Read at beginning of service:
1 Corinthians 9:19-27 (NIV)
19 Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. 20 To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. 21 To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. 23 I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings. 24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26 Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. 27 No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.
INTRODUCTION
Introductory humor:
After a woman sued McDonalds because she wasn?t warned her coffee was hot, it seems that companies are changing their instructions manuals and product warning labels to cover themselves from product liability.
Listen to a few of these:
On a bar of Dial soap ? Directions: Use like regular soap;
Swanson frozen dinners ? Suggestion: Defrost before eating;
Marks and Spencer bread pudding ? Product will be hot after heating;
Rowenta Iron ? Caution, do not iron clothes on body;
On a string of Chinese made Christmas lights ? for indoor or outdoor use only;
Sainsbury peanuts warn ? May contain peanuts;
On a Swedish made chain saw ? Do not stop chain with hand ? call you stumpy for the rest of your life;
On a blanket from Taiwan ? Not to be used as protection from a tornado
On a motorcycle helmet mounted mirror ? Remember, objects in the mirror are actually behind you;
New Zealand insect spray ? This product not tested on animals;
ON the bottle top of a flavored milk drink ? After opening, keep upright?
Read text:
Luke 6:46-49 (NIV)
46 “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? 47 I will show you what he is like who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice. 48 He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. 49 But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.”
Today I want to talk to you about commitment. You know what I mean by commitment? For most of us, our understanding of commitment carries with it the idea of making a pledge or a promise to do something (for example the “commitment” we make at marriage, or “commitment” we make to a volunteer organization). We live in an age where very few want to be committed to anything?a job?a marriage?their family?church?or country. Many people run away from commitment because they identify it with confinement ? they want to be free to follow their whims and desires without being “tied down” by being committed to something. The sad thing is we see the results of lack of commitment in our society – broken marriages and families, powerless churches, wimpy leaders, people with no sense of direction, and lower numbers of volunteers in community organizations.
Friends, this morning I want to spend just a few minutes sharing with you the truth about commitment. You see I believe it is very important to be a person of commitment. I believe it is very important to know what you are committed to and fulfill the commitments you make.
What is commitment? Commitment is follow-through
ILLUSTRATION: The importance of follow-through in golfing (Have Barry come up and demonstrate the golf swing) ? In fact follow-through applies to a lot of sports.
Commitment is doing what you say and saying what you do.
Matthew 5:37a (NIV)
37 Simply let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No’?.
Sometimes when we make a promise/vow or when we say we?ll do something or when we “book” something in our personal calendar we?ll call it “making a commitment” but what we?re really saying is we?ll try our best. That?s not commitment! Commitment isn?t trying your best, commitment isn?t merely stating what you intend on doing, commitment isn?t involvement – commitment is follow-through. When you fulfill the things you say you?re going to do, or the responsibilities you align yourself with then you are a person of commitment.
Do some “if” statements?
?If parents say they are committed to raising their children to learn about God and take there kids to Sunday school on Sundays but never talk about Jesus at home or model Him in their lives are they committed?
?If a new employee says he?s going to be an asset to his employer in the job interview but shows up late for work half the time and fails to follow instructions given to him by his boss is he committed?
?If a student tells everybody they?re going to be a doctor but in school they spend half their classes talking with friends and daydreaming while after school they neglect homework and studying to party and watch TV are they committed?
?If someone says they want to learn to play an instrument but spend 15 minutes a week actually practicing it are they committed?
?If an athlete expresses the desire to be a professional in their sport or go to the Olympics but spends little time training are they committed?
?If you talk about doing something around the house and months have gone by without it being done are you committed?
?If you say you?re going to cut back on spending and follow a budget to bring your finances in control but continue to spend impulsively on deals you just can?t pass up are you committed?
COMMITMENT IS FOLLOWTHROUGH!!
Because commitment is follow-through?
Commitment demands sacrifice
ILLUSTRATION: There is a difference between being involved and being committed. It?s probably best explained by way of an analogy with a bacon and egg breakfast. For that breakfast the hen was involved but the pig was committed.
a person of commitment knows that there will be some difficult choices to make at times in order to be committed.
FRUIT FROM THE TEXT: Now let?s look at our text for a moment. There is a parallel account found in Matthew 7:24-28 ? from the context here we learn that Jesus precedes this story by saying,
Matthew 7:21-23 (NIV)
21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
Jesus warning is clear?
His intent in the following parable is to point out there is a distinct difference between those who say He is Lord and those who show He is Lord. The difference between the person who built their house on rock and the person who built their house on sand is that the one house had a foundation the other house didn?t! That foundation is laid through commitment. For one man Jesus is Lord ? he is committed to Him. For the other Jesus isn?t Lord – he just likes the fringe benefits? (notice ? some prophesied and cast out demons in performed many miracles ? this alone was not an indication of commitment – only those who do the will of my Father who is in heaven (vs 21)/ hear these words of mine and put them into practice will enter the kingdom of heaven ? are committed! The words of Christ?)
The indication ? if you are not doing the will of the Father/putting into practice the words of Christ ? then you aren?t committed to him.
If you?ve ever tried to dig a hole in rocky ground you know that it is hard work? The person building their house on rock was in for a difficult job. The person building their house on sand wasn?t willing to sacrifice and took the easy way of building on sand. Commitment is about sacrifice?
It?s interesting that a little later on in Matthew 8:18 Jesus begins to talk about the cost of following Him.
Matthew 8:18-22 (NIV)
18 When Jesus saw the crowd around him, he gave orders to cross to the other side of the lake. 19 Then a teacher of the law came to him and said, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” 20 Jesus replied, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” 21 Another disciple said to him, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” 22 But Jesus told him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.”
When you commit to something then you must be prepared to make some difficult decisions about what you are willing to sacrifice in order to be committed! I?ll come back to this a little bit later?
Commitment demonstrates perseverance
The house built on rock endured the wind and the waves, the house built on sand couldn?t withstand them and was destroyed.
Remember commitment is follow-through. With commitment it matters not what you say you do, or even what you set out to do but that you actually do it!! Because commitment demands sacrifice there will may be times when you want to give up or there may be times when something else distracts your attention and looks more appealing. A person of commitment perseveres.
ILLUSTRATION: I look at a stonecutter hammering away at a rock a hundred times without so much as a crack showing in it. Yet at the 101st blow it splits in two. I know it was not the one blow that did it, but all that had gone before. ? Jacob Riis, in Reader?s Digest
ILLUSTRATION: Billy Sunday was a pro Baseball player in the early 1900?s who became one of the most famous preachers of his day and laid the groundwork for Billy Graham in Crusade Evangelism. Billy Sunday said, “Stopping at third adds no more to the score than striking out.” It doesn?t matter how well you start if you fail to finish?
Commitment motivates you to action
I really don?t need to speak a whole lot on this one. I?ve already alluded to it but, commitment determines your action!. In our text this morning the clear difference between the committed person and the non-committed person is that one hears the words of Christ and does what He says and the other one hears the words of Christ and doesn?t do what he says.
There is no such thing as an idle commitment. Why? Because commitment is follow-through. A committed person will always do something towards fulfilling what they are committed to!
ILLUSTRATION: A missionary preached in a remote, poverty ridden area in west Africa. He appealed for support of Christian work throughout the area and encouraged those present to give what they could toward the construction of a building which would serve as a medical clinic and a place of worship. Approximately two hours after the worship service, a young woman came to the missionary and presented him with $40 to be used for the building project. The missionary was stunned. Where on earth, he thought, did this woman come up with a such a large sum of money in a region afflicted by painfully forbidding circumstances? Confounded, he posed this question as politely as he knew how. He was informed that she had gone to a wealthy planter and sold herself into his service for the rest of her life. Let us be clear about what I have just told you. She had sold herself into the service of a landowner. And why? This was her way of giving herself into the service of Jesus Christ. Not partially, but totally.
ILLUSTRATION: John F. Kennedy in his famous speech said, “Ask not what your country can do for you but what you can do for your country.” In it he was calling for the commitment of the American people to their country! A commitment that would motivate them to action.
Friends, COMMITMENT IS FOLLOW-THROUGH!!
Why is commitment so important? What you are committed to is who you will be.
ILLUSTRATION: Frank Borham said, “We make our decisions and then our decisions make us.”
Commitment builds your character.
Your makeup as a person is to large extent determined by the things you are committed to! The kind of person you are is affected by the kind of things you commit to! If you have no commitments you have no character!
Some more if statements?
?If a person is committed (I mean committed not involved) to an organization that helps people who help others in need ? what kind of character do you think they would have?
?If a parson is committed to an organization that sells and distributes illegal drugs ? what kind of character do you think they would have?
Commitment determines your priorities.
Remember, because commitment is follow-through it demands sacrifice. What that means is that a committed person will be making decisions about what they do or don?t do based on what they are committed to. Commitment has a focus and a goal and as a result commitment will determine your priorities ? or what?s most important in your life.
ILLUSTRATION: At the Olympic Games in Pairs in 1924 the sport of canoe racing was added to the list of international competitions. The favorite team in the four-man canoe race was the United States team. One member of that team was a young man by the name of Bill Havens. As the time for the Olympics neared, it became clear that Bill?s wife would give birth to her first child about the time that Bill would be competing in the Paris Games.
In 1924 there were no jet airliners from Paris to the United State, only slow-moving ocean-going ships. And so Bill found himself in a dilemma. Should he go to Paris and risk not being at his wife?s side when their first child was born? Or should he withdraw from the team and remain behind.
Bill?s wife insisted that he go to Paris. After all, he had been working towards this for all these years. It was the culmination of a life-long dream.
Clearly the decision was not easy for Bill to make.
Finally, after much soul searching, Bill decided to withdraw from the competition and remain behind with his wife so that he could be with her when their first child arrived. Bill considered being at her side a higher priority than going to Paris to fulfill a life-long dream.
To make a long story short, the United States four-man canoe team won the gold medal at the Paris Olympics. And Bill?s wife was late in giving birth to her first child. She was so late that Bill could have competed in the event and returned home in time to be with her when she gave birth.
People said, “What a shame.” But Bill said he had no regrets. After all, his commitment to his wife was more important then, and it still was.
Listen carefully, was Bill committed to the four-man canoe race team and going to the Olympics? Certainly all the many years of preparation would seem to indicate that. Certainly all the training indicates that. Certainly all the dreams and aspirations he had pointed to that. But nevertheless the answer is NO! Bill was committed to his wife and the family he would father, and this commitment determined his priorities. If he had of gone to the Olympics he would have demonstrated His commitment to his team and his dream of performing at the Olympics but he also would have shown that it had priority over his relationship with his wife and his role as a father. Now, this may be a cut and dry way of putting it ? but friends, the truth about commitment is it determines your priorities. If you have no priorities in your life then you are not committed to anything. Let me put it another way ? if you are “committed” to everything then you are “committed” to nothing.
ILLUSTRATION: There is a sequel to this story of Bill Havens. The child eventually born to Bill and his wife was a boy, whom they named Frank. Twenty-eight years later, in 1952, Bill received a cablegram from Frank. It was sent from Helsinki, Finland, where the 1952 Olympics were being held. The cablegram read, and I quote it exactly:
“Dad, I won. I?m bringing home the gold medal you lost while waiting for me to be born.” Frank Havens just won the gold medal for the United States in the canoe-racing event, a medal his father had dreamed of winning but never did.
Why is commitment so important? Because, commitment determines your priorities ? and this shapes who you will be?
Without commitment there will be no success.
Nothing will succeed without commitment. The difference between the house that withstood the storm and the house that was destroyed was the commitment of the builders. If a farmer isn?t committed to his farm he will not have a good crop. If a couple are not committed to each other in their marriage then they are bound for divorce. If a family isn?t committed to each other then their home will be in chaos. If a congregation is not committed to their church then their church will accomplish nothing. If a business owner has a bunch of uncommitted employees then their business is doomed to fail. If an athlete isn?t committed to their sport then they?ll victory will continually elude them. If a musician isn?t committed to their music then people will wish they didn?t perform. Without commitment there is no success.
However, notice that I didn?t say that with commitment there would always be success. WHY? Because although commitment is an essential component of achievement it is not the only one. Other factors come into play which affect success. Obviously, a committed athlete doesn?t win at their sport all the time, a committed farmer doesn?t pull in a good harvest all the time, a committed student doesn?t ace every test, a committed musician may not play to a crowd of millions, a committed businessman/woman may not land every deal. But what is most important, and I hope you get this ? without commitment, there will never, never, never be success. Success always comes because someone was committed. A committed athlete may not win at their sport all their time but they still have victories. A committed farmer may not pull in a good harvest every year, but he still will have years where he?ll have more than he can handle. A committed student may not ace every test but they will achieve far more than what a mark indicates, a committed businessman/woman may not land every deal but their business will still grow, a committed musician may not play to a crowd of millions but the crowd they play to will ask for more.
In sharing with you the truth about commitment, I?ve talked about what commitment is, I?ve talked about why it is so important and that?s good. But I?m definitely not finished if I don?t share with you a key point. This is one of those times where I say,” I?ve said all this to say this?”
It matters what you are committed to!
And once again I?d like to return to the text I?m preaching from today. In this parable Jesus is sharing about commitment. I?ve talked about how he makes a comparison between one who is committed to Him and one who is not. So, far I?ve used this parable to focus in on the definition and importance of commitment. But now I want to camp on this verse for these last few moments to illuminate a spiritual truth:
Of all the things you can be committed to there is only one commitment that really matters?
In this parable, Jesus is echoing a teaching that is repeated throughout the Bible. It is a teaching of eternal significance and has direct bearing on our existence in eternity. The Bible is very clear that people were created to exist forever. However, the Bible is equally clear that we will either exist eternally separated from God (which is Hell) or eternally with God (which is Heaven). We are all born into this world eternally separated from God because we are marred by an attitude of disobedience toward God called “sin”. This attitude causes many problems in life. God doesn?t want any of his creation to be separated from him for eternity (and go to hell) because it was never his intent when he created us ? he created us to be in a relationship with Him. God?s dilemma was that sin cannot survive in His presence and His justice requires that a payment for sin be made so that it can be removed. Jesus Christ came to earth to pay the penalty for our sin with his own life. Through Jesus, God offered all of humanity an opportunity to escape eternal separation from God and enter into eternal life which is existing eternally with God. It really is the difference between life and death.
The one commitment that really matters is your commitment to Jesus Christ.
The path to eternal life lies through Jesus Christ and the only way to know life is to know Christ. Now let?s remind ourselves of what Jesus is saying in this parable, “?everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice?” Jesus is drawing the line between those who say He is Lord and those who are committed to Him. This one commitment matters most because it is the only one that has eternal significance. Everything else you do in life means absolutely nothing if you are not committed to Christ. On the other hand, when you are committed to Christ everything you do takes on eternal value because not only do you hear His words, but you do what he says. Remember, commitment is follow-through.
Friends, I really believe that the Christian church in Canada needs a wake-up call about what it means to be committed to Christ! Maybe, some of us here today need a wake-up call. Certainly, this text has been a wake-up call for me. Go over the points I?ve just given you about commitment. Now view them in light of your commitment to Jesus, are you committed to him?
If you are then you understand that?
This commitment demands sacrifice?
some of the things Jesus says, goes against the grain of what the world says. There is a cost to being committed to Him.
Luke 14:25-33 (NIV)
25 Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: 26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters–yes, even his own life–he cannot be my disciple. 27 And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. 28 “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? 29 For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, 30 saying, ‘This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.’ 31 “Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Will he not first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? 32 If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. 33 In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.
This commitment demonstrates perseverance.
There may be times where it seems as though our commitment to Christ yields no value ? and in these times we must persevere why? Because the best is yet to come. Consider a early Christian named Paul?
2 Corinthians 11:24-28 (NIV)
24 Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, 26 I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers. 27 I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. 28 Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches.
James 1:12 (NIV)
12 Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.
This commitment motivates you to action
Why? Because when you commit to Christ ? you have everything you need to do what He says.
2 Peter 1:3 (NIV)
3 His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.
This commitment builds your character
This commitment will affect who you are ? when you commit to Christ ? you are in Him and Christ is in you. Therefore when people see you they should see who Jesus is!
This commitment determines your priorities.
Remember committing to Jesus Christ is the one that matters most but the product of your commitment to Christ is the priorities He sets in your life. In other words, your commitment to Jesus will influence every other commitment you make ? not the other way around. There are a lot of people who call themselves Christians who claim that Jesus is Lord who have other commitments in their life that are more important than their commitment to him. If that?s the case then you really aren?t committed to Jesus. How do you know if this is happening?Quite simple, “..everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice” ? do you practice what Jesus tells you to do? Someone might say, “I would if I knew what he wanted me to do” My answer is, “you?re not committed to Him” because if you were you would make sure you place yourself in a position to hear his words! This means praying, this means reading the scriptures, and this listening to the word of God that is spoken through godly preachers and teachers. Then when you hear the words of Christ let Him set your priorities!! What does Jesus speak to you about the commitments you make in life? What does he speak to you about your lack of commitment in certain areas? Your commitment to Jesus Christ determines your priorities.
Finally?
This commitment brings the ultimate success.
The ultimate success story lies not in the wealth you amass, the fame you achieve, the position you attain, the family you parent, the marriage you enrich, the marks you perfect, the ultimate success lies in the words the King of Kings and Lord of Lords (Jesus) will speak to you when you enter into his presence and He says, “?come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.” (Matthew 25:34)
Paul talks about this ultimate success?
1 Corinthians 9:24-27 (NIV)
24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26 Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. 27 No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.
ILLUSTRATION: This reminds me of an old story about the ancient Greek Marathon. Muscular, conditioned runners paced nervously near the starting line for the long-distance race. The time was near. They “shook out” their muscles, inhaled deeply, and put on their “game faces”. In the midst of it all, a young stranger took his place at the starting line. His physique was awesome. Taking no notice of the other contestants, he stared straight ahead. Two prizes would be awarded to the winner of the Marathon: a magnificent bouquet of flowers and the honor of standing beside the king until the conclusion of the other contests. There seemed to be no question among the runners about who would win the prize. It is alleged that the stranger was offered money not to run. Someone else attempted to bribe him with property. Refusing the offers, he toed the mark and awaited the signal to run. When the signal was given, he was the first away. At the finish line, he was the first to cross, well ahead of the rest.
When it was all done, someone asked the young man if he thought the flowers were worth as much as the money and property he had refused. He replied, “I did not enter the race for the flowers. I ran so that I could stand beside my king!”
CONCLUSION
I suspect that there are some of you hear this morning who have been challenged on this message about commitment?
?Lack of commitment
?maybe you thought you were committed but you realize there?s no follow through so?
?committed to the wrong things!
?time to commit to what matters most?