Sermon:
A Call to Commitment
Romans 12:1-2
I want to introduce you to a mythical church member that I am going to call Kenny.
When we first meet Kenny he is attending services at First Church but he left
because the services were too formal, every one on the platform wore a tie. He and
his family then wandered over to Grace Church because they had a great choir. But
before long, we hear they are “happy” at the
Christian Worship Center. But before long they move
their membership to the Community Church because
of the great bible teaching. After that the youth
program at New Hope catches their eye. Now at least
for the moment, they are at the church uptown, at
least until something else catching their roving eye.
What ever happened to commitment?
Why do you suppose that there are close to 100
million church members in America yet they are not
making more of a moral and spiritual impact? Why is
that on Sunday morning thousands of churches have
more empty pews than full? Why is it that the
average Sunday School in America has less than 66 in
attendance and that the average worship service has
84? Why is it that only 50% of the number on any
church membership roll can be expected to attend?
If Christians really believe in a real heaven and a
real Hell, how can we be so silent? . . . The answer to
all of these questions is tragically simple! God’s
people have made a decision about Jesus….but have
never made a commitment to Him.” [Charles Stanley.
Confronting Casual Christianity. (Nashville: Broadman
Press, 1985) pp. 23-33.]
There is of course a difference between a decision
and a commitment. Perhaps this cannot be seen any
clearer than it is in the failure rate of marriages in
America. According to statistics at least 50% of all
marriages will end in divorce. Why do you suppose
that is happening? Charles Stanley in his book,
Confronting Casual Christianity, says that it is
because these couples made a decision but did not
make a commitment. Every person who married made a decision! They stood before a
preacher and made promises and recited vows. They made a decision, they kissed each
other and walked out together to live but not necessarily “happily ever after” and
not necessarily together. So why did they divorce? The answer is that they made a
decision, but they did not truly commit their lives to each other. But when a couple
marries and makes a commitment to one another that is a different story. (Stanley.
pp. 25-27)
The same is true in the church. The reason that the church is not making more of an
impact in our society is that many church members made a decision about Christ, but
have not made a commitment to Christ.
When the pilot of a giant airline is speeding down the runway, there is a certain point
where it staying on the ground is no longer an option. When he crosses that line, he is
committed to the air, he will take off or a disastrous crash is imminent. At the pilot
the pilot can no longer change his mind he is committed.
Unfortunately churches are filled with members who have never got off the ground.
They have been sitting there gunning their engines, making noise but getting
nowhere. They have been planning on it, meaning to, wanting to, trying to, going to,
aiming to, hoping to. But tragedy of tragedies, they have never got off the ground.
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