Christian Benefits

I do not know about you, but I always cringe when someone says that, because I know the bad news has to be very bad when it has to be softened with some good news first.

Illus: The story is told of a lady who went to a doctor because of her obesity problem. The doctor knew how much she loved to eat, and after examining her, he said, "I have some good news and some bad news!" He continued, "The GOOD NEWS is that I am going to put you on a diet and you can eat anything you LIKE." She was smiling after hearing such good news. Then he said, "The BAD NEWS is, here is a list of the things YOU ARE GOING TO LIKE!"

Illus: A dedicated Christian man went to his pastor and said, "I have some good news and some bad news to tell you, pastor." The pastor said, "Well, hit me with the good news first." The young man said, "The good news is that my boss has promised to give me a $5,000 increase in salary next year." The pastor said, "That's great!" The young man then said, "Pastor, the bad news is that I have to be willing to relocate my job and move to another town."

Basically, the young man's boss promised that if he would be willing to go, he would receive the increase in salary. And basically this is what the Lord does.

There are four things the Lord has promised us - IF we are willing to "GO" as He commanded in THE GREAT COMMISSION. This GREAT COMMISSION is mentioned by Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, and each of them mention a promise to us if we are willing to "GO" as He commanded in His GREAT COMMISSION

I. HE PROMISED US HIS PRESENCE

We read in Matthew 28:19-20, "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world."

THE COMMAND is to "Go...teach...baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost."

THE PROMISE IS: "...lo, I AM WITH YOU ALWAY, even unto the end of the world."

Now there are many Christians who would give the impression that they are "experts" when it comes to having an intimate relationship with the Lord Jesus. That is, they want you to think they have an intimate relationship with the Lord like no one else has, and if you want to know anything about having a close walk with the Lord, all you have to do is ask them how - THEY ARE EXPERTS!

Illus: These remind me of the story of the young couple who were in a movie theater. The lights went out, and when they came back on the young lady said to her boyfriend, "Was that you that kissed me when the lights went out?" He said, "No, it was not me!" She said, "It must have been that young man over there with that big smile on his face." Her boyfriend jumped up and said, "I will teach him a thing or two!" She told him, with a smile, "Sit down! You can't teach him anything!"

Well, there are many Christians today who claim they can teach others about how to have that intimate relationship with Christ, when the fact is, they cannot teach you anything because they do not have such a relationship. HOW DO WE KNOW? Because, God has promised HIS PRESENCE to those who would go and win the lost. God said to those, "...lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world."

If He made a promise to those who would go, we can safely ASSUME that there will be those who will NOT "GO," for they do not have that close relationship with the Lord.

Someone might be saying, "Well, isn't God omnipresent? Doesn't that mean that God is with everyone?" Yes, but that is not the same thing.

Illus: A married man can take his wife to church and she is there, present with all who are there, yet her husband has an intimate relationship with her that no one else has.

• She may shake hands with other men

• She may smile at other men

• She may converse with other men

But, there is a line she does not cross because of her CLOSE RELATIONSHIP with her husband. She saves all her "hugs" and "kisses" for him, and him alone!

This is the way it is with those who obey the GREAT COMMISSION, and "GO" as God has commanded them to. God has promised to be PRESENT with them IN A WAY THAT IS SPECIAL TO THEM, AND THEM ALONE. Also, if we are willing to "go,"...