HAVE YOU EVER RECEIVED AN INVITATION? WHO HASN'T? FOR THOSE WHO ARE OUTSIDE THE BODY OF CHRIST THE SAVIOR ALSO EXTENDS AN INVITATION. THAT'S OUR LESSON FOR THIS MORNING. MT 11: 28-30
1) IT IS THE SAVIOR WHO INVITES!
A. MT 11:28 - "COME UNTO ME"
1. THE ONE WHO HAS BEEN APPOINTED HEIR AND UPHOLDS ALL THINGS, WHO'S SEATED AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD AND IS THE KING OF KING AND LORD OF LORDS.
2. THE ONE WHO OFFERS BALM FOR OUR SIN-SICK SOULS, SOLACE FOR BURDENED HEARTS AND STRENGTH IN TIME OF TRIALS.
2) THE BRIDE AND THE SPIRIT INVITE! REV 22:17
A. THE SPIRIT CAME TO THE APOSTLES ON PENTECOST - ACTS 2: 1-4, IN FULFILLMENT OF JOHN 16:7
1. THE SPIRIT CONVICTED THE PEOPLE OF SIN, THROUGH THE WORDS OF THE APOSTLES, ACTS 2:37
A. PETER URGES THE JEWS TO ACCEPT THE FACT THAT JESUS IS LORD AND CHRIST- VERSE 36
B. IN VS 37 THE JEWS ARE CONVICTED AND DESIRE TO BE SAVED
C. VS 38- PETER GIVES THE PLAN OF SALVATION
D. VS 40 - PETER IS STILL INSPIRED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT, THIS IS THE SPIRIT INVITING.
B. THE BRIDE INVITES! REV 22:17
1. WHO IS THE BRIDE? THE CHURCH - EPH 5: 23-33
2. IT IS THE MISSION OF THE CHURCH TO GO INTO ALL THE WORLD CONVINCING THEM OF SIN AND INVITING THEM TO COME INTO CHRIST - MT 28; 18-20; MK 16: 15-16
C. THE SAVED SOUL INVITES!
1. REMINISCENT OF FINDING THE MESSIAH AND URGING a BROTHER PETER TO COME TO HIM
JN 1: 40-42
2. WHAT WAS SAUD IN JN 1: 43-46? " COME AND SEE"
A. EXAMPLES OF SOUL-WINNERS
1. ACTS 9:20
2. 2 TIM 2:2
3. ACTS 8:4
3) WHAT DOES THE INVITATION IMPLY? THAT MAN IS AWAY
A. HOW COULD HE DO THAT IF HE WAS NOT AWAY FROM THE LORD?
1. MANY SAY THEY ARE ALREADY IN CHRIST. IF THAT WERE THE CASE WHY WOULD HE INVITE YOU?
B. MAN IS AWAY FROM GOD - ECCL 7:20; 1 JOHN 5:19 - THE INDIVIDUAL IS WITHOUT CHRIST
1. " ALIENS", "STRANGERS"," HOPELESS", "GODLESS", ETC.
C. MAN WAS NOT BORN AWAY FROM GOD - EZEK 18: 20; 28:15. SIN IS OF SUCH A NATURE THAT IT CANNOT BE INHERITED - I JOHN 3:4. IF MAN WERE TOTALLY DEPRAVED HOW COULD HE WAX WORSE AND WORSE -
2 TIM 3:13
D. THROUGH OUR SINS MAN DEPARTED FROM GOD AND IS AWAY FROM HIM - ISA 59: 1,2
1. CHRIST CAME TO SAVE US FROM OUR OWN SINS, NOT OF ADAM OR OUR PARENTS - MT 1:21
2. WHAT IS THE EXHORTATION - " LET THE WICKED FORSAKE HIS WAY, AND THE UNRIGHTEOUS MAN HIS THOUGHTS" ISA 55:7
4) WHAT DOES THE INVITATION ALSO IMPLY? IT IMPLIES THAT MAN CAN COME!
A. IT IS NOT THAT MAN "CANNOT" COME, IT'S THAT MAN "WILL NOT" COME. CALVINISM TEACHES THAT MAN
CANNOT COME, BUT THE SCRIPTURES TEACH OTHERWISE. JOHN 14:6; 6:35; 7:37, ETC.
B. THE CALVINIST DOCTRINE MAKES THE PERSON PASSIVE IN SALVATION, THE BIBLE TEACHES THAT THE INDIVIDUAL IS ACTIVE IN THEIR SALVATION. ACTS 2:38,40.
5) MAN MUST COME, NOT GOD!
A. GOD, SIMPLY, DOES NOT DO THE COMING. THE SINNER COMES TO GOD - HEB 11:6. I.E. THE PRODIGAL..
B. CHRIST DOES NOT DO THE COMING. THE SINNER COMES TO CHRIST - JOHN 5: 39-40.
1. CHRIST HAS DONE HIS PART - 1 TIM 1:15; 2:6
C. THE HOLY SPIRIT DOES NOT DO THE COMING - HE INVITES - REV 22:17
D. MAN MUST DO THE COMING! - 2 COR 5:19; COL 1:21