Ready or Not

Luke 6:17-19  He came down with them and stood on a level place, with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea, Jerusalem, and the coast of Tyre and Sidon. They had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; and those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured. And all in the crowd were trying to touch him, for power came out from him and healed all of them.


We find again and again that Jesus was attracting large crowds of people many of them seeking something from him. They came to be healed or to watch people be healed, or to see a demon come out, or perhaps a miracle. They had heard about this Jesus and they were curious and some even knew they were needy. As I read the accounts of Jesus ministry, it is clear to me that they did not come to him to become believers and most did not become believers. Jesus healed them anyway or he fed them anyway but most went home having either received something from him or having observed a good show. You see I too can come to Jesus looking for something and at times receive a healing or some other dramatic benefit from being in his presence and still not be ready to receive his free gift of salvation. Sometimes I think even the church is full of people like that, they come seeking something or wanting a good show and they go home with some small trinket or happy because of the good feeling in the good show, or some even grumbling that the show was bad this week, but few are open enough to leave with the treasure. My church, as do many churches, has a core statement about our mission, it is "Transforming lives with the resurrected power of Jesus Christ". We know that we have no ability in ourselves to accomplish that mission, but we pray that when people come they will find the treasure not the trinket. We are sent to prepare people to find the treasure not the trinket. Like those who came to see Jesus however, the question is are you ready or not?