Our Commission

‘And let him that heareth say, Come.’—Rev. xxii. 17.
“THEY delivered the king’s commissions unto i. the king’s lieutenants.’1 Have some of us thought it would be easier to work for God if a definite commission were delivered to us, so that we could know exactly what we were to do and say*— a commission so explicit, that there could be no mistake either in its personal delivery to ourselves or in our execution of it? Then here it is!
To whom is it delivered? Simply to ‘him that heareth.’ ‘The Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come.’3 Then, if this blessed call has been heard by you, for you is the commission intended, and to you it is given. Not, are you a fit and polished instrument? not, are you a practised worker? not, are you already a trained soldier, and therefore very capable of enlisting others?4 not, have you a special gift of speech or pen?6 but simply and solely, have you heard for yourself the one sweet call, ‘Come ‘ ?6

1 Ezra viii. 36. 2 Josh. i. 16. 3 Rev. xxii. 17.
* 2 Tim. ii. 2, 3. ^ 1 Cor. xii. 7-11. 6 Matt. xi. 28.

Now you see that the commission is for you, do you not? But what is it? Can anything be more simple and explicit? You are to ‘say, Come’! That is all; but, in simple obedience to this command of your King, what possibilities of blessing and success, of gladness to you and glory to Him, are enfolded! You are to ‘say, Come.’ Are you saying it? Not, are you exercising a general good influence? not, do you try to lead and keep the conversation in profitable channels? not, do you speak about ‘good things’ or even about Christ? not, are you giving time and money to the furtherance of some branch of His work ?—you may be doing all this, and yet be distinctly disobeying His command, distinctly faithless and disobedient to your commission. You are missing the present privilege and unspeakable happiness of winning souls, and foregoing the glorious reward annexed to it.1 For, assuredly, it is those who are literally saying ‘Come,’ who are really ‘ turning many to righteousness;’2 not because they are more gifted, but because God’s powerful blessing is given with their obedience to His definite command.
Why should we be at a loss what to say, when He has given us the very word? We have but to transmit the echo of His own call, ‘Come unto Me ;’ ‘Come and see; ‘3 ‘If any man thirst, let him come unto Me and drink.’ *
Whatever the position of the one to whom we speak, there is always a suitable ‘Come.’ ‘Come thou with us, and we will do thee good.’5 ‘Come
and see Him whom we have found.’1 ‘Come and let us join ourselves to the Lord in a perpetual covenant that shall not be forgotten.’2 Then, for those who have come, there is still always a ‘ Come up higher.’3 ‘Come up with me . . . that we may fight against the Canaanite.’* ‘Come ye, and let us walk in the light of the Lord.’5 Oh, how such a call may be blessed to a weak-handed and feeble-footed Christian? And still there is a ‘come’ of special beauty and power for those who have yielded themselves to Him: ‘Now ye have consecrated yourselves unto the Lord, come near.” And let us not shrink from faithfully echoing with no ‘uncertain sound,” ‘Come out from among them,’8 remembering that when the heavenly Bridegroom says, ‘Come with Me,’ He adds, ‘from Lebanon . . . from the lions’ dens.” He who gives the commission always gives opportunities of exercising it; but it is our part faithfully lo seek and watch for these, and courage and faith will increase as they widen. The servant who was sent at first only to say ‘ Come’ to the bidden guests, was next sent to bring them in from a wider range, and then to ‘compel them to come in’ from a wider still.10
The commission is laid before you this day; it is inscribed with your own name, signed by your King’s own hand, and sealed by the Spirit, who bears witness with your Spirit that His ‘ Come ‘ has been heard by you.” Do you accept it? or do you refuse it? There is no third alternative!

ljohni.46. SJer.l. 5. 8Prov. xxv. 7.
* J i1dg. i. 3. 6 Isa. ii. 5. • 2 Chron. xxix. 31.
7 1 Cor. xiv. 8. 8 2 Cor. vi. 17. v Cant. iv. 8.
ly Luke xiv. 17; ib. xiv. 21; ib. xiv. 23. U Horn. viii. 16.

Ye who hear the blessed call
Of the Spirit and the liride,
Hear the Master’s word to all,

Your commission and your guide:
* And let him that heareth say,
Come,’ to all yet far away.

‘Come!’ alike to age and youth;
Tell them of our Friend above,
Of His beauty and His truth,

Preciousness, and grace, and love.
Tell them what you know is true,
Tell them what He is to you.

Brothers, sisters, do not wait,
Speak for Him who speaks to you!
Wherefore should you hesitate?
This is no great thing to do.

Jesus only bids you say,
‘Come !’ and will you not obey?