A couple of weeks ago I got to witness something that was pretty incredible. One of my best friends from college was on the game show “Let’s Make A Deal” hosted by Wayne Brady. The episode aired and Vince was the first contestant of the day. If you have never seen the show, the premise is simple. A bunch of people in the audience are dressed up in crazy costumes like it is a very brightly lit halloween. Everyone in the audience is dancing around trying to get Wayne Brady’s attention and be selected to play. If they are selected, they get to play a game of chance where Wayne will show them a box or an envelope and offer to give them $75 or $100 instead of opening the mystery item. If a contestant chooses the item then it could be a great prize, or it could be what the show calls a zonk, or a joke prize, like a piece of jewelry made of bacon or a giant egg with a man inside dressed like a kangaroo with boxing gloves (yes, these were real). So Vinc was up, and he chose to open curtain number 3, and behind the curtain was a brand new dining room that the show said was worth over $7,000.
After watching him I turned the TV off and sent him a text congratulating him on his pretty good prize (it could have been worse, especially on this show). He then told me that there was more! I had turned off the show too early. At the end of the show, whoever wins the biggest prize is able to risk it for the big deal of the day. Vinc ended up being selected and risked it, and the crazy thing was he actually won! He won a 6 day trip to the South Pacific (specifically the Cook Islands) and $8,500, a deal worth over $20,000!
I wonder how many of us do something similar when it comes to thinking about Jesus and salvation. We repent of our sin, we believe in Jesus as the only way to salvation, and then we turn the TV off.
I wonder how many of us do something similar when it comes to thinking about Jesus and salvation. We repent of our sin, we believe in Jesus as the only way to salvation, and then we turn the TV off. Jesus looks at us and says, “No! There is so much more! Keep going!” Often we are tempted to be satisfied just with our “get out of hell” card. Matthew 13:44 says, “The Kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.” Jesus is much more than a “get out of hell” card, in Him is complete joy. Notice it says it is “in complete joy” that he goes and sells everything for the treasure. Elsewhere in Scripture in Philippians 3:8 it says, “I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.” Do you echo Paul’s sentiment? In Christ there is complete joy, complete freedom, complete peace, and complete rest. When we value Him above all else and run after Him above all, we will live in all of that today. It isn’t merely getting out of hell, but living in the fullness of joy that our Lord has promised us.
Blessings,
Pastor Brady