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RSVP |
Dear Brethren,
If Jesus were to say to you, "follow Me,"
what would your answer be? We understand that we should not answer with the question:
"Where?" The right answer is: "I'll follow in your footsteps to become like you,
and please help me to do so." Jesus wants us to follow Him in His way of life. How
did you respond when you were called into the Church and Jesus asked you to follow Him?
"Réspondez, s'il vous plaît." Brethren, that is French for "Please answer.
" Just how deep was your commitment to follow Christ? When Jesus said to His disciples,
"follow Me," little did they realize the tremendous calling that had been
initiated (John 1:43).
We are aware that not everyone who received the invitation to become one of
Jesus' disciples RSVP'd in the positive. Jesus invited a certain ruler to follow
Him who did not accept the invitation: "When Jesus heard these things, he
said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and
distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come,
follow me. And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich."
(Luke 18:22-23)
How many supposed brethren, today, RSVP in the negative by their actions. First,
they say "Yes, we will follow you," but then they do not. Look at this
Scriptural example where those who were invited said, "Yes," but they did not
change their ways by putting on the wedding garments of the righteousness of
Christ: "Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid
to the marriage. So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered
together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was
furnished with guests.
"And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had
not on a wedding garment: And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in
hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless. Then said the king
to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into
outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many are
called, but few are chosen." (Matthew 22:9-14)
So, the Bible reveals that most of those who receive an invitation to the better
resurrection, RSVP, but do not follow through by embracing the Christianity of
Christ, and do not remain faithful to the end. "And they that are with Him
[Jesus Christ] are called, and chosen, and faithful." (Revelation
17:14)
Brethren, this is a tremendous warning to us not to "play church." These words
are for us today: "Then said one unto Him, Lord, are there few that be
saved? And he said unto them, strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many,
I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able." (Luke
13:23-24) How do we RSVP to our invitation, and how do we treat our calling
after our initial response? "The promise is unto you, and to your children,
and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call."
(Acts 2:39)
Yes, we have been invited; we have been called: "No man can come to me,
except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at
the last day." (John 6:44) Jesus said, "Therefore said I unto you, that no man
can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father." (John 6:65)
Let's not forget that we are called out of this world. We cannot bring the
world's ways in among God's people.
"Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by
these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption
that is in the world through lust. And beside this, giving all diligence, add to
your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to
temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly
kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and
abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the
knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind,
and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old
sins. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and
election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fail (of
salvation)."
(2 Peter 1:4-10)
That means that, not only do we RSVP in the positive to God's calling, we follow
through by living our Christianity. Like our brethren before us, we are
called to be saints. "You also the called of Jesus Christ: To all that be
in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints." (Romans 1:6-7)
"Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in
Christ Jesus, called to be saints." (1 Corinthians 1:2) Réspondez,
s'il vous plaît, by making our calling and election sure.
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Sermon: "RSVP"
This is #6 in the series: A Blending of the Gospel Accounts.
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