Responding to Christ’s invitation

 

Years ago, I was part of a team in an evangelism training program. We went to the homes of people who visited the church and asked permission to share the gospel with them. One visit stands out. We were talking to a shy young woman. She said yes to every question. When we got to the crux of the issue — would she like to accept Christ — she said yes again. At that point, the two other people on my team talked her out of it.

I was shocked until they explained; had she really been convicted and heard the call of Christ, talking her out of it would have been impossible. They realized that she was compliant and saying yes only because she thought it was the right way to respond to ‘grown ups’, not because Jesus was speaking to her heart.

How many people have done something like that? How many children grew up in the church and assumed they were in God’s family but had never heard His call on their life? Jesus said:

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’ (Matthew 7:21–23)

Too often the gospel comes across as ‘pray the prayer and you are in’ but this is putting the cart before the horse. First the invitation: “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide . . . .” (John 15:16)

The invitation is a package. It includes being called and chosen and those who are in that group are reborn and become God’s children. Their lives are changed and they are with Him and faithful to Him:

“For many are called, but few are chosen.” (Matthew 22:14)

“. . . He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and chosen and faithful.” (Revelation 17:14)

“But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God . . . .” (John 1:12, also John 3:1-21)

I remember a belligerent man saying he could become a Christian any time he wanted to. I said, “No, you cannot. Jesus must call you first.”

This is not a popular thought. Our human desire is to be in charge, controlling what happens to us and having a say in what we believe. However, the Bible is clear that “no one seeks God” and that “everyone goes their own way” and it is for this independent, ‘I will do it myself’ attitude that Jesus died, rose again, and offers us rebirth and a new life in His kingdom, a realm where He rules and we do not.

Salvation is God’s work. We need to respond when He calls, but He calls when He knows we will respond; His Spirit has done the work of conviction in our hearts and we are ready and willing to have a relationship with Him. This calling is powerful. Many testify, “I went forward even though I didn’t want to and even held on to the chair in front of me” or “I don’t know why or how, but I knew God called me and I was powerless to say no to Him.”

For others, the invite isn’t as obvious and most think their response made them part of God’s kingdom. However, without the call, they would not have been chosen to be in it, they would not be given that new life from God, a heart that hates sin and repents, and they would not find themselves loving and obeying the Lord Jesus Christ. As Jesus said, some will think they are there, go the through the actions that Christians are supposed to do, like going to church or being baptized, yet they do not have that personal relationship with the Lord that happens when His Spirit changes lives. As someone once said, standing in the garage does not mean you are a car.

Answering the call of God requires faith. Up front, it can seem like giving up everything, or doing things that are not much fun, or undergoing far too much change. Faith is believing God rewards those who seek Him, not that God makes life miserable. This is the One who created all things by speaking, who makes flowers and sunsets, who heals the sick and feeds the multitudes, the One who died so we might live. If I could do those things, I’d have reasons to trust myself. Ha.

Lord Jesus, sometimes my faith is nurtured as I look at a new baby, or an orchid, or the latest photo from outer space, or even just as I breathe and walk from place to place. You and what You do in my life is a marvel. Yesterday you used a mistake I made weeks ago — cutting and sewing pieces that were useless — to supply something much needed for another project . . . and I laughed in delight at Your grace. On Sunday, I decided to do something that seemed a bit selfish at the time, but You used that choice as an unexpected opportunity to be a big help to another person. How wonderful! Being in Your kingdom is truly an abundant life. Thank You for inviting, choosing and enabling me to say YES and to trust You and know that You are good.

DO THIS: Make a list of what God invites me to do and the results of being faithful. Compare that to what the Father asked of His Son and the results of His obedience.

 

 

Many rooms and house cleaning

The idea of “many rooms” puts images in my head. I think of an office full of cubicles, or a building full of offices, or even West Edmonton Mall with more than 800 stores. This also reminds me of a large mansion like the Biltmore house with 250 rooms, yet from what I know about the size of the family of God, these are small numbers compared to the dwelling places in heaven.

In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? (John 14:2)

This should encourage all who are afraid concerning their eternal resting place. The Lord says, “Whosoever will may come…” and He is making certain there is accommodation for all. He is preparing many rooms and created heaven as an everlasting dwelling for all who love and follow Him. This is a vast multitude. Some say tens of thousands in East Asia are coming to Christ each day. This makes my images of mansions puny compared to what He is building for His people.

Thinking back, these words were first spoken to disciples who were poor, sinful people. I wonder what they thought when they heard it. What could they imagine from “many rooms”? Did they have any inkling of what their small band would become? Did they have a clue that one day we would live in God’s many rooms, rooms enough for millions of His children?

Knowing something about the heart of God, I’m sure there will be sufficient and suitable accommodations for all sorts of persons as well. People from every nation, condition and circumstance, great sinners and moral people, weak and strong, babes in Christ and those more mature will have an eternal home. As today’s devotional reading says, there is in heaven enough for the happiness of everyone who hearkens to the call of the gospel.

For those, there are two promises regarding a dwelling place. Heaven is the eternal result for those who believe in Jesus Christ, but there is more. In doing a simple Greek word search, I discovered that this verse uses the same word as the one translated, “rooms”….

Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. (John 14:23)

The Father and the Son, also the Holy Spirit are looking for many rooms in many hearts, yet this is a personal invitation to anyone and a statement about what happens to those who love and obey Jesus: That person is loved by God and becomes a room, an abiding place, a home for Him!

Now how is all this practical? I think of the many rooms that I have been in and how they affected my life. I also think about the many people I’ve met and know, and how each one affects my thoughts and actions. This verse about God making His home in me must be taken literally. When I let that impact me, then I cannot go anywhere or be with anyone without being aware that I am the dwelling place of God. That changes my life and so it should.

I’m also convicted that Jesus is preparing a place for me, but what kind of place have I prepared and maintained for Him? He lives here in my heart! Without trivializing this astonishing reality, it definitely makes me want to take out the garbage, clean up the clutter, polish the remaining contents, and freely offer them to His use.