Commitment

Based on Life of Christ study 5th May 2012

We were looking at the major themes that we did and related topics in the events that we studied. We will be looking at something like 12 events which have the distinction of being key events and also they contain teachings on commitment. The study can be broken down into the following six themes which can be studied in the listed events in subsequent pages of this document. Additional reading can be done using the Life of Christ study book. Division 1. Origin of Commitment 2. Precursor to Commitment 3. Nature of Commitment 4. False Commitment 5. Commitment in life a. In normal day to day life b. In Persecution c. In truth and through truth d. During a call from God 6. Commitment with a promise Events 76, 111 41b 54 76 35, 53, 54, 70 70, 97-98, 102, 111 97-98, 111 28, 40, 41a, 41b, 70, 102 41a, 70, 102

Commitment is a good thing. Its considered a virtue even by many worldly people who do not know God. Commitment to the nation, to the institute etc is a celebrated concept in modern world and it is taken to be a good thing. Seldom do we ask the following questions: 1. Why is commitment a good thing? 2. What is the source of commitment? 3. Are there any forms like Bad Commitment? 4. What is true commitment? 5. Is it necessary to be committed to God? This study will focus on answering or pointing to the answer of these questions.

Event 28: Joh 1:47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!" Joh 1:48 Nathanael said to him, "How do you know me?" Jesus answered him, "Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you." Joh 1:49 Nathanael answered him, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!"
Commitment during a call: Commitment part not obvious here. However, it is present in the earlier part where Jesus makes the disciples: Andrew, Philip and Nathanael. Jesus just says "Follow me!" or something like that and they believe in the fact that He is the messiah and follow Him, because of the witnessing of John the Baptist, who said, "Behold, the Lamb of God".

Event 35: Joh 4:34 Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work.
Commitment in normal life: The context is in the context of the samaritan woman. She has just left and the disciples are coming and asking Jesus if He requires food. Jn 4:32 was also interpreted by the disciples as physical food, but Jesus is talking on a higher plane. Commitment of Jesus Christ was as eating food. It was necessarily a part of His lifestyle, an ever-present nature and a steadfast and diligent will to do the will of the Father.

Event 40: Mar 1:19 And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets. Mar 1:20 And immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him. Mar 1:21 And they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath he entered the synagogue and was teaching. Mar 1:29 And immediately he left the synagogue and entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. Joh 1:43 The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, "Follow me."
Commitment during a call: Mostly, the key happenings here which relate to commitment come from the calling of Jesus of the disciples, who were ready to follow Him. Sons of Zebedee were mending their nets with their father and left him and his servants as soon as (as 'immediately' is used here) Jesus called them. Capernaum is the place where Jesus stayed when He was rejected at Nazareth. Also, after going to Galilee, Jesus calls and Philip follows. This is significant as all of them follow Jesus as soon as the call arrives. Q: Do we do that?

Event 41a: Mar 1:16 Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. Mar 1:17 And Jesus said to them, "Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men." Mar 1:18 And immediately they left their nets and followed him. Mar 1:19 And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets. Mar 1:20 And immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him. Commitment during a call: 'Immediately' is key. Also, one should remember that before this event took place, they had already seen Jesus in the presence of John the Baptist. So, they know about Him, and now when He is calling them, they just don't waste any time in leaving to follow Him. Commitment with a Promise: Also, the promise has a call before it: "Follow me" and then the promise comes: "I will make you become fishers of men". Event 41b: Luk 5:1 On one occasion, while the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret, Luk 5:2 and he saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. Luk 5:3 Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon's, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat. Luk 5:4 And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch." Luk 5:5 And Simon answered, "Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets." Luk 5:6 And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking. Luk 5:7 They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. Luk 5:8 But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord." Luk 5:9 For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken, Luk 5:10 and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men." Luk 5:11 And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.
Commitment during a call:

Commitment in the fact that the disciples leave everything and follow Him. Before this, they have already known Him before. Commitment comes after faith and obedience - as Peter let down the nets by having faith in Jesus. Precursors to commitment here: 1. Faith & Obedience (v5) 2. Conviction of sin (v8) 3. Forgiveness of God (v10) 4. Confidence in God (v10) 5. Willing to do the will of God (v10,11) Event 53: Mar 3:13 And he went up on the mountain and called to him those whom he desired, and they came to him. Mar 3:14 And he appointed twelve (whom he also named apostles) so that they might be with him and he might send them out to preach Mar 3:15 and have authority to cast out demons. Mar 3:16 He appointed the twelve: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter); Mar 3:17 James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James (to whom he gave the name Boanerges, that is, Sons of Thunder); Mar 3:18 Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Cananaean, Mar 3:19 and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

Commitment in normal life: Constituents of Commitment: "So that they might be with Him and He might send them out to preach and have authority to cast out demons". This means that Commitment also follows the following structure: I. Fellowship and being together with God. II. Doing the will of God.

Event 54: Mat 5:10 "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Mat 5:11 "Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Mat 5:12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. Mat 5:13 "You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet. Mat 5:14 "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.

Mat 5:15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. Mat 5:16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. Important passage on commitment. The following main points are given: Nature: 1. Persecution(all kinds) for righteousness' and Christ sake. Rewards is the Kingdom of heaven. 2. Salt of the world - Do not lose the taste. What are the nature of salt? Ans. 'Preservative, pure, passive' 3. Light of the world - Do not hide the light. Purpose? Ans. Glory to Father in heaven. Mainly the commitment is for the very nature(salt and light) of believers. Commitment should be to persevere(even with persecution) in the nature that we acquire at Salvation. Mat 6:19 "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, Mat 6:20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. Mat 6:21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Mat 6:22 "The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, Mat 6:23 but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! Mat 6:24 "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. Mat 6:33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Commitment during normal life: "..there your heart will be also." is Commitment in another way of saying. Here the main focus is on the worldly things and God. What are we committed to? Three things that tend to become our objects of commitment: 1. Treasure : Research. Career. Ministry? 2. Lust of eyes : Physical. Food. Relationship. 3. Money : Wealth and worldly Prosperity Jesus urges us to look at the three things in a way that still retains them but in the way that they are supposed to be used. 1. Treasures in heaven!

2. Eyes 3. Money

for light! replace by God! Money will/will not come according to God's will!

We are satisfied by getting what we treasure in our hearts. God promises Himself to those who seek Him and thus is a treasure that satisfies. However, sin and worldly desires promise falsely and run out before fulfilling us. "There is a God shaped void in every human's heart" Event 70: Mat 10:16 "Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. Mat 10:17 Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues, Mat 10:18 and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles. Mat 10:19 When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour. Mat 10:20 For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. Mat 10:21 Brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death, Mat 10:22 and you will be hated by all for my name's sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. Mat 10:23 When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next, for truly, I say to you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes. Mat 10:24 "A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. Mat 10:25 It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household. Mat 10:26 "So have no fear of them, for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. Mat 10:27 What I tell you in the dark, say in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops. Mat 10:28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Commitment during persecution: Crux: 1. Be wise and innocent. (v16) 2. Persecution will come. Witnessing will follow. (v18) 3. Spirit guides during persecution. (v19,20) The persecution is great as is described in the above passage. As the servant is always below the Master, he will come under much more suffering and shame than the Master. So, fear is to be shunned and one has to be confident as a part of his/her own commitment.

Mat 10:32 So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, Mat 10:33 but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven. Mat 10:34 "Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. Mat 10:35 For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. Mat 10:36 And a person's enemies will be those of his own household. Mat 10:37 Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Mat 10:38 And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Mat 10:39 Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. Precursors or constitutents of commitment: Commitment is not an option. It is a necessity and a necessary character of those who are saved. As given in Matt. 10:22, 33, commitedness is a character of those who are saved. The tone here is very demanding and Christ is slowly coming to the real need of God from those who love Him. God requires the whole of us and not just some part. He wants to be on the top of the priority list, not just on number two or number 50. Also, it is implied in Matt 10:38. While one who is saved will experience an abounding inner peace, there might and will be large conflicts and troubles in the outset and in life, and one has to bear them and love God more than the objects of conflict. We have to "acknowledge Him before men". Event 76: Joh 6:26 Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Joh 6:27 Do not labor for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal." False Commitment! Commitment might look as if it is for the right person, i.e. God, but it might be actually for 'bread', which can be prosperity(money, success and wealth) in our life. Jesus says not to labor for the perishing food but for the food that endures to eternal life. Joh 6:66 After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. Joh 6:67 So Jesus said to the Twelve, "Do you want to go away as well?" Joh 6:68 Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, Joh 6:69 and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God."

Joh 6:70 Jesus answered them, "Did I not choose you, the Twelve? And yet one of you is a devil." Where does commitment come from? True commitment is given by God. This is as Jesus says in Jn 6:70: "Did I not choose you, the Twelve?" So, true commitment is one which is based on the truth (v68-69) and is given by God, so that no-one can boast and have pride over his/her own strength. Event 97-98: Joh 8:19-20 Joh 8:57-59 Commitment in persecution: Boldness in the truth: Even though there might be very tricky and provocable situations, it takes commitment to say the truth and clearly. Event 102: Luke 10:3 Commitment in Trust: Even though when Jesus sent them out, He didn't give them much in terms of support or money or anything else, and He also said that they were going among wolves as sheep, the disciples were to persevere. Situations in our life rarely get this bad, in the perspective of being committed to what is right even in the difficult times. We must trust God for our provisions and security as the 72 did here and ended up glorifying God greatly wherever they went.

Event 111: Joh 10:30 I and the Father are one." Joh 10:31 The Jews picked up stones again to stone him. Joh 10:32 Jesus answered them, "I have shown you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you going to stone me?" Joh 10:39 Again they sought to arrest him, but he escaped from their hands. Same as above. Boldness in truth.