Weekly Devotional for February 5th, 2012
GOD’S FINAL INVITATION
Shortly after the fall of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, God promised a Deliverer would come Who would bruise Satan and provide salvation for mankind (Genesis 3:15). This was a prophecy of the first advent (coming) of The Lord Jesus Christ. He would be born of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14). He would be a descendant of David as well as His Lord and Creator (Psalm 110; Mark 12:35-37). He would be The Eternal Word of God, made flesh to dwell amongst us (John 1:1,14). The Lord Jesus Christ, truly and fully God, truly and fully Man, became obedient unto death for the sin of the world (Philippians 2:6-8;2 Corinthians 5:21). In the final verses of the Book of Revelation, Jesus promises that He is coming again (Revelation 22:20). As sure as Jesus came the first time, He iscoming again the second time in judgment (Hebrews 9:27-28; Revelation 22:12). But God, “not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9), gives a last invitation to lost mankind to come and take of the water of life freely (Revelation 22:17). This is the message that Jesus Christ gave to the church before He ascended up into heaven (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15; Luke 24:46-47).
Reader, have you received Christ as your Lord and Savior (John 1:11-13)? No onereading this can say they were never invited to come to Christ, for as clearly as God can say it, He invites all to come. Thus, the proverbial ball is in your court, my friend. Your eternal destiny hangs in the balances of the decision. Who do you say that Jesus Christ is? I mean deep down in the depth of your soul, who do you say Jesus is? Does thetheology of your heart and life indicate that He is Lord (Revelation 22:11)? Do you see yourself hopelessly lost with no ability to stand before God Almighty on your own (Romans 3:10-23)? Do you believe that you were born dead in trespasses and sin and in need of God’s grace and power to make you alive (Ephesians 2:1-9)? Just like God shut Noah (whose name means “rest”) and his family in the ark before the flood judgment (Genesis 7:11-16), Jesus is calling you to come to Him this morning to receiveforgiveness of sin (Ephesians 1:7) and find rest for your soul (Matthew 11:28-30).
God’s providence has arranged our final study in Revelation to coincide with our regular observance of The Lord’s Supper. How wonderful are His ways! The bread and the cup remind us of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ as our Passover Lamb (John 1:29), Who has delivered us from the debt of sin and from slavery to the darkness of this world system (Colossians 1:12-14). One word describes this precious gift of salvation - grace (Revelation 22:21). It’s all of grace! The main theme of Scripture is not the redemption of man - as glorious as that is - but the Redeemer of men (Revelation 5). “For of Him, and through Him,and to Him are all things:toWhom be glory forever.Amen.”(Romans 11:36)