Commitment Issues
All this energy issues from Christ: God raised him from death and set him on a throne in deep heaven, in charge of running the universe, everything from galaxies to governments, no name and no power exempt from his rule. And not just for the time being, but forever. He is in charge of it all, has the final word on everything. At the center of all this, Christ rules the church. The church, you see, is not peripheral to the world; the world is peripheral to the church. The church is Christ’s body, in which he speaks and acts, by which he fills everything with his presence.
-Ephesians 1:20-23 (MSG)
The Church is represented by four metaphors in Scripture:
The brick in God’s holy temple: A brick in God’s Temple demonstrates how we are called to not just be members of the Church, but a strength in the Church of the called out ones.
A body part of Christ’s body: When we talk about a body part in Christ’s body, this deals with health and vitality. We all play a part and are literally a part of Christ’s body.
The branch of a fruit tree: A branch deals with fruitfulness, we are called to be fruitful.
Being a family member in God’s eternal family: A member of God’s family deals with identity. We are children of God and we were created for community.
If we look at these metaphors, what do they all require? Commitment. There are many of us who struggle with commitment because of comfort and familiarity. One of the most significant relationships in our lives is our relationship with the Church of Jesus Christ. It is not a building, but a community of the called-out ones.
Jesus is looking for covenant people who are willing to commit in covenant to what Jesus committed to and in covenant with His Church. We should love and be committed to the Church because Jesus loves the Church and He is committed to it. If we plant ourselves and remain committed, God will speak to us, bless us, strengthen us, and find us right where we are because He is good. We are not called to be a perfect Church, we are called to be a perfected Church.
Commitment is oftentimes the only difference between honor and dishonor and destiny and detours. It’s the only protection we have against the destructive impulses of the flesh. Here is what commitment looks like:
Embracing the Church as God’s idea: It’s not a man-made idea. Jesus said that He would build His Church. There is safety in knowing we are in something that Jesus is committed to building.
Asking God to give you His heart for the church: If we could carry the heart of Jesus for His Church, it would change the game. When the Church of Jesus Christ is strong, the people in that church and community will flourish—they will live lives of purpose and significance, and be set apart. The Church of Jesus Christ is the hope for the world. It is time that the Church finds its commitment again. If anyone is looking for the perfect church, we will never be perfect. But, if we are committed, we can be perfected. We can be the light of the world and a city on a hill.
Making it your church: We must see the Church as a home base for our lives, not just a place that we visit.
Being a lifter and encourager of the Church: If we were lifting and encouraging the Church, revival would break out.
Being an “All the Timer:” Church is one day a week, an hour and a half per week, fifty-two times a year to invest in our eternity.
What can you start doing to commit to the Church of Jesus Christ?