Sermon for 11/18/07

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Sermon for 11/18/07
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COMMITMENT: Law or Love?
Unity/Commitment Sunday

Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, AMEN

Main Theme: Is it possible to talk about Commitment without burdening the people of God with “Law”? I present my struggle over this question with my congregation, as we ponder the difference between getting “involved”, and becoming “committed”. Christ does not burden us with a bunch of “have-to’s” today. Christ presents us first with His amazing and fully-committed life, and hopes that we will “want-to” respond to His love and commitment with love and commitment. Yes, He has hopes we will make Him the foremost priority in our life! But He does not want us to feel compelled or forced to be committed to Him and one another, He wants us to look at the cross and “His mercies” and understand what true love is really about! Then He calls us to voluntarily commit ourselves to a new and life-giving relationship so that divine blessings may decorate the grace He has already poured down upon us. Commitment is not about law – it’s about love!

1) LAW? This week it seemed appropriate on Commitment Sunday to talk about… “Commitment.” But I struggled with the topic, so much so, that I did something that I only do when I’m desperate – I looked up to see what other pastor’s had written on the subject. And I was sorely disappointed, because everything I read reeked of Law! (Not Grace) Sermon after sermon pounded the church with “have-to’s” and burdened the listeners with the self-imposed task of becoming fully committed to Christ, and His mission! And I began to wonder; can you talk about commitment without burdening the people of God with “Law”? So I’m inviting you to join me in this struggle this morning and praying God might lead us to an answer.

2) LACK OF! One of the typical approaches introducing the sermon topic was to discuss the “lack of commitment” in our society. One pastor wrote: “Our culture is one that does not see commitment as something of importance any more. Here are just a few statistics to prove my point:

Signs of Reduced Commitments in Life
1. The divorce rate is climbing: half of all new marriages end in divorce
2. Adults feel they have fewer close friends than did adults in past decades
3. Brand loyalty in consumer purchasing studies has dropped in most product categories, and by as much as 60% in some categories.
4. The proportion of people willing to join an organization is declining in relation to churches, labor unions, political parties, clubs and community associations.
5. Book clubs and record clubs are less likely to attract new members when multiple year or multi-product commitments were required.
6. The percentage of adults who sense a duty to fight for their country, regardless of the cause, has dropped.
7. The percentage of people who commit to attend events but fail to show is on the rise.
8. Today’s parents are less likely to believe that it is important to remain in an unhappy marriage for the sake of the children than they were 20 years ago.”
(Cited from ‘The Frog in the Kettle’ by George Barna)

Hard to argue with that! But pointing out the problem, (a lack of commitment), rarely inspires change, does it? Anyone every felt motivated to transform your life after getting wacked over the head with your own sin? Naw, me neither!

3) DEFINING THE PROBLEM! Another defined the problem from within the church, asking: “Whatever happened to commitment? Why do you suppose that there are close to 100 million church members in America yet they are not making more of a moral and spiritual impact? Why is it that on Sunday morning thousands of churches have more empty pews than full? Why is it that the average Sunday School in America has less than 66 in attendance and that the average worship service has 84? Why is it that only 50% of the number on any church membership roll can be expected to attend? (It’s only 33% in the Lutheran Church) If Christians really believe in a real heaven and a real Hell, how can we be so silent? . . . The answer to all of these questions is tragically simple! God’s people have made a decision about Jesus….but have never made a commitment to Him.” Well, now I am really motivated to change, aren’t you? Oh sure – “defining the problem” is the first step before we can offer a solution, but defining the problem rarely motivates us to transform our hearts.

4) DECISION/INVOLVEMENT VS COMMITMENT! Now what this pastor said in his last statement was interesting – when he talks about the difference between making a “decision” about Jesus and making a “commitment” to Christ. Another pastor replaces “decision” with the word “involvement”:

There is a massive difference between being involved and being committed. Being involved means that you can do what you want, as you want and when you feel like doing it. Commitment means that you are at the call of Jesus 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and 365 days a year. To make the decision to just being involved, (and it is a decision), is one that creates a system of cheating. We cheat God of giving Him our very best, we cheat others of what we have to offer and we cheat ourselves of the blessings of Christ that come only when we become committed. Far too often we settle for being involved in the work of Christ and never actually making a commitment to it. Commitment is what Jesus is looking for in all of our lives and He wants us to have the desire to serve Him not just on Sunday… but each and every day that we draw breath.”

Hummm… gotta admit: a lot of what these pastor say is very accurate! Last week, we discussed the challenge that lay ahead of ASLC in the next 12-14 months if we are meet the needs of a changing neighborhood so as to reverse the resulting decline in members of our church family. And our transformation will not occur because we have a few people “involved” in busy church activities. The future of this congregation depends on it’s family members becoming committed. And there is a big difference! And it is good to ask ourselves, “Am I just occasionally involved in Christ’s mission and this church, or am I fully committed 24/7 to Jesus and this church family?” But most likely, we will find ourselves convicted by the question, but rarely changed by it.

5) JESUS ALSO SAID… In fact, we may even protest and declare, “Hey, I’m saved by grace! I have heard the pastor say a dozen times: there is nothing I can do to make God love me more, and nothing I can do to make Him love me less: He just loves me! So there! Let’s get off this uncomfortable subject and just rest in His grace.” Well, that would be fine, …except Jesus also said all those uncomfortable things we read about in the Gospel of Luke (9:57-62): After a man offered to follow Him anywhere, Jesus basically informed Him of the tremendous cost in doing so. Jesus was saying I am not interested in people who just want to get involved, I am interested in followers who will walk where I walk, do what I do, and pour themselves out for others until death – is that you? Are you the committed person I seek? Ouch!

6) PRIORITIES! Another man agreed to follow Jesus, but asked if he could go and bury his father first. Jesus said “no”. Now initially that seems unfair and cruel, because we assume that his dad has just died and he needs to bury him. But the man’s father was not dead. It was a common statement used in those days to imply, “As soon as my parents pass away and I have fulfilled my duties to them, I will return and begin on this journey with you Jesus!” In other words, I’ll follow you later – some day – but not this very moment. And Jesus is saying, “You have misplaced priorities! I have come to bring the good news to those who are lost, to save those who are condemned by sin, Satan, and death. NOW! There is no more important priority that this one. It is an urgent priority! And if you are truly Committed to me, then my priorities will become your priorities.” Jesus was saying that if we are truly going to follow Him, we must get our hands dirty in the work of outreach - now. Not tomorrow. Not when it is “more convenient.” Not when our busy schedules allow it! There is a lost and dying world out there that needs the hope that we have in Christ. And so Christ’s mission, and hence the mission of His church, is to become the uno, number one, top-priority in our lives. Jesus asked the man – “Are you willing to change ALL the priorities in your life to follow me? Are you willing to be more than involved? Are you willing to be that committed? NOW?”

7) FOCUS! Another potential follower requested to go back and say goodbye to His family and friends. Again, it seems harsh that Jesus would say “no” to that, until we discover that saying goodbye in those days could take weeks! The customs would call for prolonged goodbyes filled with festive parties! The man is too absorbed with what he will leaving behind, and is not focused on the opportunity that stands before him at that very moment with following Christ! His focus is on his family and friends, not on the Lord. And no doubt we struggle with similar distractions too. As one pastor pointed out – throughout the week, and especially on Sunday, many of us see recreation as a top priority. We see Yard work as a top priority. We see Entertaining as a top priority. We see Viewing or Participating in sporting events as a top priority. But true followers – committed followers live for, love for, serve, thank, and worship their Lord and Savior above everything else. Committed followers have their priorities and focus in the right place!

8) ME/MY/MYSELF? Little wonder, after reading these verses in Luke, that so many pastors (whose sermons I read this week), felt moved to discuss the importance of commitment to Jesus. Still, time and time again, I was left feeling guilty, convicted, and squirming in my seat. But where was the good news? Several left me with a few “steps to take” – homework, if you will – to becoming a “committed follower.” But they implied it was all up to me! Now I don’t know about you, but every time I try to use MY energy, MY wisdom, MY strength, and MY powers to transform myself – I fall flat on my face! I am a broken sinner! Or as a young boy once declared in a children’s sermon: “There is a God – and you’re not Him!” So I walk away from the sermon begging for something to distract me from what appears to be an impossible task: being a fully committed follower of Christ!

9) LAW? LOVE! Well, those pastor’s tried, they gave it their best – but what I walked away with was another “ball and chain” around my leg – bound by the law. So, I ask the question again: Can you discuss Commitment without burdening the people of God with the Law? In our zealousness to proclaim Christ’s will, can we do so in a way that actually empowers transformation in the hearts of God’s children? Well, not by laying down a long list of “have-to’s” and “musts” – connected to a command to fix yourself! Because there is only one motive that draws us closer to full commitment to Christ – and it isn’t LAW. It’s love! Christ’s love! The Love shown to us on the cross!

10) HE CAME! Friends, I don’t know about you – but every time the Holy Spirit draws my attention to the cross – I am presented with a whole new understanding of commitment! Commitment defined by divine love! Jesus didn’t come down because a bunch of heavenly rules and laws demanded Him to! He came because His lost sheep were suffering and helpless. He came because our spiritual blindness and brokenness prevented us from discovering our way back home! He came because while the law convicted us, it did not transform us! He came because the very nature of God’s heart is concentrated unconditional love! God emptied Himself and came down to touch us in a personal way – in the form of a human and yet divine Savior! And while the penalty for sin was death – this innocent and sinless Savior would take each of our countless and ugly sins upon Himself and pay the penalty for us! He would take our place! He would have His flesh torn open again and again as He took the beating we deserved! He would take the spitting, torture, and humiliation that should have been aimed at us! As the blood from the crown of thorns trickled down his face and into His eyes, He would watch as the nails were placed and then driven through His hands and feet. I cannot look at the cross without realizing that Jesus was so much more than “just involved” in our lives, He was COMMITTED! And as a result of His sacrificial commitment to you and me – Sin, Satan, and death will NOT have the final word in our life! He came, and was so committed because of love!

11) BY-PRODUCT OF LOVE! I am beginning to wonder; is commitment a product of our own efforts, or a by-product of love? Just as none of us can force someone else “to love us” – neither can we demand them “to be committed” to us! In as much as it is our desire and will that it be so – all we can do is love and be committed to the target of our affection, and pray and hope that they will respond to it in like! Is that not what Jesus has done in His relationship with us? In as much as the Luke text defines “Christ’s wishes” (for us to be fully committed to Himself and His mission), He does not demand or command it! He expresses His love and wishes and then sends His Holy Spirit to look for open windows and doors in our hearts to enter in and change what we cannot! Commitment is a by-product of love!

12) THE MERCIES OF GOD! How can I be sure of this? I look to Romans 12 (1-2) where I listen to Paul passionately calls upon the Roman church to respond to Jesus’ love and commitment with love and commitment; “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is true worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will.” Notice, he says “I urge you” – the King James says “I beseech thee” – which is not a command. Paul knows you cannot force someone to become “a living sacrifice.” He declares the motive for this transformation in their lives by bringing their attention to what? …“the mercies of God!” He is calling them and us to close our eyes for just a moment and think of all that God has done in your life. Think of “the mercies of God” based on what you have received – and do nothing because you “have-to”, but because you “want to!” Can we truly reflect on the goodness of God and want to be anything other than committed? How did Paul describe our response? Oh yeh: true worship! The King James used the term “reasonable service”. In other words, isn’t love and commitment a logical “reasonable worshipful response” to the mercies of God?

13) LIVING SACRIFICE! He also leaves to ponder on the term “living sacrifice”, doesn’t he!? Remember, under the sacrificial system of the times, the animal to be sacrificed was committed to the priest, was killed and consumed on the altar. And now the believer’s are told that they are to present themselves as “living sacrifices” with the understanding that there is no such thing as “partial sacrifice or a partial commitment.” It is impossible to be “sort of committed.” You are either committed or you are not committed. It is not possible to be a partial sacrifice. But Paul declares that being fully committed to Christ and His will by offering ourselves to be living sacrifices – is “holy and pleasing to God”, and is what Paul calls “true Worship!” Attending church is not necessarily true worship – but offering yourself as a living and fully committed sacrifice 24/7 is!

14) BE TRANSFORMED! Notice something though: Paul doesn’t say “…and now these are the steps by which you personally can accomplish the goal of becoming committed.” No, he says “be transformed”! This implies that the transformation is done by some outside force – that is, the renewing of our minds is actually the job of the Holy Spirit. We simply offer ourselves up for that work. That is, we ask God to help us step out of the way, so He can go about making us committed followers! BE TRANSFORMED says Paul, and then divine blessings will increasingly flow down upon us as the Spirit reveals God’s good, pleasing, and perfect will!

15) HE! It is often the temptation of every pastor to think that if they can just say the right words in the right way we can change a heart or transform a soul. If we can just lay enough conviction on someone’s heart, they will mend their ways and become committed followers. But pastors and teachers can say and do nothing to cause someone to become a living and committed sacrifice – that’s God job! In our attempt to free others shepherds often burden their flock with the law. No, Christ calls us to listen to God’s voice, and His voice alone – for only His Holy Spirit can draw our attention to Himself, His gifts of love, and His sacrificial commitment! I can only point to Jesus, and the cross, and declare what is true: the one who loves you that much (point to cross) has come again this morning to enter every heart that is offered and open to Him. HE will empower us to become living sacrifices! HE will motivate us to willingly be transformed by the renewing of our minds. HE will fill us with the divine desire to rearrange our priorities, to make Him and His mission to the lost our first priority. HE will cause our hearts to beat with His as one, 24/7. And HE will do it by demonstrating and pouring down upon us, His own amazing grace, love, and eternal commitment! Praise God! AMEN!

Sermon/Confessional Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father, we confess that we often forget what true love and commitment look like – until you draw us to the cross! We too often mistake being involved, with being committed. But we have not always made you or your mission through your church our number one priority. We have not been willing to follow you 24/7, 365 days a year. We have too often served you only when it was convenient. Forgive us Lord. Come change within us, what we cannot!

Lord, too often we are convicted by the Law, and then begin the impossible task of transforming ourselves into committed Christians! Forgive us for taking on the job of the Holy Spirit! Instead, empower us to simply get out of the way, help us to offer up our hearts to your transforming and all powerful and creative Spirit. Come do within us, what is impossible for broken sinners to do: enable us to respond to your amazing love and commitment, with love and commitment!

And now Lord, although you know us better than we know ourselves, listen as we share in a moment of silence, those other parts of our lives that need to be forgiven, washed clean, healed, and recommitted to you! (made anew.)

(Silence)

Lord, thank you for never giving up on us! Thank you for the suffering and sacrificial journey you so willing took on in order to demonstrate your love for us and to free us from the power of sin, Satan, and death! Thank you from freeing us from the Law, and empowering us with your grace and endless mercies! AMEN

Assurance of Forgiveness:

Friends, listen to the good news: The Lord, who showed His love and commitment to you on the cross, …that Lord has mercifully heard your confession and eagerly forgives you all your sins. Let us go now, and ponder the awesome lengths Jesus would go to, in order to express His love and commitment to you and me! And then as we ponder and rejoice over His mercies, let us offer ourselves up as living sacrifices that respond to His love and commitment with love and commitment. Praise God! AMEN

Opening prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, we come to you this morning out of a world that seems to have forgotten what it means to care for and be committed to one another. But in this place, we find a Savior that truly cares about us, and pours Himself out for us daily. Here we find a people, who are humbly and increasingly striving to imitate Christ’s love and commitment. Here in this sacred space, your Holy Spirit finds a way to quiet our hearts, bring us inner peace, and fill us with the Word that brings us joy, contentment, and purpose! And we hunger and thirst for those divine mercies, Lord. Many of us come with heavy hearts; burdened with challenges that threaten to overwhelm us, broken by fractured human love, coated with sinful desires and guilt. But we place those hearts now in your gentle hands, and ask that you wash, heal, forgive, strengthen, and empower them to reflect your love and grace to all we meet! As we praise you with prayer, song, and thankful hearts, embrace us now and draw us ever closer to you! Teach us to love and be committed to one another as your Son loves and is committed to us! It is in His name we pray, AMEN!

PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING!

(In the theme of unity, would you please grab the hand of someone besides you… and after I open the prayers, there will be an opportunity for you to give thanks out loud for (not specific names), gifts, ministries, blessings, etc.. that God has provided us in this church family.)

Lord, you are the master artist and Creator that loves His beloved children unconditionally and longs to see us grow. You desire to see us grow…

closer to you,

and closer to one another.

You desire us to grow spiritually in your Word,

and grow your church family!

And so we thank you for the diversity among us, for giving us unique and distinctive gifts, abilities, and resources. And we thank you for giving us a common purpose, for linking us together in service. We thank you for calling us into the body of Christ, and for the ability to work together as the Holy Spirit dwells within us. We are awed by the gifts you have given to this church family. Thank you for instilling within us a growing commitment to you, your Holy and urgent mission, and a deepening and loving commitment to one another.

Listen now as we specifically give thanks for the special gifts and ministries found in those around us this morning. As we lift them up to you out loud, bless them and empower them with your spirit in order to grow your church….

Lord, you have blessed us that we might be a blessing to others. So take our meager offerings of time, talent, and treasures and combine them, multiple them, and empower us to use them to bring glory into the world. Inspire and enable this family to grow in our commitment to building your Kingdom. Empower us to seek out those who feel unwanted and alone, and bring them into your loving embrace. We give you thanks for every brother and sister here today, and especially for those who are still to come. Join our hearts, minds, and souls together – and show us the way to seek, love, encourage, and be committed to one another, as you have so graciously done to us! AMEN

OFFERING/PLEDGES

This morning, we are going to do something a little different in terms of our offering, because this IS “Commitment Sunday”. I’d like to especially explain to our first time and regular visitors why the MEMBERS of this church are going to do what we are about to do.

When the time was right in each of our Spiritual journeys, we, (who now have our names on the membership rolls here), stood before this congregation, and especially before God, and pledged to commit ourselves totally to Christ, His mission, and to this church body by which that mission is to be locally carried out. We offered to the Lord our time, talent, and treasures. And every year we remember those commitments, and renew our pledge to God’s work.

This year I invite the ushers to come forward and in the same way we do communion, I ask the “members” by row to bring forth their offerings of time, talent, and treasures and place them… (TBD) And then, before we go back to our seats, I ask you to find a place at or around the altar railing, and make a PRIVATE OFFERING OF PRAYER to the Lord concerning your personal commitment to Him, His work, and to this church family.

Maybe you will want to ask God to bless these humble offerings, or perhaps you might ask God to help you keep and fulfill your commitment. Maybe some of you have a particular part of your time, talent, or treasures that you want to grow in this year and you might ask Him to empower you to do so. Whatever you choose to pray about is between you and the Lord. You may want to kneel at the railing or simply stand as you spend a short moment sharing what is on your heart with the Lord – as you once again commit yourself to the Lord.

When done, please continue to the far isle of whatever side you are sitting on and return to your seat. Our visitors may come forward also with their offering, but stopping to pray is an option we leave to you.

While we await our turn, we will sing our OFFERATORY SONG, and afterwards our congregational president, Dave Foltz will come forward and place the offerings on the altar and lead us in a congregational prayer.

To all the members of this church family, may this time of recommitment be a meaningful moment between you and your Lord!

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