God's Favorite Word

This is a sermon that was given on July 18, 2021 and it discusses many references in the Bible in which God invites human beings to come to Him for various reasons. The sermon is based on many different texts from Scripture and emphasizes God's desire for us to seek Him. A video recording of the worship service in which this sermon was delivered may be viewed by clicking here.

Written Excerpts:

Isaiah 1:18 "Come now, and let us reason together," Says the LORD, "Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool.

Introduction:

I’ve been reading through a daily devotional book that contains excerpts from different books written by Max Lucado. The name of the devotional book is: Grace for the Moment: Inspirational Thoughts for Each Day of the Year. The title of my message today is the same as the title for one of the devotionals in his book.

I want to read part of it. “God is an inviting God. he invited Mary to birth his Son, the disciples to fish for men, the adulterous woman to start over, and Thomas to touch his wounds. God is the King who prepares the palace, sets the table, and invites his subjects to come in….

“In fact, it seems his favorite word is come…. God is a God who invites. God is a God who calls.”

After I read these comments and some Scriptures he included, I began to think of and look for other verses in the Bible that used the word “come.” I felt the Lord leading me to use them as the basis of the message for today.

Our Scripture reading today included many of the verses I found which contained the word “come.” I will use them to help us recall the kinds of situations in which people have heard God say, “Come.” We will not necessarily discuss them in the order in which we read them earlier.

For the time we have today, let us consider the various reasons God invites us to come.

1.         God invites all people to be saved.

Isaiah 1:18 "Come now, and let us reason together," Says the LORD, "Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool.”

Revelation 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.

We all have heard many sermons and read many passages in the Bible that emphasize the need to be saved from sin, because we are all sinners in need of redemption and salvation. A thorough explanation of salvation could include a multitude of Scriptures, but these are two specific verses that demonstrate God’s invitation to be saved.

The passage in Isaiah speaks more specifically about the problem of sin and God’s promise to wash it away if the people will follow the “cleansing ordinances” God has ordered for His people, and if they will obey ethical/moral directives included in the Law. (See vv. 16-17).

Rev. 22:17 is a general invitation to “whosoever will.” The Isaiah text is written specifically to the nation of Judah, but Revelation is written to believers in general.

Both texts can be applied to every time period and every person because they both illustrate the heart of a loving God who “is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” If you are not saved today, God invites you to come to Him and take Him at His word to be forgiven and saved from sin.

2.         God invites backsliders to return.

Hosea 6:1 Come, and let us return to the LORD; For He has torn, but He will heal us; He has stricken, but He will bind us up.

There are a couple of references in the Bible that on the surface seem to teach that it is impossible for people who have known the Lord and turned away from Him to be restored later. But this verse in Hosea and many others in Jeremiah, as well as references in the NT certainly indicate that God loves those who have willfully turned away from Him. He invites every backslider to return to faith in Him through repentance and faith.

Deuteronomy 4:29 ^(NKJV)  But from there you will seek the LORD your God, and you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul.

A promise given to a nation who would deliberately disobey the Lord and suffer judgment (captivity) because of it. God offers an invitation, “Come,” to everyone who has strayed away from Him.

3.         God invites all disciples to follow him.

God doesn’t offer salvation merely so that we can avoid going to hell. He desires to have intimate fellowship with us. That was the whole point in creating us in His image, so we could have a relationship with Him. This relationship involves following Him and being a disciple, a learner, or one who imitates and obeys.

Matthew 16:24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.

Matthew 19:21 Jesus said to him, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me."

Jesus invites us to be His disciple – to learn from Him, follow Him and become like Him.

4.         God invites us to emulate his nature.

God saves us and invites us to follow Him for the purpose of making us like Him – to conform us to the image of His Son. As we follow Him, we are invited to be holy/separated from the world.

2 Corinthians 6:17 Therefore "Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you."

Revelation 18:4 And I heard another voice from heaven saying, "Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues.

1 Peter 1:15-16 but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, ¹⁶ because it is written, "Be holy, for I am holy."

Holy – means pure/cleansed and set apart for sacred purpose.

5.         God invites everyone to receive whatever they need.

Isaiah 55:1 Ho! Everyone who thirsts, Come to the waters; And you who have no money, Come, buy and eat. Yes, come, buy wine and milk Without money and without price.

Matthew 11:28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Mark 6:31 And He said to them, "Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while." For there were many coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.

The language in these verses is figurative implying all kinds of needs. The need for something to satisfy hunger, thirst, rest, etc.

6.         God invites us to pray for our needs and requests.

Hebrews 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

The word “boldly” means openly, freely, confidently and with assurance. How often are we prone to think our problem is something that God isn’t really interested in? God invites us to come with all our requests and experience His infinite, marvelous grace.

7.         God invites the dead to experience new life.

John 11:43 Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come forth!"

This verse reveals the Lord’s invitation for a man who is literally dead to come out and experience new life. Figuratively, He invites anyone who is dead spiritually or emotionally to come to Him and experience life more abundantly.

8.         God invites some people to attempt big things.

Exodus 3:10 Come now, therefore, and I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring My people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt."

You are probably familiar with the conversation that took place between Moses and God in the desert at the burning bush. Moses has been hiding out in the desert, taking care of flocks, and God arrests him and invites him to join Him in a massive rescue.

Matthew 14:29 So He said, "Come." And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus.

Peter saw Jesus walking on water, so he wants to do it. Jesus doesn’t rebuke him and tell him to “leave it to the experts,” but He invites Peter to come.

I don’t know about you, but I’m not usually a risk-taker! I normally prefer to “play it safe.” But Jesus invites us to partner with Him in a task/job that is way too big or too hard for our own strength.

9.         God invites everyone, he doesn’t leave anyone out.

Matthew 19:14 But Jesus said, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven."

Luke 19:5 And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up and saw him, and said to him, "Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for today I must stay at your house."

These two verses are just a couple of examples of Jesus intentionally reaching out to those who would normally be / feel ignored.

(Tyndale New Testament Commentaries, on Mt. 19:14) – Jesus reverses conventional values, and accepts as important those whom society (and even his own followers) despised.

“of such” – (TNTC) all others, sick, outcast, Gentiles, women and children.

Zacchaeus – chief tax collector.

(The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia) …just as the publican Zaccheus was regarded by the rest of the Jews as a sinner and renegade who was unworthy to be numbered among the sons of Abraham, and was yet chosen by our Lord to be His host, so the social outcast of modern life is still [invited to be] a son of God, within whose heart the spirit of Christ is longing to make its abode.

Conclusion:

I have shared a number of examples from Scriptures that actually use the word “come,” to show how God reaches out to all who will respond to His invitations. We have talked about many different situations and scenarios that people experience and from which God calls them to “come.” His invitations are still valid today. No matter what circumstances or conditions you may be in, God invites you to come and receive the exact relief and remedy that He provides.

Our closing song is based on the verse we looked at in Isaiah 55:1.

Come, Every One Who Is Thirsty