Finish Commitments by Michael Pender

These are my notes from the meeting in church on Sunday. But I need to post how I arrived in this meeting first:

went to sunday school on sunday. got to the classroom. it was locked. one of the workers said go back to the sanctuary, the pastor is going to give the SS lesson. went back to the sanctuary (where I just left) to attend the class. turns out it was not SS but a staff meeting (ushers, deacons, teachers, nursery workers, etc). was going to leave but Pastor Mike said the meeting applied to everyone, whether you attend sunday school or a parent or a youth, wanting to be a leader. so, Stacie learned about commitment and how you supposed to keep your commitments, no matter what, even during a storm. I am unmotivated to complete the masters project because i don't see the money to head to Phoenix. but I need to complete it because I made a commitment to myself (and the school). and the interesting part was, normally, i sit with Kalen in nursery during SS because he cries a lot (separation anxiety) BUT this Sunday, he was playing in the cribs and was acting good for a change. If Boy 2 was crying, I would have missed this message.

Notes:

Finishing Commitments Acts 20:17-24

17 From Miletus, Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders of the church. 18 When they arrived, he said to them: “You know how I lived the whole time I was with you, from the first day I came into the province of Asia. 19 I served the Lord with great humility and with tears and in the midst of severe testing by the plots of my Jewish opponents. 20 You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly and from house to house. 21 I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus.

22 “And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. 23 I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. 24 However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.

1. God does not force people to do ministry. We volunteer to work for God.
2. Faith helps us finish commitments.
3. We may not know all troubles, which will occur, but we still need to finish.
4. Pristine conditions are not prerequisites to finish commitments
5. Adverse situations should never hinder us from following commitments.
6. We need to honor commitments involving money and finances.

Overcoming fear: Acts 20: 22-23

1. Fear is an enemy of finishing
2. If live in fear, can not grow (the church and the individual)
3. Fear reminds us of things we miss. For example, you miss sex, but you not supposed to have premarital sex anyway. :-)

Duty to finish commitments Acts: 20: 22
1. Paul traveled to Jerusalem, even during threats, to complete assignments. He was compelled to finish his God-assigned tasks.
2. Start honoring commitments at home, if you want to grow in church. Can hurt your ministry.

Stewardship Acts 20:24

1. Stewardship requires faithfulness
2. Can't grow by doing the same things.