INTRO &

WRAP-UP

Hacked Week 1: Making Wise Choices

The Point How to Make Wise Choices

Intro How many of you have ever made a bad choice in your life? Come on raise your hand? How many of you would say that you make more bad choice then good choices? Be honest. How many of you would say “no, I really do make good choices more then I make bad choices”?

Well today were going to watch as a character named Charlie finds himself in an odd situation and through it he has a series of choices he needs to make.

Let’s go to the first week of Hacked.

Wrap-Up We just watched as Charlie had a series of decisions to make. Most of them seemed pretty small—like whether or not to obey his mom and rake the leaves.

But then after he accidently got kidnapped, the choices he would make would change everything for him. If he chose to not find who the kidnappers were really trying to kidnap, nothing would’ve changed for him. But he chose to pursue it, and as you will see over the next few weeks, his life is about to completely change.

Was it the wise choice? Well, you’ll have to keep coming back to find out.

I remember a time in my life when I made a, well, not-so-wise choice …

Tell about a time when you made a bad choice and how it impacted your life. This doesn’t have to be overly serious. It can be funny. This is just an opportunity to let students get to know you a little better.

While that may have been a bad choice, I can also remember the best choice I’ve ever made in my life …

Tell about one of the best choices you’ve made in your life and why that was such a good choice to make.

Here’s the thing. We’re all capable of making good choices. But at the same time, we’re all capable of making bad choices too.

Let me tell you something you probably already know. This isn’t anything revolutionary, but I really want you to get it and understand it …

When you make wise choices, chances are things will probably be better for you. But when you make bad choices, your life will be harder.

Let me sum it up this way …

Good choices equal better life.

Bad choices equal harder life.

Look at what the Bible has to say about making wise choices and what we want to accomplish today …

INTRO &

WRAP-UP

Proverbs 1:2-5 NLT Their purpose is to teach people wisdom and discipline, to help them understand the insights of the wise. Their purpose is to teach people to live disciplined and successful lives, to help them do what is right, just, and fair. These proverbs will give insight to the simple, knowledge and discernment to the young. Let the wise listen to these proverbs and become even wiser. Let those with understanding receive guidance.

Did you catch what that verse is saying? Essentially, if you want to live a successful life, it’s important to learn how to make wise choices.

Again, the simple math: Wise choices = Successful lives.

So how can we know we are making wise choices in our life?

Here are 5 things to do to help you make wise choices:

1. Ask yourself how you feel about the choice you have to make. Do you feel like it’s the right thing or the wrong thing? 2. Ask yourself if this will be helpful or hurtful to yourself or others. 3. Ask others what they think about the choice you have to make. 4. Find out what the Bible has to say about it. 5. Pray about it.

If you run your choices through those 5 points, it’ll help lead you to the right choice. The great thing is, you don’t always need to do all 5. If you get through one of those and the answer is, “No, it’s a bad choice,” well then there you have it. But if you’re not sure, then go through the rest of the points.

So, right now I want you to close your eyes and bow your heads:

Have students close their eyes and bow their heads.

Some of you’ve realized today that you’ve made some poor choices in your life, and because of your choices things have been hard. But if today you’re saying you want to start to make better, wiser choices, then raise your hand right now and let me pray for you … (Pray for the students.)

Keeping your eyes closed and heads bowed:

For some of you today, right now you’re going to make one of the best choices you’ll ever make in your entire life. It’s the choice to start following Jesus—to give up control of your own life and allow God to lead your life and your choices. Some of you don’t have that relationship with God, but you know you want to get to know Him. If you want to make the best choice you could ever make by accepting and receiving that Jesus died for you so that you can live, if you want to make that choice for the first time in your life, then raise your hand right now and let’s all pray this prayer together, repeating after me … (Have students repeat the prayer after you to receive Jesus in their lives and to begin to live for Him.)