Daniel 3:16
Commitment to God gives us the strength to go against the current and brings us closer to Him.
Chuck Smith emphasizes the significance of commitment in the life of a believer, using the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego as an example of standing firm against societal pressures. He highlights that true commitment provides strength to resist the world's anti-God currents and encourages others to do the same. Smith points out that committed individuals can change the world, as seen in the lives of Paul and the early church. He explains that such commitment comes from a heart set on God and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. Ultimately, he reassures that God stands with those who dare to stand for Him, even in the face of trials.
Text
"COMMITMENT"
Intro: The story.
I. THE VALUE OF COMMITMENT.
A. It gives you the strength to go against the current.
1. Everyone had bowed to the image except three.
2. Paul spoke of the course or current of this world.
a. It is anti-God: "love not the world..."
b. The world declares the material is superior to
the spiritual.
3. Without real commitment you will be swept away.
a. The "everybody is doing it" syndrome.
B. Your commitment becomes an encouragement to others.
1. "Give me some men who are stout hearted men..."
C. Men who are committed are the men who change the world.
1. The strength of communism is the commitment of its
advocates.
a. They will suffer for the cause.
b. They will sacrifice for the cause.
2. Paul's commitment, "For to me to live is Christ and to
die is gain."
a. No wonder he was accused of turning the world
upside down.
II. MEN OF COMMITMENT CANNOT BE STOPPED. VS. 17, 18.
A. Threats of death cannot dissuade them.
III. HOW DOES A PERSON BECOME SO COMMITTED?
A. They had purposed in their hearts.
1. It is more than a mind-set.
2. It is easy to change my mind.
3. It is a matter of setting your heart.
B. It is by the power of the Spirit of God.
1. "Not by might nor by power but by..."
2. Peter's denial of the Lord.
a. He was trusting in his flesh.
3. Peter's bold witness before the Sanhedrin.
a. But Peter, "filled with the Holy Spirit"
IV. THE RESULT OF THEIR COMMITMENT.
A. The Lord stood with them.
1. He will always stand with us, if we dare to stand for
Him.
2. He does not always deliver us from the fire. The early
church bears witness to this truth.
Sermon Outline
- I points: - The Value of Commitment - It gives you the strength to go against the current - Your commitment becomes an encouragement to others
- II points: - Men of Commitment Cannot Be Stopped - Threats of death cannot dissuade them
- III points: - How Does a Person Become So Committed? - It is by the power of the Spirit of God
- IV points: - The Result of Their Commitment - The Lord stood with them
Key Quotes
“It is more than a mind-set.” — Chuck Smith
“Not by might nor by power but by...” — Chuck Smith
“He will always stand with us, if we dare to stand for Him.” — Chuck Smith
Application Points
- Commitment to God gives us the strength to stand against the current of the world.
- We must dare to stand for God in order for Him to stand with us.
- Our commitment to God can be a source of encouragement to others.