“And the secret ingredient is….”
Reality food shows emerged in the 1990’s and are now commonplace on many networks. The scenarios vary but a common theme revolves around a group of contestants who are tasked with preparing several dishes using ingredients that are unknown to them until the unveiling on competition day. With strict time constraints, the chefs need to utilize their prodigious culinary skills to produce a final dish that will impress the panel of judges. Tantalizing, provocative and always hunger inducing, these shows have influenced a generation of new chefs seeking to emulate their heroes with the hopes of achieving similar celebrity status.
After viewing numerous episodes, invariably the producers of the show were telegraphing who was to be the winner when key covert dialogue between the judges was disclosed or ominous background music played when the eventual loser was being showcased.
Thus, it came as no surprise when I learned from several articles written by insiders and contestants on these shows that much of the drama is staged and contrived. Sometimes, the contestants were even given a list of potential secret ingredients and by the day of the filming of the show, it was obvious what the ingredient would be based upon the culinary tools and equipment that was provided. Not only were the producers telegraphing to the audience who would be the likely victor, they were also telegraphing to the contestants, the likely ingredients.
Then He said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?” And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.
Luke 24:25-27 (NKJV)
When we read the Bible, it is important to recognize God telegraphing His message of redemption and salvation to all who will call upon the Name of Jesus Christ and be delivered from their sins. Every book of the Bible points to Jesus Christ as the Author of our salvation. This passage from the Gospel of Luke, chronicles an encounter that Jesus Christ had with two strangers who were walking on the road to the town of Emmaus. The two were despondent over the recent Crucifixion of Jesus Christ, whom they had believed was the Messiah. They did not realize that Jesus was resurrected and they were speaking to the glorified Christ. Jesus then opened their minds to understand how the entire Scriptures pointed to God’s redemptive plan of salvation for all who confess and repent of their sins and accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
Like the reality cooking shows, God is deliberately telegraphing the message of the entire Bible to His Son, Jesus Christ. We know from the very beginning that all things are made by Him and through Him and someday every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.
Amen!
Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.
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