“Come….Come….Come…..”
I. Here is a SALVATION PROCLAIMED FREELY
A. Salvation is an Unearned Gift.
B. Salvation is an Unmerited Gift.
C. Salvation is an Unparalleled Gift.
II. Here is a SALVATION PROMISED CONDITIONALLY
A. The word “athirst” displays a desire.
B. The words “will” and “come” denote a decision.
III. Here is a SALVATION PRESENTED LOVINGLY
A. The Spirit Softly Calls Men to Come.
B. The Saints Should Call Men to Come.
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THE LAST INVITATION
Revelation 22:17
In this final chapter in the Bible we see three important final things. We see the Last Promise ... “I come quickly.” Then we see the Last Prayer ... “Even so, come Lord Jesus.” Lastly we see the Last Plea ... “Let him that is athirst come.”
We are going to look at the LAST PLEA or the last invitation recorded in the Bible.
There are two comings seen in these final verses of the book of Revelation. First, there is the second coming of Christ to this world, and there is the invited coming of the world to Christ.
“let him take the water of life freely.” The word “freely” speaks of a gift. The Bible says in Ephesians 2:8,
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.” Here is a gift that that is offered to man by God that cost man nothing, but cost God everything.
This gift is not cheap. It is expensive. It is free to the recipient but costly to the donor. Your salvation is a gift freely given and received from God, but it is not cheap. It is the most expensive gift you will ever receive.
2 Corinthians .9:15, “Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.”
A. Salvation is an Unearned Gift.
What is being offered is not given to you for some accomplishment or achievement. If that was the case, it would be a reward, not a gift. If salvation required something of us and from us it could not be offered freely. God is not selling salvation; He is offering us salvation.
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: .Not of works lest any man should boast.”
The average person has the idea that when Jesus died on the cross He made a down payment for our salvation, and we have to make the installments. Well, I've got some great news. Salvation is totally and completely free because Jesus paid it all. You cannot win it as a prize; you cannot earn it as a wage; you do not deserve it as a reward, but you can receive it as a gift.
Salvation is not a reward for those who are righteous; it is a gift for those who will admit they are guilty.
B. Salvation is an Unmerited Gift.
No one will ever go to heaven because of his performance, that is, what he has done; or his position, who he is; or his pedigree, who his parents were. Salvation has nothing to do with either conduct or character. The only reason anyone goes to heaven is because of the grace of God.
C. Salvation is an Unparalleled Gift.
There is not another gift to compare to it. It is unequaled and unmatched by any other gift. To have the gift of salvation is to have everything, and to not have the gift of salvation is to have nothing!
Here is a salvation that is promised with conditions that are seen in three words “athirst,” “will,” and “come.”
A. The word “athirst” demonstrates a DESIRE
There is a universal need stamped upon men. There is a universal void in the heart of man.
Nothing this world has to offer can permanently satisfy that thirst in the heart of man. This world promises satisfaction, but it deceives.
Many did not know what ails them. They
recognize the gnawing discontent, the utter restlessness, and the continual feeling after something more than they have, but they do not
know where to turn. They are just wandering aimlessly.
A weak-minded boy was working in a pet shop making deliveries. He was called upon to deliver a rabbit to a home. The owner of the store wrote the address of the person who had purchased the rabbit and gave it to the young boy. The boy got on his bike and rode forth to make the delivery; he hit a bump, and the box fell off, and the rabbit ran away.
The little boy just laughed hilariously. A man who saw the incident asked, "The rabbit is running away. Why are you laughing about it?"
The boy said, "Look at the crazy rabbit. I have the address in my pocket. He doesn't even know where he is going.” Life is like that when you are without Christ. There is an emptiness without Christ! There is no direction without Christ. There is not hope without Christ.
You will never discover Jesus is all you need until Jesus is all you have. When Jesus is all you have, then you discover that Jesus is all you need!
B. The word “will” and “come” denotes a decision.
None go to heaven by chance, but they all go through choice.
WHOSOEVER WILL. It has to do with the will. Some may say that they do not understand the plan of salvation. It has very little to do with the understanding but it has everything to do with the will. The appeal goes not to the understanding but to the will. The will often puts a bridle on the understanding and turns men away from Christ.
If you are willing, He is willing. There is no barrier between sinner and Saviour except the individual will (choice). God never burglarizes the human will.
WHOSOEVER WILL. It is not whosoever is worthy. It is whosoever will. WHOSOEVER is a big word. WHOSOEVER does not exempt any. The invitation is broad. WHOSOEVER WILL. Men may die and go to Hell without Jesus Christ, but they will not die and go to Hell without salvation being extended to them.
1. All Classes Of People can come.
2. All Colors Of People can come.
3. All Conditions Of People can come.
The whosoever wills go to heaven and the whosoever will nots go to hell.
Salvation is sufficient for whosoever but it is only efficient for the whosoever wills that come.
I want you to notice who is calling and who should be calling men to come to Christ!
A. The Spirit Softly Calls Men to Come.
The Holy Spirit invites men to come to Jesus.
I remember that Monday night when the Holy Spirit softly and convincingly called me.
I heard preachers preach on hell, and I knew I was going there. Then I would hear preaching on heaven, and I knew I wanted to go there. The Holy Spirit tenderly showed me I was a sinner, and then He lovingly showed me the Saviour! O the pull on my heart that called me saying, “Come.”
1. It is a SPECIAL CALL.
2. It is a SENSIBLE CALL.
3. It is a SIMPLE CALL.
B. The Saints Should Call Men to Come.
The “bride” also says, “Come.” Who is the bride? It is those who have already accepted God’s offer of salvation. Those who have been saved by grace want others to be saved.
There is nothing to describe the thrill of sitting down in front of an individual and inviting them to come to Jesus and then seeing that person take God’s offer.
The Spirit says, “Come,” and the saints should say, “Come.”
C.T. Studd said, “Some want to live within the sound of a chapel bell; I want to run a rescue shop within a yard of hell.”
At the funeral of Dr. Adrian Rogers, the presiding preacher asked the congregation what Pastor Rogers was famous for saying, and in unity they all said, “Come to Jesus!”
How much like Christ are we when invite men to come to Jesus!
Conclusion
In this modern age of compromise, many churches, for some reason, feel the need to do away with an "altar call" or "invitation". However, the "invitation" is God's idea. The Bible COMMENCES with an "invitation” (Genesis 7: 1). The Bible CONTINUES with an "invitation" (Isaiah 1:18). The Bible CONCLUDES with an "invitation" (Revelation 22:17).
The invitation to come is an urgent matter. It is urgent for the saved to herald it, and for the sinner to heed it .
The day will come when it will be too late to announce the invitation and to accept the invitation.
GOD’S FINAL CALL
Some day you’ll hear God’s final call to you:
To take His offer of salvation true--
This could be it, my friend, if you but knew:
God’s final call, God’s final call.
If you reject God’s final call of grace,
You’ll have no chance your footsteps to retrace--
All hope will then be gone, and doom you’ll face:
O hear His call! O hear his call!
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