Sunday, January 5, 2020

1/5/2020 - Punch your ticket?



MORE THAN A MEAL TICKET- I remember as a teen calling myself a Christian. I believed Jesus was God’s Son, but my life was all about using God. I wanted Him to meet my needs. Whether it be winning the big game, passing a big test, or wanting things to go well on a big date. It was all about me. “God, can you just give me what I want?”

Like so many who fill churches today, I just didn’t get it. Jesus didn’t come to meet all my personal needs, my physical needs, my materials needs. Jesus didn’t come to be my meal ticket in this life. Yes, Jesus is a compassionate God. He cares about the hurting, the hungry and the rejected. He cares about our needs. But the main mission of Jesus Christ is to be the Savior. Our Savior. He came to save us from sin and to make us right with God. And just like today – so many people don’t get it. They aren’t interested in that, because people feeling basically “good” just don’t see the need.

After performing miracles of healing and provision for a crowd of thousands, Jesus began to teach who He was and why He came. Soon, the people left disappointed. They wanted Jesus to be their king, fixing all their problems with health, finances, and justice. They wanted Jesus to be their meal ticket, meeting all their material needs. They didn’t understand that Jesus’ purpose was so much bigger. They didn’t get it, so they left. Looking at the twelve disciples, Jesus asked a question. Do you want to leave too? That’s when Simon Peter answered. Lord, to whom shall we go? Simon Peter got it. Jesus is more than just a quick fix-it for our problems. Jesus is more than a meal ticket – He is the Holy One of God, the Messiah.

What about you? Are you looking for God to be a ‘quick fix’ for life’s problems? Is your faith only about using God to get what you want? Don’t miss out on the real reason Jesus came – to save us from our sins so that we can live out God’s will – not our own.


"From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him. 'You do not want to leave too, do you?' Jesus asked the Twelve. Simon Peter answered him, 'Lord, to who shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.”’ John 6: 66-69

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