Ticket-Master

 

It can be a dangerous place, you know – sometimes filled with explosive violence and here:  

• honorable facades are dropped; 

• anger and criticism are freely expressed; 

• abuse is unspeakably vile; 

• children of all ages are dumped, ‘dissed’ or destroyed; 

• people do whatever their carnal passions dictate; 

• huge sums of money are spent on self-gratification; 

• is a place of crushing break-ups and abandonment; 

• is a place to forget and avoid at all costs; 

• is a place of bondage and bad memories; 

• is a place that represents failure and regrets; 

• is a place of hopelessness and isolation; 

• is a cage of depression; 

• is a place to escape from, if possible; 

• is a place where hopes and dreams are dashed; 

• is a place of hatred, bitterness and sometimes death.   

 

Now, Jesus, can I sell You a ticket?  Made Your next vacation plans yet?  Hey, wait a minute!  Where are You going?  It’s a great deal!  Really!!     

What did You say?  Birds have nests and foxes have holes, but You’d rather pass on this one?   

Oh, but You don’t understand.  We can dress this place up for You – yeah, we’ll make it a real nice place for You.   

What’s that?  Well…sure… I know it’s just temporary but remember – it’s got a great location.  And…   

Huh?  A fixer-upper?  A sham?  A counterfeit??  Hey, watch it, Buddy, you’re talkin’ about my home. 

You know, our earthly home can be a wonderful place but of the 67 times the Bible uses the word “home” (NKJV), the large majority are with a negative connotation.  And for many of us, we can understand why – we can relate to some of the descriptions above.      But you see, that’s because, like Jesus, we aren’t truly at home here anymore than we’d be at home on a demolition site.   

In Mat 8:20 and Luke 9:58, Jesus didn’t talk about the birds and foxes to draw our pity.  Nor was it just an illustration of a necessary commitment.  In fact, it was a value declaration.  See, He knew what home really is and where it really is. He knew that no earthly dwelling place could compare to our “eternal home” (Eccl 12:5) in heaven.  He knew we couldn’t truly depend on such a sin-filled temporal place for what our home is supposed to be.   

He knew that our real home is a place of:

• absolute safety 

• unquestioning trust 

• perfect peace 

• overwhelmingly wonderful reunions with loved ones

• abundant and ever-expanding love

• deepest joy that delights in endless ways

• empathetic longsuffering

• eternal kindness and amazing grace

• wondrous pleasures

• learning and growing

• fulfilling service

• outstanding refreshment

• radiating, engaging and embracing life

• transforming worship

• perfect relationships and endless friendships

• ever-deepening understanding

• indescribable radiance, glory and beauty

• wholesome abundance

• pure hearts and minds

• pleasant truth and natural integrity

• heart-warming permanence where:

• everyone feels loved and welcome

• laughter dances

• dancing is common

• hopes are born and fulfilled

• nothing, no one, is lost and…

• discovery never ends

 

Yes, Jesus knew His HOME.  He came from there, and He returned in order to (among other things) prepare a special place in it just for you individually. (See John14:2.3)    And when all is ready there, prepared just as the Father desires, the Son will return for His bride – Jesus will come for us who believe.  The Bible says that He’ll gather all of us together and welcome us HOME.  And it won’t be long!   

 

If you know the Lord Jesus Christ, you understand that you can’t hang your hopes on finding a real home here.  Not ultimately.    On the other hand, if you don’t truly know Jesus – not know about Him but know Him – you may still be striving to compensate for the failures of your earthly home – to find, to build, to somehow grasp that intangible, illusive ‘Eden’ – the fantasy that always demands just a little bit more in order to be realized.   

 

If that’s so, quit the pointless chase and come HOME.  You see, your real HOME is both a Person and a place.  It’s a relationship of love with Jesus and an eternal perfect place made by Him. 

 

Get your ‘ticket’ – it’s called salvation by the grace of our awesome God.  You’ll know you’re HOME when you’re in His arms in heaven!  For more info, read Romans 3:23; 6:23: and 10:9,10.  GBY!