I Choose To Be A Christian

 

1 Kings 21:1-4

1 And it came to pass after these things that Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard which was in Jezreel, next to the palace of Ahab king of Samaria.

2 So Ahab spoke to Naboth, saying, “Give me your vineyard, that I may have it for a vegetable garden, because it is near, next to my house; and for it I will give you a vineyard better than it. Or, if it seems good to you, I will give you its worth in money.”

3 But Naboth said to Ahab, “The LORD forbid that I should give the inheritance of my fathers to you!”

4 So Ahab went into his house sullen and displeased because of the word which Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him; for he had said, “I will not give you the inheritance of my fathers.” And he lay down on his bed, and turned away his face, and would eat no food.

 

Sentimental gifts:

• Sewing machine
• Dad’s bible
• Shotgun

 

No matter what anyone offered you, you would not sell because of the value that you have placed on the particular item.

 

The extreme value is only in your eyes and not in anyone else’s

 

This country was built on the principle of freedom and of choice.  Everything that was put in the foundation of the country was based upon choice.

 

Choice- being able to select of your own free will

 

Christian- being Christ like

 

Naboth

• Could have sold for something better
• Could of had anything he wanted
• Not only that but the king wanted his vineyard

 

The king only wanted it for an herb garden.

 

This was just a passing fancy for the king, but to Naboth it was a heritage.

 

Something that was passed down from generation to generation

 

Hebrews 11:24-26

24 By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter,

25 choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin,

 

“I would rather lose in a cause that I know someday will win, than to win in a cause that I know someday will lose.” -Woodrow Wilson

 

Daniel 3:16-18

16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter.

17 If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king.

18 But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up.”

 

• Choice
• Not only did they make a choice, but they were proud of their choice and stood up for their decision
• Their God delivered them and brought Revival because they made the choice of following the Lord

 

Acts 5:40-42

40 His speech persuaded them. They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.

41 The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name.

42 Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ.

 

• This only came about because they made the choice to be a Christian
• They rejoiced because they were found worthy
• The persecutors thought that the whipping would shut them up, but that only served to spur them on

 

I CHOOSE TO BE A CHRISTIAN!

 

Romans 8:35-39

35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

36 As it is written: “For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”

37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.

38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come,

39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

 

Persuaded

• Means to make the choice and then stick to it no matter what

 

I choose to go after the way called heresy!