We are a very busy people, from the youngest to the oldest. We all have our “comings, and goings.” In the Bible we see Jesus often use the phrase, “Come.” Some of us have done this and some have not. Let’s look at a few of those instances. Mark tells us: “And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men. And straightway they forsook their nets, and followed him,” (Mark 1:17-18). We can see from this that the disciples were told to “Come” and follow Jesus. They obediently did so, and did so immediately. He calls us to do the same today. Are we “coming to Jesus today?” In Luke 9:23 we see another instance where Christ calls us to “Come.” “And he said to them all, if any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.” Here He tells us not only to “Come,” but that we must also deny ourselves. We must put Him first in our lives. In Matthew 14:29 Jesus told Peter to “Come” to Him, as Peter saw Him walking on the water toward the disciples’ boat. Peter started walked on the water, going toward Jesus, but took his eyes off of Jesus, fearful and doubtful, and He began to sink. This is a good lesson for us. When Jesus says “Come,” we need to have full faith and confidence in Him that He will care for us and our needs. We must be ever looking toward Him. He should be our focus and we should not take our eyes off of Him for any reason! One of the most beautiful passages in the New Testament spoken by our Lord is found in Matthew 11:28-30. “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. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Our Lord wants everyone to “Come” unto Him. We must come in humility, believing, confessing His Holy name, repenting of our sins and submitting to baptism (immersion in water) for the remission of those sins (Romans 6; Acts 2:38), and then we can be added by God to the body of Christ, the church, the kingdom (Acts 2:47). Jesus invites each of us to “COME.” He tells us we will have rest for our souls. What a comforting passage! Have you done that?
Tuesday, July 2, 2013
Come and Go!
~ Nancy Goring
We are a very busy people, from the youngest to the oldest. We all have our “comings, and goings.” In the Bible we see Jesus often use the phrase, “Come.” Some of us have done this and some have not. Let’s look at a few of those instances. Mark tells us: “And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men. And straightway they forsook their nets, and followed him,” (Mark 1:17-18). We can see from this that the disciples were told to “Come” and follow Jesus. They obediently did so, and did so immediately. He calls us to do the same today. Are we “coming to Jesus today?” In Luke 9:23 we see another instance where Christ calls us to “Come.” “And he said to them all, if any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.” Here He tells us not only to “Come,” but that we must also deny ourselves. We must put Him first in our lives. In Matthew 14:29 Jesus told Peter to “Come” to Him, as Peter saw Him walking on the water toward the disciples’ boat. Peter started walked on the water, going toward Jesus, but took his eyes off of Jesus, fearful and doubtful, and He began to sink. This is a good lesson for us. When Jesus says “Come,” we need to have full faith and confidence in Him that He will care for us and our needs. We must be ever looking toward Him. He should be our focus and we should not take our eyes off of Him for any reason! One of the most beautiful passages in the New Testament spoken by our Lord is found in Matthew 11:28-30. “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. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Our Lord wants everyone to “Come” unto Him. We must come in humility, believing, confessing His Holy name, repenting of our sins and submitting to baptism (immersion in water) for the remission of those sins (Romans 6; Acts 2:38), and then we can be added by God to the body of Christ, the church, the kingdom (Acts 2:47). Jesus invites each of us to “COME.” He tells us we will have rest for our souls. What a comforting passage! Have you done that?
After we “Come” to Jesus, He then commands us to “GO.”
Yes, as Christians, we do not get to simply come to Jesus in obedience to the
Word and then sit on a pew each week enjoying our Christianity. There is a
verse in the song, “The Gospel Is For All,” that I dearly love. It says, “Say
not the heathen are at home, beyond we have no call; For why should we be blest
alone, the gospel is for all.” That should provoke every Christian to get out
there and spread the good news! We have no problem telling others of the good
things that happen in our lives – what could be of more importance than telling
others of heaven and salvation for their souls? That is the best thing that
will ever happen to us. Are we truly concerned about lost souls? Jesus says in Matthew 28:18-19. “Go ye therefore,
and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the
Son, and of the Holy Ghost, Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I
have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the
world. Amen.” When we do our part, Come to Jesus in obedience and Go out and
teach the gospel to others, God does His part. Jesus says, “And, behold, I come
quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work
shall be,” (Revelation 22:12). It is my prayer that every soul will Come to
Jesus and Go out and teach it to others. It is the Lord’s will!
We are a very busy people, from the youngest to the oldest. We all have our “comings, and goings.” In the Bible we see Jesus often use the phrase, “Come.” Some of us have done this and some have not. Let’s look at a few of those instances. Mark tells us: “And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men. And straightway they forsook their nets, and followed him,” (Mark 1:17-18). We can see from this that the disciples were told to “Come” and follow Jesus. They obediently did so, and did so immediately. He calls us to do the same today. Are we “coming to Jesus today?” In Luke 9:23 we see another instance where Christ calls us to “Come.” “And he said to them all, if any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.” Here He tells us not only to “Come,” but that we must also deny ourselves. We must put Him first in our lives. In Matthew 14:29 Jesus told Peter to “Come” to Him, as Peter saw Him walking on the water toward the disciples’ boat. Peter started walked on the water, going toward Jesus, but took his eyes off of Jesus, fearful and doubtful, and He began to sink. This is a good lesson for us. When Jesus says “Come,” we need to have full faith and confidence in Him that He will care for us and our needs. We must be ever looking toward Him. He should be our focus and we should not take our eyes off of Him for any reason! One of the most beautiful passages in the New Testament spoken by our Lord is found in Matthew 11:28-30. “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. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Our Lord wants everyone to “Come” unto Him. We must come in humility, believing, confessing His Holy name, repenting of our sins and submitting to baptism (immersion in water) for the remission of those sins (Romans 6; Acts 2:38), and then we can be added by God to the body of Christ, the church, the kingdom (Acts 2:47). Jesus invites each of us to “COME.” He tells us we will have rest for our souls. What a comforting passage! Have you done that?
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In order to go and teach new disciples to observe (do) everything Jesus commanded, we do indeed need to come to Jesus and learn his commands. In the Gospel of Matthew (and Luke), Jesus' teaching and commands are emphasized, so coming to Jesus includes learning his commands from these Gospels. Then we will be ready to go and do as he says at the end of Mt. (28:19-20).
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