DEAL OR NO DEAL?

By John Stallings

It’s a TV phenomenon isn’t it? A simple format with a million bucks on the line. Canadian Howie Mandel leads the contestants through a series of “deals” as they gamble their way toward what they hope will be the big banana. Some contestants win if they make a good deal while others lose & go home to cry in their pillows.

But everyone who plays is playing with fire.

I’m not exactly a stranger to this type of television game show. I remember “I’ve got a secret” “Password,” “Family Feud,” & “Let’s make a deal.”

Theres a lot in this game that reminds me of the way people play with eternal matters. The devil & the world much like Howie & the Banker are offering them all kinds of deals to gamble away their souls. And the thrill of it all can easily capture their hearts.

Like Jacob & Esau. Esau had a birthright. As firstborn between the two twin brothers he had the right to carry on the promise of God to Abraham to father many sons. But in a moment of passionate stupidity Esau was tempted to deal away his birthright. And like many people today not understanding the value of the blessings God has in mind for them Esau said “DEAL” when Jacob offered him a little bowl of soup. And in that one silly move Esau squandered everything good God had in mind for the eldest son.

Hebrews 12:16-17—Esau who for one morsel of food sold his birthright. And afterward when he wanted to inherit the blessing he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance though he sought it carefully with tears.

TV’s “Deal or no Deal” is such a game of chance you never know what will happen & it seems to me the people who need the money are the ones who have the hardest time ever winning any.

Sometimes I can get so disappointed & hurt for a player, especially if they are so close to a life changing amount of money then let greed push them too far & leave with five or ten bucks.

I don’t know if you watched the night a woman was playing who had a husband who was a Marine serving in Iraq. She had mentioned that she wanted to win a Harley so they could have matching Harleys. The show surprised her with a video link-up with the Sergeant & his unit in Falluja.

He could give her advice on what to do. His parents were in the studio, telling him how much they loved him. It was all very touching & I thought, “This is all rigged, she’s going to win big no matter what.”

At one point she had $750,000 & $500,000 still on the board along with some low numbers. The bank offered her $99,000 & Jay Leno offered her a Harley. She refused & went on, no big deal.

Then the sad part came when the odds were no longer in her favor. $500,000 was still on the board the bank was offering something like $120,000. Her husband said over the video link: “Take the deal honey.”

She said, “Nah, I’m going to play one more round.” Her husband looked nervous. The family members kept telling her to “Listen to Justin, listen to Justin!”

She then asked him, “Which briefcase should I choose? He said: “Pick #12 honey.”

Her family’s advice: “Whatever Justin thinks is really what you should do.”

But she again refused to listen to him! “It’s not 12, I know it! I pick #11.” In case #11 was the $500,000. It was off the board. That meant the next offer would only be $28,000, *poof.* She had blown about $100,000 by refusing her husbands advice twice!

She seemed shocked, but not remorseful. She didn’t even look at her husband, or say much of anything. He advised her to take the $28,000 & she finally did, hesitantly, “its okay honey” he said.

Now this is just me, Okay? But I think that marine’s wife had a chance to show how much she loved & respected him by picking the suitcase that he wanted her to; the odds were the same either way.

Instead she disrespected him in front of his unit on national TV & didn’t seem to care. For all she knew he could have been killed or who knows what & come home in a box & his last visual memory of his wife is of her disregarding his advise & not seeming to care. How does that make him feel? How should that make his wife feel to know that their last memory together was one in which she chose not to listen to him, & lost $100,000 because of it?

Saddest thing I’ve seen on TV in a long time.

EVERY DAY OF OUR LIVES WE ARE MAKING DEALS

We trade an older car for a newer one. We trade a small house for a bigger one. We trade time with our kids for overtime at the office. We trade a seat in God’s house for a seat in the Football Stadium. We trade God’s Word for Doctor Phil’s advice.

We’re even bold enough to make deals with God; “God. Get me out of this mess & I’ll come to church more. Give me enough money to pay the mortgage & when I get a raise I’ll give part to you. God, let me have a good time for a few years doing my thing, just enjoying life & I’ll give my life to you when I’m older.”

I’m sure you’ve noticed; God makes good deals. He says, “Give me your frustrations & I’ll give you peace that passes understanding. Give me your sin & I’ll give you forgiveness. Give me your desire for success & I’ll give you eternal significance.” What a deal! God’s great deals should motivate us to use our resources for Him.

DEAL OR NO DEAL?

Satan entered the heart of Judas Iscariot. He wondered if he could turn a fast buck by turning Jesus in. “Thirty pieces of silver,” they said, “that’s the price my boy.” Judas said “Deal” & promptly lost his soul.

DEAL OR NO DEAL!

That’s what Satan offered Jesus in the desert. He offered Jesus a series of deals in return for His soul. He was hoping to plant doubt in the Savior’s mind about the security of His mission & His Lordship. He wanted Jesus to gamble away His mission. But again & again Jesus said “NO DEAL!” You shall not tempt the Lord your God!”

Satan will always tempt us to wander away from our mission in life. The next time Satan comes to lure you away from your destiny stand firm & say, “NO DEAL!” and walk away.

THE RICH YOUNG RULER

One of the saddest & most troubling stories in the New Testament is the story of the Rich young Ruler found in Mark chapter 10. Jesus was about to leave town & the young man came running as it would be his last chance to talk to Him. It’s a picture of urgency, earnestness & humility. The Greek words to describe this young man carry the connotation of extreme, great wealth.

The young ruler kneels in front of Jesus & asks Him; “Good master, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Often the rich, religious people who asked Jesus questions were trying to trick Him into saying something imprudent such as “should we pay taxes,” or “shouldn’t we stone this sinful woman who we caught in the act of adultery?”

But this man’s question wasn’t a trick. It was sincere & he needed an answer-how to inherit eternal life. Obviously the young man had a sense of spiritual inadequacy. He has faith to believe eternal life is possible but he thinks it’s something he’ll have to earn.

This seems strange but do you know how many people you’ll meet in the course of a week who believe that they are earning their place in heaven, or losing it, by their works? This two-thousand year old myth is very much alive; that eternal life is a reward for what we do on earth. You can go anywhere in the world & that’s what people will tell you. Isaiah 64:6 tells us that-- all our righteous acts are like filthy rags.

Jesus doesn’t really exchange pleasantries with this young man but gets right down to business, first by pointing out his lack of understanding of what “goodness” is in God’s sight. Then Jesus proceeds to inquire more of his idea of righteousness. He says; --You know the commandments, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false witness, honor your father & mother.

The young man’s response was, “All these have I kept from my youth.”

He has been doing things right but still had a sense of lack, incompleteness, or else he wouldn’t have come to Jesus in the first place. Then comes the “kicker.” Jesus said;

You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have & give to the poor, & you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.

But Jesus’ requirements are unacceptable to this young man. Jesus wasn’t proposing that the young man could buy a place in heaven but He read the thoughts of his heart & knew he not only had money, his money had him.

Paul told Timothy,--For the love of money is the root of all evil. Some people eager for money have wandered from the faith & pierced themselves with many griefs. 1 Tim.6:10

Jesus is asking this young man to give up possessions, status, influence, power, & community leadership. If this young man gives up his money he won’t be a ruler for long & if he gives away a huge chunk of the family wealth he’ll be in trouble with his siblings & his parents.

The passage says that—Jesus loved this young man. He had great compassion on him. Just look at the great offer Jesus was making him. He was actually asking the young man to join Him on His journeys, to become one of His disciples & enjoy the immense unspeakable privilege of spending time with Him & learning from Him day by day. What a wonderful invitation.

Jesus was saying, ---Young man, DEAL OR NO DEAL??

But this radical call to Christ’s ministry was too much for this young man.—when he heard this he became very sad, because he was a man of great wealth.

He can’t go with Jesus as much as he’d love to, because he loves one thing more & he cannot leave it to serve God. In a sense he broke the first commandment; --You shall have no other gods before me. In one stroke Jesus has given an audio-visual lesson on –You can’t serve God & money. Luke 16:13

But the invitation Jesus made this young ruler is no more wonderful than the one He gives to us. We too are invited to follow Him on a life journey; to enjoy His Company, & His presence. To become part of His great extended family, The Body of Christ throughout the world.

“Come follow me,” is the clarion invitation He extends to you & me.

Is there anything, any hindrance that you are unwilling to give up to follow Jesus? He gently calls to us. What will our answer be?

DEAL OR NO DEAL?


John