Follow Me

   Once at a conference about Christian education for youth, I had the privilege of hearing the Getty's perform a new song in their set list - "Come People of the Risen King":
"Come, young and old from every land -
Men and women of the faith;
Come, those with full or empty hands -
Find the riches of His grace.
Over all the world, His people sing -
Shore to shore we hear them call
The Truth that cries through every age:
“Our God is all in all”

 

    As I was working on this particular sermon about following Christ, I found these words particularly appropriate. But they are missing something - they are missing our resistance sometimes to come and follow. We want to come on our own terms, and certainly not with everyone - we would prefer to come only with those who are like us, those who we like period. But instead, these lyrics paint a picture that remind us that when Christ comes again in all of his glory, we are going to be united with people who proclaim "Our God is all in all", not that we are all in all.

    If we have problems coming to follow Christ, we have an even greater struggle going - going outside of our comfort zones to proclaim Christ to those who don't know. Those who are seeking. Those who are struggling. We would rather stay inside of our church buildings and homes instead of going out into the world and inviting to the table those who Jesus would invite, those with whom Jesus interacted in his life. 

    There is room at the table, friends. Room for people to come. Room for those who are seeking. Room for those who need the healing of Jesus. We just need to be willing to invite them to the love of a Savior.