHT NOW and rule the world…AND you can bypass the cross!! Did you hear me?! YOU WON’T HAVE TO DIE ON THE CROSS!!!!
So, here’s my offer:
“Forget what God the Father said – that You have come to offer your life as a ransom for many, you don’t have to make a big deal about this – just bow down to me…and the rest is yours!!” “Deal?” or “No Deal?”
Last Sunday – Easter Sunday – we were reminded of the great sacrifice the Lord physically went through on the cross. If we were Jesus, and knowing what would be done to us, how many of us would have taken Satan up on this offer?
In addition, you may say, “Ok, it’s not God’s ideal, BUT it is a huge pay off! I mean, you gain all of the nations of the world! Sounds huge, right?” Well, for Jesus, though, it would have been settling for less than God’s ideal. He would have received glory…but our souls would be lost!!!
Jesus said – “No Deal!”
Matthew 4:10-11 Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.’” 11 Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him.
Jesus said “No Deal” to anything other than God the Father’s ideal every time!
“You must say ‘No Deal’ to anything other than ‘God’s Ideal’ every time!”
No other verse really captures this truth like Hebrews 12:2 “…looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
I want you to notice something in this interesting and very familiar verse: Notice the word “for” – it comes from the Greek word “anti” (Ant –tee).
In First Century Greek, the word “anti” literally means “instead of” or “in substitution for!!”
Today, in the 21 Century, we use it a little differently. We use it to mean “against” – like “anti-war” or “anti-gun,” etc. But in the First Century, the word “anti” meant “instead of” or “in substitution for.”
Therefore, if we take the word “anti” at its literal, technical First Century meaning, as many scholars do, then the verse should be understood this way: Hebrews 12:2 “…looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who instead of [or, in substitution for] the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
So, who “set the joy before him” and tempted him to settle for less? Who tempted him to bypass the cross and go straight to a supposed blessing? SATAN in Matthew 4! But this verse reminds us of a remarkable FACT: Jesus did not settle for less…He made a choice to live life GOD’s Way!
In other words, I have the power to get out of this and look out for my own feelings, BUT THAT would be settling for less…I have chosen to fulfill the scriptures. I have decided that no matter what, nothing will stop me from living life the way God wants me to live! That’s God’s ideal!
Jesus was saying that even with good intentions of wanting to make life better for you and someone else, there still is no substitute for living life – God’s Way!
The same choice must be made by you today. You will be pressured to settle for less when it comes to Your Time, Your Treasure, Your Temple, Your Testimony and Your Talents. You will be tempted to choose a path that seems to offer more joy, but I promise you that the joy is both short-lived and will leave you wanting. The alternative may seem easier…but it will be less fulfilling!
Anything other than God’s Way through God’s Word is a veiled lie! There is no eternally satisfying way…but God’s Way!
IT’S NOT MY LIFE, IT’S HIS!
If you have never really accepted Jesus as your personal Savior, would you do it right now? Do not delay or put it off. If you would like to receive Christ by faith, pray this simple prayer in your heart:
Dear Lord, I acknowledge that I am a sinner. I believe Jesus died for my sins on the cross, and rose again the third day. I repent of my sins. By faith I receive the Lord Jesus as my Savior. You promised to save me, and I believe You, because You are God and cannot lie. I believe right now that the Lord Jesus is my personal Savior, and that all my sins are forgiven through His precious blood. I thank You, dear Lord, for saving me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
If you prayed that prayer, God heard you and saved you. I personally want to welcome you to the family of God and rejoice with you.
