Just Another Lunch Nov. 2, 2009

This Monday I had lunch at the Mongolian Barbecue restaurant with Pastor B... a friend of mine at the Pavilions in Scottsdale. He was kind enough to offer to pay for my lunch and so I asked the cashier if she could give me change. I asked if she liked Michael Jackson and she said, "YES", so I handed her a Michael Jackson million dollar bill. She laughed and said, "WOW thank you! " I told her when she went home that she should read the back as it had the million dollar question on it, "are you good enough to get into Heaven?"


After filling up my bowl, I placed it on a counter where one of the cooks throws the food onto a very very large flat hot plate, and it simmers. I saw the Pastor place a dollar bill into a fishbowl and did the same but added a million dollar bill with it. That's when the lady in front of the Pastor made a comment about the million dollars and he turned to me to tell me she was curious about it. I then gave him one and told him to give it to her and to be sure to tell her to read the back.

Now the cooks saw the million dollar bill in the fishbowl and commented that they would be very rich. I then asked one of the cooks how many cooks are working here and he stated that there were (5). I then counted out five more million dollar bills and placed them into the fishbowl. I then told them that they have to read the back of the bill because you can't get any change from these bills because they don't make a million dollar bill, but it can change their lives if they read it. Is this what Paul had in mind telling us to be ready in season and out of season? In other word always? (2Tim 4:2)

Now comes the best part that I thank God for, because as my friend and I were finishing up our meal, the cashier, Maria, came to me because she wanted to talk to me about what the back of the bill said. At this point I decided to show her the pink & blue illusion cards which she really enjoyed. This illusion seemed to help her become more friendly and trusting of me. As I walked her through the Law, asking if she had ever lied, stolen or committed adultery, (Jesus said if you just look a person with lust you have already committed adultery with them in your heart) (Mat 5:28), she tried to justify her sin's against God and that God was a loving God and all she had to do was confess her sins and God would forgive her.(sound familiar?)

I then explained to her if I had violated her sister and got caught and was now standing before the Judge and then confessed what I had done to her sister and then said, "I was sorry", would he let me go? She looked at me with a new face and said, "NO". I then asked her how could a Holy, Righteous, and Just God do any less? Now when I asked her how would God have to find her based on what she just admitted to, she then stated she would be guilty, and God would have to send her to Hell. I then asked her if it concerned her that she would be in Hell, and she said "YES!" I could now see a changed look on her face as it seemed to really bother her that that would be her destination. I asked her if you knew what Hell was like? She said she never heard her church talk about it. I explained it's where your thirst is never quenched, constant gnashing of teeth and worms never die, being tormented for eternity in the lake the fire. I then asked her if she knew what God did for her so she wouldn't have to go to Hell and she said, "no". I then asked her a 2nd time and this time she stated that Jesus Died on the cross. With that I then said does that mean that everyone who has heard that Jesus died on the cross is going to Heaven? So all liars, thieves, murderers, or pediphilers are all going to be in Heaven? This time she became very somber and stated that wouldn't make sense!

I then explained to her that the only way we can be set free from our sins is to REPENT, which means to have remorse, regret with genuine sorrow, knowing that we have offended a Holy God, and that we deserve Hell. We need to turn away from sin and place our TRUST in Jesus Christ ALONE. The Bible states that when we do this we are now, "Born Again" (John 3:3) The old is gone the new has come. (2Cor 5:17) Only Godly sorry produces repentance that leads to Salvation! (2Cor 7:10)

Another example of how Maria appreciated hearing the TRUTH about how God's Law, the Ten Commandments meant to her. (Gal 3:24) As we were leaving my friend wanted to treat me to some ice cream, but I declined. But when I saw what he just bought I told Maria I changed my mind and would like to buy some. She came back with a cup for me to get my ice cream and told me it was a gift from her to me.

What happened next surprised me as my friend, who objects to using this method, stretched out his hand and stated that was awesome!