We were in a parade once in the small community where we were living. We had a number of young children in our junior youth group and we pulled them along on a ‘float’ (a trailer) in the parade. They were our friends and as we continued on the parade route, we had many new friends coming to join us –some of whom we had never met before: more and more small children, all under 12, piled onto the float. I don’t know if we could even all fit on this small trailer by the end of the route: everyone wanted to join us on this float in the parade! This is what serving our Lord and fulfilling our Great Commission is like. As we Christians follow the Lord along the parade route that is our life, it should be so much fun that all of our friends watching from the sidelines will naturally want to jump on the float, celebrate, and enjoy the ride with us; so we should invite them to do just that.
The road isn’t any different whether you are on the float or watching the parade or walking that same road. Roads have pothole, turns, curbs, obstacles, and whatever else roads have. The difference is not the smoothness of the ride. The difference is the enjoyment of the ride. These same kids who might otherwise complain about the rough road instead sang, played, cheered and waved as they had fun and invited their friends to join them on the float.
Just the other week a new friend in this community jumped onto the Eternal Salvation float with us. It was exciting. She made a decision on Thursday, I believe; she prayed with us just before the service and she testified on Sunday morning in front of the whole congregation about the experience of welcoming Christ into her life: her experience of jumping onto this metaphorical Salvation float. This is wonderful; this is transformational and this is what we are all supposed to do: jump on the Salvation float and invite others to join us there. As we all jump on the Salvation float, we are to extend our arms and invite all our friends to join us. This, in Matthew’s gospel, is so important that it is reflected in Jesus’ very last recorded words.
Jesus, while commissioning us to invite everyone to join us on this Salvation float, encourages us to help people climb up onto the float.
If there are any here who have never led a friend to Christ, I invite you to look for opportunities this very week and if you need any help just ask someone else who is already on the float to help you.
If there is anyone here today who simply hasn’t jumped on the Salvation float yet themselves, I invite you to join us on board. I guarantee you it will be the ride of your life. If you are not already on board and would like to join the eternal parade by hopping upon the Salvation float with us, come on up now. Join us aboard the Salvation Float.
Note: You may wish to pray this prayer as you climb aboard: Dear God, thank you for your salvation. I am sorry for my sins. Jesus please come into my heart so that I may be filled with your Holy Spirit. In Jesus’ Name, amen.
The road isn’t any different whether you are on the float or watching the parade or walking that same road. Roads have pothole, turns, curbs, obstacles, and whatever else roads have. The difference is not the smoothness of the ride. The difference is the enjoyment of the ride. These same kids who might otherwise complain about the rough road instead sang, played, cheered and waved as they had fun and invited their friends to join them on the float.
Just the other week a new friend in this community jumped onto the Eternal Salvation float with us. It was exciting. She made a decision on Thursday, I believe; she prayed with us just before the service and she testified on Sunday morning in front of the whole congregation about the experience of welcoming Christ into her life: her experience of jumping onto this metaphorical Salvation float. This is wonderful; this is transformational and this is what we are all supposed to do: jump on the Salvation float and invite others to join us there. As we all jump on the Salvation float, we are to extend our arms and invite all our friends to join us. This, in Matthew’s gospel, is so important that it is reflected in Jesus’ very last recorded words.
Jesus, while commissioning us to invite everyone to join us on this Salvation float, encourages us to help people climb up onto the float.
If there are any here who have never led a friend to Christ, I invite you to look for opportunities this very week and if you need any help just ask someone else who is already on the float to help you.
If there is anyone here today who simply hasn’t jumped on the Salvation float yet themselves, I invite you to join us on board. I guarantee you it will be the ride of your life. If you are not already on board and would like to join the eternal parade by hopping upon the Salvation float with us, come on up now. Join us aboard the Salvation Float.
Note: You may wish to pray this prayer as you climb aboard: Dear God, thank you for your salvation. I am sorry for my sins. Jesus please come into my heart so that I may be filled with your Holy Spirit. In Jesus’ Name, amen.
Presented originally to Swift Current Men’s Prayer Breakfast, Thursday 02 October 2014
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