I like watching shows like Master Chef (whether it's Australia or U.S.), Jamie Oliver, Iron Chef, Buddy Valastro's Cake Boss and Kitchen Boss. Oh and don't forget to add Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations.
MasterChef U.S. is in its third season, judged by Chefs Gordon Ramsey, Joe Bastianich, and Graham Elliot.
We see contestants making the "Secret Ingredient" the star of the dish. If they do a good job at it, the dish comes out successfully. But if they don't, sometimes it was because they added to or thought the Secret Ingredient was not enough. Something else became the star of the dish. And then the culinary judges get confused and gives them "the" look. Uh oh.
I think sometimes that can also be like our faith. Often our faith is a mish-mash of either our own personalities and preferences. Sadly it can be a mash of our spiritual leaders' preferences too.
We see differences. We see denominations. We see practices. We see differing opinions on the Bible and such.
However, if it were left to one thing and one thing alone, I think I would want to get "the" one thing right. The rest we can disagree on but in this one thing if it's not the center of our worship, then what is our worship based on?
The one thing is Jesus Christ as the sole center of all worship.
Some people get this part:
There's a segment in the Master Chef kitchen or in Iron Chef where the contenders will cook based on a secret ingredient to impress a panel of culinary experts or critics.
We see contestants making the "Secret Ingredient" the star of the dish. If they do a good job at it, the dish comes out successfully. But if they don't, sometimes it was because they added to or thought the Secret Ingredient was not enough. Something else became the star of the dish. And then the culinary judges get confused and gives them "the" look. Uh oh.
I think sometimes that can also be like our faith. Often our faith is a mish-mash of either our own personalities and preferences. Sadly it can be a mash of our spiritual leaders' preferences too.
We see differences. We see denominations. We see practices. We see differing opinions on the Bible and such.
However, if it were left to one thing and one thing alone, I think I would want to get "the" one thing right. The rest we can disagree on but in this one thing if it's not the center of our worship, then what is our worship based on?
The one thing is Jesus Christ as the sole center of all worship.
Some people get this part:
Man is sinful and God is not. Man are spiritually separated from God. Man has no access to God and needs a spiritual rebirth from God to change his ways and lead him back to God.
However, this is where the Secret Ingredient (which is not secret at all) changes for others. The Bridge.
Some people in practice put a spiritual leader in between them and God.
Only One is sufficient and qualified to take that place to bridge God and man. God Himself in Christ Jesus, God's One and Only Son, is the perfect bridge between God and humanity.
Other people think the secret ingredient is good works. It's my obedience to the ritual or philosophy that will save me. When we think of it that way, we are putting ourself as the Bridge already which is no bridge at all. "We are all impure with sin. When we display our righteous deeds, they are nothing but filthy rags. Like autumn leaves, we wither and fall, and our sins sweep us away like the wind." (Isaiah 64:6)
Don't try to go that road. Jesus Christ is the Ultimate Sacrifice for sin once and for all so that people can be reconciled back to God. "For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood." (Romans 3:25, NLT)
However, this is where the Secret Ingredient (which is not secret at all) changes for others. The Bridge.
 |
| Who is the Bridge? |
Some people in practice put a spiritual leader in between them and God.
Only One is sufficient and qualified to take that place to bridge God and man. God Himself in Christ Jesus, God's One and Only Son, is the perfect bridge between God and humanity.
Other people think the secret ingredient is good works. It's my obedience to the ritual or philosophy that will save me. When we think of it that way, we are putting ourself as the Bridge already which is no bridge at all. "We are all impure with sin. When we display our righteous deeds, they are nothing but filthy rags. Like autumn leaves, we wither and fall, and our sins sweep us away like the wind." (Isaiah 64:6)
Don't try to go that road. Jesus Christ is the Ultimate Sacrifice for sin once and for all so that people can be reconciled back to God. "For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood." (Romans 3:25, NLT)
The Secret Ingredient to life and salvation has already been made plain to us. It is Jesus Christ who came on earth 2,000 years ago, died on the cross, and was raised to life again by God.
No other faith figure claimed to have been born of a Virgin Birth and resurrected again. All else died in the grave.
JESUS IS THE REASON. HE IS THE COMPLETE WORK OF GOD IN US AND FOR US.
JESUS IS THE SECRET INGREDIENT TO LIFE. The more a secret ingredient is made the star of the dish, the more everything around it works and has meaning for being put in the dish in the first place. In the same way, the more we make what God has done for us the star and the reality in our lives, the more the simpler parts of life - money, work, relationships, family - work and all of them suddenly have meaning and purpose. Like any good dish, it's the secret ingredient that will make everything heartily satisfying.
Just as a Secret Ingredient in everyday meals, so is God. God brings out the extra flavor and aroma in our lives.
The good thing is the Lord is also our culinary expert. Most of the time, He saves us from our own culinary disasters! Thank God! He salvages the messes or miscalculations I have made, and makes them into something better, more appealing, and more delicious. For that, I am thankful.
Comments
Post a Comment