[The following devotional is a part of our 2015 Easter Season Devotional Book “Passion Road.” We will be posting a devotional each day on this blog between February 18 – April 5, 2014.]
A Ticket to Disneyland by Mark Robinson
Read: Acts 13:38-39
In 1980, my family went to Disneyland for summer vacation. To the average elementary school kid, it just doesn’t get much better than Disneyland. The combo of rides, decorations, and candy in the presence of the cartoon trinity (Mickey, Donald and Goofy.) In 1980, though, Disneyland’s ticketing system needed a little bit of an overhaul.
In today’s theme park economy, a single admission price allows you to ride all the rides. In 1980 Disneyland did not operate this way. At that time, ticketing for the park was more like the state fair is today where you pay per ride . . . and some rides were more expensive than others. A typical ticket pack might include 10 passes to ride “Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride” (yawn — wake me when it’s over), but only include one pass to ride “Space Mountain.” This system created some frustration on the part of theme park attendees, and led to the creation of the “one price” system that we have today.
In 1980, I could not ride the rides I wanted as often as I wanted . . . my ticket book limited me. However, with the advent of the one price admission, all tickets are now worthless (except as relics or collectibles). The one price for admission has set people free to enjoy all that Disneyland has to offer.
Theme park ticketing is not the only thing that has improved over time. The very covenant by which mankind relates to God has improved as well. In the olden days (way before 1980 . . . back in the days of the Old Testament before Jesus birth) God related to His people through a system of Laws humans were to follow, and sacrifices that should be offered when those laws were broken. Like the old tickets from Disneyland, different sins (rides), required different sacrifices (tickets). These sacrifices would only temporarily cover people’s sins, requiring the purchase of more “ticketed” sacrifices to remain clean.
When Jesus died on the cross for our sins, God fundamentally changed the way His people enjoyed the life He themed for them. Jesus paid a single price of admission so that we could enjoy all the benefits of being a part of the family of God. If you have trusted in Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, then know that your admission has been paid . . . forever. No other tickets are necessary.
Question:
- Most today do not believe that animal sacrifices are still necessary “tickets” that Christians must “purchase” to live in relationship with God. Are there any other things, behaviors, attitudes BEYOND what Christ has done for us on the cross, that you feel help secure our relationship with God?
- In light of how you answered the question above, are you resting in the single admission that Jesus has purchased for us through His death on the cross?
Prayer:
- Thank God for the freedom He has given us in Christ.