The Free Offer

 

Lurking somewhere in my pulpit notes for this Sunday’s sermon are these words: “Make the free offer.” If anyone would ever do a survey of my sermon notes, at least over the last few years, they would find that phrase somewhere nearly every time. It is my intention to include them in my notes every week until the day comes that I retire. And if I have the opportunity to preach after retirement, you’ll likely find those words in my notes.

The free offer. By that phrase I mean the free offer of the heart of the message of the Lord Jesus, which is that by faith in Him a person will receive God’s forgiveness of their sins. 

We could have all kinds of thoughts as to what the act of preaching is, but it should never be less than making clear that all people are sinners in need of forgiveness, and that God will very freely forgive all who repent of their sin and turn to Him with faith in His Son, Jesus. 

In Romans 10:9 Paul says it this way:

“If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” 

In Mark 1:15 Jesus says it like this:

“The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

There are no limits as far as whom that message is for. It is for all people to hear and respond to. It doesn’t matter what kind of life you have led, or whether you think you are deserving. You may look at your life and think that maybe Jesus will only save this or that kind of person, and you aren’t in that category. Or you may think that Jesus will forgive some sins, but not the ones that you’ve committed.  Your sins are somehow outside the allowable boundaries. 

Those ways of thinking and resisting the free offer are incorrect. There is no sinner, and no sin, that Jesus will not forgive for the person who turns to him in faith.

In a recent article on a different topic by R. Scott Clark I read these words, which I heartily agree with:

“Our goal always is to speak the law and the gospel to all who will hear it so as to win them to Christ.”

The free offer is a message that is always relevant, every time a Bible is opened and God’s word is proclaimed. Sunday mornings. Prayer meetings. Weddings. Funerals. What have you. There will almost always be a mixed group, those who have heard the offer and accepted it, and those who are on the outside, but whom we long for to join us. 

I’m a pastor and so making the free offer of the good news of Jesus is a basic part of what I do. But making the good news of Jesus known to non-believers is something that all Christians can do. We all have received God’s gracious forgiveness, and we all know people who have not heard the good news, or who have heard it and rejected it. Either way, the free offer is something that they can hear and receive, today. So feel free to share the good news of Jesus, that more and more people would repent of their sin and trust in Him.

 

Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.