Boundaries and barriers are something we all understand very well. (That does not mean we necessarily always obey them, but we do understand them, nonetheless.) We are taught that we may go this far but no further. No Trespassing or No Hunting signs we see posted on people’s property limit our access to land that is owned by someone else. Speed limit signs stationed alongside the roads and highways tell us how fast we may drive legally if we do not want to get a speeding ticket. The established laws of society, laws that are good and help to keep and maintain order and civility in our world, govern so many areas of our lives as human beings. To cross these laws can cause us pain, conflict or ridicule.
There are, however, barriers and boundaries that we ourselves put up in our lives. Some of these are barriers and boundaries we put up before God, barriers and boundaries that say, “You, Lord, may come this far but no further.” We put up barriers sectioning off emotionally painful areas of our lives into which we do not want other people intruding. Sometimes we fence off areas of our lives we have classified as long dead by us, long beyond the hope of a resurrection and any kind of new life. These may be areas of our lives of which we are ashamed and would rather forget. Blessed is the man who has been able to live his life without regrets!
Many people believe that a person must know virtually everything about Jesus in order to come to Him and relate to Him. They feel that Jesus will only have something to do with those who already have a close, personal relationship with Him, who already devoutly believe in Him, those people who already have a good understanding of key doctrines in the Bible. Such people are setting limits on the kind of people Jesus will welcome and the kind of people to whom He will respond. But the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is this: 28. “Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light." (Matthew 11:28-30 [RSV]) Jesus does not limit His calling. He said He wants all of us to come to Him! This should not surprise us, for Jesus came to break down barriers between people, barriers between nations, and most importantly, barriers between God and man due to our sin. Jesus said in John 4:34 [RSV], “My food is to do the will of Him Who sent Me, and to accomplish His work.” Jesus was sent by the Father (John 3:16), and as the Apostle Peter tells us in 2 Peter 3:9 [RSV], it is the Father’s will to save us: “The Lord is not slow about His promise as some count slowness, but is forbearing toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” The whole ministry of Jesus Christ in breaking down barriers is summed up in the words of Jesus in Luke 19:10 [RSV]) whereby He says, “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” And since “ . . . all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23), then that means everyone, regardless of what your background is, are welcome to come to the Lord!
May the Lord bless you!
There are, however, barriers and boundaries that we ourselves put up in our lives. Some of these are barriers and boundaries we put up before God, barriers and boundaries that say, “You, Lord, may come this far but no further.” We put up barriers sectioning off emotionally painful areas of our lives into which we do not want other people intruding. Sometimes we fence off areas of our lives we have classified as long dead by us, long beyond the hope of a resurrection and any kind of new life. These may be areas of our lives of which we are ashamed and would rather forget. Blessed is the man who has been able to live his life without regrets!
Many people believe that a person must know virtually everything about Jesus in order to come to Him and relate to Him. They feel that Jesus will only have something to do with those who already have a close, personal relationship with Him, who already devoutly believe in Him, those people who already have a good understanding of key doctrines in the Bible. Such people are setting limits on the kind of people Jesus will welcome and the kind of people to whom He will respond. But the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is this: 28. “Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light." (Matthew 11:28-30 [RSV]) Jesus does not limit His calling. He said He wants all of us to come to Him! This should not surprise us, for Jesus came to break down barriers between people, barriers between nations, and most importantly, barriers between God and man due to our sin. Jesus said in John 4:34 [RSV], “My food is to do the will of Him Who sent Me, and to accomplish His work.” Jesus was sent by the Father (John 3:16), and as the Apostle Peter tells us in 2 Peter 3:9 [RSV], it is the Father’s will to save us: “The Lord is not slow about His promise as some count slowness, but is forbearing toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” The whole ministry of Jesus Christ in breaking down barriers is summed up in the words of Jesus in Luke 19:10 [RSV]) whereby He says, “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” And since “ . . . all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23), then that means everyone, regardless of what your background is, are welcome to come to the Lord!
May the Lord bless you!
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