It seems that while there is more church activity today (more preaching, more internet sermons, more missionaries, more church websites, etc.) there is more crime, more perversion, more ungodliness . . . and more churches closing their doors each year. According to Lifeway Research, 4,500 churches closed in the United States in 2019, while only 3,000 new ones opened. This trend of more closures than openings has continued for a long time, and it is predicted that even more churches will close in 2025. For just a moment I want us to think about the early chapters of Acts. One hundred twenty church members went out on a great evangelism effort. (It’s hard to get one in twenty to do that today.) Because of their witnessing many people who were coming to know Jesus. (Yes, but they had the Holy Spirit at work for them! And we don’t?) The church at Jerusalem was expanding quickly and exponentially (with thousands added at a time). (And by the way, they didn’t have Facebook, livestreams, PA systems, etc.) And though there were many who did not choose to accept Jesus, it is interesting (and important to note) what those outside of that church thought of the church. They were impressed. Of course the “religious leaders” weren’t. They were out to destroy the church, just as they had been out to destroy Jesus. But among the people the Jerusalem church was held in high esteem. They saw their love for each other. They saw their care for the poor among them. They saw the godly fruit their lives were producing and they admired it, even if they were not ready to accept Jesus as Savior. Sadly, that is not true today. When you look at the polls, churches in America are not admired by many of those outside the churches. Even some who profess to be saved say, “Jesus, yes. Church, no.” They see many churches and church services as formal, uninviting, cold, and dead. After years of preaching and pastoring the Lord’s churches I have come to believe that the reason believers and churches are failing to make an impact upon our world today is due to the absence of a real commitment to God . . . on our part! We are failing to bring the lost to Christ as we should. We are failing to even “win back” our own who have been lost to the world. We are failing to make a positive impact for godliness in our nation and in our world. And while some say, “Oh, it's just a sign of the times,” (and according to Matthew 24:12 that is partially true), it still should not be. Commitment is defined as “an act of committing to a charge or a trust; an agreement or pledge to do something in the future.” Many want to be involved today, but few want to be committed. When we make a commitment, we obligate or bind ourselves to something or someone. As it pertains to this message, commitment means: We obligate or bind ourselves to Jesus and to do the will of God without hesitation or reservation. In our text, Jesus is declaring the need for commitment by those who follow Him. That commitment involves: 1) Denying self. 2) Dying to self (“take up his cross”) daily. 3) Following the Lord Jesus Christ. In Luke 14:26-27 He declared the cost of following Him. We must love Him more than our own family. We must love Him more than our own life. We must bear our cross and come after Him. As we consider this message, let us ask ourselves, “Am I committed to Christ, or am I merely involved with Him?”

I. THE CALL TO COMMITMENT.

II. THE COURSE OF COMMITMENT.

III. THE COST OF TRUE COMMITMENT.