CHOOSING GOD’S LOVE
JOHN 3:16-18
TODAY I WANT TO BEGIN A SERIES OF MESSAGES ON THE CHOICES WE ARE CALLED TO MAKE IN LIFE. EVERY DAY WE ARE CALLED UPON TO MAKE HUNDREDS OF CHOICES. SOME OF THESE MAY BE MINOR IN NATURE, SUCH AS WHAT WE CHOOSE TO WEAR, OR WHAT WE HAVE FOR BREAKFAST. OTHER CHOICES ARE MAJOR IN COMPARISON. DO WE CHANGE JOBS? HOW DO WE INVEST OUR MONEY? DO I CHOOSE TO BEGIN A DIFFICULT HEALTH TREATMENT?
EQUALLY TRUE IS THAT EACH CHOICE WE MAKE HAS IT’S OWN SET OF REWARDS AND CONSEQUENCES THAT YOU AND I MUST OWN UP TO.
IF I CHOOSE TO STAY IN BED AN EXTRA HALF-HOUR THEN I MUST ALSO ACCEPT THE CONSEQUENCE OF THAT CHOICE WHICH IS TO SKIP BREAKFAST AND BE HUNGRY HALFWAY THROUGH THE MORNING.
ACCEPTING RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE CHOICES WE MAKE IS ALWAYS DIFFICULT. MANY TIMES WE SECOND GUESS OURSELVES, WONDERING IF WE MADE THE RIGHT DECISION, OR IF ANOTHER OPTION WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER. WITH THE ACCEPTING OF RESPONSIBILITY COMES THE ELIMINATION OF EXCUSES.
1 CORINTHIANS 10:13:
NO TEMPTATION HAS OVERTAKEN YOU EXCEPT WHAT IS COMMON TO MANKIND. AND GOD IS FAITHFUL; HE WILL NOT LET YOU BE TEMPTED BEYOND WHAT YOU CAN BEAR. BUT WHEN YOU ARE TEMPTED, HE WILL ALSO PROVIDE A WAY OUT SO THAT YOU CAN ENDURE IT.
SATAN DOES NOT CAUSE YOU OR I TO SIN, WE DO IT OURSELVES. SATAN CREATES THE OPPORTUNITY THROUGH TEMPTATION, AND WE ARE FACED WITH THE CHOICE OF SUBMITTING OR RESISTING THE TEMPTATION. WE MUST ALSO ACCEPT THE RESULTS OF THAT CHOICE.
WE ARE ALSO CALLED TO MAKE CHOICES REGARDING OUR SPIRITUAL WALK AS WELL. VERY FEW, IF ANY OF THESE CHOICES ARE OF A MINOR NATURE. SPIRITUAL CHOICES NOT ONLY DEAL WITH WHERE WE WILL SPEND ETERNITY, BUT HOW WE LEAD OUR DAILY LIVES. THEY MAY NOT ONLY EFFECT US, BUT OUR LOVED ONES AS WELL.
CONSIDER THESE SCENARIOS?
BILL, HAS BEEN WORKING IN THE ACCOUNTING DEPARTMENT OF THE AJAX MANUFACTURING PLANT FOR SIX YEARS. HE IS A DILIGENT WORKER, A FAITHFUL FAMILY MAN, AND A DEVOUT BORN-AGAIN CHRISTIAN. BILL HAS THREE CHILDREN, AND JUST FOUND OUT FROM HIS WIFE THAT A FOURTH CHILD IS ON THE WAY.
THE COMPANY HAS BEEN MAKING SOME CHANGES AND THE POSITION OF HEAD OF THE ACCOUNTING DEPARTMENT IS OFFERED TO BILL. NATURALLY IT INVOLVES A SUBSTANTIAL RAISE IN PAY.
WHEN BILL MEETS WITH THE OWNERS, THEY EXPLAIN TO HIM THAT THEY WANT HIM TO DO SOME ILLEGAL ACCOUNTING PRACTICES. THEY ALSO TELL HIM THAT IF HE DOESN’T ACCEPT THE JOB AND PERFORM THE ILLEGAL PRACTICES, THAT HE WILL BE FIRED.
BILL HAS TO MAKE A CHOICE. HIS CHRISTIAN WALK AND HIGH MORAL STANDARDS, WILL CAUSE HIM TO LOSE HIS JOB WITH THE COMPANY. IF HE ACCEPTS THE PROMOTION THEN HE COMPROMISES HIS CHRISTIAN STANDARDS. EACH HAS THEIR OWN SETS OF RESULTS. WHAT RESPONSIBILITY WOULD YOU ACCEPT IF YOU WERE BILL?
MICHELLE IS A MIDDLE-AGED HOUSEWIFE, WHO HAS THE POWER OF ATTORNEY OVER HEALTH MATTERS CONCERNING HER MOTHER, WHO IS IN HER MID-NINTIES AND IN A NURSING HOME.
HER MOTHER HAS BEEN IN A COMATOSE STATE FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS AND DOCTORS FEEL THAT AT THIS POINT THERE IS NO HOPE FOR ANY RECOVERY.
MICHELLE’S MOTHER DEVELOPED PNEUMONIA AND THE DOCTOR MEETS WITH MICHELLE REGARDING TREATMENT. MICHELLE MUST DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT TO START THE TREATMENT.
MICHELLE FINDS THE ISSUE OF GUILT INVOLVED WITH THE DECISION TO BE UNWINNABLE. IF SHE TREATS HER MOTHER, SHE REMAINS IN A COMATOSE CONDITION. THE OTHER OPTION IS TO KEEP HER MOTHER AS COMFORTABLE AS POSSIBLE UNTIL DEATH OCCURS.
MICHELLE, AS A CHRISTIAN FACES THE ADDITIONAL BURDEN OF NOT KNOWING HER MOTHER’S SPIRITUAL STATE, AND THE ADDED PRESSURE OF HAVING TO MAKE A DECISION THAT HAS ETERNAL CONSEQUENCES FOR HER MOTHER.
WHAT DOES SHE DO? WHAT WOULD YOU DO? HOW WOULD YOU DEAL WITH THE RESULTS OF YOUR DECISION?
YOU CAN SEE NOT THAT THE SPIRITUAL CHOICES WE HAVE TO MAKE ON A DAILY BASIS CAN EFFECT US, AND OUR LOVED ONES, AND AS WELL HAVE ETERNAL IMPLICATIONS. THE QUESTION NEED BE ASKED “IS THERE ANY WAY OUR FAITH IN GOD CAN HELP US MAKE THE CHOICES WE FACE? I BELIEVE THERE IS, AND THAT HELP IS THE BASIS FOR THIS SERIES.
POINT ONE: CHOOSE GOD
IT BEGINS WITH THE INITIAL CHOICE OF CHOOSING GOD’S LOVE. THE FIRST CHOICE WE MUST MAKE IS TO CHOOSE GOD.
AS SURPRISING AS THIS MAY SEEM THE THOUGHT OF CHOOSING GOD’S LOVE DOES NOT COME NATURALLY TO PEOPLE.
1. THERE ARE INDIVIDUALS WHO WOULD SAY THAT GOD IS NOT WHAT YOU WOULD CHOOSE. I’VE HEARD PEOPLE SAY “THAT’S ALL RIGHT FOR MY MOTHER OR FATHER, BUT I DON’T REALLY BELIEVE ALL THAT STUFF.”
2. SOMETIMES WE REACH OUT IN A TIME OF CRISIS. “LORD, SAVE ME FROM THAT TRUCK THAT HAS JUST SWERVED INTO MY LANE,” AND WHEN HE DOES AND THE FEELINGS SUBSIDE, SO DOES THE CRY FOR HELP.
3. SOME PEOPLE FEEL THE DESIRE FOR GOD IS SOMETHING YOU ARE EITHER BORN WITH OR BORN WITHOUT.
4. SOMETIMES, WE HEAR MISUNDERSTOOD THEOLOGY THAT SAYS THAT GOD CHOOSES US, AND THAT WE DON’T MAKE A CHOICE FOR HIM AT ALL. LET ME TELL YOU THAT THIS IS UNBIBLICAL.
JEREMIAH 29:13-14:
YOU WILL SEEK ME AND FIND ME WHEN YOU SEEK ME WITH ALL YOUR HEART. 14 I WILL BE FOUND BY YOU,” DECLARES THE LORD, “AND WILL BRING YOU BACK FROM CAPTIVITY. I WILL GATHER YOU FROM ALL THE NATIONS AND PLACES WHERE I HAVE BANISHED YOU,” DECLARES THE LORD, “AND WILL BRING YOU BACK TO THE PLACE FROM WHICH I CARRIED YOU INTO EXILE.
THE FIRST AND MOST IMPORTANT CHOICE YOU WILL EVER MAKE IS TO CHOOSE GOD AND HIS LOVE. FAITH ARISES WHEN YOU CHOOSE TO EMBRACE IT AND TO DO SO WITH A PASSION.
REMEMBER GOD HAS ALREADY CHOSEN TO EMBRACE YOU IN HIS LOVE. YOU HOWEVER NEED TO CHOOSE TO RECEIVE IT.
PSALM 19:1-4:
THE HEAVENS DECLARE THE GLORY OF GOD; THE SKIES PROCLAIM THE WORK OF HIS HANDS. 2 DAY AFTER DAY THEY POUR FORTH SPEECH; NIGHT AFTER NIGHT THEY REVEAL KNOWLEDGE. 3 THEY HAVE NO SPEECH, THEY USE NO WORDS; NO SOUND IS HEARD FROM THEM. 4 YET THEIR VOICE GOES OUT INTO ALL THE EARTH, THEIR WORDS TO THE ENDS OF THE WORLD. IN THE HEAVENS GOD HAS PITCHED A TENT FOR THE SUN
A SUCCESSFUL RELATIONSHIP INVOLVES THE CHOICE OF BOTH PARTIES. I LIKE TO THINK THAT I CHOOSE MY WIFE, AND I DID, THE BEST CHOICE OTHER THAN ACCEPTING CHRIST THAT I EVER MADE. BUT THE REALITY, AND THIS DEFIES HUMAN LOGIC IS THAT SHE HAD TO CHOOSE TO BE IN A RELATIONSHIP WITH ME. IT CAN’T WORK ONE WAY.
GOD CHOSE TO CREATE AND TO RELATE TO HUMANS BEFORE THE CREATION OF TIME.
EPHESIANS 1:4-8:
FOR HE CHOSE US IN HIM BEFORE THE CREATION OF THE WORLD TO BE HOLY AND BLAMELESS IN HIS SIGHT. IN LOVE 5 HE PREDESTINED US FOR ADOPTION TO SONSHIP N THROUGH JESUS CHRIST, IN ACCORDANCE WITH HIS PLEASURE AND WILL—6 TO THE PRAISE OF HIS GLORIOUS GRACE, WHICH HE HAS FREELY GIVEN US IN THE ONE HE LOVES. 7 IN HIM WE HAVE REDEMPTION THROUGH HIS BLOOD, THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE RICHES OF GOD’S GRACE 8 THAT HE LAVISHED ON US.
GOD CHOSE TO LOVE US. NOW WE MUST CHOOSE TO LOVE HIM.
IN THE GARDEN GOD PLANTED WITHIN OUR CHARACTER, QUITE POSSIBLY PART OF HIS IMAGE IN US, THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE SIGNIFICANT CHOICES.
1. HUMANS COULD CHOOSE THE NAME OF ANIMALS
2. WITH ONE EXCEPTION HUMANS COULD CHOOSE WHAT FRUIT TO EAT.
3. HUMANITY’S MOST IMPORTANT CHOICE THOUGH WAS TO OBEY OR NOT.
WHEN ADAM AND EVE CHOOSE NOT TO OBEY, OUR FIRST CHOICE CHANGED FROM OBEYING GOD TO BELIEVING IN GOD AND THAT HE COULD STILL LOVE US.
JOSHUA DID NOT LET THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL OFF THE HOOK. HE CALLED ON THEM FOR A CHOICE AND ACCEPT THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THAT CHOICE.
JOSHUA 24:15: BUT IF SERVING THE LORD SEEMS UNDESIRABLE TO YOU, THEN CHOOSE FOR YOURSELVES THIS DAY WHOM YOU WILL SERVE, WHETHER THE GODS YOUR ANCESTORS SERVED BEYOND THE EUPHRATES, OR THE GODS OF THE AMORITES, IN WHOSE LAND YOU ARE LIVING. BUT AS FOR ME AND MY HOUSEHOLD, WE WILL SERVE THE LORD.”
WE ARE CALLED TO MAKE THAT CHOICE TODAY. WHO WILL YOU FOLLOW. CONSIDER THIS ARGUMENT, ONE OF MANY TO SUPPORT BELIEF IN GOD.
THE COSMOLOGICAL ARGUMENT: ALL THIS THEORY STATES IS THAT FOR EVERY OBSERVABLE EFFECT THERE HAS TO BE A CAUSE. THE GREATER THE EFFECT, THE GREATER THE CAUSE. SO IF WE CONSIDER OUR UNIVERSE AS THE EFFECT OF CREATION, THEN CONSIDER:
1. LIGHT FROM OUR CLOSEST STAR ACTUALLY TAKES MORE THAN FOUR YEARS TO REACH US.
2. OUR GALAXY, THE MILKY WAY, IS ONE OF COUNTLESS GALAXIES IN THE UNIVERSE. IF WE WERE TO TRAVEL AT THE SPEED OF LIGHT IT WOULD TAKE 150,000 YEARS TO CROSS IT.
3. HUGH ROSS, AN ASTROPHYSICIST HAS CALCULATED FIFTY-NINE EFFECTS THAT MUST BE JUST RIGHT, TO ALLOW LIFE TO EXIST ON OUR PLANET.
IF THIS THEN IS THE EFFECT, IT TELLS US THAT IT’S CREATER IS AWESOME AND POWERFUL. YET PEOPLE STILL WILL NOT CHOOSE TO BELIEVE IN GOD AS CREATER.
ROMANS 1:18-20:
THE WRATH OF GOD IS BEING REVEALED FROM HEAVEN AGAINST ALL THE GODLESSNESS AND WICKEDNESS OF PEOPLE, WHO SUPPRESS THE TRUTH BY THEIR WICKEDNESS, 19 SINCE WHAT MAY BE KNOWN ABOUT GOD IS PLAIN TO THEM, BECAUSE GOD HAS MADE IT PLAIN TO THEM. 20 FOR SINCE THE CREATION OF THE WORLD GOD’S INVISIBLE QUALITIES—HIS ETERNAL POWER AND DIVINE NATURE—HAVE BEEN CLEARLY SEEN, BEING UNDERSTOOD FROM WHAT HAS BEEN MADE, SO THAT PEOPLE ARE WITHOUT EXCUSE.
WHEN WE ACCEPT THIS THOUGHT THEN WE ARE PLACED INTO THE POSITION OF ADMITTING ACCOUNTABILITY TO OUR AWESOME AND POWERFUL GOD, AND CHOOSE WHETHER OR NOT WE WILL EMBRACE GOD IN RELATIONSHIP.
THE FACT IS THAT SCIENCE AND THE SCIENTIFIC WORLD HAVE NO SUBSTANTIVE, SATISFYING EXPLANATION, FOR THE EXISTENCE OF THE UNIVERSE.
POINT TWO: WE MUST ALSO CHOOSE THE RIGHT GOD
IT IS ONE THING TO BELIEVE IN GOD, MANY PEOPLE DO, BUT IT IS NOT THE GOD OF THE BIBLE. WE ALSO HAVE TO CHOOSE TO BELIEVE IN THE RIGHT GOD.
FAKE GOD #1:
SOME PEOPLE THINK OF GOD AS A CRANKY DEITY. HE’S ALWAYS IN A BAD MOOD AND EASILY IRRITATED. SOMETIMES WE HAVE AUTHORITY FIGURES IN OUR LIVES LIKE THIS, AND WE TRANSFER IT TO ALL AUTHORITY FIGURES, INCLUDING GOD.
WE MUST REMEMBER THAT GOD LOVES YOU DEEPLY AS OUR TEXT SUGGESTS. THE PLAN OF SALVATION IS A PLAN OF LOVE, OPEN TO ALL.
FAKE GOD #2:
THIS FAKE GOD LIKES TO PLAY GAMES, SNEAKING AROUND AND PLAYING “HIDE AND SEEK.” THE QUESTION OF THE DAY FOR THIS GOD IS “WHERE ARE YOU NOW GOD?” AND GOD RESPONDS WITH “YOU’RE GETTING WARMER OR COLDER”. THIS GOD KEEPS TRICKING YOU BY CONSTANTLY CHANGING.
THE GOD OF THE BIBLE, THE GOD WHO LOVES YOU IS NOT LIKE THIS.
HEBREWS 13:8: JESUS CHRIST IS THE SAME YESTERDAY AND TODAY AND FOREVER.
GOD IS EVER THE SAME. IT DOES NOT MEAN THAT HE IS ALWAYS EASY TO UNDERSTAND, BUT HE IS ALWAYS THE SAME AND HIS ACTIONS WILL UNTIMATELY PROVE TO BE TO YOUR GOOD BECAUSE OF HIS LOVE FOR YOU.
ROMANS 8:18: I CONSIDER THAT OUR PRESENT SUFFERINGS ARE NOT WORTH COMPARING WITH THE GLORY THAT WILL BE REVEALED IN US.
FAKE GOD #3:
PEOPLE PULL OUT THEIR LAMPS AND RUB THEM TO FIND THIS GOD. “ GIVE ME FAVOR AND GRANT ME THREE WISHES GOD.” WE BRING THIS GOD OUT WHEN THERE IS A CRISIS AND WHEN THE NEED IS PASSED, PUT HIM BACK IN HIS BOTTLE.
THE TRUE GOD:
THIS IS THE GOD OF THE BIBLE WHO LOVES US AND WANTS US TO CHOOSE HIM. HE IS THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN CORRECT THE CONSEQUENCES OF OUR SIN CHOICE.
POINT THREE: GOD IS LOVE
THIS IS DIFFICULT TO RECONCILE AS OFTEN WE WILL SAY “IF GOD IS LOVE…THEN WHY DID HE ALLOW…”. WHEN WE SAY THAT GOD IS LOVE, WE WANT TO DEFINE WHAT THAT LOVE IS. WE SAY “THIS IS MY CONCEPT OF LOVE, AND GOD MUST CONFORM TO IT, OR I CAN’T BELIEVE THAT HE IS A GOD OF LOVE.”
GOD’S LOVE IS A PROTECTING LOVE, BUT IT IS NOT ALWAYS A PREVENTING LOVE. HE DOES NOT ALLOW PAIN FOR THE SAKE OF PAIN, BUT ALWAYS HAS A HIGHER POSITIVE PLAN FOR OUR HURT.
1. GOD ALLOWS PAIN TO HUMBLE US.
C.S.LEWIS DESCRIBES PLEASURE AS GOD’S WHISPERS, AND PAIN AS GOD’S MEGAPHONE.
2. GOD ALLOWS PAIN AT TIMES TO RESTORE OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM.
3. GOD ALLOWS PAIN AT TIMES TO REFINE US. I OFTEN THINK OF RUTH GRAHAM’S GRAVE MARKER WHEN IT COMES TO THIS.
GOD DOESN’T ALWAYS PREVENT PAIN IN OUR LIVES, BUT HE DOES PROTECT US AS WE GO VICTORIOUSLY THROUGH IT.
ISAIAH 43:1-3:
BUT NOW, THIS IS WHAT THE LORD SAYS— HE WHO CREATED YOU, JACOB, HE WHO FORMED YOU, ISRAEL: “DO NOT FEAR, FOR I HAVE REDEEMED YOU; I HAVE SUMMONED YOU BY NAME; YOU ARE MINE. 2 WHEN YOU PASS THROUGH THE WATERS, I WILL BE WITH YOU; AND WHEN YOU PASS THROUGH THE RIVERS, THEY WILL NOT SWEEP OVER YOU. WHEN YOU WALK THROUGH THE FIRE, YOU WILL NOT BE BURNED; THE FLAMES WILL NOT SET YOU ABLAZE. 3 FOR I AM THE LORD YOUR GOD, THE HOLY ONE OF ISRAEL, YOUR SAVIOR;
CONCLUSION
YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TODAY TO CHOOSE TO BELIEVE THAT GOD IS THE GOD WHO LOVES, AND THAT HE LOVES YOU. MAX LUCADO CALLS JOHN 3:16 “THE HOPE DIAMOND OF THE BIBLE”, BUT IT ONLY PROVIDES HOPE WHEN YOU APPLY IT TO YOURSELF.
INTELLECTUALLY: YOU MUST CHOOSE TO BELIEVE WITH ALL YOUR HEART NOT JUST THAT GOD LOVES, BUT THAT HE LOVES YOU JUST AS YOU ARE.
EMOTIONALLY: YOU MUST CHOOSE TO BELIEVE AND EMBRACE GOD’S LOVE AS A LIFE-ALTERING IDENTITY TO REST UPON.
CHOOSING GOD’S LOVE IS LIKE SWIMMING UNDERWATER IN A SEA OF GOD’S LOVE. GOD’S LOVE COVERS YOU TOTALLY. IT GETS INTO EVERY NOOK AND CREVISE OF YOUR BODY. IT’S CLEAN, WHOLESOME AND HEALTHY.
STAY UNDER UNTIL YOU CAN’T HOLD YOUR BREATH ANYMORE, AND THEN BUST TO THE SURFACE SHOUTING “THERE IS A GOD WHO LOVES ME AND I CHOOSE TO BELIEVE IT.” CHOOSE TO BELIEVE THAT GOD LOVES YOU AND MARVEL AS HE PROVES IT BY CHANGING YOUR LIFE.
