2020-09-10
Luke 9:23 NLT
Here are three Bible examples of radical commitment: (1) Commitment on the job. In the past, employers appreciated their workers, and workers valued their employers and their jobs. Today’s workplace is often adversarial, with employees criticizing their bosses and doing the minimum required to get by, while many bosses have become increasingly demanding, taking their workers for granted. This isn’t God’s way. His way calls for mutual commitment between management and labor. Paul says: “Obey your earthly masters…always with an eye to obeying the real master, Christ. Don’t just do what you have to do to get by…work heartily…keeping in mind that no matter who happens to be giving the orders, you’re really serving God” (Ephesians 6:5-8 MSG). (2) Commitment at church. Many Christians have adopted a cafeteria-style approach toward church. We pick what we like and leave what we don’t. But membership in Christ’s church involves a covenant relationship with a body of believers who watch over, cherish, and pray for one other, and fulfill the great commission together (See 1 Corinthians 12:12-31). (3) Commitment to Christ. Christ is not looking for wishy-washy, “lukewarm” followers (See Revelation 3:16). He told the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me.'” That means you no longer follow your own wishes and will, you follow Christ and His will. That’s radical commitment, and you are called to it.
Soul food: Eze 24:1-27:24; Luke 21:1-11; Ps 78:17-31; Prov 20:15-19
Luke 9:23 NLT
God is not looking for wishy-washy commitment. In Revelation 3:16 He says ‘So, because you are lukewarm – neither hot nor cold – I am about to spit you out of my mouth’ (NIV). These words are strong, but paint a very clear picture that God wants more from us than mild, half-hearted interest. He is the God of the universe, who put the stars in space, then stepped down to our level to save us. We owe more to Him than some of our life, some of the time. He will always meet us where we are, but He expects us to give everything that we can in that moment. In Luke 9:23, Jesus told the crowd: ‘If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me’ (NLT). That means that we no longer follow our own thoughts and wants, we follow Jesus and what He wants for our lives. That is the most intense form of commitment, giving ourselves up completely for someone else, and we are called to it. Paul sums this commitment up in Galatians 2:20, saying ‘I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me’ (NIV). That’s what it comes down to. Jesus loves us so much that He was willing to give everything up to follow that love to His life’s end. He deserves the same level of fully-committed love in return.
Eze 24:1-27:24; Luke 21:1-11; Ps 78:17-31; Prov 20:15-19
Lukas 9:23 NLV
Hier is drie Bybelse voorbeelde van radikale toewyding: 1) Toewyding by die werk. In die verlede het werkgewers hulle werknemers waardeer en werknemers het hulle werkgewers en werke waardeer. Vandag se werkplek is dikwels vyandig, met werknemers wat hulle base kritiseer en die minimum werk doen, terwyl baie base toenemend veeleisend word en hulle werknemers as vanselfsprekend aanvaar. Dis nie God se manier nie. Sy manier vereis wedersydse toewyding tussen die bestuur en die werksmag. Paulus sê: ‘…julle [moet] na hierdie base van julle luister. Respekteer hulle en behandel hulle met ontsag. Wat julle vir hulle doen, moet julle eerlik en opreg doen, asof julle dit vir Christus doen. Moenie net hard werk as jou baas vir jou kyk om in sy goeie boekies te kom nie. Werk liewer hard omdat julle aan Christus behoort en doen wat God van julle vra so goed julle kan. Julle werk mos nie eintlik vir mense nie, maar vir die Here…’ (Efesiërs 6:5-7 DB). 2) Toewyding aan die kerk. Baie Christene neem ‘n kafeteria-styl benadering teenoor die kerk aan. Ons kies waarvan ons hou en los dit waarvan ons nie hou nie. Lidmaatskap in God se kerk vereis egter ‘n verbondsverhouding met ‘n liggaam van gelowiges wat vir mekaar omgee, mekaar koester, vir mekaar bid en saam die grootste taak vervul (sien 1 Korintiërs 12:12-31). 3) Toewyding aan Christus. Christus wil nie lou volgelinge hê nie (sien Openbaring 3:16). Hy het vir die skare gesê: ‘…As enigeen van julle my dissipel wil word, moet jy jou selfsugtige ambisie aflê, elke dag jou kruis opneem en My volg.’ Dit beteken dat jy nie meer jou eie wense en wil volg nie, maar Christus se wense en sy wil volg. Dit is radikale toewyding en jy is daartoe geroep.
Sielskos: Eseg 24:1-27:24; Luk 21:1-11; Ps 78:17-31; Spr 20:15-19
2020-09-09
Galatians 2:20 NIV
It may sound clichéd, but the statistics prove that there’s a lack of commitment in our society today. Marriage rates are down, divorce rates are up, and people stay in a job for far less time than they would have done 40 years ago. The Christian life is one that requires the deepest kind of commitment, though. Galatians 2:20 explains how wholly we enter into our new lives with God: ‘I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me’ (NIV). This is full, life-changing commitment. Jesus gave all that He is to give us life. Paul shows us that we should give all we are back to God in return. Wherever we’re at personally, there’s a lot that we can learn from the commitment of marriage to help us understand how we can commit to God, and to anything that He asks us to do. There’s a reason that we, as the Church, are called Jesus’ Bride (Revelation 22:17 NIV). Firstly, we see that it’s a lot easier to make a commitment to something if there’s love there. When we love God, we see no other option than to give our lives to Him. And when we find something that we’re passionate about, it becomes more possible to imagine jumping fully in. It also reminds us that even when we’re passionate, commitment takes a lot of work. No matter how much you love someone or something, it’s easy to want to quit when difficulties arise. But any successful marriage shows us that once we’ve committed, it’s worth working at things to keep them growing.
Eze 22-23; Luke 20:41-47; Ps 78:9-16; Prov 20:11-14
Galatians 2:20 NIV
Many people today want to get as much as they can for themselves while giving as little in return as possible. They want to be there for their friends in the good times, but absent in the not-so-good ones. Sadly, national statistics confirm this lack of commitment. The marriage rate is down while the divorce rate is up. Involvement in ministry and worthy causes that help the needy are all down. Why? Because people don’t want to put themselves on the line, or be pinned down by responsibility. We often view opportunities to serve others as obligations, therefore we avoid them. We’re a sound bite generation with a short attention span, accustomed to fifteen-second advertisements and fast food. We want our sermons simple, entertaining, and “feel-good.” Yes, radical commitment is rare – but it’s what God requires of you. Commitment means your promise is binding whether it’s convenient or not. Let’s look at a few examples: Commitment to marriage. Marriage, as God sees it, isn’t a fifty-fifty arrangement. It’s a mutual agreement to give 100 percent of ourselves. It’s a lifetime covenant between you and your spouse: “for better or worse; for richer or poorer; in sickness and in health; until parted by death.” And that covenant is a lot easier to live up to when both partners have learned, like Paul, to say, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.” That means dying to self-interest is the key to great relationships.
Soul food: Eze 22-23; Luke 20:41-47; Ps 78:9-16; Prov 20:11-14
