I grew up in the church. I don’t remember being in the nursery but Mama told me that’s where I was, when I was a baby, while she and Daddy participated in worship. When I was ten, I made the decision to be baptized and confirmed as a Christian. The pastors of my childhood made no lasting impact upon my life; I don’t recall any of them ever calling me by my name.
That changed when I was 13. A pastor by the name of Brother Si Mathison took a personal interest in me and called me Walter. Brother Si was the first preacher that I recall giving “an invitation” as he concluded his sermons. This greatly impacted my thinking about preaching. Years later, when I answered God’s call to preach, I went to the altar in response to an invitation at the end of the preacher’s sermon. That was 74 years ago.
During more than seven decades of preaching, I have felt compelled to issue some kind of invitation. Though invitations may vary, more often than not mine have been “salvation” invitations – calling people to come to Jesus, repent of their sins and seek the forgiveness He offers freely to anyone who trusts Him. I grieve the fact that this has gone out of style for many preachers. Though the majority of worshipers are longtime Christians, surely in any crowd there are some who need to come to Christ and be saved from their sins.
Over many years I have selected “invitational” hymns following my sermons. I am sure the longtime believers grew weary of singing these songs but they remain precious to me: “Just as I am,” “Only Trust Him,” “Jesus Calls Us,” “Jesus is Calling,” “Where He Leads Me,” “Softly and Tenderly,” and of course, “Amazing Grace.”
Since all believers are “Christians in the making,” it is appropriate now and then to call everyone to make a more complete surrender to Jesus. For example, using a hymn title, ask yourself this question: “Is Your All on the Altar?” Many of us will have to admit we are not yet fully surrendered to Jesus. So hundreds of times I have used the song, “I Surrender All,” as the invitation hymn, inviting one and all to come forward and kneel at the altar singing:
“All to Jesus I surrender, All to Him I freely give; I will ever love and trust Him, in His presence daily live. All to Jesus I surrender, Lord, I give myself to Thee; fill me with Thy love and power, let Thy blessing fall on me.”
I submit that such a response to an invitation will assist anyone of us to move closer to the day when we can say with absolute sincerity, “Jesus is Everything! ”Charles Spurgeon said, “If Christ is not all to you He is nothing to you. He will never go into partnership as a part Savior of men. If He be something he must be everything, and if He be not everything He is nothing to you. ”It’s as simple as that. It’s all or nothing! If, today, Jesus is not everything to you, then I invite you to make where you are an altar and start singing “All to Jesus I surrender.” That’s the beginning of a transaction you will never regret! + + +