Chopped! (The Bible Version)

You know that TV show Chopped? Four contestants open their baskets and find things such as squash blossoms, pickled pig feet, monkfish tails, and a gigantic cupcake. They have thirty minutes to make a delicious entree.

I was thinking about that today and I wondered what a biblical Chopped would look like.

What if I?

1. Randomly wrote down the references to three verses (could not choose a verse I knew).

2. Looked up the verses.

3. Connected the three verses into a blog post/devotional/or illustration.

I could not choose a familiar verse, nor could I change a verse after looking at it.

Here are my three randomly-chosen verses.

I have sworn an oath and confirmed it,
    to keep your righteous rules. {Psalm 119:106)

Psalm 119 is the longest chapter in the Bible and most of the verses are about loving the law of God. This one talks taking an oath. An oath in the Bible is solemn and unbreakable (at least should be unbreakable). For someone to take an oath – they are being serious in their vow. Here the Psalmist is saying that he took an oath to obey God’s righteous rules.

Afterward Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, “See, you are well! Sin no more, that nothing worse may happen to you.” (John 5:14

The invalid in John did not know about God’s righteous rules. In fact, when the Jews asked who had healed him, he didn’t know, He just knew he had been healed. But later the Lord found him in the temple and spoke to him. “See, you are well! Sin no more, that nothing worse may happen to you.”And then the man believed and told the Jews who had healed him. The Lord continues by explaining that He is the Son of God and He and the Father are one.

So we have the Psalmist who loves the laws of God and wants to obey them. Then we have the man in John who does not understand who Jesus is until he witnesses the miracle in his own life.

Then we have a third person – Timothy.

Here we have a very different scenario.

For I have no one like him, who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare. (Philippians 2:20)

Paul wants to send Timothy to Philippi because he has proven his worth. Here is a young man who loves the Lord.

I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be cheered by news of you. For I have no one like him, who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare. For they all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. But you know Timothy’s proven worth, how as a son with a father he has served with me in the gospel. I hope therefore to send him just as soon as I see how it will go with me,

Timothy has been a co-laborer in sharing the gospel.

So three different types of people.

One who desires to keep God’s righteous rules.

One who does not understand who Christ is.

One who reflects Christ in his life and serves Him.

Which person are you?

Not sure this is the best illustration i’ve ever written, but it was challenging to work on it. Why don’t you the three-verse challenge or do it with your family and see what you come up with?