The Commitment To Love Series

Text: John 14:1-18

(1) Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. (2) In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. (3) And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. (4) And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. (5) Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? (6) Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (7) If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him. (8) Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us. (9) Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father? (10) Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. (11) Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake. (12) Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. (13) And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. (14) If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it. (15) If ye love me, keep my commandments. Joh 14:16-18 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; (17) Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. (18) I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

Quote: If ye love me - Do not show your love by grief at my departure merely, or by profession, but by obedience. Show LOVE through your “THE COMMITMENT OF LOVE.”

INTRODUCTION: One area of love for Christ could be seen in Church attendance.

Q: How many people go to church each Sunday?

A: For years, the Gallup Research Organization has come up with a consistent figure — 40 percent of all Americans said they attended worship on the previous weekend.

Recently, sociologists of religion have questioned that figure, saying Americans tend to exaggerate how often they attend. By counting the number of people who showed up at representative sample of churches, two researchers, Kirk Hadaway and Penny Marler found that only 20.4 percent of the population, or half the Gallup figure, attended church weekly.

As added proof for the accuracy of this smaller percentage of churchgoers, if 20.4% of Americans attended the nation's 350,000 congregations weekly then the average attendance would be 180 people per congregation.

Illustration: Why is it?

Church: Why is it, that on Sunday morning, hundreds of churches have empty pews?

Reading: Why is it, that since we believe that the Holy Bible is the inspired, inerrant word of God, and so few read it?

Prayer: Why is it, that since we know that our 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?

Witnessing: Why is it, that if we believe that there is a heaven & hell, why do we keep so quiet about the gospel? If we believe that there is no other name under Heaven whereby, we must be saved, then why are we not sharing the message of His saving grace?

The sad answer is there’s a lack of commitment! A lack of keeping our word!

Why do we commit and then not follow through with our commitment?

When we hear the command of Christ to Love God and Love our Neighbor, we assure ourselves that we indeed do; that our love for God and neighbor is true, it is real.

But when and where is it evidenced?

I make a commitment to pray… then I become too busy, too tired… and so I don’t pray!

I make a commitment to read His Word… I start off well, I buy a new Bible, I arrange a time and place, but soon I find cobwebs around the table and dust on the Bible.