UNLIMITED COMMITMENT

LUKE 9:57-62

Part 1

What comes to your mind when you hear the word “Commitment?”

“People will do just about anything but make a commitment.”

Too often the church suffers because of a lack of commitment.

Too much of our religion has become

Routine Comfortable Conforming

Our commitment should not end with church membership!

There is more to commitment than being baptized and attending the worship service.

While we may hesitate to make a call for commitment, Jesus never did.

Luke 9:23 "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.”

"So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple. “

Luke 14:26, "If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My

disciple.”

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Wherever commitment is reserved, Christianity is diluted.

What Is Commitment?

Commitment— A pledge or promise to do something.

Commitment is: Dependability

Can Christ depend on us?

Will we do the work of the Lord?

Are we dependable?

Allegiance To something or someone.

Have you pledged your allegiance to Christ?

There is no straddling the fence.

Luke 6:46 "But why do you call Me `Lord, Lord,' and do not do

the things which I say?”

Matthew 12:30 "He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who

does not gather with Me scatters abroad.”

Sacrifice

Time Money

Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice,

holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.

II Corinthians 8:5 And this, not as we expected, but first they gave

themselves to the Lord and to us by the will of God.

Costly

Real, unlimited commitment is costly.

Jesus tells us we should count the cost before coming and following Him, Luke 14:25-33

Ability Self

An unlimited commitment will allow you to sacrifice your

I Corinthians 6:19-20 Do you not know that your body is a temple of

the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God? You are not your own; you were bought with a price.

So glorify God in your body.

More than mere lip-service

Unlimited commitment will prompt us into action.

Matthew 15:7-9 You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you,

when he said: 'This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship

me, teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.'"

James 2:26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith

without works is dead also.

Faithfulness and PerseveranceHebrews 12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race

that is set before us,

Courage II Timothy 1:7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and

of love and of a sound mind.

Courage like the apostles who could not but speak of what they had seen and heard, Acts 4:19-20

Unlimited commitment is doing the task until it is completed.

Revelation 2:10 Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.

God Has Made A Commitment To You

He made the ultimate commitment.

John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should

not perish but have everlasting life.”

How would you feel if He backed out of His commitment?

Thankfully, His commitment is unchangeable.

What kind of commitment have you made to Him?

Limited? Unlimited?

Whom or What Are We To Be Committed To?God

Ecclesiastes 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is

the whole duty of man.

Matthew 6:33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His

righteous- ness, and all these things shall be added to you. Christ

You must make Jesus Lord of our life

We must do it now before it is too late.John 14:15 "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.”

Philippians 2:9-11 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the

name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus

Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

God’s Word Sound Doctrine

The Church

The church is the body of Christ, Ephesians 1:22-23.

How can you be committed to Christ, but not His body?

The church was purchased with the blood of Christ, Acts 20:28

Psalms 119:97 Oh, how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the

day.

I Timothy 4:16 Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine.

Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.

Jude 3 I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for

all delivered to the saints. Good Works

Galatians 6:9-10 And let us not grow weary in well-doing, for in due

season we shall reap, if we do not lose heart. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all men, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.

Holiness Morality Righteous Living

I Timothy 5:22 Keep yourself pure.

Titus 2:11-12 For the grace of God that brings salvation has

appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly,

righteously, and godly in the present age,

James 1:27 Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their

trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.

I Peter 1:15-16 But as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in

all your conduct, because it is written, "Be holy, for I am holy.''

Jesus Taught Commitment

Matthew 16:24

Deny Self

Take up your cross

Follow Christ

During His ministry some turned back.

Some are doing the same thing today

They’re not making good on their commitment

WHAT KIND OF COMMITMENT DO HAVE

FOR THE LORD?

LIMITED? UNLIMITED?

• Given by David Hamlin on 4-11-10 am Hollister, Missouri church of Christ www.hollisterchurchofchrist.org