Sermon Illustrations on Invitation — page 2

Barbecues For God: Meals As Ministry

Luke 14:7

During the summer, many of us enjoy having friends over for a backyard barbecue. The food section of the newspaper is full of menu ideas to please every palate. But do you ever worry that, after all your hard work, your friends won’t show up? If they don’t, it seems to be a reflection on our importance — or popularity. It’s a nightmare scenario, believe it or not, for many a host and hostess.

But maybe we’re worrying about the wrong thing. And just maybe, we’re inviting the wrong people.

In Luke 14, we find Jesus dining at the home of a ruler among the Pharisees. A discussion comes up about the importance of guests. Jesus tells his host, “When you give a...banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or...rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return, and you be repaid.”

Indeed, Jesus says, you should invite “the poor, the maimed, the lame, [and] the blind.” These guests would not be able to repay his hospitality, or yours. The man would, instead, be repaid “at the resurrection of the just.”

This theme was echoed by one of Washington’s most famous pastors, the Rev. Peter Marshall, who in the 1940s was the chaplain of the Senate. In a collection of his sermons called “Mr. Jones, Meet the Master,” Marshall tells the story of an imaginary businessman who was reading his Bible one day and found the passage from Luke I just quoted. He made up engraved invitations to dinner and passed them out among the poor of Washington — men who were sick or out of work. On the appointed night, the businessman served his guests an elegant dinner. And then, he offered, in the name of Jesus, to help them any way he could.

This is the approach to hospitality we all should have. I live in a town where people put a lot of effort into getting important people to come to dinner — Congressmen, big-time lawyers, Supreme Court justices. But that’s the secular worldview at work — that we should honor those with earthly power.

By contrast, Christianity teaches that we should concern ourselves with the poor, the sick and the powerless. Scripture makes it clear that our help should not be limited to dropping off groceries at a food bank, or working in the soup kitchen once a month. Instead, we should invite the poor into our very homes and churches.

The next time you throw a party, don’t worry about hosting the smart set or the most important people at your church. Instead, invite neighbors who have lost their jobs and could use some cheering up. Invite someone from your office who is hard to get along with, and probably lonely. Invite the poor in your community — maybe that single mom down the street could use a night out.

Or perhaps you should call your pastor; maybe he knows an ex-prisoner who has joined the congregation and needs fellowship. Find out which families from church are going through a difficult time, and invite them over. Invite people who cannot repay your hospitality.

The Washington Post maybe won’t cover your get-together. But Someone far more important will notice, and rejoice. And you won’t have to worry about people not showing up. Your backyard barbecue will become a chance to minister to others — and bring down blessings on yourself.

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Biography of Charles Grandison Finney (1792-1875)

The name of Charles Finney is legendary amongst students of Revival. He is well known as revivalist, theologian, author, pastor, college professor and reformer. After experiencing a thorough Christian conversion he received a powerful infilling of the Holy Spirit and subsequently became an unusually gifted itinerant evangelist. It is claimed (not by himself) that over half a million people came to Christ through his ministry.

Finney was born the year after Wesley died on 29th August, 1792 in Warren, Connecticut. In 1794 his family moved to New York state, eventually settling at Henderson, near Lake Ontario. Although he received only a brief formal education he decided to study law and joined the practice of a local lawyer, Benjamin Wright. He was also very musical, played the cello and directed the choir at the local Presbyterian Church pastured by Rev. George Gale.

His conversion on October 10th 1821 reads like something out of the book of Acts. Smitten with conviction from Bible reading he decided to ‘settle the question of my soul’s salvation at once, that if it were possible I would make my peace with God.’ (Autobiography) This conviction increased to an unbearable level over the next couple of days and came to an head when he was suddenly confronted with an ‘inward voice.’ He was inwardly questioned about his spiritual condition and finally received revelation about the finished work of Christ and his own need to give up his sins and submit to Christ’s righteousness.

As he sought God in a nearby wood he was overwhelmed with an acute sense of his own wickedness and pride but finally submitted his life to Christ. Back at work that afternoon he was filled with a profound sense of tenderness, sweetness and peace. When work was over and he bade his employer goodnight, he then experienced a mighty baptism in the Holy Spirit, which was recorded as vividly as the day he experienced it, though it was penned some fifty years later. (please refer to his Autobiography, chapter 2 to read this amazing account)

The next morning Finney announced to a customer that he was leaving his law studies to become a preacher of the Gospel.

He was licensed to preach in 1823 and ordained as an evangelist in 1824. His penetrating preaching was quite different from many local ministers and included an obvious attempt to break away from the traditional and, as he saw it, dead, orthodox Calvinism. He married to Lydia Andrews in October 1824 and was also joined by Daniel Nash (1774-1831), known popularly as ‘Father Nash.’ Undoubtedly Nash’s special ministry of prayer played a great part in Finney’s growing success as an evangelist. Things really took off when he preached in his old church, where Rev. Gale still ministered. Numerous converts and critics followed! Similar results were experienced in nearby towns of Rome and Utica. Soon newspapers were reporting his campaigns and he began drawing large crowds with dramatic responses.

Soon he was preaching in the largest cities of the north with phenomenal results. Campaign after campaign secured thousands of converts.

The high point of Finney’s revival career was reached at Rochester, New York, during his 1830-31 meetings. Shopkeepers closed their businesses and the whole city seemed to centre on the revivalist. Responding to his irresistible logic and passionate arguments many of his converts were lawyers, merchants and those from a higher income and professional status.

Finney openly preached a modified Calvinism, influenced with his own theology of conversion and used what were perceived to be ‘revivalistic techniques.’ These ‘means’ included the use of the anxious bench (a special place for those under conviction), protracted meetings, women allowed to pray in mixed meetings, publicly naming those present resisting God in meetings and the hurried admission of new converts into church membership. Opponents viewed his preaching of the law as ‘scare tactics’ and his persuasive appeals for sinners to come to Christ for salvation were seen as over-emphasizing the responsibility of men and ignoring the sovereignty of God.

His theology and practice soon became known as the ‘New Measures’ and attracted many opponents from the Old School Presbyterians led by Asahel Nettleton (himself no stranger to true reviva)l and the revivalistic Congregationalists headed by Lyman Beecher.

Finney accepted an appointment as pastor of Chatham Street Chapel in New York City in 1832 where he remained until 1837. It was during this time that he delivered a series of sermons published in 1835 as ‘Lectures on Revivals of Religion.’ Here he clearly stated his views regarding revivals being products of the correct use of human means. Such was the controversy that he left the Presbyterian denomination and joined the Congregationalists in 1836.

The next year he became professor of theology at Oberlin College (Ohio) where he taught until his death. He was President here from 1851 until 1866, but still continued regular revival meetings in urban settings (twice in England, 1848, 1851) until 1860. During his stay at Oberlin he produced his, Lectures to Professing Christians (1836), Sermons on Important Subjects (1839) and his famous Memoirs.

There is no doubt that Charles Grandison Finney well-deserves the title ‘The Father of Modern Revivalism.’ He was an evangelistic pioneer whose model was followed by a long line of revivalists from D. L. Moody to Billy Graham. His writing have made a massive impact on the entire evangelical world and particularly the ‘Lectures on Revivals’ which has, arguably, ignited more fires of revival than any other single piece literature in evangelical history.

This ‘Prince of Revivalists’ passed away peacefully at Oberlin on Sunday, 16th August, 1875 aged almost 83 years.

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Bibliography: I Will Pour Out My Spirit, R. E. Davies, 1997; Ed: A. Scott Moreau, Baker Evangelical Dictionary of World Missions, 2000; Dictionary of Evangelical Biography 1730-1860, Vol. 1, 1995.

Should We Stop Asking Jesus Into Our Hearts?

Mark 1:15

Doubting our salvation and false assurance are both exacerbated by the clichéd ways in which we speak about the gospel.

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If there were a Guinness Book of World Records record for “amount of times having asked Jesus into your heart,” I’m pretty sure I would hold it.

By the time I reached the age of 18 I had probably “asked Jesus into my heart” 5,000 times. I started somewhere around age 4 when I approached my parents one Saturday morning asking how someone could know that they were going to heaven. They carefully led me down the “Romans Road to Salvation,” and I gave Jesus his first invitation into my heart.

Both my parents and my pastor felt confident of my sincerity and my grasp on the details, and so I was baptized. We wrote the date in my Bible and I lived in peace about the matter for nearly a decade.

One Friday night during my 9th grade year, however, my Sunday school teacher told us that according to Matthew 7:21-23, many people who think they know Jesus will awaken on that final day to the reality that he never really knew them. Though they had prayed a prayer to receive Jesus, they had never really been born again and never taken the lordship of Jesus seriously. They would, my teacher explained, be turned away from heaven into everlasting punishment with the terrifying words, “Depart from me, you workers of iniquity. I never knew you.”

I’ll never forget the impact those words had on me. Would I be one of those ones turned away? Had I really been sorry for my sins? And could I really have known what I was doing at age 4?

So I asked Jesus to come into my heart again, this time with a resolve to be much more intentional about my faith. I requested re-baptism, and gave a very moving testimony in front of our congregation about getting serious with God.

Not long after that, however, I found myself asking again: Had I really been sorry enough for my sin this time around? I’d see some people weep rivers of tears when they got saved, but I hadn’t done that. Did that mean I was not really sorry? And there were a few sins I seemed to fall back into over and over again, no matter how many resolutions I made to do better. Was I really sorry for those sins? Was that prayer a moment of total surrender? Would I have died for Jesus at that moment if he’d asked?

So I prayed the sinner’s prayer again. And again. And again. Each time trying to get it right, each time really trying to mean it. I would have a moment when I felt like I got it right and experienced a temporary euphoria. But it would fade quickly and I’d question it all again. And so I’d pray again.

I walked a lot of aisles during those days. I think I’ve been saved at least once in every denomination.

Because I understood baptism to be a post-salvation confession of faith, each time I gained a little assurance, I felt like I should get re-baptized. Four times, total. Honestly, it got pretty embarrassing. I became a staple at our church’s baptism services. I got my own locker in the baptismal changing area.

It was a wretched experience. My spiritual life was characterized by cycles of doubt, aisle-walking, and submersion in water. I could not find the assurance of salvation no matter how often, or how sincerely, I asked Jesus into my heart.

I used to think I was alone in this struggle, but as I’ve shared my story over the years so many have come forward to tell me that my experience was theirs (usually minus the baptisms and the OCD tendencies) that I’ve concluded this problem is epidemic in the church.

The Other Side of the Problem: The Falsely Assured

On the other hand, Scripture indicates that there are a vast number of people who seem assured of a salvation they don’t actually possess. My Sunday school teacher was telling us the truth: according to Matthew 7, Jesus will turn away “many” on that last day who thought they belonged to him. There’s no doubt that many of those will have prayed a sinner’s prayer.

In his parable about the different types of soil, Jesus spoke of a group who heard his word and made an initial, encouraging response of belief, only to fade away over time. These are those, Jesus explained, who hear the gospel and respond positively to it — pray the prayer, walk the aisle, get baptized, or do whatever new converts in your church do. They remain in the church for a period of time. But they do not endure when the sun of persecution comes out and will not in the end be saved (Luke 8:13; Matt. 5:13; John 15:6).

These sobering stories teach us that many are headed into eternal judgment under the delusion of going to heaven. Many believe their eternal destiny has been settled because of a time when they invited Jesus into their life. They were told that if they prayed the prayer, Jesus would save them, seal them, and never leave nor forsake them.

A 2011 Barna study shows that nearly half of all adults in America have prayed such a prayer, and subsequently believe they are going to heaven, though many of them rarely, if ever, attend a church, read the Bible personally, or have lifestyles that differ in any significant way from those outside the church. If the groups described in Matthew 7 and Luke 8 are not referring to them, I don’t know who they could be referring to.

An Unhelpful Gospel Cliché?

I have begun to wonder if both problems, needless doubting and false assurance, are exacerbated by the clichéd ways in which we (as evangelicals) have learned to speak about the gospel. Evangelical shorthand for the gospel is to “ask Jesus into your heart,” or “accept Jesus as Lord and Savior,” or “give your heart to Jesus.” These phrases may not be wrong in themselves, but the Bible never tells us, specifically, to seek salvation in those ways. The biblical summation of a saving response toward Christ is “repentance” and “belief” in the gospel.

“Belief” means acknowledging that God told the truth about Jesus, namely that he is Lord and that he has finished forever the work of our salvation.

“‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’ ... (And Paul said) ‘Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved” (Acts 16:30-31).

“To the one who does not work, but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness” (Rom. 4:5).

“Whoever believes in the Son has everlasting life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him” (John 3:36).

Repentance means acting on that belief. Repentance is not subsequent to belief; it is part of saving belief, like two sides of the same coin. Repentance literally means “a change of mind” (in Greek, metanoia: meta — new; noia — mind) about Jesus. Repentance means understanding that Jesus is Lord and that you have lived in cosmic treason to him and reversing your direction based on that. Repentance was the first response Jesus called for in his preaching of the gospel (Mark 1:15); the first command Peter gave to those who wanted to be saved after his first sermon (Acts 2:38); and what Paul said God had commanded all men everywhere to do now that Jesus had been resurrected (Acts 17:30). (See also Acts 3:19 and 26:20.)

Belief and repentance are the only prescribed biblical instruments for laying hold of salvation. They might be expressed in a “sinner’s prayer,” but they are fundamentally postures of the heart toward God. It is possible to pray a sinner’s prayer and not have repented and believed. It is also possible to repent and believe without articulating such a prayer.

Conversion to Christ is like sitting down in a chair. If you are seated right now, there was a point in time in which you transferred the weight of your body from your legs to the chair. You may not even remember making that decision, but the fact you are seated now proves that you did.

Salvation is a posture of repentance and faith toward the finished work of Christ in which you transfer the weight of your hopes of heaven off of your own righteousness and onto Jesus Christ. It does begin in a moment, but it persists for the rest of your life. The way to know you made the decision is by the posture you are currently in. The apostle John almost always talks about “believing” in the present tense because it is something we do continually, not something we did once in the past (e.g., John 3:36; 20:27-28; 9:36-38; 1 John 5:13). The posture begins at a moment, but it persists for a lifetime.

The book of Leviticus provides a wonderful picture of this. Once a year each Jewish father would appear on behalf of the family to offer a sacrifice for sin. When the moment of sacrifice came, the father would lay his hand on the head of the sacrificial lamb and the priest would slit its throat. The resting of the hand of the man on the head of the lamb symbolized the transference of the guilt of the family onto the head of the sacrifice. As the lamb bled out, the guilt of the family was removed.

Faith is placing our hand upon the sacrificial head of Jesus. When we do so, Paul says, “our faith is counted for righteousness” (Rom. 4:5). There is a moment when we first lay our hand on the head of Jesus. It is to rest there for the rest of our lives. When we want to know if we are saved, we should look at where our “hand,” our hope for heaven, is currently resting.

The Moment It Made Sense to Me

I remember the moment this finally all made sense to me. I had begun to despair that I could ever find assurance, that I could ever experience a moment that would establish once and for all that I was born again. A friend directed me to Martin Luther, whom he said had gone through his own bitter struggle with assurance. I went to the library and checked out Luther’s commentary on the book of Romans. I’ll never forget that night reading his words on Romans 10:9:

Paul says, “If thou ... shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” That is true, for, as we read in 4:25, “Christ was delivered for our offenses, and raised again for our justification.” Whoever believes these two facts will be saved. ... We obtain the true righteousness of God by believing sincerely the promises of God, as we read in 4:3, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.”

In that moment, at last, it all made sense. Salvation was obtained by simply resting on the two “facts” God had promised about Jesus: he was crucified as the payment for our sins; he was resurrected as proof that God accepted the payment. Just as Abraham was saved by believing God would keep his word, I was saved by believing he had.

Those two facts were true whether I believed them or not, but when I rested my weight upon them — that is, when I placed my hopes for heaven on his finished work — they became mine.

When you first assume that position, you might express it in a prayer. Or you might not. The posture is itself a cry to God for salvation, whether you articulate it or not. But just because you prayed the prayer doesn’t mean you assumed the posture, any more than telling a chair you’re about to sit in it equates actually sitting down.

So, when it comes to assurance, the only real question is: Is your hand resting on Jesus’ head now?

Clarifying Two Things I Am Not Saying

I am not saying that asking Jesus into your heart is heretical. When we are “saved,” Jesus does indeed “come into our hearts,” at least in a manner of speaking (see, for example, Romans 8:9-11; Ephesians 3:17; Colossians 1:27-28; Galatians 2:20). But there are lots of other things that happen at the moment of salvation, too: we are washed in Jesus’ blood, sealed by his Spirit, guaranteed a dwelling place in the new heaven, grafted into the vine, have our names written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, Satan’s claims against us are nullified, etc. Asking Jesus to do any one of these for us at the moment of salvation is not heretical, but by focusing on any one of them we run the risk of obscuring the one thing necessary for salvation — a posture of repentance toward and faith in his finished work (Mark 1:15; John 3:36; Rom. 4:5; 10:9-10).

For example, if we go around telling people that if they want to be saved they should ask Jesus to “begin construction on their home in heaven,” or “put my name in the Lamb’s Book of Life,” that would not be wrong, per se (John 14:1-3), but it could be misleading. People with no remorse for their sin might still be excited about Jesus providing them with an eternal vacation home or getting their name onto some heavenly honor-roll list. By highlighting one or two of the things Jesus said he’d do for us at salvation we might obscure the one thing Jesus said we must do to be saved: repent and believe.

Ultimately, my concern is not on what words or actions we might use to express our faith in Christ, but that we don’t substitute those words or actions for repentance and faith. “Praying the sinner’s prayer” has become something like a Protestant “ritual” we have people go through to gain entry into heaven. As “gospel shorthand,” it presents salvation as a transaction one conducts with Jesus and moves on from rather than the beginning of a posture we take toward the finished work of Christ and maintain for the rest of our lives.

I’m also not saying that we should not press for a decision when we preach the gospel. Preachers in the revivalist traditions called for sinners to respond immediately to the gospel. That response often took the form of walking an aisle or asking Jesus into one’s heart. While this may not be my preferred technique, the gospel is indeed an invitation and each time it is preached that invitation ought to be extended in some form (e.g., John 1:12; Matt. 11:28; Rev. 22:17). In fact, if we do not urge the hearer to respond personally to God’s offer in Christ, I do not believe we have fully preached the gospel.

Calling on sinners to seek salvation on the spot is not something invented by the Finney-revivalist tradition. Throughout history, even some of the most Reformed evangelists have invited hearers to pray a sinner’s prayer. Charles Spurgeon said at the conclusion of one of his sermons:

Before you leave this place, breathe an earnest prayer to God, saying, “God be merciful to me a sinner. Lord, I need to be saved. Save me. I call upon your name.” Join with me in prayer at this moment, I entreat you. Join with me while I put words into your mouths, and speak them on your behalf — ”Lord, I am guilty. I deserve your wrath. Lord, I cannot save myself ... I cast myself wholly upon you, O Lord. I trust the blood and righteousness of your dear Son; I trust your mercy, and your love, and your power, as they are revealed in him. I dare to lay hold upon this word of yours, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. Lord, save me tonight, for Jesus’ sake. Amen.”

So did George Whitefield. John Bunyan described one of his characters, “Hopeful,” being led through a sinner’s prayer by another, “Faithful.” The apostle Peter invited 3,000 people to come forward for baptism in response to his first sermon. Ananias led Paul to call on God’s name for forgiveness of sins after their first conversation (Acts 22:16).

So I am not, in any way, trying to discourage calling for a decision when we present the gospel. I am saying that above all else we must emphasize the absolute indispensability of repentance and faith for salvation.

I am also saying to those who, like me, have asked Jesus into their hearts thousands of times, that they can “stop asking Jesus into their heart” and start resting in the finished work of Christ. Salvation is not given because you prayed a prayer correctly, but because you have leaned the hopes of your soul on the finished work of Christ. When and how you began the posture of repentance and faith is less important than that you are in that posture now.

Shorthand phrases for the gospel can serve a good purpose, insofar as everyone knows exactly what they mean. But in light of the fact that so many in our country seem assured of a salvation they give no evidence of having, and so many others are unable to find assurance no matter how often they pray the prayer, I believe it is time to put the shorthand aside and preach simply salvation by repentance toward God and faith in the finished work of Christ. Or, at least, to be careful to explain exactly what we mean when we call for a response to the gospel.

The apostle John described a large group of people who “believed in Jesus” but to whom Jesus would not commit himself because he knew “what was in them” (John 2:23-25). He knew their belief was a temporary fad and not something that would endure the test of time and trial.

Scripture teaches that salvation happens at a moment. We are born again (John 3:1-3); our sins are forgiven (Acts 22:16); Christ’s righteousness is credited to us (Rom. 4:5); and we are filled with God’s Spirit and baptized into his body (Acts 10:44; 1 Cor. 12:13). There was a moment that you made the decision to sit down in the chair. The way that you know made the decision, however, is not by remembering with absolute clarity the moment you made it, but because you are seated there now.

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J.D. Greear is lead pastor at the Summit Church in Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina.

An Invitation

The right question today is what must I do to inherit eternal life? Jesus told the rich young ruler to turn your back on everything and give your heart to me.

There’s someone in this room today, an adult, and senior adult, a teenager, perhaps even a visitor who has never really known the Lord Jesus Christ as his/her savior. You’re not here by accident today. God brought you here by divine appointment. And he brought you here that today you might receive the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal savior. When we give the invitation in a few moments it going to be important for you to do the right thing.

Come to Christ! He’s the only one who can make your life right. I invite you today to just give your heart to him and to be bold about it.

I want to invite every adult and young person in this room to look inside of his and her heart right now and ask yourself this question; “If I died today, where would I spend eternity?”

I’m going to ask you to bow your heads and stand in just a moment in an attitude of prayer. While heads are bowed and eyes are closed I’m going to ask no one, youth or adult to be looking around. And while we are all in a spirit of prayer I want to ask: “How many of you can say today I know that I’m saved? If I died today I’d go to heaven. Jesus Christ lives in my heart, I have accepted him as my personal savior. Would you lift your hand to indicate quickly please. God bless you!

Many of you could not raise your hands. How many of you would say, Preacher I want to be a Christian. I want to ask the Lord to come in. Pray for me that I’ll get saved, that I’ll know the Lord, that I’ll go to heaven when I die. Would you just lift your hand and say, Pray for me preacher. God bless you.

Prayer: “Dear God, many hands went up today saying “I’m saved and I know it.”

Thank you Lord for every hand. But Lord there are others here that said, “I’m not saved, pray for me.”

And right now I do pray for them Lord. I pray for them that they will not leave the church lost! Help the individuals to know that when this invitation is given in just a moment that they have the opportunity to come to Jesus. Father, take this invita- tion and save every lost person and I pray especially for those who raised their hands. I asked that they would be saved in this service. For in Christ’s name I ask, Amen.

For You I Am Praying

1. I have a Saviour – He's pleading in glory,

A dear, loving Saviour, though earth friends be few;

And now He is watching in tenderness o’er me –

But O that my Saviour were your Saviour too.

Chorus

For you I am praying, For you I am praying,

For you I am praying, I'm praying for you.

2. I have a Father – to me He has given

A hope for eternity, blessed and true;

And soon He will call me to meet Him in heaven –

But O that He'd let me bring you with me too!

3. When Christ has found you, tell others the story,

That my loving Saviour is your Saviour too;

Then pray that you Saviour will bring them to glory,

And prayer will be answered – ‘twas answered for you!

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Six Different Ways To Give A Salvation Invitation

Luke 14:16

Six different ways to give a salvation invitation, from inviting them to meet in a "Quiet Room" to asking them to open their eyes during the call to commitment.

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Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow

1. Yesterday He died for me, yesterday, yesterday,

Yesterday He died for me, yesterday,

Yesterday He died for me, died for me –

This is history.

2. Today He lives for me, today, today,

Today He lives for me, today,

Today He lives for me, lives for me –

This is victory.

3. Tomorrow He comes for me, He comes, He comes,

Tomorrow He comes for me, He comes,

Tomorrow He comes for me, comes for me-

This is mystery.

4. O friend, do you know Him? know Him? know Him?

O friend, do you know Him? know Him?

O friend, do you know Him? do you know Him?

Jesus Christ the Lord,

Jesus Christ the Lord, Jesus Christ the Lord!

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Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus

1. O soul, are you weary and troubled?

No light in the darkness you see?

There's light for a look at the Saviour,

And life more abundant and free!

Chorus:

Turn your eyes upon Jesus,

Look full in His wonderful face,

And the things of earth will grow strangely dim

In the light of His glory and grace.

2. Though death into life everlasting

He passed, and we follow Him there;

Over us sin no more has dominion —

For more than conq’rors we are!

3. His word shall not fail you — He promised;

Believe Him, and all will be well;

Then go to a world that is dying,

His perfect salvation to tell!

A Salvation Allegory

I shook my head in disbelief. This couldn’t be the right place. After all, I couldn’t possibly be welcome here. I had been given an invitation several times, by several different people, and had finally decided to see what this place was all about. But, this just couldn’t be the right place. Quickly, I glanced down at the invitation that I clutched in my hand. I scanned past the words, “Come as you are. No jacket required,” and found the location.

Yes, I was at the right place. I peered through the window again and saw a room of people whose faces seemed to glow with joy. All were neatly dressed, adorned in fine garments and appeared strangely clean as they dined at this exquisite restaurant.

Ashamed, I looked down at my own tattered and torn clothing, covered in stains. I was dirty, in fact, filthy. A foul smell seemed to consume me and I couldn’t shake the grime that clung to my body. As I turned around to leave, the words from the invitation seemed to leap out at me, “Come as you are. No jacket required.”

I decided to give it a shot. Mustering up every bit of courage I could find, I opened the door to this restaurant and walked up to a man standing behind a podium.

“Your name, sir?” he asked me with a smile.

“Jimmy D. Brown,” I mumbled without looking up. I thrust my hands deep into my pockets, hoping to conceal their stains. He didn’t seem to notice the filth that I was covered in and he continued, “Very good, sir. A table is reserved in your name. Would you like to be seated?”

I couldn’t believe what I heard! A grin broke out on my face and I said, “Yes, of course!”

He lead me to a table and, sure enough, there was a placard with my name written on it in a deep, dark red.

As I browsed over a menu, I saw many delightful items listed. There were things like, “peace,” “joy,” “blessings,” “confidence,” “assurance,” “hope,” “love,” “faith,” and “mercy.” I realized that this was no ordinary restaurant! I flipped the menu back to the front in order to see where I was at. “God’s Grace,” was the name of this place!

The man returned and said, “I recommend the ‘Special of the Day.’ With it, you are entitled to heaping portions of everything on this menu.”

You’ve got to be kidding! I thought to myself. You mean, I can have ALL of this!

“What is the ‘Special of the Day,’ I asked with excitement ringing in my voice.

“Salvation,” was his reply.

“I’ll take it,” I practically cried out. Then, as quickly as I made that statement, the joy left my body. A sick, painful ache jerked through my stomach and tears filled my eyes. Between my sobs I said, “Mister, look at me. I’m dirty and nasty. I’m unclean and unworthy of such things. I’d love to have all of this, but, but, I just can’t afford it.”

Undaunted, the man smiled again. “Sir, your check has already been taken care of by that Gentleman over there,” he said pointing to the front of the room. “His Name is Jesus.”

Turning, I saw a man whose very presence seemed to light the room. He was almost too much to look at. I found myself walking towards Him and in shaking voice I whispered, “Sir, I’ll wash the dishes or sweep the floors or take out the trash. I’ll do anything I can do to repay you for all of this.”

He opened His arms and said with a smile, “Son, all of this is yours if you just come unto Me. Ask Me to clean you up and I will. Ask Me to take away the stains and it is done. Ask Me to allow you to feast at My table and you will eat. Remember, the table is reserved in your name. All you must do is accept this gift that I offer you.”

Astonished, I fell at His feet and said, “Please, Jesus. Please clean up my life. Please change me and seat me at Your table and give me this new life.”

Immediately, I heard the words, “It is finished.” I looked down and white robes adorned my squeaky clean body. Something strange and wonderful had happened. I felt new, like a weight had been lifted, and I found myself seated at His table.

“The ‘Special of the Day’ has been served,” the Lord said to me. Salvation is yours.”

We sat and talked for a great while and I so enjoyed the time that I spent with Him. He told me, me of all people, that He would like me to come back as often as I liked for another helping from God’s Grace. He made it clear that He wanted me to spend as much time with Him as possible.

As it drew near time for me to go back outside into the “real world,” He whispered to me softly, “And Lo, I am with you always.”

And then, He said something to me that I will never forget. He said, “My child, do you see these empty tables throughout this room?”

“Yes, Lord. I see them. What do they mean?” I replied.

“These are reserved tables . . . but the individuals whose names are on each placard have not accepted their invitations to dine. Would you be so kind as to hand out these invitations to those who have not joined us yet?” Jesus asked. “Of course,” I said with excitement as I picked up the invitations.

“Go ye therefore into all nations,” He said as I turned to leave.

I walked into God’s Grace dirty and hungry. Stained in sin. My righteousness as filthy rags. And Jesus cleaned me up. I walked out a brand new man . . . robed in white, His righteousness.

And so, I’ll keep my promise to my Lord. I’ll go.

I’ll spread the Word.

I’ll share the Gospel . . .

I’ll hand out the invitations.

And I’ll start with you.

Have you been to God’s Grace? There’s a table reserved in your name, and here’s your invitation . . .

“Come as you are. No jacket required.”

Bringing People To Jesus

John 1:35

Sermon on introducing people to Jesus (witnessing) with special application

to Billy Graham crusade.

1. Importance of "nobodies."

2. Andrew, brother of Jesus, was a second fiddle.

3. He was good at introducing people to Jesus.

4. All Christians can be like Andrew.

5. How churches grow.

a. Billy Graham crusade and prayer triplets. [1558]

*

For You I Am Praying

1. I have a Saviour – He's pleading in glory,

A dear, loving Saviour, though earth friends be few;

And now He is watching in tenderness o’er me –

But O that my Saviour were your Saviour too.

Chorus

For you I am praying, For you I am praying,

For you I am praying, I'm praying for you.

2. I have a Father – to me He has given

A hope for eternity, blessed and true;

And soon He will call me to meet Him in heaven –

But O that He'd let me bring you with me too!

3. When Christ has found you, tell others the story,

That my loving Saviour is your Saviour too;

Then pray that you Saviour will bring them to glory,

And prayer will be answered – ‘twas answered for you!

*

A Ticket From the Satanic

Luke 22:50

EDITORS’ NOTE: This is a first-person account by Gwan Garrison, pastor of Franklin Baptist Church in Bettstown, Ga., as told to Joe Westbury, managing editor of The Christian Index, newsjournal of the Georgia Baptist Convention.

=======================

In 1994, power and money were my gods. Good, bad or indifferent, that’s the way it was. I had given the devil my heart and would do whatever I felt he wanted me to do to get what I wanted out of life.

I was living the good life in California with my wife Judy and two daughters but was searching for purpose and meaning. That’s when I met a practicing witch, who was one of the office supervisors where I worked as the department head. She served under me and we quickly struck up a professional relationship.

The witch and I were on the same material wavelength and she taught me how to cast spells, how to discern the future, how to influence people and have power over them. I was moving up the ranks and wanted that to continue as long as possible, so (the witch’s abilities) really appealed to me. That’s how I became involved in Satanic worship.

No one, especially my family and my Christian wife, had any idea of my gradual involvement with the darker side of life. As I acquired Satanic paraphernalia –- a bible, literature, candles, books on how to cast spells -– I kept them all safely hidden and would practice my belief away from the eyes of others. I knew they would not understand and I didn’t want to explain.

The witch and I worked in tandem in the office environment and I thoroughly began to enjoy persecuting Christians. I just detested them for some reason -– especially as the Easter season rolled around and they asked to take Good Friday as a vacation day.

That really irritated me and I would always come up with a good excuse to deny the request. “Sorry, we are overworked and understaffed” always seemed appropriate and justifiable, or I would say that others with more seniority had already requested the day. Anyway, they didn’t get the day off to go to church and that gave me a considerable amount of satisfaction and fulfillment.

One of our employees, Susan Conway, was especially bothersome.

Susan had witnessed to me on several occasions and I did everything I could to terminate her. I would accept additional administrative responsibilities to bring her closer under my authority but it never worked out. She would be transferred to another unit or something would happen.

I could never touch her, and it aggravated me to no end. But in her own gracious manner, she never compromised her witness.

There was such a hedge of protection around her that I could never penetrate, and it really bothered me. I loved persecuting Christians and she was one trophy that I wanted on my wall.

Then one day in 1994 my daughter Cammie accepted Christ following her enrollment in a Christian school -– an enrollment that occurred over my objections. I didn’t care for that at all and thought it was just a passing teenage phase and wouldn’t last. I didn’t do anything to encourage her and tried to downplay its significance. Looking back on it, I don’t know how I could have been so insensitive.

When Good Friday rolled around I received the usual requests for vacation days from Christians and turned them down with the usual amount of satisfaction. But that year something different came into play.

I walked into my office and there on the corner of my desk was a free ticket to a drama called “The Greatest Story Ever Told.” I didn’t know that it was a passion play and I didn’t have anything better to do so I thought I would go see it. My marriage was in jeopardy and my wife and two daughters had moved to be near her parents in Bainbridge, Ga., who were in failing health. I had decided we were at a crossroads and I would divorce my wife because money -– and my lucrative job -– was more important than my family.

As I pulled up at the address on the ticket I was surprised to see that I was in the parking lot of a large church. My first reaction was a half-smile and to acknowledge to whomever left the ticket on my desk, “OK, you got me.” But I was still confused, thinking that perhaps the drama team had simply rented the facility for the evening and I dismissed any religious connection.

I had been raised in a family where we said grace before our meals but that was pretty much as close as we ever got to God. In fact, my father once decked a pastor because he didn’t like something he said. On this night I didn’t have anything better to do so I thought I’d go inside and see the play.

However, just to be on the safe side I sat on the very last pew -– on the very end, near the exit -– just in case they began to get “churchy” on me and I needed to leave before the closing act.

Much to my surprise, the drama was riveting as the story of the betrayal of Christ unfolded in front of me. As the drama continued, I became especially interested in the scene of the Last Supper.

“I’ve seen that in a painting somewhere before,” I thought as the disciples talked around the table with Christ. I watched as one of the disciples got up and left, walking right by me as he exited the sanctuary.

“I wonder where he’s going,” I thought to myself.

Then the set changed to the Garden of Gethsemane and the doors swung open and two guys dressed like Roman soldiers walked up to the stage and got into a heated discussion with the disciples. In one fast swing, Peter cut off the ear of one of the soldiers.

Blood spurted everywhere and I thought, “Wow, that’s really life-like.”

I was thoroughly hooked on the story.

Then, to my amazement, Jesus put the ear back on the soldier and the blood disappeared. The next thing I knew, they were dragging Him right by me, through the swinging doors and into the foyer.

The doors closed and I heard the whips hitting His back. Then something strange began to happen: Every time the whip struck Him I began having a very sharp pain in my chest that began moving down my arm. I felt like I was having the symptoms of a heart attack.

Once again the doors swung open and Jesus was standing there wearing a crown of thorns. He took three steps and fell in the aisle right in front of my pew and looked up into my eyes, with blood dripping down his forehead, and said, “I did this for you.”

Goose bumps ran down my spine. I didn’t know how to respond. He was speaking directly to me like He had known me forever.

Once Jesus got to the stage, which was set as Calvary, He began crying out with each nail that was driven into his flesh. And each time the hammer hit the nail the pain in my own chest returned. I knew I was having a heart attack and morbidly thought to myself, “Well, at least I’ll die in church.”

“Father, forgive them ...”

Then they raised the cross with Christ attached, dropped it into a hole on the stage and a tremendous clap of thunder roared over the speaker system. I heard Him say something remarkable: “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.”

The house lights went down and the sanctuary was totally black. As the lights come up, the cross was empty. I was used to casting spells on others, but at this instance I was spellbound by the gospel story.

The pastor, standing under one dim light at the front of the sanctuary, said, “If you are hurting in your heart tonight, I want to pray for you. Please raise your hand.” With pain running from my heart down my arm I didn’t wait a moment. I shot my hand up, seriously thinking to myself, “If you want to do something, call 911.”

I don’t remember how I got to the altar when the invitation was given, I just remember kneeling with the pastor. After a moment he looked me in the eye and said, “I’ve never felt the presence of evil like I feel in you tonight. I sense that Satan completely controls you. If you want to be set free from the pain you’re feeling, Jesus can set you free.”

As I prayed the sinner’s prayer the pain immediately left.

It was 7:55 p.m. on April 1, 1994 -– I became an April Fool for Christ that night.

I wanted to be baptized right then but the church was not prepared, so we scheduled it for two weeks later. But I knew that as a new believer I had to destroy the Satanic altar in my house as soon as I arrived home. Since my family had already returned to Georgia, all of it was out in the open in the living room, all set up in the fireplace with candles, my Satanic bible, the book of spells that was used in worship, my crystals.

I went over to the Satanic bible and picked it up and I was hit by a force like I had felt only once before when I had been electrocuted. I’m using that description because I had once been hit by 860 volts of electricity while in the military and I spent three days in the hospital. I knew what a jolt like that felt like.

That’s when I got a broom and mop and, holding them by the straw and cloth ends, picked up the bible by the wooden handles like giant chopsticks and took it outside to the trashcan. My neighbors, if they saw me in the streetlights, must have thought I was crazy. When I went back inside, my cat’s eyes were as big and mean-looking as I had ever seen them; he even had this strange, low growl that I had never heard before. He had always been a great friend and I had never had a problem with him, but that night he was changed.

At the office on Monday the witch would not come near me. Then one of the workers came up and said, “Is it true? Did you go to church on Friday?”

“Yes, I got saved Friday night,” I replied.

“Man, we stopped praying for you years ago,” he stated.

I thought for a moment and said, “Well, I’m glad someone never stopped.”

That’s when Susan walked up and said she had been in the service that night and told me her church had sponsored the play. And then she said she was the one who left the ticket on my desk.

That’s the first time I knew who left the ticket -– it was the one person who I had tried to terminate on so many occasions. I could not believe her faithfulness to her Lord.

Two weeks later, just after Easter, Susan was the first person I saw and who handed me a towel when I came up out of the baptism waters at her church. I’ll never forget that big smile that she had on her face.

>From that day forward money didn’t mean anything to me. My values changed. My life changed. The witch transferred out of my work unit and we never worked together again.

I decided not to follow through with the divorce and, with Eric the cat who became friendly again, drove across the country to Georgia to reunite with my family. We became involved in a Georgia Baptist church, I responded to a call to the gospel ministry and enrolled in Bible classes at the Bowen Bible Institute sponsored by Bowen Baptist Association. In 1998 I led my younger daughter, Olivia, to faith in Christ at our kitchen table.

Today I serve as the information technology manager for Leon County, Fla., just across the state line in Tallahassee. I was ordained and licensed by Faceville Baptist Church under the ministry of Ken Gainious in 1998 and accepted the pastorate of Franklin Baptist Church in 1999. By the grace of God and the help of my wife, I just completed my eighth year as pastor of this wonderful, loving, 52-member church.

Today I tell Christians this earthly battle is about the flesh versus the spirit. Whatever is fed becomes stronger. We choose daily who we will serve, who will be our master.

But for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

________

Individuals desiring to contact Gwan Garrison can reach him through email at garrisog@surfsouth.com or by contacting Franklin Baptist Church, 1002 Bettstown Road, Bainbridge, GA 39819.

The Hypocrite Hang-up

Mark 2:14

Seven years of junior high band concerts. Yes, that was the special joy Karen and I share since all three of the Hutchcraft kids were in junior high band. Now it wasn't always a supreme musical experience, but, hey, it's our kids, right? Now, let's imagine you have never heard of the brilliant composer Ludwig von Beethoven before. And I say to you, "Beethoven was a genius. His music is some of the most beautiful ever written." You're a little skeptical because you've never heard any of him, but I suggest a way to remedy that. See, the junior high band is having a concert this week, and they're performing Beethoven's 9th Symphony. So you go, and you come back to me saying, "I thought you said this Beethoven guy was a genius! I just heard his music. It wasn't brilliant!" Now what's the problem here? It isn't Beethoven - it's the way that band played his music. Just because they don't play his music well doesn't mean the man who wrote the music wasn't a genius!

Well, I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A WORD WITH YOU today about "The Hypocrite Hang-up."

I've devoted my life to telling people about the Genius who can harmonize our lives, who wrote the music that's supposed to guide everything we do. His name is Jesus. But many people - maybe you - can't bring themselves to a point where they will put their trust in Jesus Christ to be their own personal Savior. And one of the biggest reasons? Christians. Christians who are hypocrites. Maybe some hypocrites you know have been a major roadblock in your considering Christ.

Well, that's why I'm so glad for today's word for today from the Word of God, where Jesus clarifies what, and who, is the issue in this whole Christian thing. Mark 2:14, our word for today from the Word of God - "As Jesus walked along, He saw Levi, sitting at the tax collector's booth. Follow Me, Jesus told him, and Levi got up and followed Him."

Jesus sums up here the central decision we all have to make by issuing this clear, two-word invitation that He gave to many people: "Follow Me." Jesus said, "I'm the issue. Make your decision about ME." He repeated that invitation so many times when He was here on earth. And it's His invitation to you and me today. As for those Christians who aren't a very good advertisement - well, they're like that junior high band trying to play that Beethoven symphony. Unfortunately, some of us don't play Jesus' music very well. But that has nothing to do with Jesus. He is still the Genius who forgives our failures and loves us with "never-leave-you" love, and takes us to heaven when we die.

Jesus didn't say, "Follow My followers," or "Follow My leaders," or "Follow My religion." He said, "Follow ME." The only reason not to be a Christian is if you've got something against Jesus. And there wasn't a trace of hypocrisy in Him.

All that will matter when you keep your appointment with God is what you did with Jesus, His one and only Son who died on the cross to pay ... not for His sins, but for yours. Honestly, there is no place to hide when it comes to Jesus. Either you commit yourself to this Man who died for you or you turn your back on Him and walk away.

It is all about Jesus. And maybe you're ready to surrender all the baggage that's kept you from His love. It's Jesus and you, because it's Jesus you're trusting, not Christianity. Maybe you're ready to begin this relationship you were created for. Tell Him that.

On Judgment Day, it will be you and Jesus. Today it's you and Jesus. In the words of an old hymn, "What will you do with Jesus? Neutral you cannot be. For someday your heart will be asking, 'What will He do with me?'"

________________

*

Have You Any Room For Jesus?

1. Have you any room for Jesus,

He who bore your load of sin?

As He knocks and asks admission,

Sinner, will you let Him in?

Chorus

Room for Jesus, King of glory!

Hasten now, His word obey;

Swing the heart’s door widely open,

Bid Him enter while you may.

2.

Room for pleasure, room for business–

But for Christ the Crucified,

Not a place that He can enter

In the heart for which He died?

3.

Have you any room for Jesus,

As in grace He calls again?

O “today” is “time accepted,”

Later you may call in vain.

4.

Room and time now give to Jesus,

Soon will pass God’s day of grace;

Soon your heart left cold and silent,

And your Saviour’s pleading cease.

[Tune: “Any Room”]

God My Exceeding Joy

Romans 5:10

We shall be saved by his life. And not only so, but we also JOY IN GOD through our Lord Jesus Christ. — Rom. 5:10-11.

Bring me unto thy holy hill, and to thy tabernacles. Then will I go unto the altar of God, unto GOD MY EXCEEDING JOY. — Psalm 43:3, 4.

In the garden of Eden man began to seek pleasure in something outside of God and is still at it today, but has never yet succeeded in finding it and never will. In God only is there true pleasure, true rest, true satisfaction. He only can supply the needs of the human heart. Come to Him now, while it is called today.

Thou alone, Lord Jesus, canst true joy impart,

Thou dost know the sorrow of the human heart,

Thou who cam’st from glory here that heart to win,

And in love for sinners suffer’dst once for sin!

There is none, Lord Jesus, there is none like Thee,

For the broken hearted, there is none like Thee.

Ya'll Be Sure To Come

Luke 14:15

My sister sat at the dining table making funeral plans with our precious 87-year-old mother, who has Alzheimer’s. Suzanne asked Mother what hymns she wanted sung and who she wanted to sing. After a while of planning, Mother got excited and exclaimed, “This is really going to be good! Ya’ll be sure to come!”

________

Sherrie Murphree of Odessa, Texas; Source: Today’s Christian