Buffets are awesome since you can pick and choose your food of choice. You can load up on the mashed potatoes and roast beef, while at the same time adding a small collection of things such as raw carrots and steamed green beans to manage any guilt that the beef may produce in your mind. Other choices on the buffet, such as liver, may be left totally behind and never find its way to your plate.
Hopefully, we do not treat God’s word the same way as a buffet; picking and choosing what we will follow – what we will add to our plate.
The two disciples on the way to Emmaus did this sort of thing. They had “hoped” that Jesus was the one that would redeem them from the hands of the oppressors, and that He would establish His kingdom on Earth. Their thoughts were guided by the many prophesies of the Messiah’s kingship. Then, as Jesus drew near, He opened their eyes to “all” the scripture showing that the One sent by God was to also “suffer” before coming into His glory. He showed them the total buffet – kingship and suffering servant – and encouraged them to partake of all of it and believe.
After looking at this, I suddenly realized that I stand at God’s Word treating it like a buffet. Some things I want. Some things I don’t. I pile on my spiritual plate God’s love, mercy and peace while taking only small helpings of “love your enemy.” I want a lot of forgiveness and the gravy of grace for my self, but don’t make me taste of forgiving others. I want the bread of life and the waters that quench my thirst, but don’t make me take mission trips to offer the same to others. There is no room on my plate for the “going into all the world.” Now give me heaven for my dessert and I will be satisfied, leaving no room for ‘deny yourself’ and ‘follow me.’ Well, maybe I will add a little “follow me” as a garnish.
After looking at the things I had piled upon my spiritual plate, a glaring fact stood out at me. EVERYTHING I had taken from God’s buffet cost Him dearly. EVERYTHING I had left behind would have cost ME something. How sad.
a nut's notes 
This is so true! If and when we allow SELF to rise up again and help with the choosing, the choices will be pleasing to our flesh rather than our Lord.
The men on the road to Emmaus hoped for an earthly kingdom…but they weren’t the only ones. They had succumbed to a commonly accepted mindset: an interpretation of scriptures that comprehended the Victory angle and set aside Isaiah 53 as too puzzling. When Jesus told Peter He would suffer, Peter hotly denied that idea. (Matthew 16:22)
Now, are we succumbing to a commonly accepted mindset? Maybe that Christians should have an easy life because Christ will heal all our diseases? Maybe that the children of a King should be well-oiled, well-attired, well-manicured? Maybe that our governments should be enforcing our Christian principles on the nation?
So many mindsets have sprung up in our day and there’s a church for every kind of thinking. Are we willing to search the scriptures and see?
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SO true. We went the king on the throne who will look good and keep the peace. However, when the KIng moves into the Lordship mode, we begin to balk. I have also been dealing with this thought…do we want more than what is promised? Perfect life on earth, no problems, riches, etc. I don’t see that in His promises – it is more than what was promised…at least until heaven.
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How true! Awesome post!
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It is a feast… and it is ALL good for us.
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wow never thought of it that way before! things to chew on (pun intended) and now, strangley, i’m hungry! 😉
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What a twist on buffets! Great post.
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Great post. We talked about something similar at our church small group discussion last night. Gotta follow all of it, not some of it. I like what you wrote here.
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Thanks for reading. It was an eye opener. God’s word is ALL good, but some of it we don’t like swallowing.
Marjorie L. LoVette
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So true!
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