15 Sep, 2009
Check your ticket!
For at least the third time in eight years, geography-challenged vacationers bought airline tickets for an Australian holiday but failed to notice (until they landed in "Sydney") that their tickets took them to Sydney, Nova Scotia. Dutch man Joannes Rutten and his grandson appeared shocked when they de-planed in Canada, even though they had boarded an earlier connecting flight in Halifax, Nova Scotia. In December 2008, an Argentine woman made a similar mistake, and in August 2002, a young British couple, after realizing their error, decided to spend their holiday in Nova Scotia, after all.
[This article, courtesy of newsoftheweird.com, comes from the Daily Mail (London), 8-10-09 ]
Matthew 7:16-23 [NIV]
By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.
"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'
What does God's Story teach us about knowing our final destination?
Jesus is making a few things clear in this teaching of His:
- "Thinking" that we are a part of God's family doesn't mean that we necessarily are. Jesus flat out teaches us that there will be people who thought they were on their way to heaven and actually ended up at a different destination. (Much like our friends in today's story.) We can even say that we belong to Christ, but that still doesn't determine whether we are reallly His or not.
- The real way to know if we are one of God's children is by looking at the fruit of our lives. Someone who truly knows and seeks after Christ will eventually take on His qualities. Those who aren't true followers will also show evidence of this by their similarities with the world.
- God wants to know us. He wants a relationship with us more than anything. Once that true and intimate relationship has begun...then we will see the fruit of His presence in us begin to show itself.
Connecting today's story and God's Story with my story
- Have you "checked your ticket" lately? Start by taking an inventory of the fruit of your life. Which words describe your more...love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, self-control, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness...or...jealousy, anger, gossip, hatred, dishonesty, impurity? None of us will be perfect until we finally get to heaven, but the general fruit of our lives will indicate whether we truly have a relationship with Christ.
- The second step of this ticket check involves looking at your relationship with Christ. (Rather than an outward evaluation, this is more of an internal check.) Do you love Him or are you just going through the motions? Do you want to spend time with Him or are you just doing it because you "should". Do you talk with Him throughout your day or are you just checking in with Him at meals and bedtime? Do you desire to be in His Word or do you just pick it up once a week on your way to church?
God wants a personal relationship with you. This is the only thing that can guarantee that your ticket is taking you to the right destination. Once that relationship has begun, the fruit to confirm that will be there.
Connecting today's story, God's Story and my story with my friend's story
If you ask a friend if they believe in God...most will say yes. (Though not all) If you ask them if they believe they will go to heaven when they die...most will still say yes. Most people will even answer these questions pretty quickly.
To take it a step further...ask them why they believe they will go to heaven.
If they say anything except that Jesus died for their sins and they now have a personal relationship with Him, then maybe they also need to check their ticket. You can be a messenger of loving truth. Acts 4:12 and John 14:6 both tell us that there is no other way but by Christ. Be sure that your friends who might even say "Lord, Lord" are holding the right ticket.
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