I want to encourage you, as I have been encouraged, to be faithful in what God has called us to do. If we are to be faithful servants of Jesus Christ, we must be content with our ministry, committed to our ministry, and consistent in our ministry. In this paper, I want to address the subject of our commitment.
If you were to do an internet search on the concept of commitment, you would quickly discover that many in today’s society realize that we are less committed today than we once were. Sadly, in many ways, the Church is no different. God sheds some light on this subject by sharing with us the story of Jonathan and his armor bearer (1 Samuel 14).
The people of Israel had sinned against God and demanded a king (1 Samuel 12:19-20). God gave them what they wanted, and Saul was anointed king (1 Samuel 12:1). It could be said, “They got what they wanted but lost what they had!” Samuel acknowledged their sin, called upon God Who sent thunder and rain, and the people greatly feared. They cried out for Samuel to intercede with God on their behalf, and God gave Samuel these words to address their fears: “Turn not aside from following the Lord…only fear the Lord, and serve him in truth with all your heart: for consider how great things he hath done for you (1 Samuel 12:20, 24).” When you sin, repent, and be committed to God.
Saul had now been king for two years and Israel once again faced their perennial enemies, the Philistines. Jonathan took the battle to them by smiting the garrison of Philistines in Geba. The Philistines responded to the attack by amassing a great army in Michmash. When the men of Israel saw this giant force, they feared and fled, trembling (1 Samuel 13:1-7). This is the backdrop of Jonathan and his armor bearer’s display of their commitment to God and their ministry.
Jonathan instructed his armor bearer to join him on an excursion to the garrison of the Philistines. Jonathan was convinced that God would be faithful to His promise and that He would give Israel victory over her enemies “by many or a few.” The armor bearer’s response really reveals the heart of commitment. This unnamed servant responded to his master with these words: “Do all that is in thine heart—turn thee, behold, I am with thee according to thy heart (1 Samuel 14:6-7).” They devised a plan, and God gave these two men a great victory that provided a rally cry to the fearful men of Israel and led to God’s supernatural destruction of Israel’s enemy. If we are going to be committed to our ministry, we must be submissive to authority, supportive of authority and sure of our doctrine.
If we are going to be committed to our ministry we must understand what being submissive to authority is not and is. Being submissive to authority doesn’t mean blind obedience or worship. We must test everything with Scripture and worship God alone. It doesn’t mean you will always agree. But when we disagree, we disagree in love. It doesn’t mean that you can’t make an appeal to authority. When we appeal we must prayerfully act with right motives, select the right words, chose the right time, and prepare for the right response.
Being submissive to authority is believing that God will work through them, that God’s hand is upon them, and that God will judge them. Hebrews 13 addresses this matter succinctly. “Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation (Hebrews 13:7).” Be mindful of those in spiritual leadership. Why? Because they “preach the Word.” Why? Because they are supposed to be living a faith that is worthy of imitation. Why? Because they are supposed to have the finish-line of life in focus, focused on who is waiting there to receive us. Who’s waiting? That is none other than “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever (Hebrews 13:8).” We are also told to “obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves.” Why? “For they watch for your souls, as they must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you (Hebrews 13:17).”
If we are going to be committed to our ministry we must be supportive of authority’s decisions. Philippians 2 explains the necessity of unity and meekness. “Fulfill ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others (Philippians 2:2-4).” Paul calculates for us a spiritual formula that Jonathan and his armor bearer understood. Humility + Availability = Unity for God’s Glory!
If we are going to be committed to our ministry we must be sure of our doctrine. Certainly this mean that we ask the question, “How do we line up with God’s Word?” But it must be more than that. We must know our doctrine. But it must be more than that. We must be changed by our doctrine. But it must be more than that. We must live our doctrine. “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works (2 Timothy 3:16-17).”
If we are going to be committed to our ministry, we must be submissive to authority, supportive of authority and sure of our doctrine. Then, with boldness, we may say with Jonathan, “come and let us go over unto the garrison of these uncircumcised: it may be that the Lord will work for us: for there is no restraint to the Lord to save by many or by few.” And may our heart cry out to God with words of commitment as an armor bearer, “do all that is in thine heart: turn thee; behold, I am with thee according to they heart.”
