You’ve Just Won Free Tickets!

Today I heard a radio contest and it brought back memories of the one and only time I ever won anything from a radio show. The gift was nice, but I had to head on over to Memphis to pick up free coupon. As I thought about this FREE ticket contest, it reminded me that even though something wonderful and exciting can be free, there is always a price to pay to obtain it. But the FREE gift usually outweighs the duty spent to obtain it. Here’s a similar add that I heard today.

* - Hey, thank you for calling FM 92 where we play 80’s over and over and over, who’s this?
+ - Uh, this is Jonathan.
* - Hey Jonathan, thanks for calling in to the show.
* - Of course the show is sponsored by your local Quik-Shop, where we get you out the door, just as quickly as you came in.
* - Okay Jonathan there’s an NBA game tomorrow night at the local arena and you can win FREE tickets if you can answer the question. Did you hear the quik-clip that we just played?
+ - Uh, yea.
* - Okay, what was the number one hit on December 30th, 1987? (drum roll please)
+ - Uh…. Umm…. I think it was Faith by George Michael..?
* - You’re exactly right! That’s a great memory you have there Jonathan! Way to go!
* - Hang on the line there with me Jonathan, and I’ll hook you up with those FREE tickets.
* - Everyone be sure to have a good and safe and happy New Year out there this week, and remember the station that plays 80’s over and over and over – FM 92.
* - Okay, you still here with me Jonathan?
+ - Uh, yea.
* - Okay Jonathan, do you know where our radio studio is here in town?
+ - Uh, well, I live in the town right next to you, but yea, I know where it is.
* - Well, just head on over to our studios today, and pick up these FREE tickets for the game tomorrow night.
+ - Uh, you can’t mail them to me?
* - Well, they wouldn’t get to your house in time and the game’s tomorrow night.
+ - Uh, you mean I need to come way over to your town to pick up the tickets today, and come back way over to your town again tomorrow for the game?
* - Yes – if you’d like these FREE tickets.
+ - These tickets don’t sound very free to me.
* - We’ll they’re FREE, and they will be here waiting for you if you’d like to come and get them….

What about you, do these tickets sound like a good deal to you or not. It may depend on what the tickets are for, or what the event is whether it’s a good deal for you. For me personally, a basketball game would not really be something I’d be willing to put forth an effort to take advantage of. But everyone has something that interests them so that they’d be willing to take advantage of this “FREE” offer.

God offers us this very same deal, but the event is going to be the grandest event ever known to mankind or angelic beings alike – and that’s heaven. God offers us all “FREE” tickets to heaven. But just like the example above, there is an action required on our part.

Just as God told Moses to make a bronze serpent and put it on a staff and raise it up for the people who had been bitten to come and look at – and be made well again. Numbers 21:8-9. Many of the people who grumbled and complained against God were bitten by poisonous snakes and died. But God made a way for the people to be saved. The people were told if after they were bitten, if they would look at this snake up high on a pole, they would be made well. So, when the people were bitten those who believed looked to the pole and were saved.

Jesus himself retells this same story and compares what he would shortly be going through to be the saving means or mechanism that would save us. Jesus said:

Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, the Son of Man must be lifted up also. Then everyone who believes in him can live with God forever. "God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son. Anyone who believes in him will not die but will have eternal life. "God did not send his Son into the world to judge the world. He sent his Son to save the world through him. Anyone who believes in him is not judged. But anyone who does not believe is judged already. He has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son. John 3:14-18

Free tickets to heaven anybody? Just come to Jesus. Let Jesus save you. Don’t let this great sacrifice go unused. Take advantage of it. He is waiting. He has a place prepared for us, if we will only wake up, and get up out of the hog pen and realize how filthy we are, and how much better our situation would be in “our father’s house” He stands up on the porch – just like the Prodigal’s father – watching and waiting for us to return to him. We must be willing to take the step, to even go out of our way if need be to come to him. We must believe. Faith is an active description which requires us to make an effort. Just like me having to drive over to the next town just to pick up some FREE tickets. If it’s heaven we’re talking about here, then its well worth the drive.