As I began preparing for today’s message I opened my hymn book and it opened to page 280 – O Jesus, I have promised. I don’t know the tune of this song…didn’t even know it was in the hymn book but was amazed by the words that lay within it especially since the Holy Spirit had already given me the topic. The words go like this: O Jesus, I have promised to serve thee to the end. Be thou forever near me. My master and my friend. I shall not fear the battle. If thou art by my side. Nor wander from the pathway, If thou wilt be my guide. Look at the first stanza – the author promises to serve the Lord until His last breath. A promise to live a life according to the word not according to his own will. Lord I promise to do what I told you I would do. The scripture lesson let’s us know that the Lord expects those of us who profess salvation, those of us who state we are saved, those of us who say we chose Jesus, that we keep His commandments, or keep our promise. My question to you this morning is are you a Promise keeper or a promise breaker? Now a true expression of love is the actions that we take. How many of us has fallen in love and wanted that person to know just how much we loved them. We promised some things that even as they fell off our lips – we knew we couldn’t live up to our promise. Now when we broke those promises, the person we made them to felt hurt and betrayed. We felt hurt and disappointed with ourselves when we realized we were not promise keepers but instead we were promise breakers. Turn to some one and ask them if they kept their promise. Now a few years ago a group was formed by a group of men called “THE PROMISE KEEPERS”. Now they simply made a vow to God that they would do all they could do be all they could in the Christian army. They promised to be real men of God. Provide what they could. Take responsibility for what the should. Supply what they ought. And not do what they should not. A conference held yearly in different places where men come together and praise and worship God. Thanking Him, Honoring Him. Worshiping Him. Praising Him. Laying before Him. Vowing to be what He actually expected them to be doing in the first place. They promised to keep their promises to God – naming themselves the Promise Keepers. Now let’s look at ourselves for a moment or two. When we first joined the church, we promised God we would stay in touch with Him daily. We promised Him that we would read His word. We promised Him we would obey His will. We promised Him we would fellowship with other people of God on a regular basis. We promised the pastor we would be in the house as often as the door was open doing whatever we could giving and supporting as the Lord has blessed us. When we get into trouble, we make promises to God. Lord if you get me out of this I promise I will never do this again. Lord if you let me make it through I will never go back to that again. Lord if you fix this problem I promise I will go to church 24/7. Lord if you heal me I promise to give up the stuff that makes me sick. Lord if you mend this relationship, I promise I don’t have to have the last word. Lord if you pay that bill, I promise I won’t spend my money of stuff that only is detrimental to me. Lord if you get me out of the cell, I promise I will never sell drugs or sell my body again. Lord if you just let me get back on my feet, I promise I will never do drugs or drink till I can’t function ever again. Lord if you do…..Lord I promise I will…But as soon as the problem is over, as soon as the circumstance has been elemanated, as soon the storm passes over and we think God has forgotten about – we are back in the same stuff doing the same junk stuck in the same stank we were in before.
In this particular scripture Jesus is talking to the disciples, at the beginning he informs them to just believe in Him - Told them about their home on the other side. Let them know that he was coming back to get them. He informed them that the only way in is if they come through him. He goes on and on about how he is who he is and how he can do what he does. But in the 15th verse, even though he didn’t come to condemn us but to give us life of abundance, this verse shows us they he expects us to do something. He expects us to keep our vow – to keep our promise – to do as God has commanded. The two commandments that Jesus gave were Love the Lord thy God with all your heart soul and mind…and the second one says love thy neighbor as thyself. When you look at these two commandments, some of us say well at least we don’t have to abide by those others anymore….you know since Jesus came to destroy the law. But look at the ten commandments and how these simple two encompasses all of them in one sweep. To love the Lord with all your heart mind and soul – means you have to abide by the first four commandments. I am the Lord thy God, who brought you out of your mess – you best not put any other God before me. Don’t make anything else your God – not your car – not your house – not your husband – not your wife – not your job – not you cash – Nothing else should have control over you - be able to make you bow down- not drugs – not alcohol – not cigarettes – not gambling – not ego – not position. Number three says don’t misuse God’s name – stop cursing and swearing using His name. Stop swearing using God’s name. All because you love Him with all that you are. Number 4 simply says keep His day Holy! That does not mean go to the park and have a barbeque because it’s warm outside instead of going to church and thanking him for a warm day. Now commandment 5 through ten would be covered by Love thy neighbor as thyself. Treat your parents right – why because you want to be treated right. Don’t kill nobody – cause we know you don’t want to be killed. Don’t’ commit adultery – because you know you don’t want nobody trippin on you. Don’t steal – because you know you don’t want nobody taking anything from you. Don’t lie on nobody – cause we know we are ready to fight when somebody lies on us. Don’t be jealous about what somebody else has – you know you don’t want to deal with folk who are jealous. Dang because we gave our lives to the Lord and promised to keep his new commandments – we still fall under the same ones that were already written. That’s why Jesus said he didn’t come to get rid of the law – just to fulfill it. Now check this out…. Everyone of us who promised God we would do these two commandments have in essence told God – I will follow the ten commandments. And Jesus says if you love him – you will keep your promise. Now ask yourself if you are a promise keeper or a promise breaker?
We expect God to keep His promise. We expect God to never leave or forsake us. We expect God to provide for us. We expect God to wipe away our tears…. Because His word tells us so. Well that same word tells us we ought to be keeping our promise. Every time you go against the will of God after you give your life to Him, you are breaking his promise. Every time you put something before Him – you are breaking your promise. Every time you defile your temple with whatever – be it premarital or homosexual sex – be it drugs – be it alcohol – and yes even cigarettes we are breaking our promise. So it really doesn’t make a difference rather you said Lord if you do I will do --- just because you gave your life to the Lord – your promise has already been made. So my question is are you a promise keeper or a promise breaker. Each time we chose anything over our worship time. Each time we put off reading His word. Each time we forget to or chose not to pray. Each time we do things “My Way”. Each time we chose to be outside his will. Each time we are disobedient. Each time we are disrespectful. Each time we push to be seen and heard despite the circumstance. Each time we lie. Each time we cheat. Each time we fight. Each time we overindulge. Each time we carry tales. Each time we judge. Each time we argue or just have to have the last word regardless. Each time we curse and swear… we are breaking our vow. We are breaking our commitment. We are breaking our promise.
Now let’s talk about the promises we have verbally made. Lord if you do this I promise to do that. When you make a vow to the Lord your God, be prompt in doing whatever you promised Him. For the Lord your God demands that you promptly fulfill all your vows. If you don’t, you will be guilty of sin. However, it is not a sin to refrain from making a vow. But once you have voluntarily made a vow, be careful to do as you have said, for you have made a vow God – or in essence you have made a promise. Look at the bible – there are a few who made vows. There are a few bold folk who said okay God (Just like you) if you just get me out of this jam I will promise you that I will do whatever. Hannah promised God if he gave her a child – she would be certain to give it back to him – and she kept her promise --- promise keeper. David made a vow to the Lord that he wouldn’t eat, sleep, or anything else until he found a place for the ruler of Jacob – promise keeper. The children of Israel vowed if God gave them the Canaanites they would destroy there towns – promise keeper (for now)
Ecclesiastes says in the 5th chapter in verses 4 & 5
4When you tell God you’ll do something, do it--now.
God takes no pleasure in foolish gabble. Vow it, then do it.
5Far better not to vow in the first place than to vow and not pay up.
In other words God does not expect you to do anything above and beyond what he has already requested, however, if you make a promise – then be bold enough to keep your promise.
What would we do if God decided one day that He just didn’t have to fulfill his promises. What would we do if he decided the rain wouldn’t fall and the sun wouldn’t shine. What would we do if he decided he would no longer allow the ground to spring forth our nourishment. What would we do if the air we breath suddenly was no more. What would we do if every body of water suddenly dried up. What would we do if he didn’t give peace to our minds or put joy in our spirit. What would we do if he decided that he would leave us. What would we do if our enemies were allowed to make us their footstool. What would we do if we were not more than conquerers. What would we do if God said, since you really don’t keep your promises. Since you just gotta do it your way. Since you say you love me but your actions say you don’t. Since I’m singing that old Janet Jackson Song –“What have you done for me lately” I have decided I will no longer keep my promise to you. What would we do???? Be it the vow you made verbally or the vow you made when you gave your life to God, don’t be a promise breaker. If you love the Lord – who heard your cry and pitied every groan – keep your promise.
If you told him you would do it – be like the Nike commercial and Just Do It. Stop promising promises you have no intention to keep. When you break a promise to God, you are breaking connection. When you break a promise to God, you are breaking down your blessing highway. When you break a promise to God you are breaking his heart. The song I sang before preaching, the writer says = I made a vow to the Lord. I made a vow to the Lord. I promised Him I would serve Him. Until the day that I die. I made a vow to the Lord. Every time you sing I am on the battlefield – you are making a promise – you said I promised him that I would serve him till I die. Have you kept your promise? Is his praises on your lips. Are you blessing him with all that you have. Are you committed to do his will and to work in his kingdom building construction site as one of his heavenly carpenters. Someone hasn’t kept their vows, and someone else hasn’t made one. But I challenge you where ever you fit into this scenerio to renew – to replenish – to restore yourself to God by keeping your promises. To the one who is waiting to get everything in order before giving your life – the song writer say just as I am without one plea – but that thy blood was shed for me – he died and bled so that you could love him and keep his commandments. To the one who made the commitment to take up your cross and follow the Lord, but somewhere along the line you put down your cross and picked up some mess…. The Lord is telling you I was there all the time, waiting patiently in line I was there all the time. To that one who opened your mouth when you thought you were taking your last breath or was about to loose something you cherished and you professed with your lips – Lord if you save me = I will quit or I will never or I will do --- than you are like the song writer – A charge to keep I have – You made the promise – now you keep your word. Stop saying I’ll do it tomorrow – it ain’t promised to you. Stop saying I’ll do better the next time – there may not be a next time. Stop saying I’ll do it with God as my helper – he is your helper – so why not just grab hold. Stop saying if it’s the Lord’s will, if you told Him you would do it – than he expects you to do it so there fore it is his will. He promised to keep us and he has. He promised never to leave us and he hasn’t. He promised to deliver us and he has. He promised us a Savior and He gave it to us. He promised us redemption and those who took it got it. He promised – and kept it. How about you. Are we promise keepers or promise breakers.
