Commitment Developing Deeper Devotion to Christ

CommitmentCopyright © 1996 by Willow Creek AssociationRequests for information should be addressed to:Zondervan, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49530ISBN-10: 0-310-26595-9ISBN-13: 978-0-310-26595-5All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible: New InternationalVersion®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission ofZondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved.All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, ortransmitted in any form or by any means-electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any other-except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without the prior permission of the publisher.Interior design by Rick Devon and Michelle EspinozaPrinted in the United States of America05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 /?DCI/ 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1We want to hear from you. Please send your comments about thisbook to us in care of zreview@zondervan.com. Thank you.HANGONFORHEAVENT H E B I G P I C T U R EHave you ever heard someone use the expression, "I thoughtI''d died and gone to heaven?" A business woman from Chicagogoes on a business trip to Phoenix in February. She is lookingforward to getting there so she can get some sun betweenbusiness meetings. Her single room is unavailable so theyhave to upgrade her to a luxury suite with a sun-drenched balconyoverlooking the pool. The next day her meetings arecanceled and she is free to spend the whole day relaxing. Shephones a friend and says, "I feel like I''ve died and gone toheaven."After a round of golf, a guy in a bar "tips a few" and begins totell about his putt on the eighteenth green. He recounts howhe hit his ball with a perfect stroke, how it took two hugebreaks, going up a hill and then down and finally rolled straightinto the heart of the cup. He finishes by saying, "I won a tendollarbet and I thought I''d died and gone to heaven."A fan at a Bulls'' basketball game gets to take a shot from halfcourt. He''s told, "If you make this shot, we''ll give you a millionbucks." He makes it! When he tells that story, he probablysays "and when that ball went through the hoop, Ithought I''d died and gone to heaven."When we use that expression, we''re trying to explain anexperience that resulted in a euphoria that goes beyonddescription. Sometimes I want to ask people, "Do you knowwhere that expression originated? Do you know the origin ofthe concept of heaven?" It was not from Greek mythology orPersian fantasy. It''s not a Shakespearean concept. It is not simplyan invention of the English language to express great joy. Ithink a lot of people use the expression and don''t even realizethat the concept of heaven is uniquely biblical. It comes rightout of the teachings of Jesus. And brace yourselves. Jesustaught about heaven and made it sound as real as earth. Hereally believed in such a place and spent a lot of time and energyconvincing other people that heaven was real.A W I D E A N G L E V I E W1. Describe your image of heaven when you were achild.What is your image of heaven now?A B I B L I C A L P O R T R A I T2. How do you feel when you hear the statement,"Blessed are those who are persecuted because ofrighteousness . . ."? Blessed means "truly happy." Howcan the persecuted be truly happy?What kind of persecution do you think Jesus was talkingabout?3. Jesus assures His followers that the persecutions andsufferings of this life can''t compare with the rewardsand joys of heaven. How does the hope of heavenimpact the way you live your life today?S H A R P E N I N G T H E F O C U S4. Jesus gives His followers a sobering and tough piece ofinformation when He tells them that they will pay aprice for following Him. In light of the world we livein, how are followers of Christ persecuted today?Read Snapshot "Moral Irritations"MORAL IRRITATIONSOne reason Christ followers will take hits in this world is because they unwittingly become moral irritationsto family, friends and colleagues when thHybels, Bill is the author of 'Commitment Developing Deeper Devotion to Christ', published 2005 under ISBN 9780310265955 and ISBN 0310265959.