A few years ago, a low-cost airline in South Africa had a promotion on tickets. The crazy offer was for flights around the country for less than the price of a cup of coffee. Amazing! Now, the catch was that there were only (I forget the exact number) about 1000 tickets available. That meant that you needed to be one of the few who managed to buy before the site crashed due to the volume of clients. I did not get any tickets. One of my family members did.

I did not know about the promotion. For someone who has never had large amounts of disposable income, cheap flights are good news! It is only good news though, if you hear about it. You need to hear the news to take the next step. That said, hearing the news is the bare minimum. It may still not be enough. There is plenty of news out there. There is an overwhelming amount of information and an abundance of scams. We are naturally hesitant to believe and take anything at face value. Hearing about the promotion, though helpful, would probably not have been enough to convince me. My first instinct would be that it is a scam. What would have helped to convince me? Well, knowing my brother got the tickets would have gone a long way. For me, the good news only truly becomes good news when I buy a ticket.

Naturally, during the Easter period, I find myself reflecting on the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus and all that it entails. The gospel or good news. Like the flight promotion, it is only good news for those who hear about it, and hearing alone may not be enough. Perhaps those who have not heard need someone they know and trust to be the one who shares the message. When I saw the pictures of my brother’s holiday and heard his account of the trip, there was no longer any place for scepticism the next time the promotion rolled around. The proof was in the pudding. This time the problem was that there were only so many tickets available. The good news of Jesus is different. There is no limit. Anyone and everyone are welcomed into the Kingdom if they will place their faith and trust in Jesus to get them there. This is truly good news!

Now, let me ask you. Where do you see yourself in the story?

Easter is not just a one-time event. Yes, it is historical, but the resurrection of Jesus has implications for the present and future, not just the past. I may have heard the good news, but have I bought a ticket? Jesus already paid for it. How sad it would be to leave the gospel as something in the past and to miss out on the life in the Kingdom that Jesus invites us into. His call is to follow Him. He calls us into a life that is radically and completely impacted by His death and resurrection. A life of purpose, a life on mission, a life that is inseparable from the body – the church, and a life that is completely surrendered to Him.

As we celebrate and remember, let us not find ourselves still standing at the ticketing office, content with knowing we have the tickets for a trip we never take. Remember that the price has been paid so that you can take a journey with Him.

This Easter, remember the journey. Remember to take the next step and follow Jesus.