THE VIRTUE OF COMMITMENT | Psalms 105:7-8

SCRIPTURE:  Psalms 105:7 "He is the LORD our God.  His justice is seen throughout the land. 8 He always stands by his covenant— the commitment he made to a thousand generations." (NLT)

OBJECTIVES:

1.     To understand the underlying principles of Biblical commitment.

2.     To internalize and develop the virtues and values of the attitude of commitment.

INTRODUCTION:

➢   This month's theme is focused on the attitudes of a conqueror.  The Word of God says, "Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us." (Romans 8:37). Through Jesus Christ, meaning, we need to understand and develop the attitudes of Christ to become a conqueror.  "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,..." (Philippians 2:5).

➢   Attitude (according to Google dictionary), is a settled way of thinking or feeling about someone or something, typically one that is reflected in a person's behavior.  

➢   I perceive it this way - attitude is the expression or manifestation of a person's character.  Character is what a person is inwardly, while attitude is what a person is outwardly.  Character is who you are, attitude is your reaction. If a person has Christlikeness, his attitude manifests with the Fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, long-suffering, goodness, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness & self control).

➢   Character (noun) the mental and moral qualities distinctive to an individual. (personality, nature, disposition, temperament, temper, mentality)

CHARACTER AND ATTITUDE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS

➢   So, we can safely say that attitude is how we posture ourselves in the midst of circumstances.  It is the reflection of our character that have been develop or in the process of development through interaction with circumstances in the course of time.  (i.e. A child exposed to a caring environment would eventually consider caring for others as normal, and he could be a caring person himself.)

➢   No one was born with all the desirable attitudes. Attitudes are being developed by contributory factors.  The atmosphere of the upbringing of a child has a lot to do with the development of the child's character and consequently his attitude.  Anything that undergoes development needs time and process.  That is why we have to frame our character transformation and development process in the Character of our Lord Jesus Christ.  He is the perfect model!  No single person is perfect except the Lord and this is the reason why everyone needs to undergo the Discipleship Process! 

➢   Let your attitude be developed according to Christ's (Phil 2:5-11).  Be a consistent disciple! 

WHAT COMMITMENT IS.

➢   Commitment - the state or quality of being dedicated to a cause, activity, etc.  (syn. dedication, devotion, allegiance, loyalty, faithfulness, fidelity, bond, adherence, attentiveness).  As in our commitment to the Gospel Cause or Making Disciples.

➢   By commitment, we can also define it as an engagement or obligation that restricts freedom of action. (responsibility, obligation, duty, tie, charge, liability, burden, pressure).  As in the commitment between a husband and his wife, and between a disciple and the Lord thru his leader.

➢   In our Scripture, commitment has reference or connection to God's covenant that He made to Abraham and the patriarchs.  By this inference, God stands firm on His covenant until it comes to fulfillment.  No one and nothing can stand on God's way until it is fulfilled.  For Christian Disciples, our commitment has the same value and based on our covenant relationship with God. 

➢   A covenant commitment is a blood commitment.  Blood for blood, Life for life.  For the blood of Jesus Christ spilled on the cross of Calvary for us, necessitates for us to give our lives fully to Him.  That means we should give our full commitment to fulfill His Command, the Great Commission.

THE VALUE OF OUR COMMITMENT

➢   We have seen how God's covenant commitment is fulfilled with the victory of Jesus Christ at Calvary's Cross, bringing eternal redemption to mankind.  It took thousands of years and would take more years until His covenant is finally implemented.  Although God's part is fulfilled at the cross two thousand eighteen years ago, it would still take years of painstaking and hard work for the Church to implement its part.  Yes, God now depend on what the Church would do to implement the Gospel cause.  God is now counting on my commitment and your commitment to the Gospel Cause.

➢   What happens if we commit ourselves to the Gospel Cause?  Or, What happens if we will not give our commitment to His Cause?  God can always call other people who are willing to follow His command.  But would you allow to miss this blessed opportunity of God's calling you to implement the Gospel Cause?  Ask the person next to you the same question.

➢   It is better to have a commitment and fail, than not having attempted to make any commitment at all.  If you fail, you gain an experience and become wiser to start over again differently.

DEVELOPING AN ATTITUDE OF COMMITMENT.

1.     COUNT THE PRICE AND THE PRIZE OF COMMITMENT.

➢   Romans 8:18 "For I consider that the sufferings (price) of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory (prize) which shall be revealed in us."

➢   Accounting-wise, if the profit you would realize in a business venture is much more than your investment, it is a profitable venture!   In the same token, if the eternal prize or glory of your commitment to the Gospel Cause far exceeds the price of temporal sufferings, it is worth it.  What else in this life can give you an incomparable weight of eternal glory?

2.     BE INTENTIONAL IN YOUR COMMITMENT

➢   Don't commit yourself to a worthy cause because somebody asked you to.  Rather, intentionally commit yourself to a worthy cause because it is the only way to do it.  Don't consider yourself being pushed by your Leader into making commitment to a worthy cause.  Rather, consider your commitment to the Gospel Cause necessary to advance the Kingdom of your God. 

➢   Take ownership of the Kingdom so you would take ownership of the Gospel Cause. 

➢   Take ownership of the Gospel Cause and you would be intentional in your commitment.  The Gospel Cause is your Cause!  You live and it's worth giving up your life for the Gospel Cause.

3.     BE DETERMINED TO THE END

➢   Philippians 2:8 "And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross."

➢   Determination is defying all hindrances and obstacles to reach the goal.  By focusing on the end result and the glory it entails, all pains and sufferings in the process become irrelevant.

➢   Jesus Christ was so focused on His Mission that He subjected Himself to the most humiliating and most cruel form of sacrifice, and was determined to the point of giving up of His own life to the most agonizing form of death by crucifixion.

CONCLUSION:

What are you willing and to what extent are you willing to commit it for the Gospel Cause?  Your time?  Your talent?  Your treasure?