Committed To A Fresh Start
January 11th, 2004
WHAT WE NEED TO BE COMMITTED TO
Have you heard about the man who moved into a retirement community to spend the rest of his life there? It wasn¡¦t long until he had made a number of friends among the other residents.
There was one lady he was especially attracted to, and she was attracted to him, also. So they spent a lot of time together. Finally one evening he proposed, asking her to marry him.
The next morning he woke up remembering his proposal, but he couldn¡¦t remember her answer.
So he went to her and said, "I¡¦m really embarrassed. I proposed to you last night but I can¡¦t remember if you said `Yes¡¦ or `No."¡¦
"Oh, thank goodness!" she replied. "I remembered saying `Yes¡¦ but I couldn¡¦t remember who asked me."
Sometimes I feel that way about New Year¡¦s resolutions.
I tell myself, "This year I¡¦m going to turn over a new leaf. I¡¦m going to exercise regularly and lose weight. I¡¦m going to do all kinds of things to improve myself physically and spiritually."
But then somehow I forget. How many of you have that problem, too?
So¡K this year I have a suggestion for a New Year¡¦s resolution that we ought to be able to remember.
It is kind of broad and very general, but here it is¡K let¡¦s promise God and ourselves that we will make a change for the better.
Does that sound like a good resolution?
This year, as God¡¦s people, and as His church, let¡¦s make this one simple resolution - we¡¦re going to make a change for the better.
Let¡¦s just commit ourselves to a fresh start with God ¡V as we talked about last week.
We¡¦ve entitled this series on ¡§What We Need To Be Committed To.¡¨
Every one of us needs to raise the level of commitments we have in our lives. We need to raise the bar in our lives.
Someone once said¡K ¡§If you aim at nothing¡K you will surely hit it.¡¨
The Word commitment is a term that has become obsolete in a lot of ways.
¡P People use it to talk about marriage
¡P Pastors use it to ask how many people are willing to make a commitment
¡P Your boss uses it to be sure that your going to be committed to coming to work, etc.
What is commitment? It is an engagement or pledge to do something. It is an unreserved devotion, bound to stand fast or hold in place.
We live in a self-serving, throwaway, live-for-the-moment, do-what-feels-good, society.
Typically, the only commitments made these days are those that benefit you personally.
Commitments that are made are typically to worldly things. We are committed to things outside of God¡¦s economy.
(1 Th 3:8 GWT) "Now we can go on living as long as you keep your relationship with the Lord firm."
Paul is writing to the church describing the fulfillment of life ¡V by committing to their faith.
{You don¡¦t really live until you live a life of the committed.}
One of the first things we need to aim at being committed to having a fresh start
(We talked about this last week.)
I like the New Year because it helps me to do that.
I like going to bed at night because it allows me to be committed to a fresh start in the morning.
I like what Psalms says¡K His mercies are new every morning.
Remember what we talked about last week? We used the acronym START.
S - top making excuses
T - ake an inventory of my life
A - ct in faith
R- efocus
T- rust in God
What Do I Need To Be Committed To?
1. I Need To Be Committed To A Growing Relationship With Jesus Christ.
This is an on going experience. It¡¦s not just a one-time experience.
It is something that I continue to work on. It is something that I continue to grow in.
I should be going deeper and deeper and stronger and stronger.
It is like a lot of the video games that are out there¡K you get to one level and there is always another level.
You don¡¦t win until you die and go to heaven!
I want to look back at the end of this year and say ¡V I¡¦m a better person ¡V that I have a deeper faith.
(Phil 3:8 NKJV) "Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ"
(1 Cor 2:2 NKJV) "For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified."
¡P Are you committed to overcoming sin?
If I¡¦m going to serve God¡K I must be committed to overcoming sin.
If you¡¦re not committed to this ¡V you¡¦re fighting a losing battle!
(Psa 101:3 NLT) "I will refuse to look at anything vile and vulgar. I hate all crooked dealings; I will have nothing to do with them."
(Prov 8:13 NLT) "All who fear the LORD will hate evil. That is why I hate pride, arrogance, corruption, and perverted speech."
2. I Need To Be Committed To Enjoying Life Right NOW!
Secondly¡K we just need to be committed to a having a positive attitude toward life.
I know that I¡¦m going to heaven someday¡K BUT IN THE MEANTIME¡K I want to enjoy life right now.
ILL. A few years ago a lady committed suicide, leaving behind this note. "I decided that unless life was worth living I would just quit living."
How do you feel about your life? Is it worthwhile?
Or, let¡¦s change the question¡K
What would it take for you to feel that your life is worthwhile? What would have to happen to make you feel really positive about your life?
¡P If you won the lottery, would that do it?
¡P If your marriage suddenly was all patched up, would that do it?
¡P If your kids began to make you proud, or¡K
¡P If you got a promotion, would that do it?
¡P What would it take for you to really feel positive about your life?
Now¡K if that¡¦s the way you¡¦re thinking¡K then you¡¦ll probably never feel really positive about life because all the little pieces that must come together to make you positive about life will probably never be there.
Go to Philippians 3:12-14. This has been our text for the last couple of weeks.
Keep in mind here that Paul is in prison, chained to a Roman guard, under horrible conditions.
Yet despite that, he writes these wonderfully positive words¡K (which we read last week and the week before that!)
(Phil 3:12-14 NKJV) "Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. {13} Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, {14} I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."
Now stop for a moment and ask yourself, "What is Paul trying to grab hold of?"
Paul tells us in vs. 10, "I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead."
What is he reaching for? What is his goal?
Paul¡¦s goal is the resurrection from the dead. His goal is eternal life with Jesus. That is what he is reaching for and striving for every day. His goal is heaven.
Now here is the point¡K
If our goal is heaven; if our goal is eternal life with Jesus Christ; then all these little setbacks in life are only stepping stones getting us closer to the time when we will be with Jesus.
¡§Don¡¦t sweat the small stuff. Everything is small stuff.¡¨
There will be disappointments in life, but every day that passes is one day closer to the time when we will be with Jesus.
If that is our goal¡K then Romans 8:28 is true.
(Rom 8:28 NKJV) "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose."
The world says that the way to feel good about your self is by climbing the ladder of success - by making a lot of money - by having influential friends - by receiving a lot of awards - by belonging to the right circles.
Those are the things that make you feel good about yourself.
But the Bible teaches us that we are to feel good about ourselves because God loves us.
I can feel good about life right now.
I¡¦m going to heaven but I can be happy right now.
God says that you are His treasure and that you are special to Him. He says that you are valuable to Him. IT DOESN¡¦T MATTER WHAT PEOPLE THINK OR SAY.
ILL. Frank Peretti said, "It¡¦s no wonder that our young people today have poor self images when they go to school and read books that tell them that they are the products of blind chance - that they are just accidents of nature - unplanned, unloved, and unwanted."
But the Bible tells us that we are wanted and loved and cared for by God Himself.
Jim Valvano was head coach of the North Carolina basketball team.
He rose to fame when his team started winning championships. Everybody liked him. He was always cracking jokes and had a winning way of dealing with people.
But in 1991 Valvano learned that he had inoperable bone cancer.
During Christmas time, 1992, he said, "It¡¦s difficult to be thankful this Christmas because I¡¦m not sure I¡¦ll be here next Christmas." And he wasn¡¦t. He died in 1993.
"But," he said, "this Christmas I¡¦m getting down on my knees and thanking God for every day of the 46 years of my life."
He was positive about life because he realized that life is a very precious gift God has given us.
It must sadden the Lord that oftentimes we take this gift He has given, and don¡¦t treasure it for the precious thing that it is.
3. I Need To Be Committed To My Family.
You might have failed miserably in this area ¡V BUT YOU CAN CHANGE THAT!
Healing can come if you desire it.
The family has been under attack for a long time. Great battles are being waged in Washington and Sacramento right now over family issues.
As a church ¡V we need to set the standard. We need strong husbands and strong wives that are going to stand up for what is right.
¡P Are you committed to your marriage?
A covenant is the highest form of commitment - Especially a marriage covenant.
(1 Pet 3:7 NLT) {7} In the same way, you husbands must give honor to your wives. Treat her with understanding as you live together. She may be weaker than you are, but she is your equal partner in God’s gift of new life. If you don’t treat her as you should, your prayers will not be heard."
I was wondering one day why my prayers weren¡¦t being answered. The Lord just quietly spoke to my heart telling me¡K ¡§You¡¦re not honoring your wife.¡¨
My heart was instantly convicted.
(Heb 13:4 NLT) "Give honor to marriage, and remain faithful to one another in marriage. God will surely judge people who are immoral and those who commit adultery."
(Prov 18:22 NLT) "The man who finds a wife finds a treasure and receives favor from the LORD."
The book of Malachi tells us that if you deal treacherously with your spouse ¡V that it was one of the things that angers God.
A lack of commitment to our marriage will break down everything else in our spiritual walk.
¡P Are you committed to your children?
If you have kids ¡V they need to be one of your highest commitments in life.
You might not feel like you have a life or you have a ministry BUT your highest ministry in life is to love your children.
(Deu 6:4-7 NKJV) ""Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one! {5} "You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. {6} "And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. {7} "You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up."
Eph 6:4 And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.
Prov 22:6 Train up a child in the way„h he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.
Being committed to family is the kind of commitment that impresses God.
4. I Need To Be Committed To My Church Family.
Some of us just need a fresh start toward the church.
It seems that because of the culture we live in ¡V that I¡¦m always dealing about attitudes about the church.
¡P About money
¡P About sticking your nose in their business, etc.
It is probably true that most of you here today love God¡¦s house and His church.
You desire to see Jesus lifted up and you desire to reach out to a lost and dying world with the message of salvation.
All of us need to be committed to God¡¦s house and ministry.
But sometimes we allow ourselves to become critical. We lost the joy of serving.
In our media savvy and entertainment era ¡V we have sometimes just lost the sense of simplicity and falling in love with Jesus.
We want to be entertained rather than just come and worship and serve Jesus.
In John 12 there is an interesting account of something that happened as Jesus ate with His disciples.
(John 12:3-8 NKJV) "Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil. {4} Then one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, who would betray Him, said, {5} "Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?" {6} This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it. {7} But Jesus said, "Let her alone; she has kept this for the day of My burial. {8} "For the poor you have with you always, but Me you do not have always.""
This woman brought a jar filled with expensive perfume and broke it and anointed his feet with the perfume.
Immediately Judas Iscariot and some of the disciples criticized the waste, saying that the perfume should have been sold and the money given to the poor.
But Jesus defended her, saying, "She has done what she could for my burial." (v.7).
I don¡¦t want to develop an attitude of criticism. I want to keep my relationship with Jesus simple.
When I come to church ¡V I want to have an attitude of receptivity and an attitude of worship.
(Eph 4:15 NKJV) "but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head; Christ;"
Rather than criticizing how things are done ¡V we should get involved with a positive attitude towards this church.
¡P Are you committed to your ministry?
Someone once said¡K
Commitment is more than contribution. - Take the matter of bacon and eggs. The chicken makes a contribution, but the pig, he¡¦s the one that makes the real commitment.
What is it that God has called you to? Are you committed fully to that?
To serve God you must be committed to His will for your life. If you want to fulfill your purpose, you must be committed to it.
(2 Tim 4:5 NLT) "But you should keep a clear mind in every situation. Don’t be afraid of suffering for the Lord. Work at bringing others to Christ. Complete the ministry God has given you."
Let me give you a little secret¡K When you are committed to your ministry, miracles begin to operate in our lives.
When the disciples set apart seven men to do the work of serving others in the church (so they could give themselves to prayer and the ministry of the Word ¡V HUGE MIRACLES STARTED HAPPENING IN THE CHURCH.
We are in the process of releasing me to be able to spend more time in prayer and study. Pastor Greg is taking up more of the administrative duties.
God is raising up some very gifted people in this church to do a lot of different ministries.
It is giving me more time to spend at the feet of Jesus.
I think the church wants that. I think you want it.
I believe that you want to come to a church that has God¡¦s anointing and power ¡V NOT JUST A BUNCH OF PROGRAMS.
Some of you are called to serve the church but you have yet to do anything about.
Last week ¡V there were about 26 people who joined the Sunday School Class that is training people to teach.
Some of you are gifted with children but stepped up to the plate yet..
Rather than complain about a baby that is crying perhaps you should spend some time in the nursery holding and ministering to the babies so mom can get in the service.
Maybe you have a knack for being around young people. We have an awesome youth group waiting for you to just love on them.
There is going to be a meeting tonight at 6:00 PM in the resource center for any of you who are interested in serving in our nursery or with our children or with our youth.
It will be our joy to sit with you and share with you how you can be involved in ministry to the youth and children of our church.
VIDEO
4. I Need To Be Committed To Loving My Community.
Someone once said¡K If there were no people ¡V I¡¦d have no problems!
Robert Schuller wrote, "It would amaze us how many people we could influence for Christ if we would just treat people nicely."
I think he is right.
This is a hard world, a world that doesn¡¦t always exercise courtesy. Sometimes it¡¦s a dog-eat-dog world.
People are jockeying for positions on the freeways and in their companies, and they¡¦re filled with all kinds of stress and anxiety.
But the church must be a place where we all can come and be accepted and loved and encouraged and built up - a place where there are people to help us carry our burdens and everyone feels welcome.
One of the things about New Life Chapel is that people often tell me that "Everyone was so warm and friendly in your church. We really felt at home there. We feel safe here."
You see, if we treat each other with love then wonderful things will happen for the kingdom of God.
So¡K this New Year ¡V we should make in the love that we have for our community.
When Terry Bradshaw was inducted into the Football Hall of Fame he mentioned other players who had played with him and said, "This honor would mean nothing to me at all if I didn¡¦t have people like that who loved me."
There is a song that says¡K People need people.
But more than that people need positive people - a constant positive influence in life.
We need a fresh start about life and our relationship with God. We need a fresh start about the church. And we need a fresh start about people.
(Psa 37:3-5 NKJV) " {3} Trust in the LORD, and do good; Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. {4} Delight yourself also in the LORD, And He shall give you the desires of your heart. {5} Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass."
I heard a story some time ago about a group of ministers who were considering bringing Dwight L. Moody to town to preach. Rev. Moody¡¦s great successes as well as the profound miracles that followed his meetings were discussed.
One minister who was unimpressed with the report commented, ¡§Does Dwight L. Moody have a monopoly on the Holy Ghost?¡¨
Another quietly answered, ¡§No, but the Holy Ghost seems to have a monopoly on Dwight L. Moody.¡¨
I greatly desire for this type of anointing to be on this church and on my life!
God is looking for people he can trust. These are people who are committed to Him and His purposes.
Adapted from Sermon Central.com
