Luke 5:27-28 "Commitment. " with Pastor Michael. Calvary Chapel Devine's Weekly Devotion.

“And if I am committed to the Lord, I will also be committed to His Word and His ministry, to serve others.” Chuck Smith 

We just started reading through Calvary Chapel Distinctives this past Wednesday night. One thing that stood out to me is the word “commitment”, I have seen so many over the years that are fully committed to Lord, let me just say you can learn a lot from them. The three things that I loved in each of those leaders was their commitment to the Lord  (Their Relationship with Jesus), their service to others and their humility. 

First-Our relationship with the Lord needs total commitment. This is the area where many struggle. Just think about a relationship with a spouse, if you only spoke to them once a week, never spent time together but on Sunday for little over an hour and then you leave. Your marriage would be in deep trouble, you would have two people living different lives instead of becoming one you would be divided. When I talk about being committed to the Lord let us look at Levi (Apostle Matthew).
 
Luke 5:27-28 ESV
After this he went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax booth. And he said to him, “Follow me.”  And leaving everything, he rose and followed him.

Jesus said follow me, and I love what Levi does “leaving everything, he rose and followed him.” Levi leaves it all. The money, the protection of the Roman government and his position which he couldn’t return too. Is there something of the world that you haven’t given up yet? We leave everything cause Christ is all we need. Pastor Chuck was extremely successful businessman but we he decided to answer the call to become a pastor he left everything and did just that. For us spending time with the Lord is essential. One commitment in our relationship with the Lord is being in the word of God daily. Today many will come to church and expect to be spoon fed the word of God by the pastor but never open the Bible the other six days of the week. God’s word gives light and understanding to help guide our lives. Yet we do not spend time in it, why? 

Psalm 119:130 ESV
The unfolding of your words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple.

Leaving everything means giving up your time to spend in his word, in prayer, and in fellowship on daily basis. Many do not grow because the things of the world have taken priority over Christ. So, what are you just a fan of Christ or a follower willing to leave everything to follow Jesus? A follower is someone who obedient and applies the word. Is a man or woman of prayer, like Nehemiah. Follower does not neglect fellowship and attending church. The follower commits his or her relationship with Christ first in their life. 

Second- Becoming a follower of Jesus means we serve others. In this culture everyone wants to be served and wants to be first. I heard a Congresswoman say that she was too important to the work in congress, not to have a $200k private security team, while she wants to cut your police department. So, her security is more important than yours, it is very prideful. That is the attitude of people today, especially those in leadership in the world, it’s all about me and my needs. In the Kingdom of God that doesn’t work. You are least. 

Mark 10:45 ESV
For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

If Jesus came to serve and you are to be like Christ, why aren’t followers of Christ serving others? We have to have a commitment to serve. There is this great acronym JOY (Jesus-Others-You) meaning you find joy by placing Jesus first, placing serving others second and then you come last. The church has ample opportunity to serve. We have people getting sick left and right in the city again. Would you be willing to take someone caldo (soup)? Make them meals. Watch the kids. Sit and pray with them?  It is important. Jesus is the example, and he didn’t ask his disciples to do something he wasn’t willing to do himself. We have become so divided in the church arguing over everything in the news. We get divided and we stop serving. So, stop complaining about the world, abide in Christ and start serving again. 

1 John 2:6 
whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.

Third- Humility teaches me that I am to obey the Lord, love my Jesus, and point people to Jesus. We need to approach those goals with humility instead of a concealed pride.

Philippians 2:3-4 
Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. [4] Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

I Love that verse because Paul is pointing us to care more about others than ourselves. But not to be conceited, be humble. “Do nothing” that means nothing out pride but be committed to humility always. That is tough because we live in a very “look at me society”, right now. Every aspect of my life needs to be posted, everyone needs to broadcast their day on every social networks, every bit of shine (stuff). We think everyone is dying to see every part of our day. It can become very narcisistic.  It is funny I remember my grandfather playing and singing a song title “Lord it’s hard to be humble, when I am perfect in every way.”, pride comes before the fall. The Word of God says we should clothe ourselves with humility.  

1 Peter 5:5 ESV
Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

If I am honest, my own opinion doesn’t matter as much as I think it does. Guess what? Neither does yours. The only thing that matters is Jesus and our relationship with him. We have to get to place of humility, don’t look for the applause of men. Don't look for people to say, "Oh, thank you. Oh, you mean so much to me, your best thing since slice bread.” You point them to Jesus. God gives his grace to humble. 

James 4:6 ESV
But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

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

God teaches you humility, keeps you dependent upon Him, shows you how to follow Him, and protects you from pride through trials. Remember people will try to puff you up with compliments and that is just hot air into a balloon which one day if you let fill your head it will pop. Jesus humbled himself to what? Being obedient to God, committed and humbled to die on the cross. I know it is so easy to want to be heard. We all have an instrument in hands and in our homes that will allows us to broadcast our opinions and life. Put down the phone, turn off the laptop and walk away from those prideful arguments that hurt others. Be committed to share Christ humbly. 
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So be committed to Christ leave everything and follow Him. Be committed to your relationship with Christ, to serve others and be committed to be humble. 

God Bless 
Michael Petit