“Just As I Am”

Preached by Rev. Ed Brouwer at The Gathering Place, Osoyoos
Pulpit Series Volume 18, Issue 23 August 17, 2008

Hebrews 9:11-15 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption [for us]. For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies to the purifying of the flesh: How much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions [that were] under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.

In the early to mid seventies many people came to the altar to pray or to receive Jesus for the first time. It was a season that has often been referred to as “The Jesus Movement”.

Throughout this wonderful time it was the words of one song in particular that accompanied sinners as they responded to the altar call. It was a hymn that has touched literally thousands of us. The hymn was “Just as I Am”. It was written by Charlotte Elliott, 1789-1871

As we look at the first verse of “Just As I Am” there are 4 words I’d like you to think about. The first word is, ACCEPTANCE (“Just as I am, without one plea”)

I think one of the reasons this hymn has had such a powerful impact is that it expresses a common human longing. That being the desire to be accepted – to be accepted “just as we are, warts and all.” Who among us hasn’t felt that longing?

We often make desperate attempts, consciously or unconsciously” to make ourselves acceptable.

All God really wants and all we really need is to come before the Lord “just as we are.” Because when we really get right down to it, it is the only way we can come before God – “as I am, without one plea”.

Coming before Him with no plea other than being a desperate sinner in need of His grace.

“Just as I am, without one plea” That first line of our hymn strikes at one of our core longings – the good news is that God accepts us as we are and we need come before God with no plea accept that we are all desperate sinners in need of grace.

The second word for consideration is, ATONEMENT (“But that Thy blood was shed for me”)

Christians should know that we don’t have to do something to be acceptable to the Lord.

Something has already been done.
And as the writer of Hebrews says it was a “once of all” atonement (9:12).

Not like under the old covenant where animal sacrifices were made constantly; it was a new covenant that brought “eternal redemption” with “his own blood.”

This is the good news of the Gospel!

Christ “offered Himself without blemish to God” (v.14), so now we can come into the presence of God “just as we are,” with all of our blemishes.
For when God looks at us, all he sees is the blood of his Son who gave his life for you and for me.

We have no other plea, “but that Thy blood was shed for me.”

We’ve been accepted and we’ve been atoned for once for all time. And because Christ has given his life for us to redeem us, he offers us an invitation, which leads to our third word which is…APPEAL (“And that Thou bidst me come to Thee”)

I heard a story of a minister who worked on the streets of a major city sharing the gospel with hookers, trying to get them to stop turning tricks. Her words to them weren’t scolding or judgmental. She didn’t walk up to these women and say, “How dare you do this to your body!”

No, what she did was approach them with grace, got to know them and then asked, “Don’t you think you were made for more than this?”

When I think back to November 28th, 1972 it seems that is exactly what Jesus said to me.

I believe if you listen carefully you will hear Jesus say to you, “Don’t you think you were made for more than this?”

I remember a young man coming to the altar after one of my services. As he walked that centre isle towards the saving power of Christ, being encouraged by the Holy Ghost with words like, “Its all good son, come as you are.” This young man was responding to the simple invitation to come to him.

It was awesome, but as he walked slowly down the isle, Sister Sandpaper noticed the package of cigs in his back pocket. She figured he had to quit smoking before coming to Jesus.

I am so grateful that Jesus isn’t related to her. Jesus welcomes us, we can come just as we are, with all our sins, all of our shortcomings, and with all defenses down. Even with a pack of cigs in our back pocket!

Why? Because the blood of Christ was shed for us! Jesus kindly and gracious appeals to us, “Come to me.”

The great preacher Samuel Shoemaker once offered the appeal of Christ in a Palm Sunday sermon with these words: “Not to the gates of Jerusalem alone does Jesus ride today, but to the gates of our hearts. There he waits knocking, knocking. His knuckles must be raw by now. The gentle rap has been so long smothered by contemporary rivals that some of us can barely hear it. But he goes on standing there.”

Can you hear him today?

If so, join with me in the final word from the hymn, APPROACH

(“O Lamb of God, I come, I come.”)

Hebrews 9:14, (The Message) We have been freed from all those dead-end efforts to make ourselves respectable, so that we can live all out for God.” We’ve been set free.

Now before I close you need to know that today’s hymn was written by a bed ridden invalid who felt useless to do anything except express her feelings of devotion to God. Yet Charlotte’s simply worded text has influenced more people for Christ than any other hymn or sermon ever written.

As a young person in Brighton England Miss Elliott was known as “carefree Charlotte”. She was a popular portrait artist and writer of humorous verse. At the age of 30 however, a serious ailment made her an invalid for life. She became listless and depressed. A Swiss evangelist visiting her noticed her spiritual distress and exclaimed, “Charlotte you must come just as you are - a sinner - to the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” Immediately placing her complete trust in Christ’s redemptive sacrifice for her, Charlotte experienced inner peace and joy in spite of her physical affliction until her death at the age of 82.

Charlotte wrote approximately 150 hymns, she is considered to be one of the finest of all English hymn writers.

“God sees, God guards, God guides me”, she said. “His grace surrounds me His voice continually bids me to be happy and holy in His service—just where I am.”

And the question I leave you with today is…will you approach now, will you come to the Lamb of God and live all out for him?
Will you give God thanks for His acceptance of you just as you are?

As you respond in simple faith to Him you will find “all that you need” not only for our personal salvation but also for the particular place of service that He has for you.