Godly Decisions
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Godly Decisions
Godly Decisions
Today looking at next part of
What it can tell us particularly about how we can make good decisions
As individuals, but particularly as a church community
If we as a church want to leave a legacy for the next generation
We need to start making good decisions now to secure the future
Introduction
Introduction
Country View
Acts - all about beginning of Early Church
What happened to disciples after Jesus rose from dead
Ist half - - Jesus gave disciples instructions about what to do next
They are going to be his witness in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, & rest of know world
& To wait in Jerusalem until God sends Holy Spirit
Then Jesus does a superman & flies up into sky & disappears
So disciples then take the short walk back to Jerusalem city
Back to place where they’re staying - Upper Room
Listening through PrayerListening through the SpiritListening to Others
Decided what to do while they wait for God to do His thing
Cities
Listening in Prayer
Listening in Prayer
First let’s look at first few verses of passage
When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers. In those days Peter stood up among the believers (a group numbering about a hundred and twenty)
Notice how many of them there are in Upper Room
Not just 11 disciples - there’s Jesus Mum & brothers,
Group of women been following /serving since Galilee - ones 1st at tomb incl.
And about 100 other followers / disciples of Jesus
Acts 1:13-1
WOW! that’s big church by today’s stds in NZ
So first thing they do when get back is what? They Pray!!!
They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.
But they didn’t go off into own places, or into own corners to pray
They joined together - all 120 - to pray together i.e. corporate prayer
So before they started thinking about what to do next - they prayed
So before they started thinking about what to do next - they prayed
So before they started thinking about what to do next - they prayed
But their praying wasn’t just random prayers - they had a unified purpose
They were all praying together for same thing -
They were praying together with same intent
They wanted to know what God wanted them to do while they wait
What should they do to prepare for God’s future plan & purpose
Their expectation = God would answer their prayers
God would guide them to what decisions needed to be made
Their expectation = God would answer their prayers
Then they prayed, “Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen
Once Jesus disciples knew what God wanted them to do
They were then faced with very specific decision
They had a very specific position they needed someone to fill
They had to make a choice between two people
Now they could have done “paper scissors rock” challenge
But instead they chose to pray again ask God to make final decision
Then they prayed, “Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen
To ask God to make final decision
So there’s specific reason why they wanted God to choose right person
Only God knows true condition of people’s hearts & minds
So when we have a task we need completing / position to fill
And we’re looking for a special person to fill position / complete task
No matter what we see or hear on the outside
We will never get true picture of who a person really is
So again when we need to make important decisions...
We need God to help us… otherwise we may make wrong choice
illus - How do you approach making hard decisions about future?
illus - How do you approach making hard decisions about future?
Or perhaps you have something important you have to decide on...
How do you go about making hard decisions?
Some people choose to get away from noise / busyness of life
Sometimes hard to make decisions / think - some choose get away from noise / business / go to quiet place to think e.g. beach, park - helps calm mind, think easier without distraction - how often we get away from noise in our heads to hear God in prayer?
They go somewhere quiet to think e.g. beach, park -
They want to do all they can to help calm their mind,
Somewhere where thinking is easier without distractions...
They want to go to a refuge / somewhere safe to think better
Where do you go to make your decisions?
Wheres your quiet refuge for making important choices?
Question
Question - How often do you take your decisions to God in prayer?
how often do you go to a quiet place & hear God in prayer?
Throughout Psalms constantly read
- when we’re faced with difficult times - we should immediately go to God
Prov 3:
It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the Lord is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in him.
The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
Psalm
Psalm
Paslm 18:30
God’s way’s are perfect i.e. God knows best way to do things
God knows what best decisions are for us
His ways are flawless / without fault
& make our first decision to be putting God first in everything
So we need to be like Joshua
& make our first decision to be putting God first in everything
But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, 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 need to make most important decision first
We will put God first in everything!!
God is going to direct our decision making
God is first one we go to when need to make important decision
So like disciples first thing we do whenever need make an important decisions
Go to our place of quiet & safety, spend time in prayer to God our refuge
-
Listening to the Scriptures
Listening to the Scriptures
After 120 followers of Jesus spent time praying together to decide what do next
Then Peter believed God was leading them to replace Judas
Judas had fulfilled a role in God’s plan - he betrayed Jesus to temple guards
He got paid a lot of money to betray Jesus = was bad decision
At time he believed was right decisions - but we’re not sure why
After Jesus capture, torture, sentance to death He felt terrible
He’d betrayed his friends & 1 person mattered most, Jesus
He felt so bad about it
He couldn’t live with guilt & shame so took his own life
That
and said, “Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago through the mouth of David concerning Judas, who served as guide for those who arrested Jesus— he was one of our number and shared in this ministry.”
He got paid a lot of money to betray Jesus = was bad decision
At time he believed was right decisions - but we’re not sure why
Judas had fulfilled a role in God’s plan - he betrayed Jesus to temple guards
He got paid a lot of money to betray Jesus = was bad decision
At time he believed was right decisions - but we’re not sure why
After Jesus capture, torture, sentance to death He felt terrible
After Jesus capture, torture, sentance to death He felt terrible
He’d betrayed his friends & 1 person mattered most, Jesus
He couldn’t live with guilt & shame so took his own life
He’d betrayed his friends & 1 person mattered most, Jesus
Sadly Judas made important decision without God
Paid ultimate price for it
He couldn’t live with guilt & shame so took his own life
Now Peter wanted to seek God’s wisdom on replacing Judas
Judas had important position of being 1 of 12 disciples
That
Special followers of Jesus who’d been personally selected by Jesus
So Peter believed was important to have 12 disciples - now called apostles
So what does Peter do? After praying, Peter then consults Bible, God’s Word
“For,” said Peter, “it is written in the book of Psalms, “ ‘May his place be deserted; let there be no one to dwell in it,’ and, “ ‘May another take his place of leadership.’
He got paid a lot of money to betray Jesus = was bad decision
At time he believed was right decisions - but we’re not sure why
After Jesus capture, torture, sentance to death He felt terrible
He’d betrayed his friends & 1 person mattered most, Jesus
He couldn’t live with guilt & shame so took his own life
Sadly Judas made important decision without God
Paid ultimate price for it
Judas had important position of being 1 of 12 disciples
Special followers of Jesus who’d been personally selected by Jesus
hi had an through scripture - interpreted scriptures on basis of Jesus teaching & Jesus personal selection & intent for 12 apostles = represented 12 tribes Israel. Peter’s conviction to replace Judas discerned from / through Scripture
They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.
Peter knows OT scriptures pretty well & knew how Jesus had interpreted them
Acts 1:14
So from reading scriptures - specifically book of Psalms
And remembering Jesus teaching over past 3 1/2 years
And with Jesus commands of being his witnesses through known world
Peter figures out finding replacement for Judas = decision God approved
When you go to cafe - lots choices you’re forced to make -
Which cafe going to? Thee’s so many now to choose from...
Who are you going to go with? Friends, family, work mates, on your own?
What are you going to eat & drink? So many different types of coffe
So many different types of food in cabinet to choose from!
Where are you going to sit - so many tables - big & small, tall & short etc
If you’re going with someone - what are you going to talk about?
How long are you going to stay for?
We make multiple choices every day to do all sorts of things
Interesting but you can tell a lot about a person from choices make
This God—his way is perfect; the word of the Lord proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him.
The New International Version (1984) Further Benefits of Wisdom
5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
He is to cast lots for the two goats—one lot for the Lord and the other for the scapegoat.
The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord.
illus - How many of you go to cafe’s ?
When you go to cafe - lots choices you’re forced to make -
Which cafe going to? Thee’s so many now to choose from...
Who are you going to go with? Friends, family, work mates, on your own?
What are you going to eat & drink? So many different types of coffe
So many different types of food in cabinet to choose from!
Where are you going to sit - so many tables - big & small, tall & short etc
If you’re going with someone - what are you going to talk about?
How long are you going to stay for?
We make multiple choices every day - choosing to think, say, do all sorts of things
You can tell a lot about a person from types choices they make
Interesting but you can tell a lot about a person from choices make
Types choices people make reveal what is influencing them
Reveals who they listen to when make their choices
Question - How often does God’s Word influence the choices you make?
Bible is God’s written words - inspired by Spirit of God
The Bible is God’s truth - it provides us principles we can live by
It won’t help you make that all important coffee choice
But will provide you with wisdom you need to make good decisions
Book of Psalms reminds us
This God—his way is perfect; the word of the Lord proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him.
Psalm 18:30
Bible is God’s written words - inspired by Spirit of God
The Bible is God’s truth - it provides us principles we can live by
It won’t help you make that all important coffee choice
But will provide you with wisdom you need to make good decisions
Psalms tell us God’s ways are prefect & God’s Word is true
We can trust what God tells us, we can rest in wisdom God shows us
If we trust God’s wisdom revealed in His Word...
We will find peace & rest in decisions we make
Listening to Others
Listening to Others
After praying and reading scriptures Peter lastly consults with his fellow disciples
Notice
Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from John’s baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection.” So they proposed two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias.
In those days Peter stood up among the believers (a group numbering about a hundred and twenty)
Acts 1:2123
So they proposed two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias.
This is part of Peter’s speech - notice he’s talking to everyone in upper room
They are all going to be part of choosing someone
Peter proposes some criteria this special person needs to meet
Notice all the
Now notice it says so THEY proposed 2 men
It wasn’t Peter choosing, or a special committee...
Everyone there listened to what Peter said, agreed it was good idea
Then together agreed who’d be best people to fill important position
This was a decision arrived at through group discussion
Everyone had opportunity to offer up their wisdom and insight
Together they discerned what they thought
They listened to each other, talked it over, heard people’s thought’s / opinions
Together discerned / figured out what they believed was right decision
That req
They came up with 2 people’s names
Then after praying for God to help them to choose which person to select
We read...
Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.
This sounds a bit like rolling dice or playing Lotto
But was a way for God’s people to commit decision making to God
The lots were stones with persons name marked on it
They’d get placed in bowl, whirled around until...
First stone flies out of bowl - that person is one God’s chosen
Jews truly believed it was method to make godly decisions
The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord.
I.e. God determined which stone would leave bowl
But I want you to notice about this casting of lots is...
Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.
Acts
It was as a group they decided to cast lots to determine who was to replace Judas
And they did it together - it was a group effort
Illus - In Papamoa there’s lot’s of new houses being built
There’s many families making huge decisions to buy houses;
When buying a house there’s a lots of decisions to be made
People need advice from lot’s of people in order to buy right house
Family, bank, architects, council, builders, plumbers, electricians etc.
But if you choose not to talk to any of these people...
Chances are you might get into trouble - buy wrong house
Or house that’s not been built correctly etc.
Question - How often do you ask others for help with your decisions?
Prov 15:22
When making any important decisions
Important to run it by people you trust & respect who have God given wisdom
Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.
Anthem
God can speak through the wisdom He’s given others
Important to run it by people you trust & respect who have God given wisdom
Godly Choices
God can speak through the wisdom He’s given others
From that wisdom help you make better decisions
We will always make better decisions...
If we collect together wisdom God’s given others to help guide us
So in Acts God shows us how He wants us to make good decisions
Especially decisions that affect not only us but others too
Good decisions are made through prayer, Spirit led discernment, and collective wisdom.
Good decisions are made through prayer, Spirit led discernment, and collective wisdom.
Good Godly decisions are made through 3 things
Through Prayer
Through studying God’s Word
& Through collective godly wisdom of others
He got paid a lot of money to betray Jesus = was bad decision
He got paid a lot of money to betray Jesus = was bad decision
So questions to ask yourself today;
At time he believed was right decisions - but we’re not sure why
At time he believed was right decisions - but we’re not sure why
How often do I take my decisions to God in prayer?
After Jesus capture, torture, sentance to death He felt terrible
How often does God’s Word influence the choices I make?
After Jesus capture, torture, sentance to death He felt terrible
He’d betrayed his friends & 1 person mattered most, Jesus
How often do I ask others for help with my decisions?
He’d betrayed his friends & 1 person mattered most, Jesus
He couldn’t live with guilt & shame so took his own life
He couldn’t live with guilt & shame so took his own life
That
That
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