One of the more popular types of restaurants today is the buffet.  That long table of delicious food seems to offer a little something for everyone.  Do you like chicken?  Help yourself.  Beef?  Yes, we have several choices.  Fish? Vegetable? Salad? Desserts?  Yep, it's all there.  If you're like me, you don't immediately start filling your plate, but you first do a quick "walk through."  You survey the offerings, and then you begin loading your plate.  When you sit down to eat, you have before you all of your favorites.

This style of eating works well for most people--other than that it allows us to eat way too much!  But, sadly, this is also the approach that many people want to take with religion.  They want to survey all that is offered, and then pick and choose those things that appeal to them.  Want strict laws?  You can find them.  Prefer more freedom?  You can find that.  Want a nice mix of contemporary values and good old fashioned tradition?  That's avaliable too.  See something you don't like?  Just skip it!

In one short sentence, Jesus explained that this type of "religion shopping" doesn't work.  You see, God is the author of religion.  He is the supreme being who determines what is right and what isn't.  He determined what he wanted and didn't want from his people.  Very carefully he laid out his will in his holy Word.  Men, inspired by God, put in writing everything that God wanted us to know.

And then Jesus endorsed God's teaching.  "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples," he said.  Note that he didn't say, If you hold to some of my teachings, or my main teachings," but "my teaching."  That means the entire body of teaching, everything put into one container.  "If you hold to everything that I have taught," he said, "you are really my true followers."  The buffet style of religion isn't allowed.  You can't "pick and choose" your beliefs and then sit down with a plate full of satisfying ideals to govern your life.

God filled our plate the way that a loving parent fills the plate of his/her children.  There's good food and food that's good for you.  There are some vegetables that might not taste good, but keep you healthy.  There are also samples of desserts, but not a plate full of them.  God has given us rules and regulations, some that we agree whole heartedly with, and others that are more difficult for us because our sinful nature just doesn't like to listen to God.  But all are for our eternal good.  And if we follow them as God has given them to us, we are his true disciples.

And let's not forget the delicious dessert.  Along with the sometimes bitter tasting laws that we have been given, God has also given us his sweet tasting Gospel.  He has taught us that Jesus is our Savior, the one who overcomes all of our sins and weaknesses.  He now calls us to follow him, to walk along with him, on the path that leads to eternal life.  So, eat hearty, Christian.  Eat the meal that God has prepared for you, holding to his teaching, and trusting in his love.