The Choice Each Must Make

A DECISION YOU HAVE TO MAKE

- Read Matthew 2

This past week, Pinellas Circuit judge W. Douglas Baird ruled that Terri’s Law, the law governor Jeb Bush and elected state officials passed in order to save the life of Terri Schiavo by preventing her feeding tube from being removed, was unconstitutional, denying Terri her constitutional right to die. Now, I do not have the time this morning to debate with you the question of when a person should be allowed to die, nor do I know enough details about Mrs. Schiavo’s condition to make a decision about what should be done, but when we have during the same week, federal courts blocking the new partial birth abortion ban passed by congress, and when I think back to the amendment we recently had added to our state constitution concerning the housing conditions of pigs, I must say that it seems we are more concerned with the comfort of our live stock, than we are with saving the lives of people created in the image of God.

This past Thursday, Alabama’s chief justice was fired for the stand he took in trying to protect a monument with the 10 Commandments on it. Now, I will not debate with you the rightness or the wrongness of his actions, but I will confess this. I am afraid there is a line being drawn in this country between those who believe God doesn’t matter, and those who believe their lives are to be lived under God’s laws.

This past week, we continued to read about the struggle going on in the Episcopal and Anglican church over making Rev. Gene Robinson, an open homosexual, a bishop in the church. I will not take the time to discuss the sinfulness of homosexuality this morning, nor to discuss the other sins committed by preachers and members of God’s churches. I will, however, say that it appears that there are those in the church who are more concerned about their own freedoms and comforts, than they are in protecting and preserving the purity of Christ’s holy Bride, the church. There appears to be a growing number of preachers and leaders who believe that God’s church was created so they would have a job and that God’s will just doesn’t matter.

We read this past week about 3 religious films which are currently being boycotted. We are reminded that some people are more concerned about offending people than they are about being truthful to God’s Word.

This past Thursday, a federal judge in Richmond Virginia ruled that it was OK for a Wiccan, a witch, to open the county’s boards meetings with prayer. It made me physically sick to my stomach, when I realized how far our country has fallen; when I realized how many there are in our country who believe that God just doesn’t matter, who believe one religion is just as good as another.

My friends, you and I must make a decision. We must decide what we believe and what we will make a priority in our lives. Look with again please in verse 2 of Matthew chapter 2, as we see this morning the first option you and I have.

I. YOU CAN PURSUE GOD _WITH_ _ALL _YOUR_ _HEART_

- v2

In this verse we find the wise men seeking the new King, looking for Jesus. These men left the comforts of home, they left the security of their families and the pleasure of their wealth to pursue what they deemed most important in life. They left it all to find the King, the promised Messiah.

They traveled a great distance not knowing where they were going. They just followed the star that God miraculously provided. My friend, when you get that serious about your relationship with Jesus Christ, when you get that serious about finding God, when you get that serious about knowing and obeying God’s will for your life; you will find God. We are promised:

> Jeremiah 29:13 And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.

Let me ask you this morning, are you seriously seeking and pursuing God? Are you seeking to know, and then faithfully carrying out His will in your life? That is your first option.

Secondly:

II. YOU CAN ACT LIKE _GOD_ _DOESN’T_ _MATTER_

- vv 4-6

Did you notice who we find in these verses? These are the priests and the scribes, the very people charged with knowing the Bible, and teaching it to others. These are the people who were supposed to be seeking God and His will for the nation of Israel. What did they do when Herod asked them about the king? They said, “Oh, He’s supposed to be born in Bethlehem, yawn.” They knew where the Messiah was supposed to be born, but they acted like Jesus and their religion just didn’t matter. Sadly, there are many people in our country, many in our community, and even some in our churches today who act as though God just doesn’t matter. Jesus, yeah, I know about Him. I know the Bible stories and I know some of what He expects of me, but it really doesn’t matter.