Title: Theme for 2015 Commitment SDBC 9-28-14 A.M.
Subject: Who and What are you committed too?
Introduction: These past few Sundays the messages have been on our Walk, that is on the way we live our lives as Christians. There was the Walk in Christ, The walk worthy of our Vocation, a walk that is flourishing even in our old age, then there was walking as Christ walked and finally last week was regeneration and how we walk after being regenerated or born again.
Core: That being said several things came to me for a theme for the church in 2015. Unity was suggested, Purpose was considered while those sound great and would be a great theme, that is not what we came up with. With last year’s having been a theme of Renewal what better to follow it up with than Commitment. Last year was renewal and how we should have a renewal of Heart, a heart for God, Renewal of Soul a soul that belongs to God, Renewal of strength, Strength to walk for God. Now Commitment so what about Commitment, what do we commit ourselves too? Commitment to God first and foremost, Commitment to Church, because that is where we worship God and get closer to our commitment to Him and finally Commitment to Community, carrying out the Great Commission is Commitment to community.
Body:
I. Our verse for Commitment and for this message is Psalms 37:5 Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.
A. In a month we will be concluding the Revival meeting time with Bro. David Williams
1. If we truly wish to see revival in this church and community we need commitment
2. Our Commitment to God should be First and foremost
3. This should be seen in the weeks leading up to the Revival
4. Our Commitment to this Church
5. Should show forth in our attendance
6. Our Commitment to Community
7. Should be showing forth in our bringing
8. The unchurched, and unsaved to services and thus fulfilling the command of the Great Commission.
B. Something else we need is the Power of God or should I say the presence of God in our services
1. We can’t generate that power
2. But with our commitment to God
3. With our seeking His will and way
4. We can have the Holy Spirit’s power in our lives
C. The thing that is needed most for a real revival to break out is Commitment
1. Not just a commitment for the set of Revival meetings
2. But real true commitment to being on Fire for God throughout 2015
3. Real Commitment to serving God
4. Real Commitment to the church and attending services
5. Real commitment to the community by reaching out and witnessing
6. Reaching folks and even volunteering in community events
7. People need to see our presence
8. Hear our words and see our Commitment, not just hear us talk about it
D. You hear less and less in churches today about commitment than you did say 20 or 30 years ago.
1. You see it less too
2. People are sporadic in attendance
3. Too many cares for the world require a commitment
4. People are Sporadic in giving to God
5. Finances are tight and that is for everyone
6. People are sporadic in witnessing and reaching others
7. That is apparent in many churches as growth has slowed down
8. People have ceased to be as committed to God as they have in the past.
II. Thus our theme Commitment
A. Commit thy way unto the Lord Psalms 35:7 tells us
1. Give it to Him to rule it
2. Let Him guide your path
3. Let Him be the light of your every step
4. That is commitment
B. We see many troubled souls in our world today
1. Psalms 35:1-11 gives the answers for a troubled soul
2. We have in them promised blessings to the righteous
3. But God can’t bless you if you aren’t committed to Him.
4. Verse 3 says 3 Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.
5. See the promise, you will dwell in the land and be fed
6. God will take care of your needs when you trust in Him.
C. Commitment to God is having Him as our guide
1. We are to submit in every phase of our lives
2. Commit everything to Him
3. Our home, our finances
4. Our job, our church
5. Our community
6. Most of all our total being should be committed to Him
D. There is a great need for Commitment today
1. Commitment you need to understand brings with it responsibility
2. What kind of responsibility, availability
3. You must be available for God’s use
4. You must make everything available for God to use your life, home, finances and yourself
E. Commitment means God is going to have results come from your obedience
1. Obedience to the Leading of the Holy Spirit
2. True Commitment will lead to True obedience
3. A real commitment is not part time
4. A real commitment to God is serving full time
5. At work, school, home
6. Anywhere you are.
III. Commitment to God is the most important phase, Be Committed to God
A. Commit to God first and foremost I your Prayer Life
1. How often do you pray?
2. Paul said pray without ceasing
3. Commit thy ways you do that through Prayer
4. If you can do something and still please God then do it
5. But if it violates what God commands then you’re not fully committed to Him
6. Commitment is a full time thing and has full time results.
B. Commit to God in Bible study
1. How often do you read your Bible?
2. Does it collect dust for weeks or months?
3. Look at Ephesians 3: 3 How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, 4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)
4. See verse 4 Paul says “when you read, ye may understand”
5. You see as you read the Holy Spirit will give you understanding
6. 1st Corinthians 2:9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. 10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
7. The Holy Spirit can only reveal these to us when we are reading scripture
8. Be committed to daily bible reading and study.
IV. Be committed to church
A. Church attendance is first and foremost here
1. Hebrews 10: 25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
2. You see attendance is not just Sunday morning
3. Every time we assemble we are not to forsake it
4. That takes commitment
B. Make a commitment to attend Sunday School
1. Every Sunday morning 10:00 A.M.
2. We have teachers to teach the youth
3. We have teachers to teach the younger children
4. I am teaching Sunday School right now
5. But I have a desire to develop a class for new believers as we see them come into our church
6. We need someone to commit to teaching the Adults when this begins
C. Nothing is more important than your commitment to God and Church
1. In fact is a 24-7 commitment
2. I realize that sometimes there are times you can’t make it here to church
3. When I was working on the road though I attended services, Wednesday Night and Sunday Services
4. One church I served as interim music director and taught a training union class as well as filling in for a Sunday School class
5. That is what I knew God wanted me to do
6. If for instance you are out of town find a church to attend in that town and go.
D. You should be committed to giving back a portion to God.
1. You see God gave you 100% of all you have in fact it belongs to Him
2. God expects you give and give cheerfully
3. What do you give, 2 Corinthians 9:7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.
4. As you are led by the Holy Spirit as He lays the amount on your heart
5. The amount of the giving is important to God
6. 1st Corinthians 16:2 give another reason to not forsake the assembly, 2 Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.
7. We give on Sunday Morning
8. What if you miss that Sunday for some reason
9. I know folks who if they are going to miss will mail their offering into the church for that Sunday understand that is commitment.
10. Is there a standard, Well Abraham gave a tithe that is a tenth. Jacob did too and this before the Law of the Tithe was given to Israel.
11. On a pay check today you see an amount taken off the top for
a. FICA
b. MED/EE
c. OASDI/FE
12. The Government takes theirs right off of the top so too should we for God.
13. Commitment is not about a church average, it’s all about what YOU give.
14. Notice too you give as God has prospered you according to 1st Corinthians 16:2
15. How much does God prosper you?
16. As The Holy Spirits burdens your Heart
17. You give as God has prospered you
18. Commit to giving
19. That is what is most important.
20. Every time you prosper ask the Holy Spirit how much to purpose in your heart to give.
V. Finally Commit to community that means carrying out the Great Commission Matthew 28:19 & 20 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
A. Go ye can you see that is a command and you need to be Committed to going and telling
1. Some want to say I can’t talk to people about Christ
2. As we have said Acts 1:8 says you will be a witness
3. That is by the power of the Holy Spirit
4. We have an invitation that has been created to pass out to folks on the table at the back of the church.
B. We can pray about starting an evangelism class
1. There are many good programs we could utilize
2. One by Lifeway called G.R.O.W. that I mentioned last year
3. Evangelism explosion is another
4. And I have CD’s and notes from my Advanced Evangelism course that could be used.
C. Commit to winning souls and reaching the unchurched
1. Invite them to church
2. Invite them to the Revival
3. Commit to having people come with you to the revival
4. That is commitment to community, Commit to bringing someone new to church with you each Sunday that is Commitment.
D. Committing to community means finding something to help the community with
1. We did good this past year in stocking the food pantry at the Association
2. Where else can we minister
3. Commit to finding a ministry in the community that God leads you to
4. Let’s see how we can help with that
5. People see us out doing and helping
6. Being committed to help that will go a long way in reaching the unchurched and the unsaved.
VI. Real commitment doesn’t switch on and off
A. Think about commitment like this
1. Sometime in eternity past God the Father made the plan for man’s salvation.
2. God the Son would die for man’s sins
3. God the Father planned it
4. God the Son put His full commitment into your and my salvation
5. God the Son made the commitment to be the Propitiatory sacrifice for all of mankind
6. And He carried it out fully
7. His had a full unwavering commitment
8. The Holy Spirit revealed it all to us through the inspired word
B. How committed to God, Church and Community are you today, do you really just give lip service or is it a full commitment to God, Church and Community?
1. The steps were laid out this morning about what Commitment to these is all about
2. You check your life to see what type of Commitment you truly have
3. Take it further what kind of Commitment are you going to make in 2015
4. Where do you want your life heading and this church heading?
5. If we want to see a growing thriving church we need to make a full commitment to God
6. A full commitment to Church and to our Community.
Conclusion: Are you a committed Christian, you may think so but with this year’s theme of Commitment the Holy Spirit will reveal the truth to you. As believers we are to commit our ways unto the Lord, Trust in Him and He will bring it to pass. Many things in our lives require commitment, Marriage, Family and occupation are a few of those things. Our Commitment to God, the church and the community are part of why we exist. Commitment to God, Church and Community is important for our lives to be fully accomplishing the purpose God has placed on our lives. What are you going to do in this year of 2015 in the way of Commitment to these things? Will you make a commitment to them or just stay status Que. You are the one who must make that call, the challenge has been laid down, what will you do?
