Revelation 22:13-21. Come.
Last night my wife and I watched the movie about Lee Strobelamprsquos spiritual journey from atheism to Christianity. It is based on his research into Christamprsquos resurrection, which he initially disbelieved but came to believe by the end of his research and subsequently wrote a best-selling book about his research and journey called ampldquoThe Case for Christamprdquo.
In todayamprsquos passage, the word ampldquocomeamprdquo occurs five times. The Spirit says, ampldquoCome!amprdquo, the bride of Christ says, ampldquoCome!amprdquo (17), Jesus says he is coming, and John says to Jesus, ampldquoComeamprdquo (20).
Lee Strobelamprsquos efforts to dispute the truth of Jesus were his way of coming to the Lord. My desire for the ampldquofree gift of the water of lifeamprdquo (17) is my first step to coming to Jesus, just like the Samaritan woman at the well. When I repent of my sins and wash my bloody robe in Jesusamprsquo blood of grace, then I have the ampldquoright to the tree of lifeamprdquo (14) and coming to the gates of the heavenly city, I can go in.
But I am like the people of Sardis who need to wake up because my clothes are soiled. I am like the people of Laodicea who need to buy white clothes to cover my shameful nakedness. Jesus, the angels, and all the saints are inviting me in todayamprsquos passage. Come, wake up, buy white clothes through seeing my sins and repenting.
Do I obey that call or am I like the dogs outside the city, wanting a worldly life and rationalizing it by adding to and subtracting from Godamprsquos word, pretending Iamprsquom a good man doing good things? I lived in India and everyday saw the dozens of ownerless dogs full of mange eating garbage, excrement and vomit. They chase and they fight and know nothing. Is that who I want to be when the city of God stands before me with the living Lord, my source and my end, who has the tree of life and the water of life?
I am a member of a spiritual community and twice a week I obey the summons to come to worship to hear the word and the testimony of others to help me repent and keep my clothes white. I am a small group leader who invites my fellows to come and share their sins and suffering so that all of us, especially me, can listen and hear how the word may revive us and bring us to greater repentance.
Only when Jesus is in me can his grace restore me so that I too can say to others, ampldquoCome!amprdquo Because I am weak, in order to do that I have to say at the beginning and at the end of each day, ampldquoCome, Lord Jesusamprdquo (20).
Application: contact my small group members to invite them to Saturdayamprsquos mokjang.
Lord, let me not run wild outside your city. Keep calling me to repent and come inside where you live and I have my being.
