Decisions Gerald Birky

H m hm h m. Good morning, Christian greetings to

all of you this morning. It's it's a privilege we

have to meet like this, to spend the hour or

two Sunday morning together to worship, to look at to

look at God. And it's been it's been interesting to

me to listen to the sequence of the service. Of course,

my perspective would be a little bit different because I

know what I was planning to talk about, what I

am planning to share this morning.

But the t.

D's devotional on doing business with God or getting getting

up close and personal. He went, he went to the

Book of Acts for a demonstration of that.

Proverbs. We looked at that.

That's a bunch of nuts and bolts, practicality, practical things.

How do we live?

Whether Jason brought our minds back to Jehovah, the God

who who's our creator, the one who we will answer to.

I think it's a good exercise for us, for our

minds to move through those sequences. So this morning, I

don't feel I have a I don't have new concepts

or any anything real earthshaking to share with you, but

a subject or a topic that's been on my mind,

maybe since first of the year, New Year, I thought

out of some of these these things. So for a

message title this morning, this is really short title decisions.

That's what I have. That's what I have down for

a title, Decisions. And when I say that, it's it's

obviously something that applies to all. It's not something that's

a an age specific or gender, nor social status anything.

You You, if you're here and you're able to understand

what I'm saying, you make decisions. First, just a little

barb at the English language. If I have a sentence

written down here, decisions, you must make them, and you

must make them decisions you and I can point to

the guy on the fourth bench from the back and

say you must make make them.

That's an accurate statement.

And it's just as accurate to continue the sentence and say,

decisions you, all of you must make them. What the

school teachers and the English teachers try to make try

to figure out how to teach the logic in that

the exact same set of words can mean an individual

or a group.

Another way to say that would be decisions.

I am called to make them, and we each individually

and at times collectively, must make them about decisions well,

this is a quote, a quote I picked up says this,

of all creation, only man, the only the humans that

God created, can say yes or no to God. The

balance of creation from animals run by instinct. You have

the plants, you have the small all organisms from you know,

you have massive trees that are doing what they're supposed

to do.

They don't have the option of.

Saying no to God. But humans, humans do. Another concept

with regard to decisions is this concept, and.

That is again this is not is not original with me.

I read this.

I don't even remember where, but it's stuck in my mind.

A single yes is a thousand No's very simple concept,

but that that is kind of how how life shakes

down when.

We when we say yes to something, kind of like

a direction.

You can you can point your airplane, or you can

point your boat or your whatever. You can point it

east at ninety degrees and drive or south at one eighty.

But when you're going that direction, it precludes all of

the other directions you're not. You can't try a multiple

directions at once. It's kind of how decisions work. So

I would just a little bit of a map here.

You can turn in your Bible to Act sixteen. Like

TJ the thing of decisions, I thought of my mind

went to this story, but kind of a sketch of

where I planned to take you this morning. An introduction

story here from Act sixteen, we'll look at decisions and

how they are made. Look at some decisions of Old

Testament characters or at least one character, and current day

practical decisions, both as a in church life and personal life.

So the story in Act sixteen, it's a very familiar story,

but I'd like to read this story Act sixteen, starting

with verse nineteen. I'd like you to think about the

various characters in this little historical account, these characters and

and the decisions that they had to make, the things

that came up in their face. So Acts sixteen nineteen, well,

just a little bit of introduction. Paul, Paul and Silas

were preaching, and there was this damn soul possessed with

a spirit of divination.

She could she could, she could divine. She was a

fortune teller. She could tell, she could, apparently with.

Some accuracy, tell you what was gonna happen in the

future to you. And she had some some owners or

some people who were benefiting from that they were getting

money they were that was their income source verse nineteen.

And when her masters saw that the hope of their

gains was gone, in other words, they are headed for bankruptcy,

they called Paul and Silas and drew them into the

marketplace under the rulers, and brought them to the magistrates, saying,

these men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city and

teach customs which are not lawful for us to receive,

neither to of being Romans. And the multitude rose up

together against them, and the magistrates rent off their clothes

and commanded to beat them. And when they had laid

many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging

the jailer to keep them safely, who, having received such

a charge, thrust them into the inner prison and made

their feet fast in the stocks. And at midnight Paul

and Silas prayed and sang praises unto God, and the

prisoners heard them, and suddenly there was a great earthquake,

so that the foundations of the prison were shaken, And

immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone's bands were loosed,

and the keeper of the prison awakened, awaking out of

his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew

out his sword and would have killed himself, supposing that

the prisoners had been fled. But Paul cried with a

loud voice, saying, do thyself no harm, for we are

all here. Then he called for a light sprang in

came trembling and fell down before Paul and Silas and

besought them, saying, and brought them out and said, sirs,

what must I do to be saved? And they said,

believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shall be

saved in thy house. Gay backing up and just looking

at this, just a little like to highlight the people involved. Here,

you had a Paul and Silas. You had the people

who were rather unjustly caught and badly mistreated and imprisoned.

We have the man.

We have the man who was the keeper, the prison guard,

who was given a project. He was charged to keep

them safely. In other words, if you get nothing else done,

don't let these guys loose, don't let these out.

Verse twenty five. We have Paul and Silas.

At midnight they made a decision. And how they made

this decision, I'm not sure. It may have been just

simply because they hurt too bad to sleep. But however, however,

whatever the scene they made, they made the decision to

pray and to sing.

That was their point.

That was a decision that they made, not realizing where

this would lead.

What what the what.

The final trail down where this trail was going to go?

The earthquake happens, and I visualized in my mind of

a building of steel and concrete, probably steel doors and

concrete walls. But it says the foundations were shaken, and

you know the doors. I suppose the building racked and

the doors popped open, and it was a miraculous thing.

And this keeper of the prison he wakes up. He

comes to the realzation of his situation, which is the

prison doors are open, and he made a decision. His

decision involved suicide. He pulled his sword and would have

killed himself. He said about taking the easy path for himself.

The other path for him was was was a path of.

The Romans killing.

Him, and he figured it would probably be less painful

if he just did that himself, to a selfish move.

Simultaneous with that decision, we have Paul crying with a

loud voice, stop do thyself, no harm, don't don't do it.

We are all here. In other words, you've.

Made an incorrect assumption. You assume we all left, which

we understand why you assumed that.

But actually we're all here. Don't hurt yourself. That was

That was a decision that for Paul.

If he would have stopped and thought about it, I mean,

I'm sure somebody else would would have wanted to elbow

him in the ribs and said, be quiet, let this stuff

play out so we can leave.

But he didn't.

Paul made a snap decision in the best interest of

someone else, and that brought that brought this keeper to

the position to to another decision. But he came and said, sirs,

what must I do.

To be saved?

And that that's the that is the decision point, that's

the that's the doing business.

With God part that we all do indeed need to

come to another.

So well as you think about that little story and

these various people and their decisions, what what they did.

H it's it's a story with with a positive with

a positive very positive ending.

Mm hmmm.

Paul and Silas praying at midnight with with after having

been beaten. They would have had part of part of

that praying and singing. I'm sure involved forgiveness had had

Paul and Silas settled in with bitterness, It's unlikely with

with bitterness and anger for for for the mistreatment, the beating,

it's unlikely that the jailer would have survived. But they

were in a frame of mind, a forgiving frame of mind.

The decision to forgive, that's that is something that is

an individual and an individual thing, an individual decision we

make or don't make. I read just yesterday read an

article this is a current current happening, but a a

pastor by the name of Bill Curl from the First

Baptist Church, Orlando, Florida.

I don't this.

Little article didn't give his age. His wife's age eighty

five years old, so I presume he was probably approximately

that age. Pastor's wife. Last week at home, minding her business,

the house was broken into, or at least entered, by

a man, homeless man who had a history of he

had been in prison for this before, of breaking, entering, assaulting, robbing,

leaving this man this man with picked up a candy

dish or a candy container, a crystal, a piece of glass,

candy holder, of some kind.

And hit the eighty.

Five year old woman on the head or apparently brain

brain injuries, knocked her out, ransacked the house. She woke

up without with her phone missing in the house, ransacked

several hours until her She couldn't get a hold of

the neighbors her several hours till her husband came home.

She went to the hospital brain bleed. She died and

this passed her and pastor Bill Curle with with photographic

evidence of what happened, had a message of forgiveness for

the attacker. That's and yeah, the the funeral, the celebration

of life is will be this next week. That I

was thinking of about this when I read that article,

was like, now, the man, the man and the decision

to forgive, But how many times between now and Saturday

will he have to revisit that and make another decision to.

Forgive.

As you make decisions, there are times when when that decision,

the decision to forgive, will be, The decision to forgive

or not to forgive will be will be in front

of you. But now let's let's step back just a

little bit and go a little bit more into the oh,

just some theory about decisions and how they are made,

and think about personal decisions and broader decisions. Some decisions

affect only only only you, only me. Other decisions, well

you we think that kind of the working out by

your personal decisions actually do affect a broader a broader.

Group of people.

But then there's other positions in life where you make

a decision, be it church or school teaching or Sunday

school class, where the decision of one affects a group,

decision of one affects multiple parents are in that situation

most of the time, and so how should decisions be made,

especially as the other I mean, it's not too hard

for parents to parents to make the decisions when when

the children are less than chest high.

But as they.

Grow and have opinions, then how should decisions be made?

There's some wrong, there's some not well, I'm gonna call

them wrong ways to make decisions. But let me just

paint you a picture. This simple question. What shall we

have for dinner just to you know, or supper? It's

let's say it's when it's whns did wens did four pm?

And prayer meetings in three and a half hours? And

what shall we have for supper?

Fair enough? Question.

It's a decision that has to be made. Well, I

could float you a I could float a hypothetical, or

a I could float a suggestion into the equation, you know,

caesar salad, flamgnon with caviat cream, berlet, and maybe vegetables

about to have some candied baked potatoes or something. That's

a suggestion. The decision needs to be made. But who's

involved in the decision, Well, who's who's the family we

were talking to. Let's say there was a let's say

there was from a from a two year old to

a fourteen year old, five children, there's there's there's seven

opinions here.

Shall we vote? Shall we vote on what to have

for dinner? Well?

Yeah, the hunt the hungry boys are all about that.

The perspectives though the father's perspective. Pop is a little

concerned about the cost of this. I mean that sounded

like a three hundred and fifty dollars supper to me,

and that's not going to be very sustainable, and for

not for very long at least.

Mama, the cook, with one a baby on one hip

and another hanging on her skirts, says, there's it's.

No, there's not that much time between now and when

we when we have to leave for church. How about

tomato soup and cheese sandwiches. That sounds a lot more

like something that would happen the children, especially the thirteen

year old boy. He's no the steak. Let's let's get

back to that we want and yeah, just the good

side of the tea bone. So who should be making

the decision? By what criteria? Who benefits who loses? You see,

not all decisions are created quite equal. There's probably a time,

there's probably time for the fancy meal. Jeane hinted that

was Friday night for those of you that didn't catch that.

Let's think a little farther decisions and how they're made.

So if you move your mind more to a instead

of the family and the and the supper picture, and

think of a think of a country internationally. How how

does a country make decisions? Because there's decisions that are

that are made in Washington, d c. And in Salem

that affect us. How are those decisions made? If you

look globally, there's a there's several different I kind of

broke it down into three different three different ways decisions

are made. You have a dictatorship. There's democracy, there's constitutional republic.

Those kind of the three that the three that surfaced

in my mind. Dictatorship is where one man, one voice,

unilaterally says nope, it's tomato soup for supper. And there's

a there, there's a time and a place for that.

We don't always, we don't always dislike.

The dictatorship.

You know, if you're if you're if you're sleeping in

your bedroom and the house is on fire, you don't

mind somebody very loudly and insistently saying, get up, get

out of the house, the house is burning. At that point,

you're not all about democracy. We don't all have to

We don't have to vote on this at that point,

which brings us to Well and God. If you think,

I think, think about God and his rules, his laws,

Thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal. These are

these are forward sentences with a period or an exclamation point,

that we're given non negotiables.

We accept that from God, democracy.

And the full full, all the stops pulled out, democracy

is we vote on it. Back to the supper analogy,

it would be the fancy meal. You might have to

skip prayer meeting, but we we'd at least have our

we'd at least have our steak and caviare And the

will of the people ask us the question, will vote,

will decide? M h yeah, And the and the and

the well worn out description of democracy. Three wolves, group

of four in a pasture, Three wolves, one lamb, gathering

in a very just and democratic way to vote on

what to have for dinner. You see, it may work

for the wolves, but not much for the lambs. The

constitutional republic, I'm just giving this, Yes, this is rather

you could call this rather political. The United States claims

to run that way. But what a constitutional republic is

is an agreed.

Set upon laws.

The country that is operated via in this manner, constitutional

republic has an agreed upon set of laws, with an

agreement by the people to adhere to those laws, and

a specific process to get laws added or subtracted. And

in this country we call that the political process.

Part of politics is putting people in place that will

vote on and put the next law that we like

or dislike there.

The US, I believe, has has enjoyed peace and prosperity,

and it's been a it's a very desirable country and

I believe it's because the US laws are very like

God's laws for the church, that way of operating.

Some things, some things set down.

Very specifically, and then the people working it, the people

actually living it, are free to add how they want

to see that work. We call that principles and applications.

God has given the principles were to follow, and we,

both individually and as a group our response given the

responsibility to apply them to our lives figure out how

we're actually going to live, which incidentally is another series

of decisions decisions from Old Testament characters. And the clock

is galloping away from me. I was going to look

at Joseph, tj used. His mind went to Joseph as

well with regard to Old Testament character making decisions. He

made the decisions, yes, to forgive his brothers. But before that,

I would the part of Joseph's life that I had

thought of was his his his working for Potiphar, his

working in Potiphar's house, the the temptation, the trap he

was in with Potiphar's wife, and and finally he said, no,

my master's not here. The Master's left everything in my

chart in my care. I can I can do what

I want with everything, but you, Potiphar's wife, I can't

touch you. How could I do this great wickedness and

sin against God. That was Joseph before he well, before

the brothers came back and he was needing to forgive them.

It was established in his mind very clearly got what

what God's principles were. Now interestingly enough, thou shalt not kill,

thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not commit adultery written

down with the period that was Moses. That's that's that's

still in the future. Joseph had that information from some

from some other way, but he took Joseph's personal decisions,

God's principles, God's laws, God's rules were indeed considered another

man who had difficulty and decisions. You think, well, yeah,

some decisions are there's there's the Joseph type, you know,

in your face temptation and yes, no decisions. But the

decisions that come down my the decisions that I have

to make, they're difficult ones. I don't know what to

do with that. Maybe it should be this way, maybe

it should be that way. Difficulty in decisions. Think about

King David in the Old Testament, but before he was

king is when I was thinking about his difficult decisions.

He's called a man after God's own heart. He was

anointed by Samuel the Prophet. You know, this is after

Moses and the children back in Israel, and they have

judges for a number of generations and finally now let's

have a king. And they have King Saul. And Saul's

going to have to have a successor somewhere here. He's

not going to be king forever. And David, this seventeen

year old, is anointed by Samuel. You've got a project

for you later on. Should answer the questions, right, he

now knows what he's I mean. After all, Samuel, the Prophet, God's,

God's spokesman to earth.

Just told him what he's supposed to be doing.

Decisions should be easy, right, Actually wasn't really, you know, Okay,

parties over, back to the back to the sheep, back

to the pasture.

And after a while his father here a block of cheese.

Take it to your nasty brothers. And the brothers chewed

him out. They said, what you no, go back to

the sheep. You don't belong here.

Those decisions for David, I'm sure we're not we're not easy,

but kill a giant. Oh wait, come play play your

heart for the king. Okay, ditch the sheep, and he's

He's now in the white House, so to speak. Life

life ought to be pretty good until the spear hits

the wall.

You see, I don't think any of us are allowed

just all easy, easy decisions.

Come to Saul's dinner. Yeah, he gets invited in, get

invited for dinner. Saul plans to I don't know, string

him up or something. Consult Jonathan note not coming. He's

hiding in caves. Finally, eventually, the day does come when

David is king. He's Saul is is no more. That's

that chapter is done. David is the king, he's he is,

He is making he is making decisions that are affecting others. David,

the King winds up, winds up with the Uriah ab

Uryah Bathsheba story, a terrible problem finally kind of culminating

with him Absalom running him out of running him out

of the White House, running him out of where the

king was supposed to be. He was still king, but

his son said, you'd better be gone or I'll kill you.

See.

Personal decisions, personal decisions, are one thing, but they do

have far reaching effects. And then there's this unhandy intersection

where where personal decisions. And you see when I when

I stand here and look at look at you, in

a way I see church group decisions and another way

I see personal decisions kind of culminating in or stacking up.

It's the row of personal decisions that finally brings you,

you know, here to this point. This, this is where

you are lastly here, current day today, practical decisions? How

should how should a church?

How should a group make decisions?

You see, we can all we can each individually understand, yes,

no decision for me to make, but a group how does?

How does a group make a decision and make it correctly?

I'm going to go through these these things again just

a little bit, the various decision way the decisions are

ways of making decisions.

And then to close here, I mean.

I'd like you to read, I like to read a

chapter of practical maybe chapter and a half of practical

church life. Well they're they're they're they're verses, but they

could be bullet points. So at church, how do how do?

How do how would in your mind?

How should a church make decisions? In the political sphere.

I've mapped out the the a dictator dictator versus dictatorship,

versus democracy versus constitution, republic, and I'd like you to

think about that with regard to church. For traditionally, I

mean dictatorship or hierarchy for the first fifteen hundred years

after the time of Christ, when the church was in

Christian Church was in existence. After year three hundred, for sure,

there was mostly it was a hierarchy. It was a hierarchy.

The definition of hierarchy is a system or organization in

which people or groups are ranked one above the other

according to.

Status or authority.

And the Catholic Church in those years tied their status

their authority.

You had the priests, the priests dealing with the people

tying to.

I'll call mid level managers, and finally the pope, and

the pope was put into place by the previous pope,

and they can track that all the way back to Saint.

Peter, and there's the basis of the authority.

Reality is, bierarchical systems have not worked well in God's Kingdom,

and neither has democracy. When when people? When when when groups?

When churches attempt to to to move or to make

decisions and set policy and practice based solely on the

popular vote. It's a matter of time until until the

popular vote is something that's contrary to God's principles or

God's design, that put that group winds up taking a

position outside of God's design for his people, his church,

the constitutional republic comparison, where God and his principles, his

word equal to constitution. And then yeah, we we we

as a group, and if not amendments, at least spending bills,

let's let's start church at ten o'clock in the morning.

That that's not exactly a there's a principle buried in that,

you know, don't forsake assemblies. But then finally the practical

when are we going to do that becomes becomes something

that we need to decide on determine.

As a group.

Let all things be done decently in an order. Wherefore,

brethren coven to prophesy, forbid not to speak with tongues.

Let all things be done decently in an order. That's

for Scrintian's fourteen Romans twelve. Provide things honest in the

sight of all men, honesty in our dealings. These are

some of these things. Maybe part of maybe part of

the Constitution, and we and the Amendments, you know, the

further explanations church leadership.

We find that principle in.

The Bible and in the Book of Acts, that there's

going to have to be someone to to take charge,

to say it's time to start the meeting. Turn in

your Bibles to the Book of Hebrews. In conclusion, here,

I simply want to read two chapters. As you think

about decisions, personal decisions, group decisions. How should we make

decisions individually? How should we make decisions as a group?

I'll tie you back pretty hard to the concept of

God's God's rules, God's principles. But Hebrews chapter thirteen that

actually I'd like to read Hebrews thirteen. But first, this

Book of Hebrews kind of intrigues me. Who is it

written to look at Hebrews Chapter three, verse one. Hebrews,

this book which when I when I think of the

Book of Hebrews, I think of these all this theory, this,

this better things. And he talks about sacrifices and almost

goes off into into it's not unintelligible, but.

It's it's a it's a lot of theory.

But he's, but but I believe that this book was

addressed very specifically to a group. He could have used names,

but he pretty much didn't. Verse one where for Holy

Brethren partakers, he's he's, he's, he's addressing someone specific. Chapter six,

verse one, leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ.

In other words, he's, he's admitted, he's agreeing with me

that we've been talking about principles and and doctrinal issues.

But leaving that, let us go on unto perfection. Let

us a verb that our pronoun that includes him. We're

going to do this together. We're going we're going to

go on to perfection Verse nine and ten of Hebrew.

Of Hebrews six, he throws out a bit of a compliment.

But beloved, we are persuaded better things of you and

things that a company salvation. Though we us speak, God

is not unrighteous to forget your work. And you know

what you've done. You you've ministered to the saints and

do minister. In other words, you're you're continuing on. That's great.

Hebrews eleven. We know what that chapter is. The lists,

the lineup of saints, the encouragement that comes out of there. Hebrews,

Chapter twelve, Verse one, he says, yeah, but we we

are surrounded by this cloud of witnesses. You know, they're they've,

they've they've they've passed on, but they're still they still

exist in the spirit world. These these witnesses are around.

So because of that, let us lay aside. Let's let's

let's get on it. And then verse four he gets

a little bit personal and testing with them. Ye have

not resisted unto blood. So now they've they've they found

themselves complimented a few chapters back, and now they get

chewed out a little bit verse five, and ye have

forgotten the exhortation, which speaketh unto you as children.

You're you're, you're forgetting some things.

Then he gets to chapter thirteen, and I want to

read most of that chapter as kind of just bullet

points him him stating, and as I read this, think

of think of the the decisions that that you're called

to as we go through them. But verse twenty three,

at the end of that, know that what I say

there no know ye that our brother Timothy is set

at very personal. He he throws in this name that

that you folks know. And so this this writing is

not too now necessarily just to a blanket statement theory.

I believe this chapter is very specific to certain to

a group of people talked about Timothy. But here's what

he here's what he says to do.

And think about the decisions that will have to be made.

Let brotherly love.

Continue verse one, period different subject. Be not forgetful to

entertain strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. Remember

them that are in bonds, as bound with them, and

them which suffer adversity, as being yourself also in the body.

Marriage is honorable in all and the bed undefiled. But

hormongers and adulters, God will judge.

Verse five.

Let your conversation, or your customs, your manner of life,

be without coveteousness, and be content with such things as

you have. We have said, I will never leave Thee,

nor forsake Thee, so that we may boldly say, the

Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what

men shall do unto me Verse seven. Them which have

the rule over you. That phrase is repeated in verse seventeen.

My other Bible says, your pastors. Remember your pastors who

have spoken unto you the word of God, whose faith

following follow Considering the end of their conversation, these are

almost one liners verse eight. Jesus Christ the same yesterday

today in forever Verse nine, be not carried about with

divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing

that the heart be established with grace, not with meats

which have not profited them that have been occupied. Therein,

he kind of goes off into a sachet here talking

about comparing them.

The church will with.

The traditional Jews Verse ten, we have an altar, whereof

they have no right to eat, which serve the tabernacle.

For the bodies of those beasts whose blood is brought

into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin are

burned without the camp.

Wherefore Jesus also.

That he might sanctify the people with his own blood

suffered without the camp. Back to the practical, let us

go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach,

for we have no continuance, for here have we no

continuing city, but we seek one to come by him. Therefore,

let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually.

That is the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to

his name. But to do good and to communicate, forget not,

for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. Obey them

that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves, for

they watch for your souls. As they let us give

a count, they may do it with joy and not

with grief, for that is unprofitable.

For you.

Pray for us, for we trust we have a good

conscience in all things, willing to live honestly. But I

beseech you rather to do this, that I may be

restored to you the sooner now. The God of Peace

that brought again from the dead. Our Lord Jesus, that

great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the

everlasting Covenant, make you perfect in every good work, to

do His will, working in you that which is well

pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be

glory forever and eavor.

Amen. Thank you for your attention. Let's have a closing song.