Jesus is saying to him, "I am the Way and the Truth and the Life. No one is coming to the Father except through me."
Johns Account 14: 6, Concordant New Testament
Those in the mainstream church fork out thousands of dollars each year to bring the message of the gospel to the people. Through sermons, radio and television and live streaming, those seeking to draw others unto the Lord present the gospel unto the Fathers creation. The old church I once attended would often stress discipleship and ministry outreach in order to pull in new believers. Conferences large and small were organized to make the plea on a larger scale. Back then I often wondered, what ever happened to those who DESIRED to know the Lord? Here we were putting out all of this effort to entice people into the church, but what of those who truly were being led by their own heart to seek out the Lord? Ultimately, the mission of the mainstream church is not to entice new members, but to proclaim the words of Jesus. Having the largest congregation means nothing if we're not speaking the gospel of Christ. For when we preach the truth of the gospel of Jesus, those who are needing to hear it will come. Jesus invited those who were curious to "Come and see" {Johns Account 1:39-41}. If I had a rock solid ministry which spoke the gospel of Christ, that would be my invitation unto others, come and see. Come and see He Who loved us first {First Epistle of John 4:10}. Come and see He Who put our sin to death {Paul to the Romans 6:10}. Our group of believers currently meets via a podcast on Sunday mornings. We talk of what it is like to live in Christ, which is the evangel of truth spoken by Paul {Paul to the Galatians 2:20}. Our invitation to others? Come and see. Indeed, we have seen our group added to as well as listeners moving on to other things. Recently we were excited to learn that our little living as Jesus conversation had reached the 1,000 downloads number. To put this into perspective, our core group of weekly listeners usually numbers in at around six or seven people. This means that nearly a thousand listeners have heeded our invitation to come and see.
In that day Jesus, coming out of the house, sat beside the sea. And gathered to Him were vast throngs, so that He steps into a ship to be sitting, and the entire throng stood on the beach. And He spoke many things to them in parables, saying, "Lo! Out came the sower to be sowing. And , in his sowing, some, indeed, falls beside the road, and the flying creatures came and devoured it. Yet other falls on rocky places, where it had not much earth, and immediately it shoots up, because it has no depth of earth. Yet at the rising sun, it is scorched, and, because it has no root, it is withered. Yet other falls on thorns, and the thorns come up and smother it. Yet other falls on ideal earth and gives fruit, some, indeed, a hundred, yet some sixty, yet some thirtyfold. Who has ears to hear, Let him hear!"
Matthews Account 13: 1-9, Concordant New Testament
In the gospel of Matthew, we see Jesus speaking to a crowd by the sea {Matthews Account 1-9}. He speaks the parable of the sower, which He uses to illustrate those who hear the word of the gospel. When we invite others to come and see, not all who come forth will be prepared to perceive the word of Christ. Jesus describes these as being those seeds which fall on unfertile ground. They may hear the words of the gospel, but they do not understand. But what of those who truly desire to know the Father? I believe that these are the seeds which fall on fertile ground and produce fruit. The ground and the soil are ideal for the understanding of the word. Jesus used this illustration that those listening to Him would understand what He was talking about. Keep in mind that those which He was speaking to were all too familiar with farming and planting of seeds. In my younger years, I would classify myself as one who lacked the fertile ground for the words of Jesus to take root. I knew OF Jesus, but I did not yet truly know Him. That only came with the revelation of the Father. Jesus proclaims that the Father gives to Him those He will gather unto Himself {Johns Account 10:29}. These are those who are hearing His voice {Johns Account 10:27}. He who has ears, let Him hear!
"My sheep are hearing My voice, and I know them, and they are following Me. And I am giving them life eonian, and they should by no means be perishing for the eon, and no one shall be snatching them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all, and no one is able to be snatching them out of My Fathers hand. I and the Father, We are one."
Johns Account 10: 27-30, Concordant New Testament
~Scott~
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