"I AM COMING, LORD!"
INTRODUCTION
- When a person comes to Jesus in response to the gospel...
- They are responding to the call of the Lord
- They will receive wonderful blessings in Christ
- A familiar song that describes these truths is "I Am Coming, Lord"...
- Words and tune by Lewis Hartsough (1828-1919)
- Frequently used as an invitation song following a sermon
[From the words of this song as found in many hymnals, let's consider
the call of the gospel and the blessings enjoyed by those who come to
the Lord...]
- FIRST VERSE
- THE WORDS OF THE SONG...
I hear Thy welcome voice,
That calls me, Lord, to Thee,
For cleansing in Thy precious blood
That flowed on Calvary.
- REFLECTING ON THE WORDS...
- The first verse reminds us that God calls us, through the
gospel - 2Th 2:14; Mk 16:15-16
- The gospel calls us to benefit from the sacrifice of Christ for
our sins - 1Co 15:1-3
- Chief among those blessings is the remission of sins through
His blood - Ep 1:7
[Have you heard the voice of the Lord calling you through His
gospel...?]
- SECOND VERSE
- THE WORDS OF THE SONG...
Though coming weak and vile,
Thou dost my strength assure;
Thou doest my vileness fully cleanse,
Till spotless all and pure.
- REFLECTING ON THE WORDS...
- The second verse tells us that we come to Jesus as we are (weak
and sinful) - cf. Lk 5:27-32; 19:10
- Blessings in Christ described are twofold: strength and
cleansing - Jn 8:34-36; Php 4:13
- Jesus offers freedom from both the guilt of sin and the bondage
of sin - Ro 8:1-2,12-13
[Do not assume you must become righteous and strong before you can come
to Jesus...!]
- THIRD VERSE
- THE WORDS OF THE SONG...
'Tis Jesus calls me on
To perfect faith and love;
To perfect hope, and peace and trust,
For earth and heaven above.
- REFLECTING ON THE WORDS...
- The third verse describes our growth in Christ after coming to
the Lord - cf. 2Pe 3:18; 1:5-11
- For we are not only to respond to His grace in conversion, but
to bear fruit for God's glory as well - Mt 28:19-20; Jn 15:8
- Our service will be both on earth and in heaven above - cf. Re
2:25-27; 3:20-22; 22:1-5
[Thus Jesus call us to grow in grace and service; will we respond to His
call...?]
- CHORUS
- THE WORDS OF THE SONG...
I am coming, Lord!
Coming now to Thee!
Wash me, cleanse me in the blood
That flowed on Calvary!
- REFLECTING ON THE WORDS...
- The chorus expresses the appeal for cleansing one desires when
they respond to the gospel
- The cleansing comes as one is baptized into Christ
- For in baptism they are buried and crucified with Christ
- Ro 6:3-8
- In which their sins are washed away by the blood of Christ
- cf. Ac 22:16
- Thus baptism is for the remission of sins, and is an appeal for
a good conscience
- As proclaimed by Peter on the day of Pentecost - Ac 2:38
- As expounded by Peter in his first epistle - 1Pe 3:21
CONCLUSION
- Have you heard the welcome voice of the Lord...?
- You have if you've heard the gospel of Christ!
- He is calling you even now!
- Do you desire cleansing in the blood of Calvary? Continued growth in
the grace of Christ...?
- Come to the Lord in faith, repentance and baptism! - cf. Ac 2:36-38
- You will receive Christ into your life by putting Him on in
baptism! - cf. Ga 3:27
Saved by grace through faith, you will then walk in good works ordained
by God... - Ep 2:8-10