The Ultimate Commitment || Pastor Diego Mesa

Father, thank you for the next few moments that I

could stand behind this pulpit and share the good news,

the gospel of Jesus Christ. I pray Lord that my

words would not be remembered, but your words would be remembered.

May there be a sticky element with it, the Lord

that stays with them.

Throughout the week.

In Jesus' name, Amen, I'd like you to stand for

the reading of God's word today, and I'm going to

read basically this story and I will pretty much stay

there the rest of my time with you because I

think it's powerful. We've already talked about Christ, We've already

talked about a community. We talked last week about character,

and this week we're going to talk about commitment. Here's

a story of commitment. Elisha left there and found Elisha

very similar names, son of Sayfat.

As he was plowing, he was a farmer.

Literally twelve teams of oxen were in front of him,

which means he was very very wealthy or his family

was very wealthy, and he was with the twelfth team. Elijah,

which is the older prophet, walked by him and through

his mantle almost through like his coat or representing the

calling of God. Elisha left the oxen and ran to

follow Elijah and said, please, let me kiss my father

and my mother, and then I will follow you.

Basically, he's saying, let me say goodbye.

Let me have a party that celebrates that I'm moving on.

And Elijah says, go on back. He replied, for what

have I done to you? Not disrespecting him, He's challenging him,

so he turned back from following him. Now here's commitment,

Wat says, took the team of oxen and slaughtered them.

You talk about the largest barbecue ever held in Israel.

He had a barbecue fest, he says. Here and also

with the wooden, ak, a yoke and the plow. He

cooked them meet and gave it to the people and

they ate. And he left and followed Elijah and served him.

You may be seated.

We for the last four weeks have been talking about

values of a vision, which basically is introducing to new

believers or potentially new members or established members, what makes

abundant living different or unique. As much as there are

many restaurants, and there are many jobs, and there are

many homes, but every one of them has a different

value in it.

And what we.

Value in this church is Christ being Christ as the

center of everything.

It's not theology or beliefs or you and I. It's

all about Jesus. Number two, We are only.

As strong as our fellowship, our community with one another.

And from that community we are to have outstanding christian

like character in how we treat one another. And then

we are to have a commitment, the commitment to Christ,

the commitment to community, and the commitment to care.

And that's what we're gonna talk about today.

In fifteen nineteen, Hernan Cortes, the famous Spanish explorer, landed

on Vera Cruz, Mexico, and what he did with the

fleet of eleven ships when they arrived is.

Almost unheard of.

He lit a torch and he burned all eleven ships

as assigned to his crew.

That we will not return. We are not going back.

We are on a mission, basically saying, I don't know

what we're gonna expect. It's gonna get tough, and it's

gonna get hard. And the moment he gets tough and hard,

we're gonna want to get on those ships and go

back home. But we're on an assignment from the King

and we're gonna keep moving forward.

Well, that's the.

Story that you got today that Elisha did. He burned

his plow the same way her Nan Court has burned

those ships, which which speaks to us oftentimes about where

our level of commitment to be. It's amazing that it

says in the Bible that he slaughtered all the animals

and he burned all the equipment.

What does that say to you?

What needs to be slaughtered in your life and what

needs to be burned in your life to show a

level of commitment that you're following Christ. Because as long

as you have that alive, it's a back door escape.

And when things don't go right, I'm going back to

those plows and those oxen.

Notice the fact that.

He was willing to leave one occupation or one vocation

or one lifestyle to take on a whole nother lifestyle.

That's what commitment is. I'm coming out of the.

World and the way that I talk, I live, and

I act, and I'm coming into the Christ and I'm

gonna bear a new life. And so I'm gonna leave

that old life here it would represent the farmer, and

I'm to take on the calling of God in my life.

I'm going to change my lifestyle for something better. And

notice this, he was unwilling to be talked out of

his commitment. Elijah was not trying to be mean, but

he was testing him. You say one thing, like you

really want to follow me, but then now you're using

an excuse. Let me do this first, he said, if

you want to follow Christ, there are no first He's

first in your life, so.

You and I will be challenged along that line.

And then the fourth thing that I recognize is it's

said that he followed Elijah and he served him. Now,

if you know history, he would serve him for ten

years before the old man prophet Elijah would die.

So now he has.

Some level of fame, some level of notoriety, some level

of prosperity. He's the big wig in the city, he's wealthy,

but now he will go into obscurity for ten years.

It's the way God does. He'll break you, he'll mold you,

and he'll shape you.

You may be big and all that in the world,

and God says, in the Kingdom of God, you ain't nothing.

So I'm gonna have to humble you. But then I'm

gonna build you back up. And that's why a lot

of people don't want to go into ministry. They want

what can I do to preach tomorrow? God's called me. Well,

if God's called you, then go take care of the parking.

Oh no, no, no, I want the stage and you're

not called go back to your aux then.

And so you and I are challenged by that.

I'm gonna give you a few quat as we launch

into commitment today. Billy Graham said this in Relationship to commitment,

Jesus didn't use subtlety or gimmicks to gain followers. I

love that because that's true, honestly laid before them the

tough demands of discipleship or being a Christ follower, total

commitment and total involvement. Here's another quote that I want

to share with you about.

What commitment looks like to us.

Nobody gets good at anything unless they're willing to make

an irrevocable commitment.

How many of you know when.

You get a gold or you get a silver or

bronze around your neck like the Olympics, there was a

level of thousands of hours of commitment that took that.

So it's an irrevocable commitment for a lifetime with no hesitation.

Experiencing tons of disappointments and making epic sacrifices to achieve

their desired outcome that they want. I am so grateful

that Jesus never asked me to commit to him before

he committed to me.

That's the kind of God you serve.

And I challenge your least system, your theory, or whoever

you is, to be challenged by that. They ask you

to make a commitment to them first, and then they

will prove themselves to you.

Jesus makes a commitment to come out of heaven and

to die on a cross, and to suffer and be beaten.

And marred, and to go down to Hell and be resurrected.

Now he comes to us as Christ's followers and said,

based upon my commitment of what I've done to you

to prove my love to you, are you willing to

commit your life to me?

Because there's this.

Amazing scripture I want to read to you, and Luke,

I want to read the scripture and Luke fourteen. I

don't know if it's going to go on the screen,

but if it does, you can yell at me and

I'll look up. But in Luke fourteen it says this,

if anyone comes to me and does not hate his

own mother and father, and wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes,

even his own life.

What's this? He cannot he cannot.

I didn't say this. This is Jesus said this. He

cannot be my disciple. Now he's not talking about literally

you hating your mother and father, but he's talking about

in commitment levels, in priority levels, in who's number one.

In your life.

If you had to choose between the two, Jesus or

your mama, who you gonna choose?

Jesus or your wife? Who you're gonna choose?

You have to have a higher level of commitment to

me than you would to any other person that you love.

In your life. And if not, then you can't be

my disciple.

How does he have the audacity to say that because

he made a commitment to you greater than any other

person has made a commitment to you to die for

you so that you could go to heaven.

How many of you recognized there's.

A vast difference between being interested in something and being

committed to something. It's the difference between the chicken and

what he'll give up for the farmer's breakfast and the

pig in what he'll give up for.

The farmer's breakfast.

You know, next service is my favorite service because his

service is too quiet for me.

The chicken only gives up his aid.

I mean, even though the pig's got to give him

his ham and bacon. That means he's got his life.

And oftentimes in the Kingdom of God, we are interested.

I'm interested in getting married. I'm interested in becoming a Christian.

I'm interested in being a parent. I'm interested in in

in getting my finances in order or coming out of debt.

I'm interested in eating healthy. I don't know if I'm committed.

That's what you call.

A lookie lou. How many of you know what a

lookie liu is?

Or if you're my culture, you're called him matia a methichi.

Come on, So, how many of you ever seen an

open house in your neighborhood or just driving around, maybe

a neighborhood you couldn't afford it shouldn't be in. But

how many you know they're free to go and to

open house. They don't know who you are Bill Gates's nephew.

You don't know who you know? Money I have, So

how many of you know that when you go in there,

you're not really looking to buy the home. You just

want to see what your neighbor's live and you want

to see the furniture. You want to see the view.

You got nothing else to do. You want to see

where the rich and famous live. So you go in

there like a big shot, like, oh, I don't know

if I yeah, yeah, I don't know.

Man, But you're really nosy. You're nosy.

You're nosy, and when the realtire comes, it says.

Oh can I help you? Do you can answer.

Any of your questions. Oh I'm not man, I'm thinking

about it. I'm just looking right now, you liar.

You're a lucky. Look, you're interested, but you're not committed.

Come in to the church and we're looking at the

man on the muta right Children's church, parking law preaching,

not gonna commit. Listen, you've been coming here for thirty

years and you're still a lucky.

Look.

What do we need to do or what does he

need to do? Die on the cross again to make

you commit to whatever it is. Let me just show

you this and then we're gonna get into the message.

These are these are my these are my commitments. Tables Okay,

So how many of you know what this is you

have to say today? This is this is audience participation now, okay, okay,

so let's just see our commitments everyday life.

I'm gonna ask you to be honest.

Now you're in church, because if you lie here, don't

don't fake Christianity and saying.

No when you know you would say yes to that.

Okay, So let's just say, uh, somebody, will you commit

to a thirty year mortgage paying three one and fifty

dollars for the next thirty years of your life?

Would you do something like that for the next sixty.

Months car payment of five hundred and thirty two dollars?

Would you commit to that? See, some of you are liars,

You're not participating.

Would you commit to two hours and twenty four minutes

of social media daily? You better say yes because that's

the average of what people do.

Are you willing to.

Commit every Friday after you get paid to go buy

Bill's liquor store and buy a powerball and lottery tickets.

I didn't hear.

One of you say yes, God's watch. I ain't your judge. Okay,

are you willing to commit to the.

Next Netflix series?

Five seasons, sixty episodes to benj watch that.

Mixed reviews?

There are you willing to always have your favorite six

pack of beer in the frigerator?

Dang lyon church? Next?

Do you promise to meet your monthly gym membership and work.

Out as much as you can weekly?

Will you every day on the way to work stop

by Starbucks and get your seven bucks Vanila latte?

Oh? This is huge. You better not lie on this one.

You better not lie.

How many of you will commit this year to watching

the Lakers, the LA Dodgers, and the Cowboys. You will

buy the paraphernalia, You will at least go to one game,

and you will shout to you lose your voice at

the game or on the TV.

How many have you commit to God?

How many have you committed to be a bull driver,

a gossiper, a complainer and a cusser, and a womanizer,

a manizer for the rest of your life. Okay, let's

see if you are equally committed. Because I'll say this

most of us, most of us, this is our commitment.

We don't hesitate.

I know it's a big commitment, but for the next

thirty years, I'm going to make that payment because I

see some benefit to that. And I got to go

to work and I got to take care of the kids,

so I need a car. I'm willing to make that commitment,

right And you know what, I have to have my

coffee every morning, so it's just right there in front

of my job.

So you know I'm going to get the Starbucks right there. Okay.

And so you could go on and on and on

and on, but let's go here. Will you Are you, guys,

willing to commit every day to get up and read

your Bibles? God's watching right now, Gabriel, take a.

Recording of this right now. Please?

Are you willing to start eating better and healthier in

your life? Are you willing to be a better father

by spending time with your children either in the house

or outside of the house.

See all quiet of God?

Okay? Will you get out of debt before you go

into debt again? Will you start some level of therapy

to overcome whatever addiction, bondage or help that you need.

Will you be committed?

I got this ring that I've had on nearly forty

one year. Will you be committed to your marriage?

Will you be committed your marriage?

Will you be committed to neighborhood groups. Will you commit

to discipling a young Christian and coming.

Alongside of them and helping them.

Will you commit to coming to church as much as

you can, commit to financially giving. Will you commit to

praying for your church? Will you commit to volunteering and

serving in the church? And will you commit to so

winning if you're really spiritual, I'll pray about it. Why

don't we equal the commitments from one table to the

next table. So let's break it down just really quickly.

Now I've got fifteen minutes, and that's more than enough time.

From the life of what Elisha did.

I want to share these commitments of what really really

commitment looks like, because.

The reality is this.

More than thirty years ago, I sat in our home

with twelve people.

In my home, and I.

Looked at those twelve people virtually from day one service,

and I said this, willing to commit to be the

best pastor that I can and open my home to

you to have church services. But you've got to make

a commitment to me or this relationship will not work.

How bold huh?

What audacity I had? You wouldn't be here if I

didn't do that. You'd be somewhere out you'd be at

another person's church, probably, but you wouldn't be here so

quiet of God because you don't understand what I'm saying.

I looked at those twelve people and said, here's your

commitment to me.

I need you to pray for me and pray for

this church as much as you can.

Will you make that commitment? They all said yes.

I said, will you all financially tithe and give ten

percent of your money to this start for this fledgling

starting church, yes, I will. Will every one of you

volunteer and work and do something within this church, yes

I will. Well, every one of you attend church and

invite someone to this church.

Yes? They did it, and we grew out of that house.

And now I went to the little thirty people that

were now in Shadow Hills Elementary School. I did the

same thing, because if I didn't do that, you wouldn't

be here today.

This building would not be here today.

And I looked at them and I said, well, you

pray every day as much as you can. Would you

attend church, would you invite people to church? Would you volunteer?

And would you financially give? And they did and they

were able to allow us to go to the business

park called Utica, seven hundred and fifty square feet and

rented it had two hundred chairs. I looked at those

people and I said, are you willing to pray for

this church, invite people to church, attend to that church,

serve and financially give to that church. We went into

seven services, we bought the complex, and then we came here.

All I'm asking you to do is pay it forward. Now,

that's all I'm asking you to do is pay it forward.

Here's the first.

Commitment I want you to see. As we looked at

the story today. Here's what commitment looks like, the first one. Please,

it's okay. I could read it off my notes. It's okay,

it's okay. I'm gonna do my notes. Your commitment is

usually made in a situation of experiencing struggle or failure.

That's usually when you're gonna make a commitment in the

atmosphere of struggle, in the atmosphere of failure. Elisha is

gonna make a commitment because he's in a place of struggle,

recognizing I want something more. I don't know and there's

nothing wrong, but he's saying I don't know that the

rest of my life, I'm supposed to be plowing in

this field. I have something in me speaking, and it's

restless within me, and I want to do more. Ruth

was in a place of struggle. She's gonna have to

make a choice and decision. But you're gonna have to

make a commitment. And it's usually when you're sick and

tired of your situation that you're willing to commit to

do something different. So you got to experience some pain,

You've got to experience some discomfort.

I'm tired of not being able to walk. I'm tired.

I'm tired of the arguing in my household. You know,

I'm tired of all the world and the flesh.

In my hip pocket. I'm tired of this. I'm tired

of it. And so commitments are usually made. So you've

got to make a commitment.

It's a choice, it's a decision. That's all you have

to do.

But it's oftentimes in a place of struggle that that

takes place. Your commitments will be tested, and your commitments

will be tried. You and I how many of you

recognized when you were a Christian?

I mean when you were an unsafe person.

It didn't seem like you were tempted as hard as

when you become a Christ follower and you're tempted. I

don't know when you ever go on a fast. You know,

no one ever brings free donuts when I'm not on

a fast, But the moment I go on the fast.

Everyone's offering me free donuts.

Now, when you make a commitment, your commitment will be

tested and your commitment will be tried. Elisha is going

to make a commitment, but Elijah's going to test him

on that level of commitment. And when you decide to

do something, just get ready. It's going to be tested

and it's going to be.

Tried like never before.

That's a story of Niamiah Meiamiah wants to make commitment

to rebuild the walls, but here comes Sembella to Bay

and Gisham opposition that's going to try to stop them.

So what do you need to fulfill your commitment? You

need patience and you need endurance or you will fail

in your commitment. There's no such thing as quick success,

instant anything.

You got to just hold fast.

You've got to be patient, and you've got to be

willing to endure. Your commitments will cost you something. It

will cost you learning, It will cost you repenting. It

will cost you growing, or some hardship, or some discomfort

or some uncomfortableness in his life. If Abraham is going

to be the leader of a nation called the Hebrew Nation,

there's a level of just discomfort in his life.

He has to leave er the Chaldeans to go to

a place he's never been before.

He has to separate himself from his family, and to

meet our level of commitment, It's just gonna cost you something.

It'll cost you relationships. It'll cost you friendships. It'll cost

you pleasures and leisures and interest. I want to make

a greater commitment to my wife, So what does that mean.

I can't go to the bar Friday night at the

last day of work, and I gotta go home. You know,

I want a greater relationship with my kids. It's gonna

cost me. I can't, you know, binge watch something or play.

Games all day. I've got to play with my kids.

Your commitments are the place where God shows up and

God shows off. Not until you make a commitment will

you obligate God and his grace and his strength and

his favor to get involved in you because he recognizes

in your natural you probably can't make that commitment because

you're fighting against the enemy in a spiritual battle.

He's gonna try to stop and abort.

Your commitment because he doesn't want to see the level

of victory and peace in your life. And so when

you make that commitment, you follow through with that commitment.

God gets involved, and now God fights your battles.

Now, God comforts you.

Now, God brings resources, Now, God brings strength to you.

It's not until Esther gets before that king and appeals

to her people and makes that commitment that God says.

Now I will fight your battles.

Now I will do for you which you can't do

for yourself. And we're going to allow our people to

protect themselves. And we're going to sign a new edict

instead of termination of defense. And so commitments, commitments is

not determined by a level of talent, gifts, or ability.

But commitments are determined by determination. If you're gonna make

a commitment, it's going to take a single minded focus

on a target that you want. The four friends that

were bringing the paralytic before Jesus had to go through

the door but they couldn't. Wanted to go through the window,

but they couldn't, so they just broke down the roof

to get to Jesus. So it's not about talent, it's

not about ability that helps you to make your commitment.

It's just determination that allows that to happen. I'm not

gonna be stopped though the windows shut down, the doors

are shut down. I want my marriage, and I'm gonna

fight for my marriage, and I'm gonna do everything in

my power, not always in her power or his power,

but in my power.

My heart breaks when a.

Man comes to me and he says, pastor, my wife

wants to divorce.

Me, and I'm doing everything that I know to do.

You know, I have to say, well, number one, how

long have you been doing it? Then the truth starts

coming out six weeks.

And it could be reverted.

Okay, tell me the depth of what you do. You

do you want to sleep with her again in the bed?

Do you want her to all of a sudden cook

for you every day?

What do you want?

Because you're not based upon the violation, you're not in

a position to ask anything right now. You're already placing demands.

And that's why you're getting this cold shoulder and this

closed door. So oftentimes those things have to really be

looked at and really be evaluated. To look at the

fact of determination is so needed. Your commitment stands your

commitments skim me.

Your commit stands. Your commitment starts.

With the little things you do and moves upwards toward

the big ones.

You don't get committed when you have big projects.

You get committed with little projects. And the little projects

will help you to be committed with big projects. Well,

when I'm an entrepreneur and I own my own business,

that's when no no, no, no no. Now, when you're

mak a minimum wage and nobody knows you and you

know you're an employee, that's when that's when your commitments start,

so that God could see that he could trust you

in a higher position. David had to start with the

with the with the lion.

Then he moved to the bear, and then he could

kill a giant. Hes not gonna.

Kill a giant called Goliath out of the gate. He's

got to be able to figure out. I gotta gain confidence,

I gotta gain skill. I had to learn how to

trust God with the lion, and then I'm gonna move

to the bear, and then I'm gonna move to the giant.

Commitment starts with the little things.

Can you take care of a rented apartment before you

take care of your own house?

You don't like me?

Can you take care of someone who's your girlfriend before

someone becomes your wife?

Oh?

Can you be faithful to a girlfriend? Thinking, oh, I'll

be faithful to a wife?

Oh no, no, no, no, no no.

It's I'm preaching real good on this baby. Dedication Sunday Morning.

It starts with the little things. Your commitment will serve

you better when you have predetermined commitments.

I love this one.

Make up up your mind ahead of time to commit

to something. Don't decide when it's in front of you. Now,

I'll commit because you'll be less tempted when it's in

front of you. Predetermined commitments. These are my non negotiables.

No matter how fine this Hucci Mama is, I cannot

cheat on that girl over there.

That's a predetermined schedule. I don't care what. I almost

wanted to say something, but I'm in I almost want

to say it. But if I was with men only,

I would have said it. But I'm with the ladies.

I gotta be respectful.

But you know what I'm talking that's a predetermined decision.

Predetermined decision. When we were making nothing three hundred dollars

a week in ministry, I looked at her because she

handled the check book, the finances, and I said, I

expect us that, no matter how difficult it comes, you

always to pay the tithe.

That's a predetermined decision that was made.

For the last forty years, we've kept to that commitment

of paying ten percent of our money, because if you

can't be faithful with the little money, you are not

going to be faithful to the big money. I've heard

some people well out, Pastor, when I win the lottery,

I'm won't start tithing.

You're a liar. You're you're just a plane liar.

Pastor, when I get out of debt, I'll start typing up.

It won't happen, Pastor, when I make the big money, No.

It won't happen. Won't happen.

So you and I have to recognize predetermined commitments. I

made a predetermined commitment concerning my health of how I

will eat, so I could sit in front of you

and you could take me to cheesecake factory and get

the seven layered chocolate cake in.

Front of you. It's a passler. Would you like a.

Bite, just a little bit each your seven layered chocolate

cake and enjoy it?

But I'm not gonna eat it.

I made a predetermined decision on my that's my decision.

If they're none wrong with you eating the seven layered

chocolate cake, eat it, eat it and die. But I'm

just saying, I'm joking with you. That's why it's not

a temptation.

No matter what you put in front of me, I

made a predetermined Okay, let's move on.

Sorry, you're not gonna die. Come on, well, one.

Day you will, but not today unless you go to

the cheesecake factory and have the seventh Now, I'm just

getting Your commitments are not determined.

I'm done tomorrow.

Your commitments are not determined by feelings and moods, but discipline. Wait,

I don't feel like going to church, I don't feel

like praying, I don't feel like being faithful to this wife.

What are you talking about. It's a discipline. It's a discipline.

A lot of things we don't have.

We're not in the mood for and the feelings for

and emotions for But commitments are are not kept because

of a mood or a feeling or emotion. They're kept

because of a decision, a plain decision. When I think

about one of the heroes in the Bible, and Jesus

acknowledges him that way, as John the Baptist.

His cousin, he's think about this.

You will spend the next thirty years preparing for your calling,

for your vocation, for your career. Okay, next thirty years. Okay,

let me share with you how long it's going to last.

It's going to last about three months to six months,

and then you will die. That's the story of John

the Baptist, And so he can't be moved by his

feelings or his emotions. When he's thrown in prison, he says,

I'm to prepare the way of the Lord. I'm a

voice of one crying in the wilderness.

His decision was.

Not made by an emotion or a feeling. It was

made by discipline. And that's what you and I need

to have in our lives. And last of all, your

commitments are a reflection of your Christian character. They are

a reflection of your Christian character in which you.

Will not violate the Bible.

So if I've got a commitment, I've got to say,

does what does the Bible say about this commitment? And

if the Bible does not agree with it, if the

Bible does not allow it, then I cannot make that

commitment because commitments are reflection of my Christian character, and

my character is founded upon the Word of God, not culture,

not trends and not fads, and not societies. So in

other words, I want to make a commitment to this

twenty nine year old, beautiful Mexican girl that will make

me chodiso every day and really appreciate.

Brother man.

Can I make that commitment to that twenty nine year old.

Why?

Because I'm married to her and I would violate the Bible.

I be committing an adultery. I'd be sinning. So that's there. Go,

I can't make the commitment to you because I don't

have the Bible scripture to back me up on that.

Can I go out.

There in retaliation and revenge and cut your tires for

what you did to me? Do I have the right

to go on social media and say nasty things about you?

Yes? Or no?

Based upon my Christian character of what the Bible allows

me or permits me to do. Can I harbor unforgiveness,

vengefulness and bitterness toward.

How you hurt me? And really want you to go

to hell? Do I have a right to No?

I violate the scriptures because the Bible tells me to

forgive you as much as Christ has forgiven me.

And I can go on and on and on with examples.

My commitments are based upon the Word of God being

able to back me.

I end with this, How many you've.

Ever heard of this term? Will you be willing to

increase your commitment? Will you be willing to raise your commitment?

It's usually done around fundraising things, It's.

Usually done about volunteership.

It challenges you that, wherever level you're at, are you willing.

To just take a step up?

So what I'm gonna challenge you with. I don't know

where your levels are commitment to christ'st are. I don't

know what your level of commitment is to community, and

I don't know what your love a commitment is to character.

But I'm asking you to increase your commitment to Christ

today and reflect today? Where am I not making a

commitment like I should? And I'm just simply interested and

I'm probably more committed to the things on this one

table than I am to the other table. Jesus loves

you today, and he proved it by dying on the cross.

His commitment to you is great.

He makes a commitment to you, and he says, when

you die, if you're a believer, I promise to come

and get you, and I promise to take you to

heaven with me.

That's a commitment. Jesus makes a commitment that says, no

matter what you've.

Done, from the nastiest to the most wicked to the

most ungoddless, I promise you that if you will ask

me with sincerity to forgive you, I will forgive you.

I make a commitment to you. I don't care where

you are in this world, where you feel abandoned, you

feel rejected.

And alone, or what you've done to get there.

I make a commitment to you that I will never

leave you and I will never forsake you. And he

goes as far as to say this, I make a

commitment to you, whether you ever love me back, I

will love you forever and even enough to have to

allow you to have given you the right to make

your choice to reject me and to change your destiny.

But even the people that are separated from God for eternity,

the Bible tells us that Jesus.

Never stops loving them.

I don't know of a scripture, douse Kenny, do you

know I don't know of a scripture. Or Jesus says,

I only love you as if you're a Christian.

I only love you when you if you go to heaven.

He never stops loving people that reject him, don't want him,

or even go to Hell. He never stops. That blows

my mind, not so much he's willing to commit. Will

you be willing to commit back to him today?

And say?

You know what, I never felt it that way, never

seen it that way, that Jesus has committed so much

to me. Buddha never committed that much to me. Pardi

Christna never committed that much to me. Joseph Smith never

committed that much to me. Al Ron Hubber never committed

that much to me, Islam never committed that much, Hinduism

never committed that much to me.

And yet why do.

I throw Jesus in the same pile as them when

Jesus has committed so much more to me? We say,

without a shout of a doubt. I'm a Christian, but

I'm not following him like I should. I need to

recommit my life to him. Today. When I count to three,

I want you to raise your hand as eyes. I'm

raising my hand and we're going to pray for you.

I promise you your hand won't be the only hand.

You're not raising it for me. You're raising it for

the one that raised himself out on a cross and

died mart beaten and naked for the world to see,

unashamed for The Bible says, if you're ashamed of me

before men, I marked this moment. I will be ashamed

of you before my father in heaven. But I mark

this moment. If you acknowledge me before men, I will

acknowledge you before my father in heaven.

One two, one, two.

Three, Raise your hand wherever you are, nice and high.

God love you, God, bless you.

Say this with me.

Dear Lord Jesus, you've known me all the days of

my life, all my inns and all my outs.

I ask you now to forgive me.

Thank you so much for committing so much to me,

and now I have the privilege.

Of committing my life to you.

I invite you and ask you to now be my

lord and be my savior.

He's his name. Amen,