Commitment

Intro:

Good morning.

This morning I want to talk to you about commitment.

This is a topic that is so needed in society in general, but especially in the church.

We’re going to notice a few things about society at large, and then we will look at some Bible passages that deal with the idea of commitment and make a few applications for the church.

COMMITMENT IN A SOCIETY THAT NO LONGER WANTS TO COMMIT:

It seems that we live in a world where people just either don’t want to make a commitment, OR they will make a commitment, only to go back on their word later on.

Long gone are the days when society at large was raised on the principle that my Dad always said: “If you tell somebody you’re going to do something, you better do it!”

Anybody else raised on that principle?

(Pause and wait for hands)

It’s an important principle!

If you were raised on that principle like I was, then it is much to your chagrin when you’re expecting people to keep their commitment they’ve made to you, but evidently they weren’t raised on that principle!

It can be incredibly frustrating!

And we deal with this in everything from business — Maybe you hire someone to do some work on your house, and they say they’ll be done by such and such date, but they keep putting off the work in a few days turns into a few WEEKS!

Or we deal with this at work — Maybe a coworker tells you he will get something done that you need done ASAP — And it’s something you could easily do yourself, but you trust him to get it done — He DOESN’T, and then you take the fall for it!

Or maybe we deal with it at school — Group projects are NOTORIOUS for this problem right?!

Maybe you sign up to be the leader of the science project, and you get two or three of your buddies to join your group … “Oh yeah, we’ll help a lot!” …

Only to end up doing all or most of the work yourself!

Another “sign of the times,” if you will, when it comes to this:

I want you to think about college sports for a moment.

My all-time favorite sport is college football.

Unfortunately, college football (in my opinion) is being kind of ruined in the last few years by a couple of things.

The “pay for play” stuff I’m not a big fan of, but the biggest thing is the “transfer portal.”

The NCAA has made it to where players can transfer in and out of schools for the most trivial of reasons!

Some of these football players will play for 5 or 6 different schools by the time they are done!

I say all that to say this — Whatever happened to COMMITMENT?

Commitment to the team?! To the school?! LOYALTY!

During the recruiting process, when a player decides he’s going to play for a school, he makes a COMMITMENT.

A long time ago, that’s exactly what it was — a COMMITMENT to play at that school!

If you say your coming to play for school X, then that’s where you were going.

But then they started saying “I’m a VERBAL commitment” — I’ll SAY I’m committed to this school, but until signing day, I might change my mind!

And of course they end up changing their minds a lot!

Even the whole process of national signing day has become all about “me, me, me” for the players instead of commitment to a school.

“I’m taking MY TALENTS to (school so and so) to play for Coach (so and so).”

“MY TALENTS” — “me, me, me” instead of the emphasis on what he can do for the TEAM.

“There’s no ‘I’ in team.” — Apparently a lot of players miss that principle these days!

I say all that to say this — and then I’ll get off of my hobby horse — emphasis on the INDIVIDUAL rather than the TEAM, and the traditions, and the fight songs, and all the stuff that made college football so great — emphasis on the INDIVIDUAL (and a whole lot of MONEY) is ruining the sport in my opinion!

COMMITMENT! It’s important!

Now that we’ve looked at some practical examples, let’s look at what the Bible says.

THE BIBLE AND COMMITMENT:

Psa. 15:4-5 in answering the question, “Who shall abide in your holy hill?” says:

“In whose eyes a vile person is despised, But he honors those who fear the Lord; He who swears to his own hurt and does not change; He who does not put out his money at usury, Nor does he take a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things shall never be moved.”

“Swears to his own hurt, and does not change” - among other things!

What does this mean? In short, it means a person who makes a COMMITMENT and keeps it!

Maybe it’s a businessman who makes the following promise — “Here is what I’m going to charge you.”

As he gets into the job, he realizes, uh oh, I should have charged a little more for this labor — It’s taking me more effort than I anticipated, but …

But he keeps his word!

He swore TO HIS OWN HURT, but did not change!

How about Numbers 30:2?

“If a man makes a vow to the Lord, or swears an oath to bind himself by some agreement, he shall not break his word; he shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth.”

Again, such a simple principle but a principle that must be TAUGHT!

Man’s natural inclination is to BREAK his commitments, not keep them — We have to teach young people the importance of this.

James 5:12 says: “But above all, my brethren, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath. But let your “Yes” be “Yes,” and your “No,” “No,” lest you fall into judgment.” (In other words, be known for being a man [or woman] of your word!)

A couple of verses about God’s commitment to US:

Psa. 37:5 - “Commit your way to the Lord, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass.”

Prov. 16:3 - “Commit your works to the Lord, And your thoughts will be established.”

We can depend on God to fulfill what He said He would do for us!

Heaven will be our home if we are found faithful by Him!

Can God depend on US?!

Col. 3:23 “And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men” — This teaches that in all of life’s commitments, we must remember we are really working for the LORD, not just men!

How about Acts 2:42? (Talking about the CHURCH being committed to the doctrine of the apostles) - “And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.”

Lastly, a couple of other passages from the teaching of Jesus:

Luke 9:62 - “But Jesus said to him, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.””

This is such an important verse! (How can anybody read Jesus saying that and then think “once saved, always saved?”)

Anyways, let’s set this verse up in its context and notice some other things in the text around it.

Jesus earlier in the chapter had been transfigured on the mountain; He had healed a demon possessed boy as well (We’ve been studying this in the Mark account in Sunday morning Bible class).

That’s where we will pick up in verse 43. (Read Luke 9:43-62).

V. 44 - What is Jesus teaching in this section?

COMMITMENT!

Jesus is about to be taken away from them!

Are they in this for the long haul or not?!

V. 46 - Again, as we stated earlier — “There’s no ‘I’ in team!”

“I’m going to be taking my talents to the best corner of heaven in the best mansion there is there because I’m the greatest of Jesus’ disciples.”

Is that the attitude we’re supposed to have? (No!)

V. 56 — This is the Lord’s commitment to us!

He came to SAVE US!

He did not come to destroy.

Will He destroy on the last day? (Of course — We have that promise)

But He came to this world to offer SALVATION for all who will accept what He did for us!

V. 57 - That’s making a commitment!!

But would he really follow through?

Jesus is about to tell him what following through is going to look like!

V. 58 - In other words, following Jesus is going to cost you!

It’s going to cost your comfort!

It’s going to cost your security!

To the point that Jesus said He didn’t even have a home!

VS. 59-62 — This is about COMMITMENT!

There is URGENCY to the Gospel!

Do we really believe the Gospel is as urgent as we say it is?

Jesus says, “There’s no time to go back and bury the dead, or even go back and say goodbye.”

We have to be 100% fully committed!

“No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”

Finally, I want us to look at a parable.

Turn to Luke 14:15-24:

V. 15 - (This is what prompted the parable apparently).

VS. 16-20 - I don’t know if it is just human nature, or what, but we can be pretty good at coming up with excuses, can’t we?!

If you are a parent or a teacher, I’m sure you’ve heard every excuse in the book!

“Everybody’s got one!” “My dog ate my homework!”

… … … It’s no different when it comes to the work of the Lord!

When it comes to the work of the Lord, everybody can come up with an excuse if they want one!

And when it comes to accepting salvation, if people want to, they can come up with an excuse not to do what Jesus said to do in order to receive salvation!

Well, what’s going to be the case for someone who rejects Jesus’ offer of salvation on the Day of Judgment? (Keep reading the parable!)

(Read VS. 21-24).

Thus, those who were not willing to COMMIT were uninvited from the feast, and those “underdogs” that are mentioned later in the parable are invited instead!

APPLICATION:

Again, we live in a society that largely doesn’t care to keep it’s commitments anymore.

Christians, however, should hold to a higher standard!

Ask not what the church can do for you, but what you can do for the church!

“There is much to do, there’s work on every hand! Hark! The cry for help comes ringing through the land! Jesus calls for reapers. I must active be! What wilt Thou O Master? Here am I. Send me!”

Love that song!!

What inspired that song, by the way?

Isaiah 6:8 - “Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: “Whom shall I send, And who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.””

Can He COUNT on you?

Can He DEPEND on you?

Will you make a COMMITMENT for the Lord?