Gathering With Christ

He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad.

Matthew 12:30

What does Christ mean when He speaks in our text of ‘gathering with me?’  When Christ was describing His purpose, He said, ‘and other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.’  He speaks of gathering together his people.  On the night before He went to the cross, during His High Priestly Prayer, He said, ‘Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.’  On several occasions, Christ articulated His purpose to gather together all that the Father had given Him.  Therefore, this must be the gathering to which He refers in our text.  How can we ‘gather’ with Christ?  We do so by promoting His Person and His work.  The mission of the Apostles was to bear witness of Christ throughout the world.  It has become the mission of all believers in every age.  By life and lip, by the verbal and non-verbal, in every situation of life Christ’s people are gathering with Him as they proclaim Christ everywhere.  This is our high privilege and our holy calling.  It is not the exclusive purview of the preacher or the missionary, but rather extends to every believer.  We are by our daily interactions with others, as we reflect Christ, gathering with Him, until all of His are one.

Our Gracious God and Our Savior,
we rejoice that we have the great privilege,
to be part of Your grand work.
We praise You, that daily, we encounter those
whom You are gathering unto Yourself
 and have the opportunity to point them to Christ.

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning