Buy Nothing, Receive Everything
My wife and I belong to a Facebook group called “Buy Nothing.” It’s a place where people give away stuff they no longer want. They post the item, then others in the group say they are interested in the comments, and the giver picks a winner. I’m amazed at the stuff people give away. Sometimes it’s nice stuff like a dining room set. Other times, it might be a package of dollar store cakes the person didn’t like. “Come pick up this open box of terrible cakes, there’s still 9 left in the box!”
My wife has been cleaning out a storage unit and has given away tons of stuff on that page. She has also submitted her name to receive some items, and I have too. I have a lot of running clothes I keep on top of a bookshelf in my office. They’re always falling on the floor, and I want a little plastic three drawer dresser to keep them in. I saw one on the page a couple of weeks ago and thought, “I’m going to win this. No one else will want it.” Sadly, others did want it and I wasn’t picked. In fact, I’ve never won anything!
There’s only one of each item though, only one person can win. That’s true of all material things. There’s only so many of them. Remember years ago when you couldn’t buy a Cabbage Patch Kid (I’m really dating myself), or a Wii gaming console? They couldn’t make them fast enough. The site is called “Buy Nothing” because everything is free. You’re not allowed to charge for your item. If you’re caught reselling something someone gave you, the site administrators will boot you from the group.
Jesus offers us eternal life for free and everyone can have it. It wasn’t free to Him. He had to die on the cross for our sins to buy our salvation. Once He paid for our salvation though, all we have to do is to believe in Jesus to receive salvation. In John 5:24, Jesus said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.” “Whoever” means Jesus invites all to believe. Everyone can receive the benefits of Jesus’ death and resurrection. Jesus presented two options in John 5:24, death or life. Life is free and yours by faith.
I could go on Amazon or go to Ikea and buy a three-drawer dresser. But it’s more fun to win one, and I don’t want to put it together. I want it for free and already assembled. That’s what salvation is like. It’s free and Jesus has done all the work of assembly. He took on a human body, lived a sinless life, and died in our place. But nothing, simply believe. Receive everything, eternal life with Him.