James Duff February 22nd 2015 ~ a survey...

This week I was sent a survey to fill out that asks various questions about what I think commitment to a church consists of. The survey is an attempt to see nationwide what pastors think member-commitment really looks like. Some of the questions asked are about the number of Sundays a person needs to attend throughout the month to be classed as committed. Other questions ask how many programmes people need to be involved with, how much they need to give financially and what are good excuses for missing attendance at church.At one level it would be simple to stir up guilt in people and pressure them to conform to man-made levels of commitment but this is just defaulting to a works-based faith. This was the type of thinking around God (theology) that Jesus railed against so often.Although I found the survey very interesting and it did make me think deeply about the issue, I found myself brought back to the vision we believe God has given us for the year and to Malcolm’s message from last week. Our commitment to church will only quicken and strengthen as we “fix our eyes on Jesus and open our hearts to Him”.Jesus said to the women at the well that he, “I am”, is the only one who gives living water. If we want to drink the living water of the great “I am”, then we receive it by fixing our eyes on Jesus. Trying to get living water from anything else is a waste of time. It just leaves us thirsty and wanting more. It is as if Jesus gives pure clean water that we can gulp away, refreshing us, sustaining us and encouraging us. All other things that promise living water are like soft drink, which promise thirst-quenching relief but just make us thirstier and in the end are detrimental to our health. Jesus invites us first to drink from his spiritual water and then we will have the right perspective on other important areas of our lives. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well. (Matthew 6:33)The book of Hebrews says, “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.  Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart” (Heb.12:2,3).If we keep fixing our eyes on Jesus, then our commitment to him will automatically flow into commitment to his people, the church. We all need to be challenged on our commitment to the great “I am”, so let us commit to the vision God has given us this year: “Fix our eyes on Jesus and have hearts that are open to Him”.God blessJames