Love is a commitment; it’s a long term commitment. It’s not temporary. It’s not lusting; it’s not a fad and it’s not a passing moment. Love is a genuine commitment. I know a couple who celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary last year. Do you think they had times where they didn’t agree? Do think they experienced some frustrations with each other over those years? Do you think they had times where they thought it just wasn’t worth it anymore? Do think there were times where one or both of them wondered “what if I had married someone else?”
The other day I really thought about how love is a commitment. Couples who have been married 20, 30, 40, 50 or even 60 years have made a real commitment to each other. I’m sure that they had their share of disappointments and fights. They probably celebrated triumphs and victories together. I’m sure they laughed together and cried on each other’s shoulders. They probably have shared joyous times as well as times of sorrow. But through it all, good or bad, they’ve stuck it out. They have stayed together. They have remained committed to each other.
In today’s disposable society, we promote the opposite of commitment. If you find yourself with an unwanted pregnancy, you just kill the baby. If you lust after someone, you should go after that person. If you want something, just take it. If there’s too much pressure on your job, just leave. If the old ball and chain is holding you back, just cut the chain and run. If things are too heavy, just drop it and walk away. If it feels good do it. If it’s too tough just quit. With no fault divorce, you can just walk away from your marriage at any time that you want to. Many people nowadays don’t even go to the trouble of getting married. They just move in together. Easy come, easy go.
But this isn’t the way God designed us. Genesis 2:21-24 states: And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.
Jesus talked about this issue too in Mark 10:2-9: And the Pharisees came to him, and asked him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife? tempting him. And he answered and said unto them, What did Moses command you? And they said, Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement, and to put her away. And Jesus answered and said unto them, For the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept. But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife; And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.
God created us male and female. You didn’t evolve from nothing. You were created. A husband and wife becomes one unit and they are not to be separated. Jesus said “what therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.” In other words, what God has joined together, we shouldn’t tear it apart.
Maybe you are out here tonight and you’re thinking I don’t love anyone. Maybe you’re right, maybe you don’t love anyone. But some day, if you fall in love and you get married, a real God ordained marriage between a man and a woman, then go into the marriage with a real commitment. When you say those vows – till death do we part – really mean and commit to your marriage.
Or maybe you are out here tonight and you say nobody loves you. Maybe you feel all alone and you really believe that nobody loves you. If this describes you, then I have to tell you that you are wrong. God loves you. God created you and He loves you. God is love. 1 John 4:8: He that loves not knows not God, for God is love. 1 John 4:19 says We love him, because he first loved us. God is love and He loves you. Yes, I’m talking to you and you and you. God loves you.
Not only does God love you, but He is committed to you. He is love and He has real, genuine love for you. How much does God love you? He loves you so much that He sacrificed His only beloved Son for you. He sent Jesus to take the punishment that you deserve. We are all sinners, each and every one of us. God loves us, but we all have rebelled and sinned against God. Each and every one of us has done this. There are no exceptions. Every single human being that has ever been born was born with a sinful nature (please keep in mind that Jesus was fully God and fully man, so He was no mere mortal and He never sinned, ever). But we have all sinned and the wages of our sin is death.
There’s nothing that you can do to change that. You can’t earn your way back into good graces with God. You can’t bribe God. Being a good person can’t save you. Being a really, really religious person can’t save you. We can only be made back right with God through Jesus Christ alone. In Revelation 21:8 Jesus said that all liars will have their part in the lake of fire and brimstone. Folks, we are all liars. We all deserve to be punished for our sins and all unrepentant sinners will pay for their sins for all of eternity.
But Jesus saves sinners who repent and put their faith in Him. Jesus is the only way of salvation. 1 John 4:9-10 states: In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
Jesus was the propitiation for our sins. Propitiation means the wrath was satisfied. Even though God loves us at the same time He is angry with sinners over their sins. But He loves us so much that He sent His only begotten Son to suffer and pay the sin debt that we owe. Jesus bled and died for the sins of the world. He rose from the grave three days later. God offers everlasting life to everyone who repents and believes the Gospel.
1 John 4:15-16 says: Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God. And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. Oh tonight, you are greatly loved. God loved you so much that He sent His own precious Son to bear the punishment for your sins. Now that is true love. That is real love. That is a real commitment.
If you will admit that you are a sinner, that you are really the guilty one, then you can cry out to God to save you. Verse 15 says that you shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God. Acts 20:21 says that we are to have repentance toward God and faith toward Jesus Christ our Lord. Oh please tonight, turn away from your sins and turn to Jesus. Put your faith in Him. Be saved tonight. Repent and trust Jesus.
You are loved tonight, no matter how unloved or unlovable you may think that you. I’m here to tell you that you are wrong. You haven’t been so bad that Jesus can’t save you. You haven’t committed so many sins that God can’t forgive you. God loves you so much that He has given you every breath that you have taken. God loves you and God has been merciful to you up to this point. But one day His mercy will end. It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment (Hebrews 9:27).
If you die as an unrepentant sinner, then Hell will be your next destination. Don’t foolishly die in your sins. You can be saved tonight. Don’t continue running from the Lord. Don’t continue rejecting the love of God. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9).
God truly loves you and He has been patient with you and He’s ready to bestow His love on you forever, but you must repent from your sins. Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord (Acts 3:19). Turn away from your sins and trust Jesus. Confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead and you shall be saved (Romans 10:9). For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life (John 3:16). Believe on the Lord Jesus and truly know love like you’ve known love before.
This message started out about love is a commitment and I realized that until we repent and believe the Lord Jesus, we are unloving toward God. He is love and loving toward us, but we are unloving toward Him the whole time we are rebelling against Him. It’s just like the example I stared out with the couple being married for 60 years. How we treat God is just like saying wedding vows to a spouse, claiming to love and cherish them until your death and then walking away from the wedding ceremony and not even seeing your spouse for 60 years. You run away from your newlywed spouse and ignore your partner for 60 years. Then you come back and say how much you love your spouse. Was that love? Was that being committed to your spouse? Of course not!
Even though we treat God that way the whole time we live our lives in rebellion to Him, He is still faithful and just. He still loves us and He is patient toward you coming to repentance and faith in Jesus. Don’t be like a bad spouse. Don’t be like an unfaithful partner. Come to Jesus tonight. Turn from your sins and turn to Jesus. Every time that you hear the Gospel and you reject Jesus, you are hardening your heart. Do not harden your heart. Submit your life to Him from this night forward. Love God the way that you should. Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant. Then love your neighbor as you love yourself. Come to Jesus and be saved and then love others. Tell them about the love and forgiveness that you found through Jesus.
(a rough draft of this message was proclaimed in downtown Springfield, MO on March 27, 2015)