“Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your deeds complete in the sight of my God. Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; obey it and repent.” Revelation 3:2a-3a
Jesus does not tell us why their deeds are incomplete, whether it was what they were doing or how they were doing it. Perhaps they were busy with work He had not commanded or forgot what they were supposed to be doing. Or maybe only a small percentage of them were doing all of the work, so there were not enough workers for the plentiful harvest (Luke 10:2). Whatever the reason, Jesus’ solution was to remember, obey and repent. So it is worth looking at Scripture to remember the deeds He asked us to do until His return. At the end of each of the four gospel accounts, before His ascension to heaven, Jesus gave us commands or instructions.
Matthew 28:19-20 “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Mark 16:15-16 “He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.’”
Luke 24:46-48 “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.”
John 21:17 & 19 “Feed my sheep.” “Follow me.”
It might help to think of these instructions as free, feed and follow. Free those who are slaves to sin, guilt and condemnation by sharing the gospel so they might believe in Jesus and be saved. Feed by teaching His disciples to “obey everything” He commanded and providing what believers need to grow up in their faith. Follow Jesus by obeying His teaching and living out His example. While the verses above tell us what deeds Jesus asks us to do, much of the rest of the New Testament gives us the why and how we’re to live as we do it. So it’s important to know, remember and obey all of God’s Word if we want our deeds to be seen as complete in His sight. How well do we know God’s Word so that we are doing what He asks how He wants it done? What activities keep us from completing the deeds Jesus commanded? With repentant hearts, let’s ask God to help us complete His work and hasten the day Jesus’ return.
Prayer: Father, thank you for leaving us instructions for our life here on earth. Thank you that we don’t have to guess what to do or how to do it because your Word is clear. Thank you for those who faithfully serve you and help keep us focused on doing your work. Forgive us for those things we have left undone. Reveal to us and help us remove from our lives those things that keep us from completing the deeds you have commanded. Help us to make knowing you and your Word a priority so we can remember what we have heard and obey it. Fill us by your Holy Spirit with wisdom and power and strength as we obey your call to free, feed and follow. Please grow the number of your people that desire to do your work, and may that work be complete in your sight. In the name of The One who completed His Father’s work, Jesus Christ. Amen.