What Does God Think About Our Commitment Level?
INTRO: The last four weeks I have been preaching about things that help make a church strong, lasting and effective for the Lord. I talked about how important prayer was the first week; In that we looked at our talking with God. The second week I talked about the blessings of obedience, which is our doing the things of God. Then, I dealt with our need to have strong, healthy loving homes. Thus, teaching our children about God. Last week, I looked at worshipping God, we saw the blessings of praising and honoring God in our lives. That is praising God. Today, I want to spend time dealing with commitment in our lives. This is giving God what is His to have from our lives.
How important is commitment in our lives? Do we expect commitment from those around us? What about our marriages? Do we not want a great deal of commitment from our spouse?
What about our doctors? Do we expect a minimal amount of commitment from them? Do we want them to run half of the battery of tests that might save our lives? What if they only tested for what was convenient or contained special blessings for them? What if you needed oxygen and they said we'll get to it…eventually?
How do we really feel about commitment? If our employers only paid us when they felt like it, or when the weather was nice, or if they had time? Is that the kind of commitment we want from those around us?
What about something as small as our newspaper carriers? What if they only delivered our papers on Sunday, every other day, sunshiny, or even worse if they delivered our morning papers at 10:p.m.?
How would you feel about our educators if they only taught on Tuesdays and Thursdays? What if they decided to wait until the 12th grade to teach reading and writing?
So, today, I want to ask a question and use this as a thought, "What Does God Think About Our Commitment Level?" To each of you, including myself, What Does God Think About MY Commitment Level? Am I committed to His work? Do my priorities take a higher priority than His?
I think many of you already know the answers to these questions. But, let's look at some things together this morning.
As I studied for this, I wanted to use someone who was truly committed. While I do not have time to look at all areas, I do want to look at Christ. Was He committed to His task? Without a doubt.
In Luke 2:49, as a twelve-year-old, Christ said that He needed to be about His Father's business. Even then, He was Finding Time For God. Commitment needs to start early in life!
Are you like Christ, finding time for God?
In the first six verses of Matthew 18, Christ took time to show the importance of little children in God's eyes. He was, Careful About The Little Ones. Christ was committed to kids!
Are you careful about the little ones in your life?
In Matthew 26:42 Christ placed his own will and feelings below the will of God the Father, and showed He was, Willing To Finish The Job. He was NOT a quitter!
Are you willing to do the job God has for you?
And another item about Christ I want to consider is that found in Matthew 28:18-20.
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And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.Jesus was a Promoter of the Great Commission.
Are you willing to do what he commanded in these verses?
Had Christ not been committed to doing what was needed for you and I, we would not have grace available to us. I for one am glad for His commitment and love for us.
Before I start, what is commitment? It means to be bound or to pledge to do something.
Okay, I want to look at five questions this morning…
First…
How does the Lord feel about poor commitment?
Sickened by it
Rev 3:15-16 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. 16So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
Second…
What kills, strangles, or chokes our commitment to the Lord?
Selfishness - Are we committed to Him or ourselves?
Pro 3:5-6 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
Greediness - we cannot serve God and mammon
1 Samuel 8:1-3 And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel. 2Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his second, Abiah: they were judges in Beersheba. 3And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment.
Laziness - we need to be active in our service to Him
Heb 6:12 That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
1 Thes 3:10-11 For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat. 11For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies.
Weariness - when we are physically exhausted we have trouble with our commitment
Acts 27:20 And when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was then taken away.
The third question…
What encourages our commitment to the Lord?
An acquired unshakable confidence in the Lord. -
Job 19:25 For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:
Involves…
Trusting the Lord - how can we commit to someone/something if we do not trust them totally?
Psalms 37:5 Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.
Remembering past successes and blessing from the Lord -
1 Sam 17:37 David said moreover, The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the LORD be with thee.
Asking the Lord to bless our endeavors for Him -
Joshua 14:12 Now therefore give me this mountain, whereof the LORD spake in that day; for thou heardest in that day how the Anakims were there, and that the cities were great and fenced: if so be the LORD will be with me, then I shall be able to drive them out, as the LORD said.
Another route we need to take is…
Partnering with fellow believers -
Gal 6:2 Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.
Acts 11:25-26 25Then departed Barnabas to Tarsus, for to seek Saul:
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And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.And we need to…
Buy into serving God however we can - until you "buy into" God's plan, you will never be truly committed.
1 Cor 9:19-20 For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more. 20And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law;
The fourth question…
What benefits result from greater commitment to the Lord?
We reap what we sow
John 4:36 And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.
We encourage others
Titus 2:7 In all things showing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine showing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity,
We promote unity
Heb 10:24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:
1 Cor 3:9 For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building.
We gain souls
1 Pet 2:12 Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.
We gain insight of the work needed
Matt 9:37-38 Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few;
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Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.And, my fifth question
So, how is your commitment to the Lord????
Gary Marcum - New Beginnings Church - 022705am