Many times in the scriptures the Lord commands His people to wait. Such passages as Psalms 27:14 “Wait on the Lord… Wait I say on the Lord!” or the words of Habakkuk 2:1 when prophet said “I will stand my watch…” and wait for the Lord. We understand the value of waiting on the Lord. BUT there are other times the Lord says don’t wait… GO! There are times when the Lord throws the door open for us, points off in the distance and says GO! Run With All Your Might! It’s those instances that I would like for us to turn our attention to this morning. We’ll call the the Lord’s GO! Statements. By learning where the Lord wants us to GO!, well learn how to be more like Him.
Let’s explore together the passages where Jesus said GO! so that we can gain a better understanding
#1 - GO! Be Reconciled To Your Brother.
“Therefore if you bring your offering to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, (24) leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.” Matthew 5:23-24
The Lord tells us to GO! and be reconciled to our brother and forgive him through the bond of peace. Why is this so important? Of all the points of our Lord’s Prayer that Jesus commented on it was forgiving one another. “For if you forgive others their sins, your Father will forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their sins, neither will your Father forgive your sins” (Matthew 6:14-15). The apostle Paul reminded the Colossians of the importance of forgiving when he said, “Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful” (3:12-15).
#2 - GO! The Second Mile.
“And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two.” (Matthew 5:41)
The Lord tells us to GO! the second mile when we are only compelled to go one. The Lord is showing us that true Christians will not only do what is required but they will go beyond expectations. Such as Philemon (Philemon 21) and the way Paul knew he would do more than was required of him in his relationship to Onesimus. To go the second mile means that we will be like the Macedonians who went the second mile in giving beyond their ability (2 Corinthians 8:1-5). When we go the second mile it means we will put others and their interest above our own (Philippians 2:4).
#3 - GO! Learn The Will of God.
“But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’ for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” (Matthew 9:13)
Paul reminds young Timothy that “all scripture is given by inspiration of God” and is “able to make one wise for salvation.” (2 Timothy 3:14-17) If all scripture is of God then we would do well to heed the words of Jesus to GO! learn the will of God. The Bereans serve as examples of those who learned the will of God by searching the scriptures daily (Acts 17:11-12). The only way that our shield of faith (Ephesians 6:16) can be built up is through the word of God (Romans 10:17) and it’s this word the Jesus said GO! learn from.
#4 - GO! Be Generous With Others.
“And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, ‘You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.’” Mark 10:21
The Lord told the Rich Young Ruler to GO! and be generous with others but he away sorrowful because he had great possessions. The words of Paul harmonize with the Lord’s when he commanded Timothy to teach those who were “rich in this present age… to be ready to give, willing to share.” (1 Timothy 6:17-19) The reason for this is that we are not to trust in uncertain riches (the riches of this life) but instead we are to layup our treasure in heaven. (Matthew 6:20) The best way to not trust in uncertain riches is to give it away. If you don’t have it you can’t trust in it and in turn you will be making friends in heaven (Luke 16:9).
#5 - GO! Share The Gospel.
“However, Jesus did not permit him, but said to him, ‘Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you.’” (Mark 5:19)
The Lord said GO! spread the gospel both at home and far away. The Lord has entrusted within us earthen vessels the treasure of the gospel (2 Corinthians 4:7) and it is up to us to spread the good news of the kingdom. The Lord not only gave the command to GO! spread the gospel but he also gave us the message to spread… GO! Tell them what the Lord has done for you and “teach them to do all things that I have commanded you.” (Matthew 28:20)
#6 - GO! Show Mercy.
“And he said, ‘He who showed him mercy.’ Then Jesus said to him, ‘Go and do likewise.’” (Luke 10:37)
The Lord answered the lawyer’s question of “Who is my neighbor?” by saying GO! show mercy like the Samaritan. When the Lord said GO! show mercy He means for us to show mercy to all men (Luke 6:32-36) fore if we only show mercy to our own what good have we done? The Lord reminds us that we are to be “merciful just as our Father also is merciful.” (Luke 6:36) This sort of mercy calls us to have a god-like compassion. The father of the prodigal son modeled mercy for us in that he showed mercy through his compassion with all joy (Luke 15:18-24; Romans 12:8).
#7 - GO! In Peace, Your Faith Has Saved You.
“Then He said to the woman, ‘Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.’” (Luke 7:50)
The Lord told this woman, who had many sins, to GO! in peace because she had been saved through faith. The woman washed Jesus’ feet is a self-portrait of each of us. We are covered with sin but we come to Jesus having faith in Him that He is able to save us. Our salvation through faith gives us peace. Paul said it this way, “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7; cf. Colossians 3:15). This is our call, to GO! in peace through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.
There it is friends. Sometimes we stand still, other times we GO! and GO! we must. May God’s blessing be upon as you GO! do the things He has called you to do. You can find more lessons at claygentry.com.
