In Mark 16:15 Jesus commanded His church to,
“Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.”
His commandment was clear: all men, women, boys and girls, must hear the gospel. Therefore, His church was commanded to take the gospel unto them. Sadly, though, many churches today ignore this commandment and fail to be obedient unto it. (Note: Let us be clear here that the [church] is not some “building” that received the commandment – but it was the born again baptized believers who were covenanted together through God’s Word and leadership of the Holy Spirit; thus this commandment was to the covenanted people – not to the brick and mortar.)
It would seem, though, that many churches today have acquired a god-like attitude of “come unto me” – as Christ compelled the lost and the saved.
In Matthew 11:28 Jesus stated,
“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
And as Jesus stated unto His disciples in Mark 1:17,
“Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men.”
It could also be stated that many churches have succumb to the mantra, “If we build it they will come.” And, we see many who will gladly sacrifice time and effort for the cause of the “building”. However, neither of these bring obedience unto Christ’s commandment to “go ye into all the world” – for far too many are unwilling to sacrifice any time or effort for the cause of “Christ”.
In Luke 14:15-24 Jesus told a parable of a man who made a large feast and invited many friends and neighbors unto it. In verse 17 we read that the man stated, “Come: for all things are now ready” – (a spiritual parallel indicating that all things “water, food, eternal life” were ready [Cf. John 4:14; John 6:35; John 6:58; John 10:27-29]. However, when the servant went to call the invited guests unto the feast they all began to make excuses as to why they could not attend. Verses 21-24 then state,
“So that servant came, and shewed his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind. And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room. And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper.”
We, like the servant, have been called to go out and compel the lost to “come unto Jesus“. In other words, although we may have already invited our friends and neighbors to receive Christ as their personal Savior (and for which they too may have rejected coming unto Christ) – there are many other lost and hurting that also need to hear about Jesus Christ. For only in Christ Jesus will they find peace, comfort, and rest.
Consider for a moment if the one who compelled you to come unto Christ had been disobedient. Who knows when you might have then heard the gospel? Our prayer should be that our resolve is to be obedient unto Christ; that we will willingly “go into all the world and preach the gospel unto everyone” – and compel them to come unto Jesus Christ the Savior of the world.
Let us not forget the words as recorded in 2 Peter 3:9,
“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”
How will they come to repentance if they do not hear the gospel message? And without a witness, how will they hear,
Romans 10:13,
“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
Let us be mindful of the obedient servant who went into the highways and hedges and compelled them with his master’s words.
May we ever be mindful of Romans 10:17,
“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”;
and, may we ever be willing to go.
