We were built for commitment by a God who reveals Himself in large part through His commitments, promises, and covenants. Our contention is that one would be hard pressed to commit their way unto the Lord unless their “way” could sustain a life fully committed to being a healthy, functioning part of the body of Christ.

Thesis:

I don’t believe that you can commit your way to the Lord unless your “way” can sustain a life fully committed to being a healthy functioning part of the body of Christ.

Psalm 37:5–6 (ESV)
Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday.

Ephesians 4:7-13

“…to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ…”

God has an unfathomably grand plan for those whom He has redeemed and it happens inside the communion of the saints.

Ephesians 4:7–13 (ESV)
But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift. Therefore it says, “When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men.” (In saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth? He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,

1 Corinthians 11:17-19

“…when you come together…”

Who is the “you” being corrected?

1 Corinthians 11:17–19 (ESV)
But in the following instructions I do not commend you, because when you come together it is not for the better but for the worse. For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you. And I believe it in part, for there must be factions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may be recognized.

Matthew 18:15-17

“…tell it to the church.”

Who is being told?

Matthew 18:15–17 (ESV)
“If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.

Hebrews 13:17

“…keeping watch over your souls…”

Whose souls?

Hebrews 13:17 (ESV)
Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.

5 Commitments:

Pray for the body

Jesus assumed it
Do you believe the Father is listening because of the work of Christ?
The body desperately needs it.

Matthew 6:6 (ESV)
But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

Ephesians 6:18 (ESV)
praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,

Colossians 1:9–12 (ESV)
And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.

Serve the body in a volunteer position

Do you believe Jesus that the first in the Kingdom must be servant of all?
Can you, while wishing you were a hand, faithfully be a foot?

1 Corinthians 12:14–20 (ESV)
For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body.

1 Corinthians 9:19 (ESV)
For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them.

Mark 9:33–35 (ESV)
And they came to Capernaum. And when he was in the house he asked them, “What were you discussing on the way?” But they kept silent, for on the way they had argued with one another about who was the greatest. And he sat down and called the twelve. And he said to them, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.”

Give as an act of obedience and worship

Do you believe it’s all His?
Do you believe He’s worthy of the first and best?
Do you beleive Jesus that you cannot serve God and money?

2 Corinthians 9:6–8 (ESV)
The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.

Matthew 6:24 (ESV)
“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.

Deuteronomy 14:22 (ESV)
“You shall tithe all the yield of your seed that comes from the field year by year.

Deuteronomy 26:10 (ESV)
And behold, now I bring the first of the fruit of the ground, which you, O Lord, have given me.’ And you shall set it down before the Lord your God and worship before the Lord your God.

Malachi 3:10 (ESV)
Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.

Luke 11:41–42 (ESV)
But give as alms those things that are within, and behold, everything is clean for you. “But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and every herb, and neglect justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.

Join a Gospel Community to grow and minister

How will your faith work itself out in love?
Do you believe Jesus that they will know we are His disciples by how we love one another?

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Jeremiah 9:23–24 (ESV)
Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.”

Matthew 25:31–40 (ESV)
“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’

Galatians 5:6 (ESV)
For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.

Attend regular Sunday gatherings

We see ourselves in light of Who God is.
We are reminded that He cleanses us and makes us holy.
We are sent out for the purpose of filling the earth with His glory.
Do you believe that Jesus is the Lord of the Sabbath?

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Hebrews 10:24–25 (ESV)
And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

Isaiah 6:1–8 (ESV)
In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!” And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!” Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.” And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.”

Exhortation for the discontented:

Psalm 37:3–6 (ESV)
Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday.

Where there is discontentment we can know we were hoping in a circumstance…
Rather than realizing the good portion comes from faithfully doing good while trusting God over a long period of time

Where there is discontentment we can know that we were hoping to follow our desires to the Lord…
Rather than realizing that the Lord was meant to establish and redeem our desires

Where there is discontentment we can know that we were hoping the Lord would give us an honorable way ( in the eyes of men)…
Rather than realizing we were given a way for the express purpose of honoring the Lord in the eyes of men