36 Sermon Illustrations on Commitment to Christ

If you want your father to take care of you, that's Paternalism. If you want your mother to take care of you, that's Maternalism. If you want Uncle Sam to take care of you, that's Socialism. If you want some dedicated Communists to take over the government and take care of you, that's Communism (we would say slavery). If you want and are able to take care of yourself, that's Americanism. If you surrender all to Christ, and want God to take care of you, that is true Christianity. Of course, you'll be called a "square" or an "extremist," or a "crackpot," but you will have the best for time and eternity.

There is no such thing as partial commitment. When the pilot of a giant airliner is speeding down the runway, there is a certain point where he cannot decide to remain on the ground. When he crosses that line, he is committed to the air, or the plane crashes disastrously. That pilot cannot change his mind when the plane is two-thirds of the way down the runway. Unfortunately, our churches are filled with members who "have never left the ground." They have been sitting there for years and years gunning their engines.

A one-legged school teacher from Scotland came to J. Hudson Taylor to offer himself for service in China. "With only one leg, why do you think of going as a missionary?" asked Taylor. "I do not see those with two legs going," replied George Scott. He was accepted. When Obstacles Confront Us The successful man lengthens his stride when he discovers that the signpost has deceived him; the failure looks for a place to sit down. Thomas Edison did not sit down and give up when his first efforts to find an effective filament for the carbon incandescent lamp met with failure. He lengthened his stride! He sent men to China, Japan, South America, Asia, Jamaica, Ceylon, and Burma in search of fibers and grasses to be tested in his laboratory. Luther Burbank, the plant wizard, did not quit when obstacles blocked his way. At one time he personally conducted more than 6,000 experiments before he found the solution. George Westinghouse was treated as a mild lunatic by most railroad executives. "Stopping a train by wind! The man's crazy!" Yet he persevered, and finally sold the air-brake idea. James Watt built model after model of his steam engine before he got one that worked efficiently. Every man gets on the wrong road at times. He comes down hills, rough roads, and dangerous detours. What he does when he meets these obstacles determines his destiny. The world never hears from those who look for a place to sit down and quit.

In 1925, Betty Stam said: "Lord, I give up my own purposes and plans, all my own desires, hopes, and ambitions, and accept Thy will for my life. I give myself, my life, my all utterly to Thee, to be Thine forever. I hand over to Thy keeping all of my friendships; all the people whom I love are to take second place in my heart. Fill me and seal me with Thy Holy Spirit. Work out Thy whole will in my life, at any cost, now and forever. To me to live is Christ. Amen." Nine years later on December 8, 1934, Betty and her husband, John Stam, calmly and bravely laid down their lives for Christ when they were martyred by Chinese Communists.

The history of missions is full of examples of Christian manliness. We think of Dr. Paul Carlson who served as a medical missionary in the Congo. He compassionately sought to heal the most loathsome of tropical diseases as he preached Christ as the only cure for sin. For several years he worked in the midst of increasing political ferment, preaching and living the gospel in which he so wholeheartedly believed. Even when he was arrested, he continued to treat the wounds of the rebels who had captured him. Under sentence of death, he bore himself heroically and died boosting another missionary over the wall to safety. The prevailing attitude of missionaries everywhere seems to be summed up in the words of one mission board secretary who commented, "It shows merely that we must go back."

The gatekeeper at the railroad station demanded that everybody present his ticket before going through the gate to the train. From those who could not find their tickets readily there was much grumbling and swearing. One watching the scene said to the gatekeeper, "You don't seem to be very popular with the crowd." He cast his eyes upward to the floor above, where the superintendent's office was, and said, "I don't care anything about being popular with this crowd; all I care about is to be popular with my superior." A Willing Sacrifice "How much is your salary?" a Muslem asked a mission school teacher who had once followed the crescent instead of the cross. "Five dollars a week," was the answer. "Why, you could get ten times that in a government school!" "Yes, but I do not teach for money; I teach for God." "Well-are those all the clothes the missionaries provide? Don't you have a robe also?" The humble teacher looked down at his cotton shirt and trousers. "No, these are sufficient," he replied. The Muslem shook his head. "I never thought there was anything to this Jesus religion," he observed thoughtfully, "but there must be if a man will give up his robe and his lawful wage for it." Could it be that the gospel is impeded because we are more concerned about food and clothing than reaching others with the gospel of the grace of God? This is what Christ meant when He said, "Woe unto you that are full!"

An incident is related of a missionary who came into contact with a proud and powerful Indian chief. The chief, trembling under conviction of sin, approached the missionary and offered his belt of wampum as atonement. "No!" said the missionary, "Christ cannot accept a sacrifice like that." The Indian departed, but soon returned offering his valuable rifle and the most beautiful skins he had taken in hunting. "No!" was the reply, "Christ cannot accept those either." Again the Indian went away, only to return with a conscience more troubled than ever. This time he offered his wigwam, together with his wife and child-everything for peace and pardon. "No," was the reply even to this, "Christ cannot accept such a sacrifice." At this the chief seemed utterly oppressed; but suddenly he somehow sensed the deficiency, for, lifting up tearful eyes, he cried out, "Here, Lord, take this poor Indian too!" That is the only condition for fellowship with Christ. A Committed Servant One of the greatest servants of Christ was Dr. Temple in England. A young clergyman who was being sent by Dr. Temple to a very difficult parish turned to him and said, "Dr. Temple, why do you send me there? Don't you know how difficult it is? It'll kill me if I go there." You know what Dr. Temple's reply was? "Well, you and I do not mind a little thing like that, do we? If what God has set for us to accomplish will require our lives, we should be willing to give our lives."

Suppose an artist sees a piece of canvas on which he desires to paint a beautiful picture. However, if that piece of canvas does not belong to him, do you think the painter would work diligently on that canvas? No! Yet people want Jesus Christ to bestow His grace upon them in taking away a bad temper or some other sin, though in their hearts they have not yielded themselves to His command and His keeping. It can not be. But if you will come and give your life into His charge, Christ Jesus waits to be gracious; Christ Jesus waits to fill you with His Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit alone who by His indwelling can make a spiritual man.

Jimmy had trouble pronouncing the letter "R" so his teacher gave him this sentence to practice at home: "Robert gave Richard a rap in the rib for roasting the rabbit so rare." Some days later the teacher asked him to say the sentence for her. Jimmy rattled it off like this: "Bob gave Dick a poke in the side for not cooking the bunny enough." He evaded the letter R. There are many useful, committed Christians at church, but it is sad that so many others are evading the R meaning R-eady: ready to serve, sing, visit, teach and be truly committed. These friends are saved, we believe, they are good people, accommodating, and are religious, but are just not committed. It is possible to be so religious that we cannot be Christian. Are you handling the letter "R" right? To Need and Be Needed "I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, who became my son while I was in chains. Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me" Philemon 1:10-11). Keith Robinson asks (for all of us): "What use am I in the world? Has my life really made a difference in anything? Would anything be appreciably different if I were not here? What is the old saying about putting your hand in a pail of water and withdrawing it: the hole that remains is how much you will be missed when you are gone! I am not pessimistic, depressed, or tired of living, but in reality, I have to recognize that my life has not made much of an impact on the world, certainly nothing like I had intended when I was 18 years old. But I am encouraged by the fact that human worth is not measured only in terms of fame, fortune, and sociopolitical influence. Perhaps the greatest measure of our value is how much we are needed by some other human being. John Mark was important because Paul needed him in a time of extreme anxiety and distress. The once useless Onesimus became 'useful'to Paul and to Philemon. "When the final books are balanced and closed, the greatest tribute anyone could receive would be: They were useful! Someone needed them! And what greater ambition could a person entertain than to be needed, to be useful. My input is not desired or needed for the Mid-East peace talks. It is doubtful that those involved are indispensable. But I fill a need in the lives of a few people that cannot be filled by anyone else. If there is someone who needs my love, if there is someone who looks forward to my presence, even if I can be nothing much more than just the object to someone's love, then I am not worthless. My life is not in vain. My existence is not futile. I may not be much, but I can love someone and make them feel needed. I can be the object of someone else's love and thus fill their needs and mine. No one is useless unless they give up on life and love. "'Onesimus'means 'useful.'" Being a Servant Jesus was the greatest servant who ever lived. "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many" (Mark 10:45). Christ came to serve and to give, and God desires the same for us. "And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: Even as the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister" (Matthew 20:27-28). The finest model of serving, except Christ Himself, was the Apostle Paul. Almost without exception he begins every one of his epistles with words to this effect: "Paul, a servant...." or "Paul, a bond slave...." He was indeed an apostle, but he conducted himself as a servant. Very few of us want to be known exclusively as a servant. We want to be known as a servant and a great preacher, or a famous missionary, or an outstanding elder, or a well-known business man. What we fail to realize is that true servanthood does not have hidden aspirations to be great in the eyes of men. When we think of our relationship to Christ, can it be said of us that we want only to serve Him? Although his religious philosophy was questionable, Albert Schweitzer was a man willing to abandon a great career in order to serve his fellow man. In 1913, he sailed for Africa, having turned his back on fame, money and prestige. His first hospital was an old abandoned hen house and his first operating table an old campboard. On a trip to the United States, a reporter asked, "Dr. Schweitzer, have you found happiness in Africa?" "I have found a place of service," he replied, "And that is enough for anyone." This does not represent the feelings of many of us who are members of the church. It is not sufficient to simply have a place of service. Many of us want a place of recognition and a road to fame. All of us need to do some serious thinking and praying about this matter of being a servant. We need to make this prayer ours: "O God, help me to be the master of myself, that I may be a servant of others."

A young soldier was promoted to be a second lieutenant in one of the colored regiments. "Now let me sign the pledge," said he. Free drinking was then too common in officers' quarters. "Why, you don't like drink," said one of his comrades: "there is no danger of your drinking too much."—"No," answered the young soldier, "I don't like the taste of liquor, and, what is more, I don't mean to like it; so I intend to take my stand as an officer pledged against it." Not finding a temperance society to join, he wrote a pledge of total abstinence, signed his name to it, and put it in his pocket. "Let this never witness against me, so help me God," he said.

When Kossuth was an exile in Turkey, the Government was strongly pressed by Russia and Austria to give him up. The expedient was resorted to, by the Sublime Porte, of making his continued protection contingent on his embracing Mohammedanism. Hear his reply: "My answer does not admit of hesitation. Between death and shame the choice can neither be dubious nor difficult. Governor of Hungary, and elected to the high place by the confidence of fifteen millions of my countrymen, I know well what I owe to my country, even in exile. Even as a private individual, I have an honorable path to pursue. Though once the governor of a generous people, I leave no inheritance to my children. They shall at least bear an unsullied name. God's will be done! I am prepared to die." C. D. Foss.

Cecina Pictus, a Roman noble, was convicted of treason, and ordered to take his own life. He was not a man of iron nerve; and he hesitated. Arria his wife, who had remained throughout the trial at his side, seized the dagger, and plunged it to the hilt in her own breast. Then, handing it to her husband, she exclaimed with her expiring breath, "Pictus, it does not hurt." He hesitated no longer; and in a moment was with her in the world of spirits.

It is heartily to be wished that God would make us all resolved Christians, which will make us like a wall of brass to beat back all the arrows of strong persuasion that can be shot against us, like an armor of proof against all the Anakias and Zanzunminis, Scyllas and Sirens, temptations on the right hand and on the left. Like the angel that rolled away the stone from before the door of the sepulchre, it will enable us to remove the great mountains of opposition that lie in our way, or else to stride over them; yea, like the ballast of a ship, will keep us steady in the cause of God and his Church, who would otherwise be but like those mentioned by the apostle, — men of double minds, unsettled, and unstable in all their ways.

— Spencer

A soldier received a furlough for the purpose of visiting home. When it was given to him, he asked that it might be postponed. At the end of two weeks, he came to say he was ready for his furlough. Being pressed for a reason for his delay, he said, "I promised my mother that I would be a Christian in the army. I have neglected it up to this time; and I could not go home until I could answer my mother's first question."

What would the queen think of her soldiers, if they should swear they were loyal and true, and were to say, "Your Majesty, we prefer not to wear these regimentals: let us wear the dress of civilians! We are right honest men and upright, but do not care to stand in your ranks, acknowledged as your soldiers: we had rather slink into the enemy's camp, and into your camps too, and not wear any thing that would mark us as being your soldiers." Ah! some of you do the same with Christ. You are going to be secret Christians, are you, and slink into the Devil's camp, and into Christ's camp, but acknowledged by none? Spurgeon.

In the time of a revival in Harbor Creek, Pa., the daughter of an infidel was happily converted, and on a Saturday afternoon related to the Baptist church her Christian experience, and was received as a candidate for baptism.

She was intending to be baptized on the ensuing Sabbath, and in the morning she made known her intention to her infidel father. He told her angrily that if she went into the water, he would immediately banish her from his house. After consulting with some of her friends, she concluded to defer the matter till some future occasion. At the close of the afternoon service, Rhoda Ann, for that was her name, repaired to the water with the rest of the assembly to witness the baptism of other converts. After the last candidate was immersed, the preacher addressed the assembly, and urged any who might feel it their duty, to relate their experience to the church, most of whom were present; and, if the church so desired, he would baptize any such persons before they left the water. One after another acceded to his request, came before the church, and were accepted and baptized. At length Rhoda Ann stepped forward, and exclaimed with streaming eyes, "I believe it is better to obey God than man!" There was a moral sublimity in the thought and in this new occasion of its utterance, that must have wrought a most thrilling impression upon every mind. Having in a few words given an account of God's gracious dealings with her soul, she too was received and buried with Christ in baptism. On her return home, she found her father absent; but when he came in, some of the members of the family told him of the step Rhoda had taken. Turning to her, he said with firmness, "Rhoda, you remember what I said to you this morning; you must now quit my house." Rhoda solicited the privilege of taking away her clothes and other things with her; and having permission, she soon gathered them together, bade her friends farewell, and started forth upon her cruel exile, between sundown and dark. Soon after she had gone out, her father opened the door and called after her, "Rhoda Ann," said he, "you may come back now. I want you to understand that I am to be obeyed!"

Rhoda returned; but from that time her father treated her, as she declared, with greater kindness and tenderness than ever. # 85. COMMI

Mr. Daniel Clark, an agent employed by a Bible Society, among other interesting facts, related the following, as illustrative of the zeal he met with in the distribution of the Scriptures.

"A young man, who had nothing except what he earned by his labor, came to me, bringing a donation of eight dollars. He said it was the Lord's and he had no right to withhold it. He added, "When I gave myself to God, I also gave him all I had, and all I ever should have. And now the Lord is not dependent upon me. If I do not give it he can easily remove me, and put it into the hands of some one who will give it."

# CY, CHRISTIAN.

His lordship replied, "Gladly, my lord; but you will do me the favor to inform me what plea to urge, for my mother really believes the Bible."

The wife of a pious man told him one day, that if he did not give over running after the missionaries, a name often applied in the neighborhood where this event occurred, to Christian ministers of different denominations, she would certainly leave him. Finding that he continued obstinate, she on one occasion sent for him from the harvest-field, and informed him that she was about to carry her threats into execution; and that before she left the house, she wished some articles to be divided, to prevent future disputes. She first produced a web of linen, which she insisted should be divided. "No, no," said the husband; "you have been, upon the whole, a good wife to me: if you will leave me, though the thought greatly distresses me, you must take the whole with you; you well deserve it all." The same answer was given to a similar proposal respecting some other articles. At last, the wife said, "So you wish me to leave you?" "Far from that," said the husband; "I would do any thing, but sin, to make you stay; but if you will go, I wish you to go in comfort." "Then," said she, "you have overcome me by your kindness; I will never leave you."