WHAT ARE YOU COMMITTED TO?
Ps 37: 5, Pr. 3:5-6, 16: 3, Rom.12: 1-2, I Pet. 4:19.
There are close to 100 million Church members in America and yet, why are we not making more of a moral and spiritual impact? Why is it, that on Sunday morning, hundreds of churches have empty pews? Why are so many churches having just a few at service on Wednesday and Sunday nights? Now God knows if you can’t be at Church for whatever the reason, (and He knows the reason). If you could be here and you’re not, (He knows that too)!
The Holy Bible is the inspired, inerrant word of God, and yet, why is it that so few read it? If God is a prayer answering God, (and He is) and if He meant for us to ask, seek, and knock, then why is so little praying going on? If you and I believe there is a heaven & hell, why do we keep so quiet about the gospel?
If we believe that there is none other name under Heaven whereby we must be saved, then why are we not sharing the message of His saving grace? I’ll tell you why, there’s a lack of commitment!
Read Scripture: Ps 37: 1-5, Pr 3: 5-6, Pr 16: 3, Rom.12: 1-2, I Pet. 4:19.
The 3 B’s of Commitment
I.Be Committed to God
(John. 3:16), “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (Mk. 12:30), “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.” (Matt. 6:33), “But seek ye first the kingdom of God; and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”
A. Real commitment does not have an on and off switch.
B. Real commitment is not a Sunday thing, its 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, with no vacations or off days. You are the same person on Monday through Saturday as you are on Sunday.
C. If we are really committed to God, It will show. Others will see the fruits of your commitment.
II. Be Committed to family
A. No wonder that 50% of all marriages end in divorce.
1. Children see no commitment to family from their parents.
B. How long since you kissed your spouse and told them, “I love you?”
(Eph. 5:22, 25), 22)“Wives, submit yourselves unto your husbands, as unto the Lord. 25) Husbands love your wives, even as Christ also loved the Church, and gave Himself for it.”
C. When was the last time you bought your spouse a gift for no reason?
1. Don’t you think it’s about time?
D. How about your mom or dad, your sister, your brother, or your children? (Deut. 5:16), “Honour thy father and thy mother, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee; that thy days may be prolonged, and that it may go well with thee.” Have you let them know how much they mean to you? Teach your family by your own example.
E. The Bible defines the way a family should be. (Col. 3:18-20), 18) Wives,
submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord.
19) Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them. 20) Children,
obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord.
(a) A husband has no problem loving a submissive wife.
(b) A wife has no problem being submissive to a loving husband.
(c) Children will love and honor parents who love them and teach them
according to the bible.
III. Be Committed to your Church. This consists of 4 Things.
A. Committed to Church Attendance. (Heb.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.”
1. Does your family need to ask " are we going to church today?"
2. Sundayitus epidemic: (a) 1 sneeze and back to bed you go, but On Monday grab a hanky and go to work. Just to tired on Sunday night. When you get to busy to go to church you are too busy. Wednesday night too many things to do. God can take some things away, so you won’t have an excuse.
B. Committed to Church Growth. How many people did you talk to this week? How many did you talk to about Christ? How many friends did you invite this week? Didn’t have the Time - Not committed to Church growth!
C. Committed to Church needs. (Mal. 3: 8-10), 8)“Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. 9) Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. 10) Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.” uh oh, there’s that TITHING word. We need to be committed, to giving to the church. It’s more than tithing, it’s supporting the Church, with our love, our prayers, our time, our availability, and our finances! The ministries or programs don’t just happen by themselves. We need to be committed.
(1) Let me tell you a story using four typical Church Members. I’ll name them: Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody. There was an important job to do and everybody thought that somebody would do it. Anybody could have done it but none of them did it, so it didn’t get done. Somebody got angry because it was everybody’s job. Everybody thought for sure that somebody would do it, but nobody asked anybody. In the end the job wasn’t done, and everybody blamed somebody when nobody asked anybody. Trust God, and just do it. He is the one that gives the increase!
D. Committed to Soul winning. (Pr. 11:30), “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.” (Matt. 28:19), “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:” Some may say: I can’t talk to people about the Lord…but they have no problem talking about any thing else. Some may say: I don’t know enough about the Bible. Whose fault is that?
(II Tim. 2:15), “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
(James 1: 5), “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.”
(James 4: 2-3), “2)…yet ye have not, because ye ask not. 3) Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss…” (Mt. 7: 8), “For everyone that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.” It all boils down to–Commitment.
