Introduction

• A blessed Sunday morning to all of us.

• In this month of February we put emphasis on the
COUPLES, in our prayer at this institution of
marriage will grow stronger and sweeter as the
years go by.
• I believe that one element that will make a
relationship really strong and sweet is the christian
discipline, Commitment.
• That is what we will be talking about today.
Only a person
who is first committed to God
can be committed to others.

So, what is true commitment towards

God? How to be committed to God?

Let us pray.
Commitment means the act of
committing oneself; pledging, engaging,
or promising oneself to the other.

Commitment is a conscious choice to do

something. Not just when I feel like
doing it.
• We live in a time where commitment is not important
anymore.
• Divorce rates are alarmingly increasing by the day.
• No one wants to be committed to one partner for the
entire life.
• Adults feel that there are hardly any close friends
compared to the adults a decade ago.
• People switch jobs very often.
• People are not committed to their church.
• I believe we are living in days where commitment is
lacking.
In the Bible, we see commitment in the life of
Noah, in his commitment to build the ark
Noah’s story is an incredible testament to unwavering commitment and
obedience to God.
When God saw the wickedness of humanity and decided to bring a flood
to destroy all living things.
 He found favor in Noah, a righteous man who walked with God.
Instructed by God to build an ark to save his family and a pair of every
kind of living creature, Noah followed God’s command without hesitation
or question, despite the ridicule and disbelief he faced from others.
“Thus Noah did; according to all that God commanded him, so he did.” (
Genesis 6:22, NKJV)
Abraham’s Commitment to Sacrifice
Isaac (Genesis 22:1-19)
Without hesitation, Abraham obeyed God’s command, trusting
that God would provide. As he prepared to sacrifice his son, an
angel stopped him, acknowledging his commitment to God.

“And He said, ‘Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything
to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not
withheld your son, your only son, from Me.'” (
Genesis 22:12, NKJV)
Ruth’s Commitment to Naomi (Ruth
1:16-17)
Ruth’s unwavering loyalty to her mother-in-law, Naomi, is a
beautiful illustration of commitment and love.
After the death of their husbands, Naomi urged her daughters-
in-law to return to their people.
However, Ruth refused to abandon Naomi and pledged to stay
by her side, adopting her people and her God.
Daniel’s Commitment to Prayer (Daniel
6:10-23)
Daniel, a faithful servant of God, was known for his
commitment to prayer, even when it led to dangerous
consequences.
When King Darius issued a decree that prohibited prayer to
anyone but himself, Daniel continued to pray to God three times
a day.
His actions led to his arrest and being thrown into the lion’s
den. However, due to his unwavering commitment, God
protected Daniel, and he emerged unharmed.
Paul’s Commitment to Preach the
Gospel (Acts 20:22-24)
The Apostle Paul, once a fierce persecutor of Christians,
became one of the most committed followers of Christ,
tirelessly preaching the gospel throughout the known world.
 Despite facing countless hardships, imprisonments, and
threats to his life, Paul remained steadfast in his mission to
spread the word of God.
“But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear
to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry
which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of
the grace of God.” (Acts 20:24, NKJV)
Jesus’ Commitment to Fulfill His
Mission (Luke 22:42)
The ultimate example of commitment is found in Jesus Christ,
who willingly endured suffering, humiliation, and crucifixion to
fulfill His mission to save humanity from sin.
In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus prayed to His Father,
expressing His willingness to accept the burden of the cross.
“Saying, ‘Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me;
nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.'” (
Luke 22:42, NKJV)
These stories highlight the transformative
power of commitment.
WHAT IS TRUE COMMITMENT
TOWARDS GOD?
Luke 9:57-62 The Cost of Following Jesus

57 As they were walking along the road, a man said to him,

“I will follow you wherever you go.” 58 Jesus replied, “Foxes
have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no
place to lay his head.” 59 He said to another man, “Follow
me.” But he replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my
father.” 60 Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own
dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” 61 Still
another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back
and say goodbye to my family.” 62 Jesus replied, “No one who
puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the
kingdom of God.”
• Luke records for us in this passage an account of three
men who Jesus met as He traveled along with His
disciples.
• Two of these men declared that they wished to follow
Jesus; to become His disciples. The other was one
whom Jesus summoned to follow Him.
• It is interesting that all the three backed out because
they did not have the commitment to follow Jesus.
• Let us study these three men one by one.
Luke 9:57-58

57 As they were walking along the road, a man said to him,

“I will follow you wherever you go.” 58 Jesus replied, “Foxes
have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no
place to lay his head.”
1. TRUE COMMITMENT IS MORE
THAN INVOLVEMENT.
• This man makes a very powerful and profound
promise to Jesus that he would follow Him wherever
he went.
• I believe that the man was sincere, he wanted to
follow Jesus, he wanted to be a part of what Jesus was
doing, and he wanted to make a difference.
• I also believe that his decision was based on all the
popularity and miracles that Jesus was performing.
• He did not think about the cost a person has to pay
for being a disciple and blindly committed to be Jesus’
follower
• True commitment has a cost to pay. Many of us commit to do things,
commit for ministry but we do not weight the cost.
• When Jesus discerned this man such a commitment was lacking in him.
See what Jesus said to him: Luke 9:58 Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens
and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”
• I believe this man never came back to become a follower of Christ
because he did not want to commit himself to Jesus when the going got
tough.
• The sad reality is that most people settle for being involved without
ever making a commitment. 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,
seven days a week and 365 days a year.
Illustration
• There is a story told about a pig and a chicken walking down the road
together. As they walked along they read an advertising signboard, ‘Donate
for a breakfast to benefit the poor.’ The chicken said to the pig, “We both
should donate to the poor.” “You give your meat, you give ham and I will
donate an egg.” At first the pig agreed but soon he taught about it and said,
“Oh! No, for you it would just be a contribution, but for me it would be a
total commitment.”
• The difference between involvement and commitment is like an eggs and
ham breakfast – the chicken was involved but the pig was committed. This
is a funny story but how is our life when we honestly look at the
commitments we have made in our lives. True commitment is more than
involvement.
God called us all to serve Him without reservation
• It has become fairly common today for children to be given big gifts when they turn
18 or when they finish school. Some might even get a new car. But very few would
get the type of gift that William Borden got when he finished high school in 1904.
• William Whiting Borden was born into a prominent and wealthy Illinois family, the
third child of William and Mary DeGarmo Whiting Borden.
• One report I read said that William was a millionaire when he finished school. So
what did his family give him as a graduation present: a world cruise!
• It was supposed to be one long pleasure experience, but as he travelled through the
Near East and the Far East, something happened. The plight of the millions upon
millions of people who were living in spiritual darkness transformed his heart.
• So on his return, instead of going into the family business as expected, he enrolled at
Princeton University where he studied for 7 years, including 3 years in seminary.
• At some stage during those years of study, he wrote these two words in the back of
his Bible ‘No reserve.’
• As his studies progressed his family pleaded with him to take
over the business but he insisted that God’s call to the mission
field was far more important, and he disposed of all his wealth.
• Two more words were then added to the inscription in his
Bible: ‘No retreat’. When he finished his training, he set out on
his way to the East where he was going to witness to the
Muslims.
• But on the way he contracted cerebral meningitis and died
within a month.
• After his death, someone was looking through his Bible and
discovered the final inscription: ‘No regrets.’
• No reserve, no retreat, no regrets.
2 Timothy 4:9-22
• Brothers and sisters, this type of faithfulness to God’s calling is also evident in our passage
today. Paul has been instructing young pastor Timothy about the gospel of grace, mercy,
peace, power and eternal life. He’s warned him about the difficulties that those who preach
God’s Word can expect. He’s been quite clear in his teaching about what Christian life ought
to look like. And all his readers have been reminded of the awesome task of preserving God’s
Word not only by making sure it is proclaimed but also especially by being living examples of
the Word.
• In the final 14 verses of this letter, Paul highlights some of his needs and disappointments but
those are in a sense covered over by his words of trust and assurance and grace. Paul’s final
words to Timothy paint a picture of his service to the Lord – they are a picture of the attitude
with which he has served His God. They show how he has served God without reservation,
without retreating in the difficult times and also without regretting that service.
• Without reservation;
• Without retreating; and
• Without regret.
Let’s look at the second man:

Luke 9:59-60

59 He said to another man, “Follow me.” But he replied,

“Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” 60 Jesus said to
him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and
proclaim the kingdom of God.”
• Jesus calls the second man but he asks permission from Jesus to go
and bury his father. Jesus gives him a blunt reply, “Let the dead bury
their own dead.” Why did Jesus talk so tough? Does he not have any
compassion when our loved ones die? This is where we miss the
scripture. Let us see what is going on over here. Listen, this man was
not asking to attend his father’s funeral because if his father died he
would not have been with Jesus now. He was asking to stay and care
for his family before following Jesus. His priority now was his family –
first family, then Jesus.
2. TRUE COMMITMENT IS GIVING
PRIORITY TO GOD.
• There is nothing wrong with caring for your family because your
family is a gift from God and you are instructed by scripture to take
care of them.
• Jesus is driving at the issue of priority.
• Jesus wants us to make Him first in our lives and no other place will
do.
• Secondly, it is urgent for his disciples to commit to be a disciple of
Christ because the work for us is plenty.
Matthew 16:24

Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after
me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
• Jesus is telling if you truly want to follow him then everything in
your life has to be denied and give him the number one priority in
your life.

Deny yourself: Say no to self and yes to God. It is to dethrone our self
and enthrone God in us. Give up yourself.
Take up his cross: Sacrificial, concerned about others, concerned
about the Kingdom of God, sacrificial to the duties of a Christian than
our personal comfort.
Follow me: Be willing to go wherever God leads you.
• Why does Jesus want us to follow him and give him priority?
Jesus has some work for us. See how he called Simon and
Andrew: Matthew 4:19 Follow me, and I will make you fishers
of men
• We need to give Jesus priority and be committed to him
because God wants us to be fishers of men.
• There is no time to waste. His coming is very near and God
wants our prioritized commitment in bringing others to him.
There is work to be completed and God needs our urgent
commitment and 100% priority.
• True commitment is giving priority to God.
Luke 9:61-62

61 Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me
go back and say goodbye to my family.” 62 Jesus replied, “No
one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for
service in the kingdom of God.”
3. TRUE COMMITMENT IS KEEPING
YOUR FOCUS ON GOD.
• The third man comes to Jesus and says I want to follow you Lord but I
have a request to make. He makes a reasonable request to go back
and say goodbye to his family and again Jesus makes a statement that
sounds rather harsh when He tells the man that he is not fit to follow.
• Why does Jesus do this? Notice what the man says to Jesus: Luke 9:61
Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and
say goodbye to my family.”
• See first his commitment was for his family then Jesus. God wants
your first commitment otherwise he does not want you.
• Many ancient customs called for a prolonged goodbye
filled with festive parties.
• It is likely that this man had intended to have several
farewell parties from both family and friends.
• This could take days or even weeks before it was
finished.
• We are much like this man because we are far too often
focused on what we lose by following Jesus.
• Choose Jesus first, and choose only Jesus.
HOW TO BE COMMITTED TO GOD?

1. Be committed to your personal spiritual growth (prayer, Bible reading

and responding to the commands of God)

2. Be commitment to your church - We need to commit ourselves to be

responsible members of one church. The local church is the first level of
commitment outside of our personal relationship with the Lord

3. Be committed to your call - We all have been called with a divine

calling. When God called you God also gave you the gifts and talents to
you to accomplish that call. In other words be committed in using your
gifts and talents for God. Paul reminds us in Romans 12:6 We have
different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us.
• Commitment to ministry means putting those gifts to work.
God has given you gifts and placed you here to use it here at
your local church. If you are not using your gifts your
commitment is not complete. We must commit ourselves to the
ministry of the local church and use the spiritual gifts that God
has given us.
CONCLUSION
• Will you make a commitment today?
• If you have not committed yourself to the Lord, then you need
to begin there.
• Once you have committed yourself to the Lord will you commit
yourself to personal growth, institute some practical steps to do
so beginning today?
2 Chronicles 16:9 — GOD’S WORD Translat
ion (GW)
• 9 The LORD’s eyes scan the whole world to find those
whose hearts are committed to him and to strengthen
them.

• If God sees that we are fully committed to Him, He

assures us of His strong support.
• Because cannot entrust the most amazing spiritual
blessings to everyone whose commitment is flickering
(God is not a priority and not focus on Him).