MMCC CALL TO COMMITMENT (review) But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed – Rom 6.17 NASB WHAT A church-wide call to the commitment A series of devotionals to bring people back to God A decision to re-count the cost with everyone in the church A chance to strengthen disciples and deal with sin A way to solidify our membership and know our boundaries

Call to Commitment WHY This is part of our on-going repentance as church This is a result of going back to our Mission- Vision statements This has been on the hearts of the leadership and church members for some time This is needed in order to know who wish to remain as disciples

Call to Commitment - Review TOPICS FOR COMMITMENT DEVOS (6) Our Beliefs Our Structure Our Strategy Our Response DisciplingGivingCommitment Membership Affirmation

“Recommitment Calls in the Old Testament” By Rolan D. Monje

The OT pattern God’s standard never changes. God’s people forget the standard, and so God calls people to recommit themselves to the standard. Today, we will look at some of those calls from the Old Testament narratives.

The Call through Joshua Josh 21.1, Then Joshua assembled all the tribes of Israel at Shechem. He summoned the elders, leaders, judges and officials of Israel, and they presented themselves before God….

The Call through Joshua Josh 21.1, "Now fear the LORD and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your forefathers worshiped beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD." Then the people answered, "Far be it from us to forsake the LORD to serve other gods!

The Call through Samuel 1 Sam It was a long time, twenty years in all, that the ark remained at Kiriath Jearim, and all the people of Israel mourned and sought after the LORD.

The Call through Samuel 1 Sam (cont) And Samuel said to the whole house of Israel, "If you are returning to the LORD with all your hearts, then rid yourselves of the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths and commit yourselves to the LORD and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines." So the Israelites put away their Baals and Ashtoreths, and served the LORD only.

The Call through Elijah 1 Ki So Ahab sent word throughout all Israel and assembled the prophets on Mount Carmel. Elijah went before the people and said, "How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him." But the people said nothing.

The Call through Elijah 1 Ki So Ahab sent word throughout all Israel and assembled the prophets on Mount Carmel.

The Call through Elijah 1 Ki Then Elijah said to them, "I am the only one of the LORD's prophets left, but Baal has four hundred and fifty prophets. Get two bulls for us. Let them choose one for themselves, and let them cut it into pieces and put it on the wood but not set fire to it. I will prepare the other bull and put it on the wood but not set fire to it. Then you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the LORD. The god who answers by fire--he is God." Then all the people said, "What you say is good."

The Call through Asa 2 Chron When Asa heard these words and the prophecy of Azariah son of Oded the prophet, he took courage. He removed the detestable idols from the whole land of Judah and Benjamin and from the towns he had captured in the hills of Ephraim. He repaired the altar of the LORD that was in front of the portico of the LORD's temple.

The Call through Asa Then [Asa] assembled all Judah and Benjamin… They assembled at Jerusalem … they sacrificed to the LORD seven hundred head of cattle and seven thousand sheep and goats from the plunder they had brought back. They entered into a covenant to seek the LORD, the God of their fathers, with all their heart and soul. All who would not seek the LORD, the God of Israel, were to be put to death, whether small or great, man or woman. They took an oath to the LORD with loud acclamation, with shouting and with trumpets and horns. All Judah rejoiced about the oath because they had sworn it wholeheartedly. They sought God eagerly, and he was found by them. So the LORD gave them rest on every side.

The Call through Josiah 2 Ki Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the secretary, "I have found the Book of the Law in the temple of the LORD." He gave it to Shaphan, who read it. Then Shaphan … read from it in the presence of the king. When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his robes… Great is the LORD's anger that burns against us because our fathers have not obeyed the words of this book; they have not acted in accordance with all that is written there concerning us."

2 Ki 23.1 Then the king called together all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem. He went up to the temple of the LORD with …all the people from the least to the greatest. He read in their hearing all the words of the Book of the Covenant, which had been found in the temple of the LORD. The king stood by the pillar and renewed the covenant in the presence of the LORD--to follow the LORD and keep his commands, regulations and decrees with all his heart and all his soul, thus confirming the words of the covenant written in this book. Then all the people pledged themselves to the covenant.

Conclusions Recommitment calls are calls to return to the Lord, because people have turned or drifted away. Each person has choice, to remain in his situation (bad) or to return to God & change the situation (good) Turning back to God is only possible because God is good. God uses imperfect but spiritual men to effect his call for recommitment.

“Recommitment Calls in the Old Testament” By Rolan D. Monje

D-group time Expect & work towards quality discussion Q1: [For those who have counted the cost] What have you changed mula nung pag- count the cost mo? Q2: Sa Christian life mo, magbigay ng isang taong ginamit ng Dios para ikaw ay mag-repent o recommit.