Our Commitment to God

Our Commitment to God

Romans 12:1–2

“And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. 2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” (New Living Translation)

Introduction:

Our text should move us to think long and hard about our lives.

We live in a time well described in Galatians 1:4, in this way, “the present evil age.” Our world is populated, for the most part, by those who are in rebellion to God. Whether knowingly or unknowingly, this is a fact (cf. 1 John 5:19). People do their own thing. They make their own rules. They do what feels right to them. Society has declared that living this way is right and good. It is widely held that this is the pathway to self-fulfillment and many have come to believe that there is no better way to live. Selfishness has become the rule in this world, rather than the exception. (How many times lately have you heard the expression, I need some me time?).

So, sisters and brothers, we have to learn to live counter-culturally. Not in every respect, because not everything in our culture is automatically and completely bad. We need to be prepared to think things through in regards to each aspect of life. We must be willing to challenge what the world says is right and wrong, because quite often, they have these two things turned completely around (cf. Isaiah 5:20).

The world says we need to be committed to ourselves, to our wants, our needs, our desires. I would like to suggest that the word of God teaches us a very different way, a way of absolute commitment to God where His way supersedes, at times, what we might want.

Body:

God Demands We Commit Ourselves to Him

It’s not a request, or a wish on God’s part, that we be committed to Him, it’s something He demands of us (cf. Galatians 6:7).

• Deuteronomy 27:10 (cf. Deut. 10:12-13)

• Joshua 24:14

• Romans 12:1-2

• 1 Thessalonians 4:1

• 2 Timothy 2:22

Obedience to God’s Commands is a Sign of Our Commitment

There are things that God expects us to do, and an attitude He expects us to maintain while doing them.

• Deuteronomy 7:9

• 1 Kings 8:61

• Psalm 40:6-8

Jesus Equates obedience with love

• John 14:15; 15:10

Love for God and Worship of Him are Hallmarks of Commitment

One of the distinguishing characteristics of the Christian is that they love God and they desire to worship Him. It is never a drudgery. It is a commitment that they take seriously.

• Deuteronomy 6:5

• Matthew 22:37

• Psalm 122:1

• Matthew 6:24

Conclusion:

• Spend some time this week meditating on just how committed you are to God

• Decide on some things that will help your commitment to grow.

• James 1:22-25 – only the doers of the word will be rewarded.