Commitment

Presented, March 27, 2005 am

A NEED FOR COMMITMENT

This morning I want to talk about a subject that is of great concern in our society - The subject of commitment. We live in a self-serving, disposable society today. Far too many make commitments today only based upon what they can get out of it. Why do so many marriages fail? Why do so many drop out of school and live mediocre lives? Many, at the first sign of problems quit their jobs. While there might be many contributing factors, usually the reason stems from lives that lack commitment. And serving the Lord is not exempt of this attitude. There are many Christians whose service to God is far less than committed. My question is, is such an attitude pleasing to God? In our lesson this morning we want to examine the importance of true commitment.

I. What Is Commitment?

a. 1: the trait of sincere and steadfast fixity of purpose; … 2: the act of binding yourself (intellectually or emotionally) to a course of action; (Wordnet 2.0, Princeton University)

b. In the Bible there are several Greek words that are translated into English with various derivatives of commit.
James 2:9speaks of committing sin
James 5:15 – “And if he has committed sin, he will be forgiven” (Different word than James 2:9
Acts 8:3 speaks of Paul wreaking havoc and arresting Christians, “committing them to prison” which means “to give over,…to give into the hands.”. We will deal with this a little more in a few moments.
1 Timothy 1:11 speaks of “the glorious gospel of the blessed God which was committed to my trust”
1 Timothy 1:18 – “This charge I commit to you, son Timothy…” referring to commending, or “to set before”
2 Timothy 1:12 speaks which says, “…for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that he is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that day” the word meaning, a deposit or a thing consigned to one’s faithful keeping (Thayer)

c. As we apply this subject, we want to focus on some of these words, especially that which has been entrusted to us and that which we entrust to another.
Thus when we speak of commitment, we mean that which we have entrusted to God and which He has entrusted to us – which is our ALL.

i. “To give over” – When one becomes a Christian he surrenders his life to Christ and God – Galatians 2:20; 5:24; Romans 6:6 speaks of the fact that our old man was crucified with Him.

ii. God as entrusted us with His word – the idea of stewardship implies this. We are also expected to share it with others – 2 Timothy 2:2; 1 Timothy 1:11,18; Titus 1:3

iii. We entrust all that we have to Him – as in 2 Timothy 1:12; 1 Peter 4:19

d. The reason so many live half-hearted lives of service to God is because they have NOT entrusted their all to Him. They are willing to give Him some of their lives, but not their all. God says this is not enough. He MUST be FIRST.

i. Romans 12:1-2 – present your bodies as a living sacrifice.

ii. 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 – Our life is described as a race. “Run in such a way that you may obtain it”… “But I discipline my body…”

iii. 2 Corinthians 8:5 – What made the Macedonians so pleasing to God, “they first gave themselves to the Lord.”

II. Examples of Commitment

a. We can learn much from examples about what is involved in a particular subject. Let us consider some examples of commitment and the lessons we can glean from them

b. Jesus – He is our greatest example. Having emptied Himself, He came to this earth to be rejected by us. He did this because He loves us so much.
At anytime Jesus could have stopped the process, (See John 10:17-18; Matthew 26:52-54) but He knew He was our only hope, so He committed Himself to complete the demands of His Father so that we might live.
1 Peter 2:21-23 where Peter calls upon us to suffer following the example of Christ, “Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth; who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously…” In the example of our Lord we find that commitment does not just apply when things are comfortable or going the way you want them to be. REAL commitment comes when we face adversity and suffering and we still remain steadfast.
Luke 23:46 – on the cross, as Jesus was about to die, He cried out with a loud voice and said, “Father, into Your hands I commit My Spirit.”

c. Paul – another great New Testament example of commitment. In the example of Paul we first learn what we must be willing to give up – Philippians 3:3-8. Paul was going places but he was NOT willing to sell his soul.
Acts 21:13 records the fact that he was willing to die for Christ. You find in Paul a refusal to compromise, EVER.
Galatians 2:20 summarizes his commitment – “I have been crucified with Christ…”
We also find in Paul hope – 2 Timothy 1:12 – He knew God would keep what he had committed to Him until that day.

d. Job – Satan challenges God saying, “Does Job fear God for nothing?” (1:9). His accusation was saying, the only reason Job is faithful is because you have put a hedge around him. As the account develops, Job loses everything except his life. Yet in all that he says, “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him. Even so, I will defend my own ways before Him. He also shall be my salvation, for a hypocrite could not come before Him.” (13:15)
True commitment will cause us to trust God even when times are tough. This is how one is willing and able to die for Him knowing that God knows what is best.

e. Hezekiah – 2 Chronicles 31 records the reforms of Hezekiah as Judah is turned back toward God including braking down the pillars of idolatry and restoring true worship. Verses 1-2 points to some of these reforms – they break down the pillars of their idols and restore true worship. Verses 20-21 say, “Thus Hezekiah did throughout all Judah, and he did what was good and right and true before the LORD his God. And in every work that he began in the service of the house of God, in the law and in the commandment, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart. So he prospered.”
The commitment of leaders often moves others to righteousness and it involves the heart.

f. Acts 4:19, Peter stands up before the Sanhedrin defending His faith – we HAVE to do this. Consider the determination of Peter – not too long before this he had denied His Lord 3 times at his most crucial moment. Before the ascension of Jesus we find doubt. Now we find Peter with such conviction that NOTHING will stop him from standing up for God.

III. Where Commitment is Needed

a. Toward God – Mark 12:30, when asked what is the first commandment, Jesus answered, Love God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength. This was actually a quote from Deuteronomy 6:4-5 where Moses was challenging Israel to provoke God’s blessings (vs. 3).
When we look at the good examples of God’s word we find men and women who loved God and committed their lives to glorifying Him. Consider Daniel, Abraham, David, Paul, Peter, and even Jesus as we have noted. Many who overcame Satan “by the blood of the lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death” (Revelation 12:11)
Revelation 2:10 is a challenge to “be faithful unto death” so that you can receive the crown of life.
Friend, if you are NOT totally committed to God – you are in danger of losing your soul.
WHY ARE YOU HERE TODAY? Is it because of your commitment to God?

b. Overcoming sin and worldliness – Living in a world filled with temptation where ungodliness and worldliness is often paraded proudly, it takes commitment to do the right thing. Living in a society that encourages and even rewards selfish pursuits requires commitment to stay on the right path.
In God’s word we are constantly warned to resist the devil and temptation. We are called upon to overcome wickedness and have NOTHING to do with it.
Ephesians 5:7 says, “Therefore, do not be partakers with them”
Proverbs 8:13 says, “The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; Pride and arrogance and the evil way and the perverse mouth I hate”
Romans 12:9 says, “Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good”
WHY ARE YOU HERE TODAY? Is it because you are striving to overcome the world and its ways?

c. In your families – Godly families are the key to a godly society. So many problems in our society are a result of broken and undisciplined families. Divorce almost always results from a lack of commitment. Usually, children fall away and live rebellious lives because commitment to God is not instilled in them by godly examples and teaching. After Moses challenged Israel to love God with all their heart, he called upon them to teach these things to their children. (Deut. 6:6-9). One of the key reasons for Israel’s failure can be attributed to their failure to commit what they had been taught to their children (See Judges 2:10)
God’s word gives clear instructions for a healthy family – both the husband/wife relationship and the parent/child relationship. If we are committed to these values we drastically increase our chances of a happy, healthy family that will be productive. Proverbs 22:6 says, “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.” The New Testament backs this up (Ephesians 6:1-4, Colossians 3:18-21, etc.)
WHY ARE YOU HERE TODAY? Is your presence today showing your children and spouse your true commitment to God?

d. Toward the church – Recently, we have studied in some detail the importance of commitment to the Lord’s church. If the church is to thrive it depends on each and everyone one of us doing our share thereby promoting growth (Ephesians 4:16). There are many ways we demonstrate our commitment to the Lord’s church – including our giving, participating in worship, developing spiritually in your personal life, proclaiming the gospel to the lost and BY BEING HERE.
WHY ARE YOU HERE TODAY? Is it because the Lord’s church is REALLY important to you and His wellbeing is priority one in your life?

e. In all we do – “Whatever you do, do it heartily as to the Lord, and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.” Colossians 3:23-24

Today is a day when many will profess their faith in God believing that attending services a couple of times a year is all that God expects. In this lesson I hope we have seen that such is NOT enough. God wants you to put Him first and totally dedicate your life to Him. He is not pleased with the one who gives Him occasional service and minimal effort. WHY ARE YOU HERE TODAY?