Life Marks: Invitation or Command?

Although you may not remember all of them, we’ve all heard of the “Ten Commandments” that God gave to Moses on Mt. Sinai about 3,500 years ago. There are a lot of “don’ts” in the list, such as “don’t have any other gods but the LORD God,” “don’t make or worship idols,” “don’t swear, using the LORD’s name in vain,” “don’t steal,” “don’t lie,” “don’t murder,” “don’t commit adultery,” and “don’t covet.” Whew! That’s a lot of “don’ts.” Interestingly, only two of the commandments were positive, “Remember the Sabbath day,” and “Honor your father and mother.” I have always been fascinated by the fact that even though the lawyer (whom we met last week) knew all of these commandments, he summarized them in one word – LOVE (love God and love others).

Last week we turned our attention to “The Master’s Mandate,” specifically, “If you love Me, keep my commandments” (Jn. 14:15, 21, 23). So that we wouldn’t mistake what He was saying, Jesus said it three times in nine verses, saying that if we truly love Him, we will keep His commandments, commandments that show us how to “love one another.” Jesus knew that He needed to put some “meat on the bones” (so to speak) for us to understand how to love, and so while love is the “bone” (forming the essential structure), the commandments provide the “meat” (the practical application). Remember, Jesus and the apostles didn’t want to just “turn us loose” with deciding on our own how to love others, so they gave us guidelines in order to do so. And so, the New Testament commandments were designed to help us understand what it means to “love one another.” There are several major categories of commandments. I’d like to focus on just one of them today.

Let me ask you an intriguing question about Jesus’ consistent message to His people. Matthew records that Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand” (Mt 4:17). Now here is the question: “Is Jesus’ call to repentance an invitation, or a command?” If it’s only an invitation, like an invitation you might receive to attend a party, then you are inclined to think that you are under no obligation to attend the party. If you’re too busy, you can just decline the invitation and go about your business. No harm, no foul, so to speak, except for the fact that the one who invited you would be disappointed that you chose not to attend. After all, he thought of you, and included your name on the invitation list, hoping (or expecting) that you would attend the party. On the other hand, if Jesus’ call for repentance is actually a command, then failing to respond would be considered a blatant act of disobedience. In this case, you clearly understand the command, but choose to reject it!

There is something very important to consider here. The One who is extending the “invitation” or giving a “command” is none other than Jesus the Messiah, the risen Savior, the King of kings, and Lord of lords. He is more than just a “preacher,” He is the Son of God. Knowing this, would responding to His call for “repentance” make any difference to you?

Let’s consider for a moment that this is just an invitation to repent, which again, might cause us to think that accepting the invitation isn’t all that necessary. Jesus knew the thoughts of His people, and told a great story about such thinking, often referred to the Parable of the Dinner (Lk. 14:16-24). He tells of a certain man who was planning a big dinner, and he sent out invitations to many guests. As the time for the dinner was drawing near, the man sent his slave to tell the invited guests, “Come, the dinner is now ready.” But they all began to make excuses, and really lame ones at that! When the slave returned and told his Master that none of those invited were coming, he told him to “Go into the streets and lanes of the city and bring in the poor and crippled and blind and lame.” The slave did what he was told, and returned by telling his Master that there was still plenty of room for more guests. Then the master said, “Go out into the highways and along the hedges, and compel them to come in, because I want my house may be filled.” Sadly, those invited to the dinner didn’t come, so the invitation was extended to others, and they came.

In the historical context, the invitation was given to the “house of Israel” to repent, and yet the overwhelming majority who received “the invitation” failed to respond. (Remember, the disciples and many others Jews responded to Jesus’ call to repent during the course of His ministry, but the nation as a whole rejected it). The invitation was then sent to others (Gentiles), and they responded. Two thousand years ago, we find in the New Testament that the church is composed of all those (both Jew and Gentile) who had accepted Jesus’ invitation to repent. And that’s the same make-up of the true church today. It’s not about those who “go to” church, but those who have repented of sin and have become part of His church, the Body of Christ.

And so, I have no problem considering Jesus’ message as an invitation, as long as we understand that failing to accept the invitation has eternal consequences. If you would rather like to think of Jesus’ call to “repent” as a command, then disobedience to the Lord’s command will also bear eternal consequences. He has invited you to join Him at the banquet He has prepared, and it would bring Him great joy to have you in attendance.

So, is it an “invitation” or a “command?” – It really doesn’t matter. He wants all of us to respond to His call to repent, that is, to change our minds about God and our need for Him. Don’t get left out of the Master’s dinner. The spiritual food is delicious, and the fellowship among the guests is rich.