I like short simple things; they are easy to remember which is great for someone as scatter-brained as I can be at times. My favorite verse in the whole bible is the shortest one, John 11:35 – Jesus wept. It's short enough that memorizing it isn't a problem. Sometimes I forget the scripture reference and have to look that up but that's neither here nor there. Despite its compact size it is a verse packed with meaning when I read it and reflect on it. The saying, dynamite comes in small packages, is very true. I'd like to share with you 3 small packages – actually just 3 simple words. But I believe these three words encapsulate the three greatest callings of mankind given by Christ.

Come – Go – Be

I wouldn't be much of a preacher if I stopped here though just sharing those words. "Come, Go, Be. Ok Good night!" So let's first read a passage that illustrates these words and then look at each word together.

Mark 10:46-52
46 And they came to Jericho: and as he went out of Jericho with his disciples and a great number of people, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the highway side begging.
47 And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me.
48 And many charged him that he should hold his peace: but he cried the more a great deal, Thou son of David, have mercy on me.
49 And Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called. And they call the blind man, saying unto him, Be of good comfort, rise; he calleth thee.
50 And he, casting away his garment, rose, and came to Jesus.
51 And Jesus answered and said unto him, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? The blind man said unto him, Lord, that I might receive my sight.
52 And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way.

First we see in verse 49 that Jesus calls him to come. It actually says, Jesus stood still and asked someone to invite him to come. We too must ask others to come to Jesus. In coming also notice that Bartimaeus left his garment behind. He came to Jesus and left behind the robe of self-righteousness that old, the garment of "I'll do it myself" pride and the cloak of sin. Jesus called Bartimaeus; Jesus asked him to come. Come here, however you are, come here – just come.

He calls to Bartimaeus, "Come and I will restore your sight. Come and I will have mercy on you." In Mark 1:17 he calls Simon and Andrew, "Come and I will make you fishers of men." In John 6:37 He calls the rejected, "Come and I will in now wise cast you out." In Matthew 14:29 He calls the storm-battered Peter, "Come and I will calm the seas." In Matthew 11:28 He calls the weary, "Come and I will give you rest." Right now, He calls you, "Come and I WILL." Whatever the problem, whatever the need, whatever the concern, come… and He will supply.

We come to him not just for salvation but for many other things. The lepers, the blind, the lame - they all came to him for healing. None of them even knew they needed salvation spiritually but many found that when they came. The disciples came to him with questions and he patiently gave them answers. Thomas came with doubts and he provided proof. A boy came with a happy meal and he made a feast for thousands. If we just come, he will do the rest.

As an illustration I asked my 4-year-old son to come up front. "Jordan, come here." He popped his head right up out of his coloring book, squeezed by all the grown-up knees to get out of the pew he was on, and came right on down. I gave him a mint and asked him to go back to his seat with one for his mom. We need to be like my little boy, we need childlike faith. He didn't ask me, "What for?" He just came saying, "I don't know what is going to happen but here I am. I'm coming anyway." Luckily he came or my illustration would have been about how we're stubborn like that too sometimes or lack faith in the one who's calling to only do good for us. We don't want to come until we know for sure what we are going to get.

I told Jordan to go back to his seat and give his mom a mint too.