THEN
He Cleans
of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not
to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
Mark 2:17
In order to be able to do anything with the fish, first, they had to catch them. Before the fish could be cleaned, eaten or sold, they had to be caught.
In both instances where Jesus blessed the loaves and fishes and fed the multitude, He used fish that had already been caught--they weren't still swimming in the lake. They had been caught first...
To me, those nets are symbolic of the love we must "throw out", if you will, to those who are unsaved--"the lost"--those who don't know the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. We must allow the Love of Jesus Christ, the changes He has made in our lives, to show through. Else, what is there for the lost that is a witness of Jesus Christ? Then, they can be brought into the Ship of Salvation, where through repentance for their sins, they can meet the Captain of their Salvation, Jesus Christ.
Yet, we keep trying to "clean" the fish before they are "caught"! We offer everything in the world except the message of Salvation. There must be Salvation first! If not, the rest of it will only seem as so much foolishness to them. And even if they had some understanding of that which follows Salvation, without Salvation itself, it would not profit their eternal soul one bit of good. As an elderly pastor once said, "It's good to know the 23rd Psalm. However, to 'enter in', we must be personally acquainted with The Shepherd."
To the sinner, there is only ONE appropriate message: the message of Salvation. Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God: crucified, resurrected on the third day, now at the right hand of God, making intercession for each of us.
That's right, that's what I said: Salvation is the ONLY message for the lost. To those who don't know the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Savior, anything beyond Salvation is simply confusion. Why is that? Because the way of the sinner is darkness, but they can come into "Light" through the Lord Jesus Christ.
What did Jesus say when they had brought before Him a woman who had been "taken in adultery"? What were His words? I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. John 8:12. Oh yes, we can describe that peace that passes all understanding and that joy unspeakable and full of glory, but until a person is saved through Jesus Christ, they will never experience the height and depth and width of those things. Sadly today
The teachers won't teach it,
The church goers won't take it--
The lost are not getting it!
Ah, that grand old message of Salvation. In our mad rush to keep up with the world, Christians have thrown out all that hints at being "old-fashioned" and that includes the Message of Salvation! It's considered "old-fashioned" to preach about kneeling at an altar and praying through to Salvation. We either rush through or completely abandon such an invitation.
There are those who say, "Church is for Christians. It's where they go to be renewed for the next week." That's right, but it is also a harbor where those who are lost should be able to find people who are willing to welcome them, minister to them, pray with them, and counsel with them. Those of us who already "know the way" should be eager to help show others that same way!
Folks, we have instituted every kind of program there is: people flock to the churches all over this land every week, seeking some kind of help, and in a lot of cases, a hand-out. But we don't include the message of Salvation in that help or those hand-outs. We keep trying to clean them up first! I've got sad news for all of us doing it that way: we will NEVER get them cleaned up enough for God. Only Salvation through Jesus Christ can do that!
There are those who say, "Well, you can't hit people over the head with it." (That comment ALWAYS comes from those least willing to witness, by the way.) Nobody's talking about hitting anybody with anything. I'm speaking of making certain we include the message of Salvation along with all else we do for them. We are SUPPOSED to be in the soul-winning "business", aren't we?
What was the first thing Jesus said to the man they let down through the roof to be healed? And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay. When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee. Mark 2:4,5. SALVATION first! They questioned Jesus about this, later. When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. Mark 2:17.
Yes, we do try to clean them first: "I'm waiting until he stops such and such". Or, "Well, when she cleans up her act and comes to church..." It cannot be, my friends--too many are dying every day without that blessed message of hope eternal, the message of Salvation through Jesus Christ. We don't speak it, we don't live it!
We must, we must, we must get the souls to Jesus and let HIM do the cleaning! Are we really and truly that pompous, that arrogant, that prejudiced that not only do we not love, but we think Jesus is too stupid to do a good work in a person's life? The truth of the matter is, we operate with two sets of standards: one for ourselves and one for everyone else! We justify or excuse in our own lives the very things we condemn in the lives of others! Lord Jesus, forgive us!
Jesus, Himself, said, I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. John 10:9,10.
Are the lost seeing in us that which compels them to come to Christ? Are we living an ABUNDANT life in Jesus? Or are we defeated, so deep in despair, there's not an ounce of deliverance about us?
Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven. Matthew 10:32,33. That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. Romans 10:9-11.
Let us lift Jesus Christ, the only Door by which we can go in to Salvation, to the world through our words and our deeds, our attitudes and our faith. Let us show the truest love there ever was or will be, the Love of Jesus Christ, to all those we know, work with, and meet. Let's make certain it is a constant in our daily lives, for through it, we WILL reach out to those who need salvation through Jesus Christ.
"First He Catches, Then He Cleans"
Copyright © 2000 by Patricia Sikes.
All Rights Reserved.
Search me, O God, and know my heart today.
Try me, O Savior, know my thoughts I pray.
See if there be some wicked way in me;
Cleanse me from every sin and set me free.
O Holy Ghost, revival comes from Thee;
Send a revival, start the work in me.
Thy Word declares Thou wilt supply our need--
For blessing now, O Lord, I humbly plead.
James Edwin Orr, Author
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