COME UNTO ME

I woke up this morning thinking about all the people I have spoken to about Jesus Christ over the years. Since I go to a church that takes the Great Commission very seriously, it probably numbers in the thousands.

And He (Jesus) said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.”(Mark 16:15)

Of course, most of the time, I don’t know if the people I’ve spoken to got saved or not, or what kind of impact the news of the gospel had on their life. I don’t know who they are or where they are, and if they did or didn’t end up in a church somewhere – only God knows that. That’s the thing about bringing the gospel to the world, you don’t always see the results.

But this morning I woke up thinking about certain people -- that I know -- when I shared with them the good news of Christ, it made an impact on them right then and there. I could see it on their faces and hear it in their questions.

I spoke to a woman for about an hour while floating in the waters of Long Island Sound in Westport, CT. She was steeped in her church’s traditions and had such a hard time understanding the perfect, pure grace of God. She couldn’t believe that all she had to do to be saved, was to believe. She wanted to ‘do’ something so she could feel justified. As we bobbed in the water amongst the weird spider crabs that littered the bottom of the Sound, I told her again and again – For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast (Ephesians 2:8)

Did she ever come to Jesus? I hope so.

I thought of the young man, James, who worked as a security guard at the Aldi we go to frequently on outreach in Baltimore. I spoke to him week after week, he had such a sweet spirit about him. He was saved and agreed he needed to be in a church.

Did he come to hear the Word and be encouraged in his faith in a church that was a mile and a half from where he lived?

Nope. I hadn’t seen him for a few months, but I saw him last week. I asked him if he had gone to church yet – any church – and he gave me his shy smile, shook his head, shrugged, and kept on going.

Then there was Denise, who worked at Walmart. She had just moved up to Baltimore from Georgia after her husband suddenly died. She was brokenhearted and lonely. She lived with her son who worked all the time. I encouraged her in her faith and told her of all the great things our active church had available for her – women’s studies, choir, Saturday morning outreach, bible college classes …. I gave her my number, which I rarely do, and told her I’d come get her for church if she needed a ride. Every time I went to that Walmart, I searched her out.

Did she bring her lonely, brokenhearted self to church? Did she take advantage of all the church had to offer her – the Word of God, friendship, purpose? Not that I know of.

As I lay there, staring at the ceiling, I wondered, “Why, Lord, don’t they come?”

I thought of my own kids, and a dozen more like them. Totally immersed in the gospel when they were growing up. They have heard, from before they could talk, how much Jesus loved them. At least fifty percent of those kids no longer go to church. (They will tell you how ‘disappointed’ they are with the failure of Christians. But truth be told, we are all disappointed at times, and people fail terribly—that’s life, and another blog.)

A few no longer believe there is a God, let alone a personal Savior. And more than a few now question the truth of the Word of God and have decided to embrace the ever popular, demonic doctrine of “the Bible is just another book full of good moral stories, but it is NOT God’s Word.”

And, of course, they think this is such original, daring thinking! Finally, let loose from their parents' hold and able to think on their own, they have reached the ultimate truth – that there is no truth, and everything is relative.

Let’s not kid ourselves about the origins of the thought that God’s Word is not true. Who do you think started that rumor?

Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, has God said, You shall not eat of every tree of the garden? (Genesis 3:1).

In other words, Eve -- did God really say that?

And where do you think the devil ends up?

And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night forever and ever (Revelation 20:10).

Why do those who have heard the truth and embraced it at some point, go so far away from it? And why is it so hard to come back?

Why won’t a hurting woman or a kind-hearted, young man go to a good church 10 minutes away when they know it is the place they should be?

Why do people hear the good news of salvation and insist that it’s not enough, that there must be a better way?

The only thing that is needed to know Christ, to be restored to Christ, and to find your purpose in Christ is to believe that He is.

Have faith and come – or come back -- to Christ.

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls (Matthew 11:28-29).

If you would like prayer, counseling, or are looking for a church, go to: ggwo.org