1. Come as you Are! How many times have I not heard objections (to the invitation of Christ) such as, “I am not presentable enough!”; “My life is a mess!” or “I gotta get my life sorted out and myself prepared and ready first!” All this while we are admonished to come as we are; after two millenniums the still small voice of Jesus Christ supported by the encouraging admonitions of the Holy Spirit are still calling people all over the world to come to Christ for forgiveness, reconciliation and Salvation … simply come as you are!
If you don’t believe me, then explain to me how it has happened that, according to researchers (as mentioned on an earlier BBC news programme), the population of China is expected to be more than 50% Christian by the year 2030. Read the Bible and the Gospels of the New Testament, especially the Gospel of John; the inference is clear:
Come to Christ today just as you are ... do not waste precious time in trying to 'improve' yourself, 'turning over a new page' or making yourself 'more presentable' to God first; we will never be presentable enough without the Blood, Sacrifice and Righteousness of Jesus Christ anyway.
2. The Story of the Film-Producer and the Drunk. The anecdote is told of the film-producer who was looking for a truly authentic, derelict old hobo of drunk for a certain realistic part in his new documentary or movie. He reportedly eventually found one, and after a short negotiation, a satisfactory (very casual) deal was struck with the man who was barely surviving in abject poverty.
The drunk was then told to report to the movie-set the following week at such-and-such a time. When the time arrived for the drunk to pitch, in walked a fragrant, clean-shaven and immaculate dude dressed in a smart suit and with his hair styled and groomed like a pro ... it was the drunk who wanted to 'look his very best' for the promised part ... after all, at last he was breaking into movies!
The producer, it is told, however had no choice but to dismiss him and chase him off the lot with a few bucks for his futile efforts ... the ‘respectable new drunk' was not what he had envisaged for the part; he wanted the real deal.
3. Jesus Christ wants the 'real deal'. Come today … tomorrow may be too late. Likewise we must come to Christ just as we are ... the new (more respectable, but probably phoney) 'drunk' is not what He demands. Do you, like me, perhaps also feel that you are (or were) an incorrigible 'jerk’?
Remind yourself of these words: 'Because I am not presentable enough for Christ today, I come to Christ today for Him to, through His Blood, make me presentable enough for Him; when I was not worth dying for, Christ came down to die for me … to make me worth dying for!’ Make this song, written by Charlotte Elliott in 1835, your prayer:
“Just as I am without one plea
But that Thy Blood, was shed for me
And that Thou biddest me come to Thee
O Lamb of God I come ...
I come!
Just as I am and waiting not
To cleanse my soul from one dark blot
To Thee whose Blood can cleanse each spot
O lamb of God I come ...
I come!”
4. What the Bible Teaches. The Bible says:
“Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” [Isaiah1:18].
”Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain con-versation received by tradition from your fathers, But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without ble-mish and without spot.” [1Peter1:18-19].
“But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” [1John1:7].
“And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” [Revelation22:17].
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