Wednesday 29th January 2020 Devotion
Scripture:- Matthew 28:9-20
Topic:- What Jesus Teach About Evangelism [3]
Text:- Matthew 28:19
D. Deceived And Satisfied:
1. Some do not come to the Lord because, due to false teaching, they have concluded that they are already associated with Him. See Acts 19:13.
2. There is something we can learn from this case: not everyone who claims connection with Jesus Christ actually enjoys such a union.
3. I think this is a biblical truth that some of us need to be reminded of. Correct teaching and an accurate understanding of the message must precede obedience to the Gospel.
4. Under the Mosaic system, a person was physically born into a covenant relationship with Jehovah. As a result, they had to be taught to know the Lord after their birth into that covenant relationship.
5. But under the New Testament economy, it is different. This is one of the very points of emphasis in the great prophecy of Jeremiah. See Jeremiah 31:31,34.
6. In this age, we are taught before we enter the new covenant relationship with Christ. Christianity is a taught religion. See John 6:45.
7. One does not learn error and, at the same time, obey the truth. Denominational Clergymen have taught a perverted Gospel, and many have sincerely, though erroneously, been led to believe that a false doctrine is genuine Christianity. See Galatians 1:6-8.
8. It is the sacred responsibility of every child of God to show the distinction between truth and error, to draw the line between primitive Christianity and modern sectarianism, and to call others back to the Bible.
9. And some of our Preachers have ceased to proclaim this distinctive message and are assuming postures that will lead our people into destructive apostasy.
E. Uncommitted:
1. Some will not come to Jesus because they are unwilling to pay the price He requires. If you would follow Christ, you must be willing to forsake all that is in conflict with Heaven’s requirements. A person must be willing to deny himself, take up the cross daily, and follow His Lord. See Luke 9:23.
2. The Savior urged men to count the cost before assuming the role of discipleship, and he who is not willing to renounce any obstacle to the faith cannot be a follower of Christ. See Luke 14:25-35.
3. A tragic example is that of the rich, young ruler. He was consumed with materialism. When, therefore, the Lord demanded that he sell his possessions and then follow him, the young man sorrowfully departed from Christ. He was unwilling to pay the price. See Matthew 19:16-22.
4. For some. forsaking worldliness is too great of a demand for discipleship. Others cannot afford the time. And so they trade the few moments of time for eternity. See 2 Timothy 4:10.
5. The excuses are many; the result is the same. Other priorities crowd out the Christ.
F. Afraid:
1. Some will not come to the Lord because they fear failure. We have heard the excuse many times: “I would become a Christian. But I know I just couldn’t hold out.”
2. Do you not realize that when you turn to Christ, God that you are but a babe in the faith? Don’t we understand that Heaven is sympathetic of human frailty? Hasn’t Jesus promised to be with us “all the days.” See Matthew 28:20.
3. Yes, we will make mistakes, and frequently. But we will repent of those things and learn to grow in spite of our blunders.
4. What if one reasoned: “I will not marry because so many marriages end in divorce”? Surely that would be unsound thinking. What if the farmer argued: “I will not plant, for there was a crop failure? He would go hungry!
5. Don’t fear failure. Do your best to serve your God. And promise yourself to be progressively learning and responding to the truth.
G. The hypocrites:
1. Some do not come to the Christ because of what they see in professed Christians.
2. Listen, no one will be excused for his own disobedience in the day of judgment because he was influenced by someone else’s sorry example. Each person is responsible for his own activity. See 2 Corinthians 5:10.
3. Be that as it may, it is a fact that cannot be denied — some of the Lord’s own people are His worst enemies. By their coarse and wretched lives, they drive away many from the truth even before they have opportunity to know the Gospel.
4. In some places, the morals of members of the church are far inferior to those of false religionists. And in most areas, corrective discipline in the Church is a totally unknown practice. Surely, Jehovah will not hold us unaccountable for such deliberate neglect Christ.
Prayer Point:- Oh Lord God, make me a better soul winner like You henceforth by fire, in the name of Jesus Christ.
Happy Mid-Week!
