SCRIPTURE: Nehemiah 10
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
Then the rest of the people—the priests, Levites, gatekeepers, singers, Temple servants, and all who had separated themselves from the pagan people of the land in order to obey the Law of God, together with their wives, sons, daughters, and all who were old enough to understand— joined their leaders and bound themselves with an oath. They swore a curse on themselves if they failed to obey the Law of God as issued by his servant Moses. They solemnly promised to carefully follow all the commands, regulations, and decrees of the Lord our Lord. [Nehemiah 10:28-29]
What is the motivation for a person who follows Jesus, why do we do what we do?
Is it to earn a better place in heaven, or to merit God’s forgiveness, or a way to make God bless us?
Why are all the people making this solemn vow, and committing themselves with this serious vow -even swearing a curse on themselves – to love, honour and obey God?
Or why do people today make the radical decision to surrender their lives, their all, to the Lord Jesus?
The answer lies in what we learned yesterday, in the knowledge and experience of this truth: that God is a God of forgiveness, gracious and merciful, slow to become angry and rich in unfailing love.
It is the overwhelming experience of God’s amazing grace that leads people to devote themselves to Him.

When Jesus came by, he looked up at Zacchaeus and called him by name. “Zacchaeus!” he said. “Quick, come down! I must be a guest in your home today.” Zacchaeus quickly climbed down and took Jesus to his house in great excitement and joy. But the people were displeased. “He has gone to be the guest of a notorious sinner,” they grumbled. Meanwhile, Zacchaeus stood before the Lord and said, “I will give half my wealth to the poor, Lord, and if I have cheated people on their taxes, I will give them back four times as much!” Jesus responded, “Salvation has come to this home today, for this man has shown himself to be a true son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.” [Luke 19:5-10]
Zacchaeus did not need to get Jesus’ attention, or to merit His acceptance; Jesus sees him and intentionally goes toward him.
Jesus shows Him amazing mercy (no other Jew would associate with a terrible tax collector, the worst kind of traitor against God and His people).
Yet Jesus is God with us, coming to us to rescue us, to restore us to Himself.
This is why Jesus came, to seek and to save the lost.
And it is this amazing grace that prompts Zacchaeus to make these bold declarations and commitments.

Why do Jesus followers surrender their lives to Jesus, devote themselves to Him at all costs?
Because we have experienced God’s amazing mercy to us as sinners’ we have not been treated as our sins deserved but have been restored to God in mercy and love.
Jesus’ radical love for us, seen ultimately in His death on a cross, shows how far God has gone for us, how great His love and forgiveness are.
This overwhelms us; even as we recall the sin and the shame of our hearts and lives, we are amazed that God still wants to have a relationship with us.
It is this amazing grace, this amazing love, that motivates us.
Out of gratitude we declare: I devote myself, my wealth, my reputation, my everything to honouring You, to healing that which I’ve broken and to helping those who need help.

This is what it means to accept Jesus as Lord and Saviour; it is more than saying that we believe He is the Messiah, and more than accepting His forgiveness.
It is making a solemn vow, a personal and public declaration that all that I am, all that I have, I devote to Him and His loving purpose.
We make this vow because we are overwhelmed by God’s amazing love; we make this vow because we want everyone to know this amazing love!

PRAYER:
Lord, blow my mind with Your mercy, and compel me by Your Spirit to devote myself once again to a life of radical love for You and people – that all may know how great You are, how great Your mercy is!