Jesus Offered

What Did Jesus Do?

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden,
and I will give you rest.”
Matthew 11.28

In The Godfather, Don Corleone had a way of convincing reluctant people to do whatever he wanted by making them an offer they could not refuse. This meant, “Do what the Don asks, or risk having you kneecaps broken, or worse.” It wasn't surprising how many people chose to accept the “offers” made by Corleone. In contrast, Jesus Christ came making the most attractive promises, only to have many refuse Him. Nevertheless, freely Jesus offered.

To the weary and burdened the Lord offered rest, as captioned above from Matthew 11.28. Lessons in humility were also made available (v. 29). Christ even extended an invitation for sinners to trade the crushing burden of their transgressions for the opportunity to bear with Him the incredibly light yoke of His righteousness (v. 30). Jesus offered.

And there were many other offers. Those who thirsted were offered living water (John 4.10-14). To the hungry the Lord offered the Bread of Life, though many refused because they would not believe (John 6.25-59). Light was available for those who were lost and walking in darkness (John 8.12). For those who would abide in the Word, release and freedom in the truth were available (John 8.31-32). Resurrection and eternal life were even promised to all who believed (John 11.25-26). Jesus offered.

Yet many refused, and many refuse still, to accept and receive all that Christ graciously offers. But there's the difference between Don Corleone and the Lord. The Don made “offers” that contained thinly veiled threats of pain and death, and very few refused him; the gracious promises of Jesus are offered without any coercion or threat, and millions choose to reject Him. But Christ's promises are still open to all who would receive them. Jesus offered, and He offers still.

I don't mean to disparage anyone's efforts to proclaim the Gospel, but I sometimes wonder if preachers whose messages always seem to include a lot of shouting and yelling, and dire threats of hellfire and eternal damnation, aren't trying to frighten people into the kingdom of God with Corleone-style “offers.” Somehow the Gospel, and the offers of Jesus, sound so much more winsome in the Bible than in some pulpits. Oh, I grant you that those who reject Christ will ultimately experience torments far worse than any Don Corleone could ever inflict, but if the Gospel offer of eternal life isn't a sweet enough “carrot” to induce us to come to the Lord, I don't think there is a stick big enough to motivate us. Jesus didn't threaten, Jesus offered.

The commission to go and make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28.19) is a command to take the gracious offers of Jesus to the ends of the earth until the earth ends, for every one of Christ's promises is as sure today as they were when He first made them. Whether people accept or not is not our responsibility, our call is to graciously keep making the offers no matter how many times we are rejected. That's what Jesus did.

S.D.G.

Jim
www.jimwilkenministries.org
Marion, NC
PS 37.4