God’s Last Call

And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.

Revelation 22:17 (NKJV)

INTRODUCTION: Both the Holy Spirit and the bride, the church, extend the invitation to all the world to come to Jesus and experience the joys of salvation in Christ. Everyone who hears the message is invited to come. Everyone who is thirsty is invited to come and take the water of life as a gift.

When Jesus had met the Samaritan woman at the well, he had told her of the living water that he could supply (John 4:10-15; see also Isaiah 55:1; John 7:37). This image is used again here, as Christ invites anyone to come and drink of the water of life.

Salvation cannot be earned, but God gives it freely.

1. GOD’S LAST CALL IS A CALL TO ETERNAL LIFE
Men are to “come and take the water of life.”
To drink is to possess eternal life.
The water of life is the only antidote for sin.
Baptism cannot suffice.
Church membership is not enough.
Clean living will not wipe away sins.
The water of life is Jesus Christ.
John 4:14
To drink of the water of life is to accept Jesus as personal Saviour

2. NOTICE THE SINCERITY OF THE LAST CALL
God uses three agencies to issue this call.
The Spirit says come.
The Bride says come.
Those that hear say come.
This invitation is written in blood.
Blood made it possible.
The finger of God was dipped in the blood of Christ and the invitation written for all.
Come and take are the royal words of the Bible.
Sweeter than honey.
You are encouraged from all sides to come.
Church built for this purpose.
Christians shout encouragement.
The dead would influence you.
Your own soul clamors for peace.

3. NOTICE NOW THE SIMPLICITY OF THE INVITATION
Come, just come and take.
This is all God says to do.
All may understand and do this.
Come not knowing.
Come not waiting.
Come not doing.

4. WILL THIS BE GOD’S LAST CALL TO YOU?
He has called to you before.
You have lingered.
You may never be called again.
God may take this answer as final.

CONCLUSION:
Jesus invites all who are thirsty to come to the water of life (22:17), and he gave his people the privilege and opportunity to continue to extend that glad invitation. People around the world thirst for life, but there is no shortage of God’s life-giving water. The challenge is to let those thirsty ones hear the word. Consider today what part God wants you to play in giving water to a thirsty world. You can pray, share the gospel with a friend, feed the poor in Christ’s name, support missionaries and mission organizations. People are dying of thirst—and we have the water!

The bride is the church, the host of true believers scattered all over the earth. Both the church and the Spirit of God cry out, “Come.” And note: once we hear the invitation and come, we must begin to cry out for others to come.

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