The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come.’ And let everyone who hears say, ‘Come.’ And let everyone who is thirsty come. Let anyone who wishes take the water of life as a gift.” vs. 17
Revelation 22:12-14, 16-17, 20-21
The book of Revelation ends with a warning and an invitation. Typically, the warning, found in verse 18 of chapter 22, is not included when this lesson is read in our congregations. It’s a kind of boiler plate warning that most apocalyptic writers attached to their documents in those days. It’s okay not to read the warning, but the invitation should not be missed. It’s not complicated, really only a single word: “Come,” say the Spirit and the bride (a beautiful metaphor for the Church). This is evangelism in a nutshell, “Come, let everyone who is thirsty come. Let anyone who wishes would take the water of life as a gift.” How good it is to hear an invitation without conditions! The only requirement for participation in the life of the Church is a recognition of need! Sometimes we hear a similar invitation in our congregations when people are invited to Holy Communion. “If you’re hungry or thirsty, come eat and drink at the Table of the Lord. It’s an invitation of pure grace, a declaration of the gospel that everyone can understand. There are no prerequisites beyond a desire to participate, and that’s just what Jesus wants at his holy meal. It’s the perfect vehicle for his sacrificial and unconditional love!
Thought for the Day: What conditions are sometimes attached to the invitations in congregations?
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